Baiyun Mountain (simplified Chinese: 白云山; traditional Chinese: 白雲山; pinyin: Báiyún Shān; literally "White Cloud Mountain") is a mountain near Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in China.
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| Scenes on Baiyun Mountain named in Eight Sights of Guangzhou | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Chinese | English |
| Song Dynasty | 蒲涧帘泉 | Lianquan Fountain at the Cattail Gully |
| Yuan Dynasty | 蒲间濂泉 | |
| 白云晚望 | Rosy Cloud at Dusk in Baiyun Mountain | |
| 景泰僧归 | Returning Monks of Jingtai Temple | |
| 1963 | 白云松涛 | Sea of Pine Trees on Baiyun Mountain |
| 1986 | 云山锦绣 | Splendor of Baiyun Mountain |
| 2002 | 云山叠翠 | Lush Greenery on Baiyun Mountain |
The name of the mountain derives from the view of peaks shrouded by white clouds in late Spring or when the sky clears after rain, Baiyun Mountain has been a scenic spot since ancient times.[1] The fame of the mountain dates back before the city of Guangzhou was established, when it was occasionally visited by celebrities of as early as the Warring States Period (476 BC–221 BC). It had become known for its beauty in Jin Dynasty (265–420) and reputed as a tourist attraction in Tang Dynasty (618–897).[2]
Numerous scenes on Baiyun Mountain have been named in the Eight Sights of Guangzhou (Chinese: 羊城八景) of various eras since Song Dynasty (960–1279).[2][3][4] Historically, Baiyun Mountain had an abundance of scenic spots and historical sites, but few of them have survived till modern days.[1]
Over the course of history, Baiyun Mountain have earned the titles of “Top Beauty of Guangzhou” (Chinese: 羊城第一秀)[1] and “First Mountain of Lingnan” (Chinese: 岭南第一名山)[4].
Baiyun Mountain refers to the mountain range located 15 km (9.3 mi) north of downtown Guangzhou and made up of 30-odd peaks, with an area of 28 km2 (11 sq mi). It is the ending range in the south of Dayu Mountains (Chinese: 大庾岭), which themselves are part of Nanling Mountains (Chinese: 南岭山脉).[4] Its highest peak, Moxing Ridge (Chinese: 摩星岭; literally “Star-scraping Ridge”) measures 382 m (1,253 ft) in height and is also called the “First Peak under the Southern Sky” (Chinese: 天南第一峰).[1]
Virescence covers over 95% of the area of Baiyun Mountain, enabling it to absorb 2800 t of carbon dioxide and release 2100 t of oxygen each day. Therefore, Baiyun Mountain is regarded as the “Lung of the City” (Chinese: 市肺).[1]
Baiyun Mountain is a park with natural hills and waters, and an ideal sightseeing place and summer resort, with a development history of over 1,000 years. So far six sightseeing zones have been developed: Mingzhu Tower, Moxing Ridge, Santai Ridge, Mingchun Valley, Fei’e Ridge and Luhu Lake. Apart from the existing scenes Moxing Ridge, Looking afar in the morning from Baiyun Mountain, Looking afar in the evening from Baiyun Mountain, the First Peak under the Southern Sky, Wind Soughing in the Pines on Baiyun Mountain, Village Hostel, Songtao Villa, Mingzhu Tower, Luming Restaurant and Baiyun Immortal’s House, there have been added for the past ten-odd years such scenic spots as Baiyun Cableway, Mingchun Valley - the largest birdcage in Asia, the Forest of Steles in Guangzhou, Nengren Temple, a golf course, Xinghai Garden, Yuntai Garden, the Sculpture Park and Baiyun Chute, etc.
The White Cloud Mountain minnow, now a popular aquarium fish worldwide, was discovered in this area in the 1930s.
It can be reached by the 24th and 36th Route Buses and bus service direct to the peak is available at Guangwei Road. Baiyun Cableway is the first cable cars for sightseeing in the country to adopt the homemade movable cable-holding device with dual clamping, single-cable cycle with large carrying capacity. There are 80 cars, each can sit 6 people. The lower station is set up east of Yuntai Garden and the upper station at the Peak Park, a difference of 198 m (650 ft) in altitude and a horizontal distance of 1,672 m (5,486 ft) from each other. The cable cars of Baiyun Cableway pass by such scenic spots as ‘Initial Probe into the Cloudy Valley’, ‘Pu Valley’, barbecue zone, ‘Nengren Temple’ and so on, and the limitless scenery of the Goat City (Guangzhou) is right before your eyes when gazing into the distance.
There are many ways to Baiyun Mountain (White Cloud Mountain). You can take buses on special line from Yuhua Road; or take No. 11 bus to Shuquan Road, Shahe, and then climb the mountain on foot; or get to Yuntai Garden by No.24 bus, then by cable car (about 1,600 m (5,200 ft) in all) . [5]
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