| Huangshan 黄山 | |
|---|---|
 Panoramic view of the Huangshan landscape | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,864 m (6,115 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,734 m (5,689 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Ultra, Ribu |
| Coordinates | 30°07′30″N118°10′00″E / 30.12500°N 118.16667°E /30.12500; 118.16667[1] |
| Geography | |
  Huangshan 黄山 Location in eastern China Show map of Northern China Huangshan 黄山 Huangshan Show map of China黄山 (China) | |
| Location | Huangshan City,Anhui |
 Interactive map of Huangshan | |
| Official name | Mount Huangshan |
| Criteria | Cultural and Natural: (ii), (vii), (x) |
| Reference | 547bis |
| Inscription | 1990 (14thSession) |
| Extensions | 2012 |
| Area | 16,060 ha (62.0 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 49,000 ha (190 sq mi) |
| Huangshan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.svg) "Huangshan" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黄山 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 黄山 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Yellow Mountain(s)" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Huangshan (Chinese:黄山),[2]literally meaning theYellow Mountain(s), is amountain range in southernAnhui province ineastern China. It was originally called "Yishan", and it was renamed because of a legend that theYellow Emperor once madealchemy here.[3] Vegetation on the range is thickest below 1,100 meters (3,600 ft), with trees growing up to the treeline at 1,800 meters (5,900 ft).
The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shapedgranite peaks,Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditionalChinese paintings andliterature, as well as modernphotography. It is aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site and one ofChina's major tourist destinations.
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The Huangshan mountain range has many peaks, some more than 1,000 meters (3,250 feet) high.[4] The three tallest and best-known peaks areLotus Peak (Lianhua Feng, 1,864 m),Bright Peak (Guangming Ding, 1,860 m) andCelestial Peak (Tiandu Feng, literallyCapital of Heaven Peak, 1,829 m).[2][5] The World Heritage Site covers a core area of 154 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 142 square kilometres.[6] The mountains were formed in theMesozoic, approximately 100 million years ago, when an ancient sea disappeared due to uplift.[7] Later, in theQuaternary Period, the landscape was shaped by the influence ofglaciers.[7]
The vegetation of the area varies with elevation.Mesic forests cover the landscape below 1,100 meters. Deciduous forest stretches from 1,100 meters up to thetree line at 1,800 meters. Above that point, the vegetation consists of alpine grasslands. The area has diverse flora, where one-third of China'sbryophyte families and more than half of itsfern families are represented. TheHuangshan pine (Pinus hwangshanensis) is named after Huangshan and is considered an example of vigor because the trees thrive by growing straight out of the rocks.[7] Many of the pine trees in the area are more than a hundred years old and have been given their own names (such as theYing Ke Pine, orWelcoming-Guests Pine, which is thought to be more than 1500 years old).[5] The pines vary greatly in shape and size, with the most crooked of the trees being considered the most attractive.[8] Furthermore, Huangshan's moist climate facilitates the growing oftea leaves[9] and the mountain has been called "one of China's premier green tea-growing mountains.[10]Mao feng cha ("Fur Peak Tea"), a well-known local variety ofgreen tea,[11] takes its name from the downy tips of tea leaves found in the Huangshan area.[12]
The mountaintops often offer views of the clouds from above, known as theSea of Clouds (Chinese:云海;pinyin:yúnhǎi)[9] or "Huangshan Sea"[8] because the cloud resembled an ocean, and manyvistas are known by names such as "North Sea" or "South Sea".[8] One writer remarked on the view of the clouds from Huangshan as follows:
To enjoy the magnificence of a mountain, you have to look upwards in most cases. To enjoy Mount Huangshan, however, you've got to look downward.[8]
The area is also host to notable light effects, such as the renowned sunrises. Watching the sunrise is considered a "mandatory" part of visiting the area.[13] A phenomenon known asBuddha's Light (Chinese:佛光;pinyin:fóguāng)[14] is also well-known and, on average, Buddha's Light only appears a couple of times per month.[15] In addition, Huangshan has multiplehot springs, most of them located at the foot of thePurple Cloud Peak. The water stays at 42 °C (107.6 °F) all year,[16] and has a high concentration ofcarbonates. The waters are said to help prevent skin, joint, and nerve illness.[7]
Huangshan was formed approximately 100 million years ago and gained its uniquerock formations in theQuaternary Glaciation.[7]
During theQin dynasty, Huangshan was known asYishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree;[17] the name is commonly thought to have been coined in honor ofHuang Di (the Yellow Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of theHan Chinese.[18] One legend states that Huangshan was the location from which the Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven.[5] Another legend states that the Yellow Emperor "cultivated moral character and refinedPills of Immortality in the mountains, and in so doing gave the mountains his name.[7] The first use of this name "Huangshan" often is attributed to Chinese poetLi Bai.[18] Huangshan was fairly inaccessible and little-known in ancient times, but its change of name in 747 AD seems to have brought the area more attention; from then on, the area was visited frequently and many temples were built there.[17]
Huangshan is known for its stone steps,[5] carved into the side of the mountain, of which there may be more than 60,000 throughout the area.[13][19][20] The date at which work on the steps began is unknown, but they have been said to be more than 1,500 years old.[19]
Over the years, many scenic spots and physical features on the mountain have been named;[8] many of the names have narratives behind them. For example, one legend tells of a man who did not believe the tales of Huangshan's beauty and went to the mountains to see them; almost immediately, he was converted to the same view. One of the peaks he is said to have visited was namedShixin (始信), roughly meaning "start to believe".[8]
In 1982, Huangshan was declared a "site of scenic beauty and historic interest" by theState Council of China.[17] It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 for its scenery and for its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species.[21] Subsequently, certified as a NationalGeopark, and then as a regional geopark (Asia Pacific Geopark Network), it was admitted as aUNESCO Global Geopark in 2004.
In 2002, Huangshan was named the "sister mountain" ofJungfrau in theSwiss Alps.[5]
Much of Huangshan's reputation derives from its significance in Chinese arts and literature.[22] In addition to inspiring poets such as Li Bai,[13][6] Huangshan and the scenery therein has been the frequent subject of poetry and artwork, especially Chineseink painting[17] and, more recently, photography.[2] Overall, from theTang dynasty to the end of theQing dynasty, more than 20,000 poems were written about Huangshan, and a school of painting was named after it.[5][8] The mountains also have appeared in modern works; directorJames Cameron cited Huangshan as one of his influences in designing the fictional world of his 2009 filmAvatar, and Chinese animated seriesStitch & Ai, a spin-off ofDisney'sLilo & Stitch franchise, is set in the Huangshan mountains.[citation needed]
The area has also been a location for scientific research because of its diversity of flora and wildlife. In the early part of the twentieth century, the geology and vegetation of Huangshan were the subjects of multiple studies by both Chinese and foreign scientists.[17] The mountain is still a subject of research. For example, in the late twentieth century, a team of researchers used the area for a field study ofTibetan macaques, a local species of monkey.[23]
Having at least 140 sections open to visitors,[21] Huangshan is a major tourist destination in China.[2][13]Huangshan City changed its name from Tunxi (屯溪) in 1987 in order to promote Huangshan tourism.[24] In 2007, more than 1.5 million tourists visited the mountain.[25] The city is linked by rail and by air toShanghai,[2] and also is accessible from cities such asHangzhou,Zhejiang andWuhu,Anhui.[26] Buses connect Huangshan City to the base of the mountain, where visitors can take a cable car or hike to the summit.[2]
There are more than 50 kilometers of footpaths providing access to scenic areas for visitors and staff of the facilities.[17] Throughout the area there are hotels and guest houses that accommodate overnight visitors,[2][17] many of whom hike up the mountains, spend the night at one of the peaks to view the sunrise, and then descend by a different route the next day.[13] The area is classified as aAAAAA scenic area by theChina National Tourism Administration.[27]
The hotels, restaurants, and other facilities at the top of the mountain are serviced and kept stocked by porters who carry resources around the mountain on foot, hanging their cargo from long poles balanced over their shoulders or backs.[28]
Huangshan has ahumid continental climate (Köppen Climate ClassificationDfb) or asubtropical highland climate (Cfb) depending on the isotherm used. Its elevation makes it colder and wetter than the rest of Anhui.
| Climate data for Huangshan, elevation 1,840 m (6,040 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) | 13.8 (56.8) | 19.0 (66.2) | 22.3 (72.1) | 24.5 (76.1) | 25.7 (78.3) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 25.2 (77.4) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.2 (57.6) | 27.6 (81.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) | 3.5 (38.3) | 7.2 (45.0) | 12.3 (54.1) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.3 (64.9) | 20.8 (69.4) | 20.6 (69.1) | 17.4 (63.3) | 13.2 (55.8) | 8.9 (48.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 11.9 (53.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.8 (28.8) | 0.1 (32.2) | 3.5 (38.3) | 8.6 (47.5) | 12.8 (55.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.3 (57.7) | 9.9 (49.8) | 5.6 (42.1) | 0.1 (32.2) | 8.7 (47.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.9 (23.2) | −3.1 (26.4) | 0.1 (32.2) | 5.4 (41.7) | 9.9 (49.8) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.1 (61.0) | 15.7 (60.3) | 11.9 (53.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 2.6 (36.7) | −3.1 (26.4) | 5.9 (42.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −22.0 (−7.6) | −19.1 (−2.4) | −15.9 (3.4) | −11.7 (10.9) | −4.7 (23.5) | 1.3 (34.3) | 8.5 (47.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | −0.6 (30.9) | −9.8 (14.4) | −19.0 (−2.2) | −22.7 (−8.9) | −22.7 (−8.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 99.5 (3.92) | 115.3 (4.54) | 175.8 (6.92) | 222.0 (8.74) | 286.2 (11.27) | 481.4 (18.95) | 370.7 (14.59) | 301.2 (11.86) | 147.4 (5.80) | 90.1 (3.55) | 91.4 (3.60) | 68.0 (2.68) | 2,449 (96.42) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 14.5 | 13.9 | 17.0 | 16.2 | 17.1 | 18.8 | 16.8 | 19.2 | 14.0 | 10.9 | 11.1 | 10.8 | 180.3 |
| Average snowy days | 9.8 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 6.5 | 31.5 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 67 | 73 | 76 | 77 | 79 | 88 | 92 | 92 | 87 | 71 | 64 | 59 | 77 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 142.4 | 129.7 | 136.5 | 144.6 | 152.2 | 99.6 | 123.3 | 112.0 | 124.7 | 168.9 | 159.6 | 164.3 | 1,657.8 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 44 | 41 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 24 | 29 | 28 | 34 | 48 | 51 | 52 | 38 |
| Source:China Meteorological Administration[29][30]All-time October high[31] | |||||||||||||
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Huangshan.
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| South Central |
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| Multiple regions |
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