Apart from the profound culture and the history exceeding thousands of years, the marvelous landscapes stretching the vast territory makes China a position on the bucket lists of many travel lovers all over the world. Home to diverse natural tourist attractions and breathtaking sceneries, the Middle Kingdome does allure thousands of tourists on their oriental journey every single year. Particularly, a China tour discovering the country’s natural wonders cannot come without the name of Huangshan – the mountainous city in Anhui province. The magnificent sights and extraordinary features of the Yellow Mountain here have gained tons of praise from visitors and served as a resource of inspiration for many Chinese poets and artists as well. So, are you ready to immerse in the ethereal atmosphere in this spectacular mountain and explore all Huangshan attractions?
Best Things to Visit in Huangshan
Huangshan Scenic Spot – the Masterpiece of Nature
The majestic scenery of Huangshan has been the subject for a myriad of literary works and paintings in Chinses history, which makes the mountain a famous and must-visit destination in China. Listed as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, many tourists coming to the area to witness the alluring distinct features which are also known as the four wonders of the Yellow Mountain. They are the bizarre rock formations, oddly-shaped pines that are given imaginative manes, hot spring that is believed to bring back the youth and the sea of cloud. The area shows the different sceneries at different times of the year, different locations and different weather, yet all are magnificent. Notably, in winter when Huangshan is covered in a beautiful white blanket of snow is the favorite season to visit Huangshan of many travelers. Some famous scenic spots on the mountain to feast your eyes can be named as the Hot-Spring, Cloud Valley Scenic Spot, Pine Valley Scenic Spot, North Sea Scenic Spot, and Jade Screen Scenic Spot, etc.
Hongcun Ancient Village – a Living Chinese Painting
After the grandeur of the Huangshan Mountain, Hongcun Village is a wonderful destination to explore. Founded during the Southern Song Dynasty, this picturesque old village with well-preserved Hui-style houses still keeps its layout resembling the shape of a water buffalo, which makes the site on the list of China’s top 10 charming villages. Setting the foot here, tourists will be stunned by the country scenery featuring the white wall, grey tiles, stone bridges over the waterlily pond in the backdrop of the mountain in the mist. The most suitable to visit Hongcun is the spring and autumn when the weather is pleasant and the scenes become more enchanting.
Xidi Ancient Village – the Fairyland
Like Hongcun Village, Xidi Village also has its name on the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage Sites, offering tourists the perfect opportunity to admire the traditional architecture as well as gain insights into ancient Chinese culture and art. The village is home to a maze of lanes lined with a hundred architectures that dated back from the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Ancient houses retain their charming courtyard and the intricately –carved interior decoration, making tourists feel like stepping into the past. Also, the fairyland-like scenery can bewitch the visitors as well. This picturesque village nestled by the mountains and the crystal streams has been a great resource of inspiration for architects, sculptors, industrial artists, and painters for years.
Tangyue Village and Tangyue Memorial Archways
The Tangyue Village which is 6.5 kilometers away from the Shexian County, is home to a large number of historic sites such as the Quingzi Temple (Female Temple) and the Branch Temple of Bao’s (Male Temple). Beyond having a closer look at the patriarchal systems and the history of merchants in Huizhou, the highlight of Tangyue is the group of seven memorial archways at the entrance of the village. As a product of the feudal society under the Ming and Qing Dynasty, those simple and elegant archways represent the values of Chinese traditional ethnic including loyalty, filial piety, moral integrity, and justice. Bearing the characteristics in culture and history of Anhui people, the Tangyue Memorial Archways must be a site to check in when visiting Huangshan to all travelers from home and abroad as well
Nanping Village – China’s Film Village
Have you watched Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Do you know that the 1000-year-old Nanping Village appears in many parts of this film? Besides, this beautiful village is where many other Chinese movies are filmed, which makes it become China’s film village. Since being built in the Ming Dynasty, Nanping, home to many historical and cultural sites, offers the tourists a perfect opportunity to discover and experience. Step onto the labyrinth of crossing alleys lined with antique buildings and travel centuries back in time. In this village known for the living museum of the Chinese Ancient Ancestral Halls, tourists have a once-of-a-lifetime experience to listen to the ancestor worshiping culture in feudal society.
Xin An River Landscape - the Utopian Land
Rising from the foot of Huangshan Mountain, the splendid landscape along the Xin An River will let the tourists enter the Utopian world. Feast your eyes on the marvelous sight from the two riverbanks, houses with grey tiles and white wall reflecting in the crystal water as well as verdant hills stretching toward the horizon. In spring and autumn, the area enters its most beautiful seasons, becoming a great golden carpet colored by rape flowers, chrysanthemum, and orange. Cruising and hiking experience along Xin An River is no doubt a wonderful choice to escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
Best Things to Do in Huang
Have a Taste of Huangshan Cuisine (Hui Cuisine)
During your stay in Huangshan, never forget to indulge in the excellent Hui Cuisine, one of the eight major cuisines passing more than a hundred-year history in China. Known for the elaborate choice of materials and the strict rules regarding seasonings and cooking to retain the original tastes of every ingredient used, the food gains great popularity among both expats and local visitors coming there. You might not want to miss out the taste of Huangshan’s most famous, flavorful dishes and snacks, such as Bamboo shoots cooked with sausage and dried mushroom, Royal Pot (Yi Pin Guo), Salted Mandarin Fish, Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch, Fried Odorous Tofu (Youjian Mao Doufu), Yellow Crab Shell (Xie Ke Huang), and much more. Tunxi District with many good hotels and restaurants will be a paradise to all food enthusiasts.
Sip on Mao Feng Tea
In Huangshan which is renowned as the hometown of tea in China, tea plays an indispensable part in the local daily life. Among several superior varieties of green teas there, Mao Feng tea (Yellow Mountain Fur Peak) is undoubtedly the best. Tourists will have a once-of-a-lifetime to reveal the tragic love story behind the unique growth and taste of the Mao Feng tea before experiencing the pure aroma reminding of the fresh blooms, the bright green liquor and then the sweet floral flavor. Beyond its satisfying and calming effect on the human mind, the tea also brings about lots of health benefits, which makes it a favorite souvenir visitors would like to take for their relatives and friends.
Conquer at Tunxi Ancient Street
Filled with the ancient shops, medicine shops, teahouses, restaurants, galleries and numerous works of art, Tunxi Old Street is a must-visit attraction of Huangshan. While roaming along the road lined with ancient houses built in traditional Hui ethnic minority group style, visitors will find a great number of unique tourist commodities at low prices, ranging from the “Four Treasures of the Study” including the paintbrush, ink, inkstone, and paper to the various Chinese paintings, handicrafts, carvings, and calligraphic works. When the night falls, the atmosphere in Tunxi Ancient Street will become particularly festive and vibrant, making it a perfect place to enjoy after the hiking of Yellow Mountain.
