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Huangshan (s=黄山),Bernstein, pp. 125–127. literally meaning the Yellow Mountain( s), is a mountain range in southern Anhui in eastern China. It was originally called "Yishan", and it was renamed because of a legend that the Yellow Emperor once made Chinese alchemy here. Vegetation on the range is thickest below , with trees growing up to the treeline at .
The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional and literature, as well as modern photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's major tourist destinations.
The vegetation of the area varies with elevation. mesic habitat forests cover the landscape below 1,100 meters. Deciduous forest stretches from 1,100 meters up to the tree line at 1,800 meters. Above that point, the vegetation consists of alpine grasslands. The area has diverse flora, where one-third of China's bryophyte families and more than half of its fern families are represented. The Huangshan 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. Many of the pine trees in the area are more than a hundred years old and have been given their own names (such as the Ying Ke Pine, or Welcoming-Guests Pine, which is thought to be more than 1500 years old). The pines vary greatly in shape and size, with the most crooked of the trees being considered the most attractive. Furthermore, Huangshan's moist climate facilitates the growing of tea leaves and the mountain has been called "one of China's premier green tea-growing mountains.Heiss, p. 113 Mao feng cha ("Fur Peak Tea"), a well-known local variety of green tea,Heiss, p. 52 takes its name from the downy tips of tea leaves found in the Huangshan area.
The mountaintops often offer views of the clouds from above, known as the Sea of Clouds (p=yúnhǎi)Heiss, p. 124 or "Huangshan Sea" because the cloud resembled an ocean, and many are known by names such as "North Sea" or "South Sea". One writer remarked on the view of the clouds from Huangshan as follows:
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. A phenomenon known as Buddha's Light (p=fóguāng) is also well-known and, on average, Buddha's Light only appears a couple of times per month. In addition, Huangshan has multiple , most of them located at the foot of the Purple Cloud Peak. The water stays at 42 °C (107.6 °F) all year, and has a high concentration of . The waters are said to help prevent skin, joint, and nerve illness.
During the Qin dynasty, Huangshan was known as Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree; the name is commonly thought to have been coined in honor of Yellow Emperor (the Yellow Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of the Han Chinese. One legend states that Huangshan was the location from which the Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven. Another legend states that the Yellow Emperor "cultivated moral character and refined Pills of Immortality in the mountains, and in so doing gave the mountains his name. The first use of this name "Huangshan" often is attributed to Chinese poet Li Bai. 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.
Huangshan is known for its stone steps, carved into the side of the mountain, of which there may be more than 60,000 throughout the area. p. 52. The date at which work on the steps began is unknown, but they have been said to be more than 1,500 years old.
Over the years, many scenic spots and physical features on the mountain have been named; 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 named Shixin (始信), roughly meaning "start to believe".
In 1982, Huangshan was declared a "site of scenic beauty and historic interest" by the State Council of China. 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. Subsequently, certified as a National Geopark, and then as a regional geopark (Asia Pacific Geopark Network), it was admitted as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2004.
In 2002, Huangshan was named the "sister mountain" of Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps.
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. 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 of , a local species of monkey.Ogawa, p.9.
There are more than 50 kilometers of footpaths providing access to scenic areas for visitors and staff of the facilities. Throughout the area there are hotels and guest houses that accommodate overnight visitors, 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. The area is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration.
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.Heiss, p. 132
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