After enduring a monotonous workplace for a year, I finally waited for my annual leave. My husband (LG) and I took advantage of our son's summer vacation to use our annual leave together. We joined another family, whose members are LG's colleagues, for a trip full of sightseeing, eating, and socializing. On July 10th, Saturday morning, we set off towards Mount Hengshan. We took the Guangshen-North Ring-Jingzhu Expressway but were inexplicably forced off the highway before reaching Luyuan. This caused us to spend a considerable amount of time on the narrow national road which was under repair in some sections. Eventually, around 5 PM, we arrived at a small county near Hengshan. Worried that hotels closer to Hengshan would be more expensive, we almost stayed at a decent-looking "Holiday Hotel" (180 yuan/double room). However, due to the insistence of the women in our group, we continued driving for another half an hour until we reached the foot of Hengshan Mountain.
At the foot of Hengshan lies the famous Nanyue Temple, known for its miraculous effectiveness. A new and clean commercial street has been developed nearby, reminiscent of Yangshuo's West Street style. Due to its novelty, it lacks much popularity yet. In one of the shops there, we found the Wuhua Hotel (188 yuan/luxury double room). The rooms were spacious, equipped with automatic mahjong tables, large LCD TVs, and two comfortable single beds. The hardware facilities in the rooms were even better than those in the five-star Huatian Hotel where we stayed later. However, there were few service staff, so the service wasn't up to par. If you don't like being disturbed, staying here is entirely satisfactory.
After checking in and dropping off our luggage, it was already dark. We drove back along the same route to find a countryside restaurant by the roadside for our first meal in Hunan! Almost every dish, including the greens, was spicy... Starting from this meal, we couldn't go through a single meal without Wanglaoji and soda.
On July 11th, waking up in the morning... I felt re-energized again! But why could these two men leisurely sit and watch TV or play PSP while I had to do all the tidying up? I started to feel slightly overwhelmed...
For breakfast, we had rice noodles across from the hotel for five yuan per bowl. Actually, the locals had advised us to park at the hotel and then wait for free electric carts at the archway on the street leading either to the foot of Mount Hengshan or to the Nanyue Temple (the very effective temple is not located on the mountain). Nevertheless, LG's colleague drove straight to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, leaving the car baking in the sun for half a day (20 yuan parking fee).
The tickets for Hengshan Mountain, the shuttle bus on the mountain, and the cable car are purchased separately. Tickets at the entrance can be bought as a group ticket if you gather ten people or more through ticket scalpers, saving about 20 yuan per person. Children under 1.3 meters tall enter for free (it's not strictly enforced; our son who is just under 1.4 meters managed to get in too).
Even with the shuttle bus and cable car inside the scenic area, it still took over half an hour. The cable car holds forty to fifty people, and if you manage to catch it quickly, sitting or standing at the front offers an exciting experience going up or down the mountain... Our son loved it!
The cable car passes through a long and deep valley, and for a considerable distance, it hangs unsupported by any cables, making the children excited but the adults anxious all the way...
Upon arriving at the South Heaven Gate via the cable car, there’s still quite a distance to the highest unnamed temple at the end. We admired the incense pilgrims who walked all the way up...
Stepping out of the cable car, the cool mountain breeze brought relief but also sent shivers down our spines. It truly feels like two different worlds between the top and bottom of the mountain.
Climbing the mountain is physically demanding. Although today's hiking trails are far better than they used to be, for someone like me who hasn’t exercised in a long time, it was truly exhausting. Sweating profusely, once I stopped, the mountain wind would dry everything instantly, cooling my body to the core...
My slow turtle-like pace allowed me to observe the swift incense pilgrims walking briskly, leading me to believe their straw shoes must have been enchanted... Or should I shamelessly ask for a pair to try?
After a long time, we finally reached the summit. Compared to the Huangshan trip, this one was much easier, though for me personally, it was still painful...
At the summit temple, I neither burned incense nor made wishes. LG said that making wishes requires fulfilling them, so I didn't dare to make any wishes at this distant temple, but donations were definitely necessary. I only briefly observed the cultural aspects of the temple without delving deeper. Though monks guarded the temple, I sensed it might be a Taoist shrine rather than a Buddhist one. Why all monks were present remains unknown. The wind at the temple gate was strong, and the incense burned continuously, with ashes often swirling into the sky. I dared not walk too close to the edge, fearing the wind might blow me off the cliff...
Throughout the journey, I noticed a significant number of people coming to burn incense. Local incense groups wear very ethnic clothing. Even those returning from working elsewhere to participate in incense ceremonies will wear handmade straw shoes over their nice shoes and carry special belly pouches indicating their origin as part of an incense group, adding a unique touch. To show respect, I refrained from photographing this special scenery.
Another feature is that people here really come just to burn incense, carrying large quantities of incense up the mountain to worship and burn, unlike in Guangdong where offerings such as fruit and incense oil are brought to Buddha. Most donors are outsiders, truly living up to the name of incense groups!
With many people at the summit, we took photos and shortly rested before heading down to our next destination: Shaoshan.
Descending the mountain did not feel as difficult as climbing down Huangshan. You can choose between hiking trails and vehicle roads, enjoying fresh air without the scorching sun. Unlike the uncertainty of when you'd reach the end during our previous climb, this time we felt more relaxed, with clear skies and gentle clouds enhancing our mood. Along the way, local mountain residents occasionally sold small amounts of homemade mountain produce (small bamboo shoots, sweet potato chips, wild vegetables, etc.) spread on the ground (not fixed roadside stalls). Prices were reasonable: bamboo shoot bundles for five to ten yuan, three large sweet potato chips for five yuan. Just as I was about to buy in bulk, my companions advised against buying at higher prices on the mountain, suggesting it would be cheaper downhill. To satisfy my craving, I bought three sweet potato chips and enjoyed them as I walked, finding them incredibly delicious!
Regretfully, after descending, I realized I should have bought more since goods at the foot of the mountain were even more expensive—bamboo shoot bundles ranging from thirty to fifty yuan, sweet potato chips costing twenty to thirty yuan... It infuriated me!!
After descending, we hurried to Shaoshan. The highway signs were unclear, and since we were all exhausted and asleep, no one helped navigate. The driver missed the interchange on the expressway and ended up on the Changsha ring road...
Turning back towards Shaoshan wasted considerable time and fuel costs, but we eventually arrived before nightfall (as we moved westward, nights fell later; it was still bright at seven-thirty). Upon entering Shaoshan territory, motorcyclists carrying Hunan 'spicy beauties' approached cars with out-of-town plates offering themselves as guides. They would freely help you find a hotel (you can choose until satisfied, prices generally ranging from eighty to two hundred yuan), and the guide fee was a mere thirty yuan per day. However, the biggest trap was that although your guide seemed excellent initially, she would excuse herself and switch to a novice at the first stop of the tour the next day, who might be hesitant to speak...
You'll have to figure out how to solve this issue yourselves...
After several meals, the spiciness continued. Though I can handle spiciness well, unfortunately, my stomach issues flared up during this trip, causing excruciating pain and preventing me from enjoying two meals... Truly a regrettable aspect of this journey!
We had dinner at a local farmhouse near the hotel and chatted with locals about various rumors regarding dragon veins... Hehe~
(To be continued...)
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