Huangshan Mountains

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The Huang Shan (Chinese: 黄山; pinyin: Huáng Shān; literally Yellow Mountain) is a mountain range in southern Anhui province in eastern China. The area is very famous for its scenic beauty, which lies in the peculiar shapes of the granite peaks, in the weather-shaped Huangshan Pine trees, and in views of the clouds from above. The area also has hot springs and natural pools. The Huang Shan are a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature. Today, they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's most popular tourist destinations.

The Huang Shan mountain range comprises many peaks, 77 of which exceed 1,000 m in altitude. The three tallest peaks are Lotus Peak (Lian Hua Feng, 1,864 m, 30°07′N 118°10′E), nearby Bright Summit Peak (Guang Ming Ding, 1,840 m) and Celestial Peak (Tian Du Feng, literally Capital of Heaven Peak, 1,829 m). The World Heritage Site covers a core area of 154 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 142 square kilometres.

Mount Huangshan

The mountains were formed in the Mesozoic, about 100 million years ago, when an ancient sea disappeared due to uplift. Later, in the Quaternary, the landscape was shaped by the influence of glaciers. In many cases, stone pillar forests were formed.

Since the Qin Dynasty, the Huang Shan had been known as the Yi Shan, they got their present name in 747 AD, when the poet Li Po referred to them by this name in his writing.

Huangshan 2002

The vegetation of the area depends on altitude: Below 1,100 m, moist forest can be found; deciduous forest stretches from 1,100 m up to the tree line at 1,800 m; above that the vegetation consists of alpine grass-lands. The area has diverse flora, where one-third of China's bryophyte families and more than half of its fern families are represented.

Because the mountain tops are often above cloud level, they offer views of the clouds from above and interesting light-effects. The Sea of Clouds (Chinese: 雲海, Pinyin: Yun Hai) and Buddha's Light (Chinese: 佛光 Pinyin: Fo Guang) are famous phenomena which attract many tourists. On average, the Buddha's Light only appears a couple of times in a month.

The hot springs of the area are located at the foot of the Purple Cloud Peak. the water retains a temperature of 45 °C all year. Most natural pools are concentrated in the Songgu Area. Some particularly well-known water bodies in the area are the Old Dragon Pool (Lao Long Tan), the Green Dragon Pool (Qing Long Tan), the Black Dragon Pool (Wu Long Tan), the White Dragon Pool (Bai Long Tan), and the Jadeite Pond.

Mao Feng ("Fur Peak") is a famous green tea from the Huang Shan area, it is named for the downy tips of the tea leaves.

The Huang Shan has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990 for its exceptional natural beauty and its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species.