Jiu Hua Shan, Anhui Province, China Buddhist hilly mountain, Jiu Hua Shan, Anhui Province, China

Lover's lock at JiuHuaShan

       
Ricj buddhist culture mountaineous city of Jiu Hua Shan, Anhui Province, China Temples at the hilly mountain, Jiu Hua Shan, Anhui Province, China  
Jiu Hua Shan locates at Guichi City, Qing Yang county, Anhui Province. The entire area occupies some 120 sq. miles, not too far from Huang Shan which takes approx. 2-1/2 hours drive to its entry point at the foothill. The main range has a height of 1,324 metres; the entire mountainous range is actually an extension of nearby Huang Shan range.
       
* The remaining three are Wu-Tai Shan in Shanxi, Pu Tuo Shan at Zhejiang Province, Er_Mei Shan in Szechuan Province. Jiu Hua Shan also known as Jiu Zhi Shan as there are all together ninety nine mountain with nine distinctive ranges that made up this scenic Buddhist location.

Today, it has been rated as one of China's designated National Scenic Zone and ranked top among the four holiest Buddhist mountains in China with hundreds of temples built around spectacular peaks and perilous cliffs. Basically, most of the Buddhist temples found at JiuHuaShan are of Mahayana Buddhism as well as those found at remote peaks and cliffs areas belongs to school of Taoist Buddhism. Access to some of them temples here at uphill is via a bus terminal at a foothill gathering area. The central district of JiuHuaShan is not a very big township but rather the main street is just a few hundred yards of a main road up there (jiu Hua Street) where you can find countless souvenir shops retailing pilgrimage materials such as Joss ticks, candles and others with many old houses with ancient architecture separated by tight and narrow alleys. There are probably hundreds of old temples which could aged a few hundred years of historical background behind them. These temples, numbered in hundreds, size and formation are spreading across the many hilly, mountainous ranges where accessibility can be very difficult (esp. for short stay and one just need to be well prepared for steep CLIMB ! ). The main street of Jiu hua is also where some of the 3-4 stars rated hotels are found. You can literally find temples of interest around the main street, some more well known temples such as BaisuiGong (The Palace of Hundred Years, with old name "Zhai-Xing Ann - Temple for "Stars Harvesting") is just few hundreds yards away with a cable car cum elevator; I would suggest you to pay a little extra to utilize elevator service to go up to the peak rather than spending few hours to climb up a concreate stair ways by foot whichalso avoiding the oddly-size (huge) monkeys which can be very demanding for food from tourists. The center piece of attraction of BaisuiGong is a Shrine of a well-preserved body an eminent monk, named WUXIA which legend said passed away at 126 years old and the mummy is timed around 350 years !

Signature.Gif   Another legend most told by locals that one of the Emperor from Qing Dynasty actually directed and moved his body to the location where it is now and granting temple renovation Of more recent, former Chinese Premier Jiang Zhe Ming also visited Jiu Hua Shan and left many hand scripts here which obviously has helped the tourism industry on this hilly town.

Monks prayer one step at a time seen at Jiu Hua Shan, Anhui Province, China   One of he most visited spot in this temple is the Wu Bai Loh Han Tang (Hall of five hundred Monks) spots golden statues of hundreds of Monks. Baisui Gong is not he largest nor oldest in Jiu Hua Shan but due to its easy accessibility at the town and rich story lines behind it, it had the most visitors. From the spot of BaisuiGong, you can literally see numerous Taoist Buddhist temples across the annexing hills, some are up /down and even mid of the cliffs. One of visitor's favorite hot spot in Jiu Hua Shan is the Tian Tai Si - where legend told a Korean monk named Kim Kiao Kak believed to the the avatar of the Bodhisattva.

The Dizang temple is one of the spot where Chinese builders / contractors favors the most in pilgrimage. The oldest temple in Jiu Hua Shan is believed to be HuaZheng temple, for short-stay visitors who wishes to have an overview of Jiu Hua Shan, you should take a visit to Historical Relics Museum where precious artifacts, sutras Precious sutras and other cultural relics that stretches from Tang, Ming to Qing dynasty from other temples are on display.
     
The early next morning after my arrival, I had witnessed pilgrims walk in rolls, prayed at each few steps - making ways up to the a nearby BaisuiGong.. Where I thought this scene could only be seen in Tibet...LAST, this place can be damn COLD (not cool) and during or near/after winter, it may not be opened due to heavy snowfall during winter time. Please check before attempting to arrange for a private visit where in most cases, the tour of Jiu Hua Shan is normally packaged along with tour of Huang Shan..

Some sites that relates (in Chinese):
Jiu Hua Shan Management Committee (Official TOURISM AND GOVERNMENTAL Site)
http://www.ah163.net/anhui/ftrq/tourjhs01.html (basic 1-page summary)
       
Street of Jiu Hua Shan Coniferous vegetation up at JiuHuaShan   Another hilltop structure at Jiu Hua Shan

MESSAGE BOARD / GUESTBOOK

Thailand Link Burma / Mynamar Link Cambodia Link China Link Malaysia Link

Bangkok | Chiangmai | Other areas in Thailand | Burma (Myanmar) / Cambodia | China | Malaysia

| BACK |
Main Index page

of Thai Amulets/Pendants