Anhui: Home of Huizhou and Huang Shan
No loose ends to tie up in Shanghai… all business and preparations taken care of… It’s back to another fresh start in traveling!
Carrie and I had begun a journey westward from Hangzhou and Shanghai. Our first stop was the province of Anhui. The main plan was to ascend the famous Huang Shan Mountain, but first we decided to soak up some of the local Huizhou architecture and culture while waiting for more appropriate weather. We were based in the relatively uninteresting city of Tunxi. We were able to sample a bit of the region’s architectural style on the street of Lao Jie. At first glance it seemed a bit charismatic, but soon revealed itself as little more than a tourist trap.
In search of a more authentic experience, we took a day trip to the nearby town of Xidi. Fortunately, our driver was able to sneak us in the secret entrance and allowed us to glimpse the still functioning rear streets and alleys, secluded from the tourist trail. We were happy to find a quaint collection of gracefully-aged, white-walled buildings adorned with elaborate stone facades and occasional touches of detailed paintwork. While it may only be a ghost of its former glory, it is still possible to feel the magnificent appeal of this village.
It’s a remarkable experience to witness locals carrying out their daily routines along cobbled streets rising about the narrow drainage rivers. Dogs, cats, ducks and chickens have their free roam of the city. Art students linger in corners, capturing the scenery to paper. It is hard for me to explain how pleasing it was to simply wander and soak up this simple pace of life. I hope these photos of Xidi can do it some justice.
The following morning greeted us before the sun rose, and we began our expedition to one of the most impressive places of natural beauty that I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Huang Shan Mountain is a colossal collection of towering granite peaks capped in pine trees. Some times a sea of clouds will form in the valleys and the summits appear as islands floating in the cirrus. At other times, the heavens open up to reveal a hazeless blue expanse, paving the way for eyes to gaze out over the impressive landscape stretching off into infinity.
Two full days of hiking through canyons, creeping along cliffside paths, and climbing up to the highest reaches of the sky was far from enough to witness all of the magnificence to be found at Huang Shan. Even seeing the distant landscape silhouette on the horizon while the sky begins to glow red in anticipation of sun rise cannot compare to some of the photos of past glorious spectacles that this mountain has played host to. It was hard to leave and sacrifice the opportunity to witness more eye candy, but two strenuous days of non-stop trekking, braving the biting-cold and subsisting on trail food were happily left behind.
See all of my photos from Huang Shan Mountain
After leaving Anhui province, we took a couple day stop in Nanjing before heading west towards Sichuan.
.
Tags: - Photography, - Transport & Travel, Asia, China
Adam Shane
Leave a Reply