Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) in China’s Eastern Anhui Province is like a glittering green leaf viewed from an earth satellite high up in the sky; the Yellow Mountains are like a cluster of large, purple Spring Heralding Flowers in full bloom seen by tourists on the surface of the earth.
They are not only mountains, but also a sea, a sea of mountain peaks, a sea of clouds, a sea of pine trees, a sea of flowers, a sea of light, a sea of poetry. It is a sea of paintings. No wonder, the mountains have also been called the Yellow Sea (Huanghai).
Beautiful are the mountains: they constantly change their appearance, graceful, wondrous, forever fresh and unconventional. There stand the towering peaks, but in an instant they will turn into islands above a sea of clouds, and the pine trees growing out of the crevices will look as if they had taken root in the clouds, reminding the tourists of the “jade foliage on golden branches” in the legend. As the year passes from one season to another, as the weather changes from rain to shine, as the sun sets and the moon rises, the mountain changes, continually taking on new looks. Even if you visit The Yellow Mountains a thousand times, each time you will discover new beauties and enjoy new experiences.
Beautiful are the mountains: they combine the real and the unreal. The peaks, rocks, pine trees, waterfalls and springs all bear descriptive names. The peaks are called by such names as Lianhua (Lotus), Tiandu (Celestial Capital), Yuping (Jade Screen) and Jiulong (Nine Dragons); the rocks by such names as “Golden Cock Crowing towards Heavenly Gate”, “Squirrel Skipping to Celestial Capital”, “Monkey Gazing at the Sea” and “Magpie on a Plum Tree”; the pine trees by such names as Yingke (Greeting Guests), Tianhai (Probe the Sea), Heihu (Black Tiger) and Wolong (Recumbent Dragon): and the waterfalls and springs by such names as the Jiulong (Nine Dragons)Waterfall, the Renzi (Inverted-V) Waterfall, the Baizhang (¡§Thousand Feet) Spring and the Mingxian (Ringing String) Spring. If you compare these fancy names with what you see, you may find that they do not really match. But, set off by the mist and tinted by light, these scenic spots, seen from the right angle, will look more real than what their names signify. They will be more lifelike and more fascinating. The Lianhua Peak will be a lotus flower rowing out of the clouds high up in the sky. The golden cock will be ready to fly towards the gate leading to Celestial Capital. The pine tree by the name of “Yingke” will be extending its arms to welcome guests from afar. And the stone lute beneath the Mingxian Spring will send out enchanting melodies.
Beautiful are the mountains: though old, not old, they are eternally youthful. Resulting from cataclysmic crust movement about 100 million years ago and named Yishan in the ancient Qin Dynasty (221-207B.C.), and later renamed the Yellow Mountains in the Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.), the mountains are very old indeed. Yet they are young and graceful. Not relying on artificial decorations, the scenery is simple and natural, manifesting youthful vigor and heroic grandeur. The peaks here vie with one another in thrusting into the sky. The rocks here vie with one another in being grotesque. The pine trees here compete with one another in elegance. The flying clouds here link up the mountain and the sky. The hot springs here, forever bubbling, give mankind an endless flow of warmth and fervor. Even the Magua trees that have comedown from glacier periods put forth new leaves every spring looking so beautiful and so young.