Part of the mountain ranges tumbling across southern Anhui that includes Huang Shan, Jiuhua Shan's (Jiǔhuá Shān, 九华山) 99 jagged peaks, draped in pine and bamboo forests, rise over picturesque ridges, mountain streams, waterfalls, and nearly 100 Buddhist temples. As one of China's four holy Buddhist mountains alongside Emei Shan, Putuo Shan, and Wutai Shan, Jiuhua Shan is considered the domain of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Dàyuàn Dìzàng Púsà, 大願地藏菩萨, or simply Dizang, in Mandarin), who is said to have put off going to Nirvana until no souls are left in hell. A 99 m (324.8 ft) high copper statue of Dizang is currently under construction at the foot of the mountain.
While Huang Shan to the south generally gets more attention and praise, the beauty of what was once known as Jiuzi Shan, or "nine peak mountains," inspired Tang dynasty poet Li Bai (Lǐ Bái, 李白)—whose name is sometimes romanized as Li Po—to bestow it with its current name in a poem, which translates to "nine flower mountains."
Several noteworthy temples are located in the village of Jiuhua, which is located roughly halfway up the mountain, including Huacheng Temple, one of the oldest temples on the mountain, and Baisui Gong, which displays the mummified and gold-covered remains of a 16th century Buddhist monk. Heading further up the mountain, whether by foot or by cable car, visitors pass more temples as well as sites of natural beauty like the Tianran Guanyin, a sharp peak of rock said to look like the Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of compassion.
Perched at Tiantai Zheng Peak, the most revered—though not the tallest—peak in Jiuhua Shan, the Tiantai Temple houses a statue of Dizang surrounded by thousands of statues of little Buddhas.
Tickets to enter the mountain's scenic area sell for RMB 190, which includes entry to the mountain's temples.
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History
Buddhists have been active on the mountain since the 4th century, but the mountain took on greater importance for Buddhists after the arrival of a prince from the Korean kingdom of Silla in the 8th century. Kim Kao Kak (Jīn Qiáojué, 金桥觉) came to the remote mountains to study Buddhism. Living on the mountain for 75 years, he died at the age of 99.
After his death, his body was kept in a stone coffin for three days, after which it remained preserved. Later, Jin Qiaojue was declared to be a reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Dàyuàn Dìzàng Púsà, 大願地藏菩萨, or Dizang, in Mandarin) and since then, the mountain has been an important site for believers seeking favorable placement of their dearly departed in the afterlife.
Climate
Jiuhua Shan's climate is is wet. With an average annual temperature of 13.4°C. (56.12°F), the mountain has an annual precipitation of 2470 mm (97 in). The summer months on the mountain are generally shortened by a late spring and early autumn seasons.
The mountain experiences frequent cloud and fog cover, especially in spring. While this can obscure views and dampen the spirits of visitors, it can also lend the mountains a mysterious quality and distinct charm. Swift winds also are common, especially on the higher reaches of Jiuhua Shan.
The optimal times for climbing the mountain are from late May/early June to late August/early September, although the mountain is accessible all year around. The average lows in January hit -3°C (26.6°F).
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Monks in Chinese Buddhist temples don't eat meat, nor do non-monk guests dining in monasteries. Local dishes feature seasonal vegetables, often grown on the mountain, which can be stir-fried, stewed, roasted or prepared in a variety of ways including faux meat dishes, shaped from tofu (dòufu, 豆腐), potatoes or other vegetables. Bamboo shoots (zhúsǔn, 竹笋), mushrooms (mógu, 蘑菇) and fungi (竹笋) are several local specialties. However, a number of restaurants in Jiuhua village have meat dishes on the menu, especially with meat from wild game.
Jiuhua village has a number of small restaurants lining the main street. Most of the local hotels also have their own restaurants, some with western food, although these are normally pricier than those that can be found on the street.
If not on a budget, the best food in town is at the vegetarian restaurant (sùcài guǎn, 素菜馆) found opposite the town's police station. Various stalls up the mountain provide basic snacks and drinks.
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Getting Around
Bus
There are internal buses running between Kecun and Fenghuangsong with stops at Ersheng, Ganlu Temple, Zhiyuan Temple, Sanjiaozhou and Minyuan, among others. A tour guide rides on each bus, introducting scenic spots along the way (in Chinese, of course). Buddhists and tourists with tickets can take the buses to visit every scenic spot inside the area for free without any limit on times.
Cableway
There are two main cableways. One is Baisui Gong cableway starting from Zhiyuan Temple upwards to Baisui Gong with a total length of 452 m (494 yd) and an altitudinal difference of 223 m (732 ft). The fastest speed is about 5 m per second (16 ft per second). The other is Tiantai cableway starting from Fenghuangsong upwards to Tiantai Temple with a total length of 1,500 m (1,640 yd).
To and From Jiuhua Shan
Flying to Jiuhua Shan
Tourists can fly to Nanjing, Hefei, Huang Shan, Anqing or Wuhu first and then transfer a direct bus to Jiuhua Shan.
An airport in currently under construction in Jiuhua Shan, which was scheduled to be completed by October 2011.
Train to Juihua Shan
Take a train to Tongling, Anqing, Huang Shan or Nanjing and then a bus to Jiuhua Shan.
Bus to Juihua Shan
There are nearly 30 bus lines serving Jiuhua Shan Bus Station with buses to and from Tongling, Anqing, Wuhu, Hefei, Nanjing, Shanghai, Yiwu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Huang Shan, Chizhou and Qingyang.
Tour buses to Jiuhua Shan from Anhui Province Tour Bus Station located east to Hefei Railway Station are also available. You may also take the long-distance bus from Hefei to Qingyang and then transfer to Jiuhua Shan.
Direct buses run from Chizhou to Jiuhua Shan during peak time (July and August) and you may also take the bus to Qingyang, get off at Wuxi and then transfer a bus to the mountain during off-season.
There is also a long-distance bus from Tongling Railway Station to Jiuhua Shan Bus Station daily, taking about 2-2.5 hours. After you pay for the admission to the mountain, you may transfer a bus to Jiuhua Jie for free.
Ferry to Juihua Shan
Tourists may also take a ferry to Chizhou, Tongling or Wuhu, and then go to Jiuhua Shan by road.
Jiuhua Shan is about 53 km from Chizhou Port and 92 km from Tongling Port. Both ports are along the Yangtze River route. Tourists from Shanghai and Nanjing may take ashore at Tongling Port while those from Chongqing, Wuhan and Jiujiang may disembark at Chizhou Port.
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Thanks to its unique climate, Jiuhua Shan is one of the better places in China for the cultivation of tea. Most of the best teas in China, allegedly having to be picked in the early morning as the night frost thaws from the leaves, are best in wet regions such as this. The best known specialty on the mountain is the green tea that grows well in the cloudy and foggy environment of the mountain slopes and the surrounding area.
Sparrow tongue tea (quèshé chá, 雀舌茶) and maofeng tea (máofēng chá, 毛峰茶) are two famous varieties of tea grown in the region. Named for the appearance of the leaves after brewing, when they have separated from the bud so they look like a bird's tongue sticking out from its beak, sparrow tongue tea is a yellow tea with a mild floral flavor. The leaves for yellow tea, like white tea, are picked younger and are dried slower to remove the grassy flavor. Maofeng tea, or "fur peak tea," has long, thin leaves with fine silver hairs. The tea has a medium body with a strong, sweet flavor and is produced in both high and low grades.
Other than the tea, there are numerous things that can be purchased, mainly in the town. Most of these are sold on the stalls that line the roads or at the start of the paths up the mountain, and most are pretty uninspiring—plastic looking jade bracelets, strange childrens' toys and cheap, toxic sticks called cigarettes. There are also various artifacts that the mountain provides, including folding fans, dried fungi, bamboo weaving products, root carvings, carved chopsticks, the four treasures of Chinese calligraphy (wénfēng sì bǎo, 毛峰茶), and various Buddhist souvenirs (such as the rosewood bead necklaces). The best place to look for these items is probably in the market that can be found not far from Zhiyuan Temple.
A ginger-like tuber called sealwort (huángjīng (黄精) can also be found here, that has been a part of traditional herbal medicine for many centuries. It is meant to be unbelievably good in curing dizziness and related symptoms. This medicine is usually found cut into pieces and preserved in a crystal sugar syrup.
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Obviously not a haven for bars and nightclubs, Jiuhua Shan is best known for self-discovery, lonely wandering and as a home for hermits. This Buddhist pilgrimage destination is, however, a great place to come for annual festivals.
The Jiuhua Buddhist Fair (Jiǔhuá Miàohuì, 九华庙会; July 30th by the Chinese lunar calendar) is the grandest annual Buddhist occasion. The festival commemorates the Korean monk Kim Kiao Kak (Jīn Qiáojué, 金桥觉) who is believed to be a reincarnation of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Dàyuàn Dìzàng Púsà, 大願地藏菩萨; or Dizang, in Mandarin). On this day, devout followers from near and far pay tribute. Since 1983, when the festival was resumed after suspension during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), it has become a major festival. Local artisans sell their wares, acrobatic players perform and special events include a dramatic procession of masked men and dragon fighting.
Introspection Day (Zìzì Rì, 自恣日; July 15th by the Chinese lunar calendar) sees monks looking inward together.
The Birthday of Sakyamuni (Fódàn Rì, 佛诞日; April 8th by the Chinese lunar calendar), founder of Buddhism, is a day for chanting in the grand hall, and bathing statues of the Buddha.
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