What are the Five Great Mountains in China?

Well-known as the epitome of Chinese Civilization and symbol of Chinese Ethos, Mount Tai ranks first among the five great mountains in China with credit of World Natural & Cultural Heritage and World Geopark. Even, image of Mount Tai is printed on back of 5 Yuan RMB note. Long before, Taoism and Buddhism recognized it a sacred mountain of Buddha and bequeathed lots of historical relics, architectures like temples, stone tablets and inscription. The ancients worshiped Mount Tai for its notion as the heaven straight to throne, so that more than a dozen of ancient emperors from Qin Dynasty to Qing Dynasty once visited it personally for apotheosis or sacrifice ceremony.

Located in middle Shandong Province, Mount Tai is called Mount Daishan, Daizong, Eastern Mountain and Dai Mountain. There are six scenic areas in Moun Tai, including areas of tranquil (幽区), spacious (旷区), mysterious (奥区), exquisite (妙区), beautiful (丽区) and elegant areas (秀区). The sunrise, sunset, the sea of clouds and golden belt of Yellow River are four natural spectacles on Mount Tai. Visitors can tour Mount Tai via four routes, the classic middle Red Gate Route is the highly recommended way to experience the most cultural and natural landscape in Mount Tai. You will begin from Dai Temple (岱庙 - a sacred Taoist temple built in Han Dynasty to hold worship ceremonies and kept most cultural relics of Mount Tai) to Red Gate Palace, then get to Wanxian Tower (万仙楼 - ticket office to start Mount Tai journey), and the terminal Jade Emperor Summit (玉皇顶 - highest point on peak of Mount Tai) for about 4 ~ 6 hours' hiking.

It is recommended to spend 2 full days exploring the best highlights of Mount Tai including the Daimiao Temple (Museum of Taian City) at the foot of Mount Tai. You can also visit Mount Tai in a single day by taking sightseeing bus to Zhongtianmen, then hiking to the summit and descending by cable car. Taking a high-speed train and spending 2 more days, you can extend your trip to the nearby "City of Spring" - Jinan. About 85 km from Mount Tai is Qufu, the hometown of the greatest sage of China, Confucius, and you may understand the deep-rooted Chinese culture as you stepping into the Confucius Temple. Besides these cities near Mount Tai, Shandong greets you with not only the splendid culture but also the beautiful coastlines. The refreshing ocean air from Qingdao blows the fragrance from the old Beer factories; the colorful kites fly over the city Weifang and swans in pairs nestle in the havens of Weihai by the shimmering sea...all of these highlights of Shandong can be covered in about 8 days.

Mount Huashan is one of the Five Famous Mountains in China and the root of the Chinese Nation for being cradle of Chinese Civilization. It is also the origin of name of China (Zhong Hua 中华 and Hua Xia 华夏). You can not only challenge the world's most dangerous hiking trail, but also enjoy Taoist cultural relics from Quanzhen Taoism with gorgeous natural sceneries in this National AAAAA Tourist Attraction and China's Most Popular Tourist Attraction in 2017.

Located in northeast Xian City of Shaanxi and central China, Mount Huashan covers about 148sq km with five peaks standing in four directions and middle position. The North Peak (北峰 Yuntai Peak 云台峰 - 1614m) with platform is the best place to view other three peaks and Black Dragon Ridge (苍龙岭 - major risk of Mount Huashan located in south Jiukutai and down Wuyun Peak). The West Peak (西峰 Lotus Peak 莲花峰 - 2082.6m) sharped from a complete giant stone is a best viewpoint of sunset and it is full of natural landscapes with mysterious Chinese legends such as a yong boy named Chenxiang breaking open the mountain to rescue his mother. The South Peak (南峰 - 2154.9m) is the highest peak of Mount Huashan as well as the highest among the five famous mountains in China. It is made up of Luoyan Peak in the west and Songhui Peak in the east and the most dangerous Changkong Plank Trail of hiking stands west of the South Peak. The East Peak (东峰 Chaoyang Peak 朝阳峰 - 2096.2m) consisting of four hills is known as best place to view sunrise. A giant hand print-like marbled stone is the famous Huayue Fairy Palm (华岳仙掌) on cliff of East Peak. The Middle Peak (中峰 Peak of Daughter Yu 玉女峰 – 2037.8m) has many sites related to local folk story.

Two days are recommended for a classic Mount Huashan tour to experience thrilling hiking and enjoy charming natural scenery on the five peaks. With the help of cable cars, you can also finish Huashan hiking in a single day. Xian is only about 123 km away from Mount Hua and people are able to transfer in just 40 minutes by high speed trains. Visitors usually spend 2 ~ 4 days visiting Xian and Huashan. When you are in Xian, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses buried for more than 2000 years is definitely a must-see. And it would be a pleasant experience to take a stroll or rent a bike on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Apart from that, the Buddhist culture demonstrator Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, symbol of Xian the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, the snack street Muslim Quarter, bright pearl in ancient capital Shaanxi History Museum, etc. are also worth to go.

Mount Songshan in central China is the principal headstream of Chinese civilization and a World Geopark listed by UNESCO. History of Mount Songshan dates back to 3.6 billion years ago, thus it is renowned as the Natural Geologic Museum and ancestor of mountains. The attraction of Mount Songshan lies in the rare geological heritage, but also in the numerous cultural and historic relics left by frequent visit of ancient kings, literates, Buddhists.

Mount Songshan mainly includes three regions: Songyang Scenic Area - Taishi Mountain (location of main peak of Mount Songshan) and Shaolin Scenic Area - Shaoshi Mountain (seat of Shaolin Temple) and Zhongyue Scenic Area. Western Shaoling Scenic Area (少林景区) on Shaoshi Mountain is a world-renowned tourist destination as the significant birthplace of Shaolin Martial Arts (Shaolin Kungfu) and dreamland of Chinese Kungfu fans in China. Departure from Shanhuangzhai (三皇寨 - a pristine mountain fastness at foothill) for your Shaolin tour, you will visit Shaolin Pagoda Forest (少林塔林 - the largest tower complex with the most ancient pagodas) and the world-famous Shaolin Temple (少林寺 - cultural holy land of mysterious Zen and superb Shaolin Kungfu, which is located at 300m of east Pagoda Forest) where Shaolin Martial Arts originated, then you can visit Erzu Convent (二祖庵 - the tallest building on Shaoshi Mountain) by cableway or go to northwestern Chuzu Convent (初祖庵 - World Cultural Heritage as the oldest and most valuable wooden architecture in Henan Province) and Dharma Cave (达摩洞 - stone cave where Bodhidharma thought Zen philosophy for nine years). Then you hike further to Yongtai Temple (永泰寺 - the first Buddhist nun temple). Shaoshi Towers and liantian Peak (连天峰 - the highest point of Mount Songshan) are on your way down the Shaoshi Mountain. Check more about Mount Songshan.

Mount Songshan is divided into Shaoshi Mountain and Taishi Mountain, with Shaolin Temple on the Shaoshi Mountain. If you have only 1 day, then it's suggested to visit Shaolin Temple and other classic attractions in Shaoshi Mountain. After that, take a cable car from the cable station behind Shaolin Temple to Shanhuangzhai. If you have 2 days, you can almost visit all highlights of Mount Songshan. If you have one more day and are quite interested in ancient Chinese culture, Luoyang is another must-visit destination in Henan. The awesome Longmen Grottoes stretching by the riverside and China's first Buddhist temple - White Horse Temple are iconic sites for your Luoyang tour. Still, there are many remarkable cultural and natural sights in Henan worthy your exploration, including the spectacular Yuntai Mountain, mysterious Guoliang Village, interesting Yin Ruins of Anyang, ancient capital Kaifeng, etc. Check more about Top Henan Tourist Attractions.

Located in the northernmost in China among the Five Great Mountains, Mount Heng is a national scenic spot, an important ancient fortress and the only historic battlefield among the five great mountains. Besides the massive folk legends about it, Mount Heng is respected as holy site for Taoism with long history. Scenic spots mainly concentrate on Tianling Peak & Cuiping Peak in Mount Heng, which covers about 147.51sq km with an ambient conservation area of 359.62sq km.

Hanging Temple (悬空寺 - top spectacle of Mount Heng for its position of 50m from the ground & the only temple where Buddhist, Taoism and Confucianism coexist) at foothill and Beiyue Temple (北岳庙 - the grandest temple on Mount Heng) at hillside of south Tianling Peak are the most favorited attractions that you can't miss. A two days classic Mount Heng tour including excellent natural views and cultural visit is highly suggested. The first day tour is comfortable and relax when you visit Group of Temples of Mount Heng (恒山庙群) in an adaptive pace. The next day tour leads you to Hanging Temple and back Mount Heng in the morning, Yongan Temple, Yuanjue Temple and Liyumei Tomb in the afternoon. Apart from those Taoist temples, you will enjoy various kinds of natural sightseeing of Golden Dragon Gorge (金龙峡 - middle of Tianfeng Peak and Cuiping Peak with the most narrow path less than 10m), ancient odd-shaped pines, Peach Cave, etc.

Datong is a historical city located in northern Shanxi province. For travel enthusiasts, it is a fascinating and attractive destination offering unique experience, especially cultural discovery - exploring world-famous cultural treasures, taking a pilgrimage to the holy Buddhist sites, being immersed in the antique flavor of the ancient city and so on. A classic Datong tour takes 2 days usually. On the first day, you are suggested to spend one day touring Hanging Temple which is about 70km away from Datong City. On your way back to Datong, you can take a short visit to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, about 1 hour's drive from Hanging Temple. On the second day, you can visit Yungang Grottoes in the morning. After the sightseeing, you can visit the top attractions in the city area before you leave. If your time allows, it is highly recommended to extend your trip to Pingyao Ancient City and Mount Wutaishan, which are both listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. Check more about Datong Trip Planner.

Situated in middle Hunan Province, Mount Hengshan is a National Nature Reserve and holy land of Chinese Taoism and Buddhism with more than 200 temples. It is said two of the Sarira of Shakyamuni Buddha are reserved in the stupa of Nantai Temple on Mount Hengshan.

Covering an area of 640sq km, Mount Hengshan has 72 peaks with length of 38km and width of 17km. The Zhurong Peak (祝融峰 - 1300.2m) is the highest peak among all peaks and the main one where Zhurong Temple (祝融庙 - ancient Taoist temple to commemorate merit of Zhurong - God of Fire) stands. The Huiyan Peak (回雁峰 - 96.8m) - the head of 72 peaks in south-north direction initiated the history of making pilgrimage in Southern Mountain. And the Yuelu Mountain (岳麓山 - 300.8m) - fishtail peak is famous for the Yuelu Academy (岳麓书院 - Top of China's Four Ancient Schools) and Ancient Lushan Temple (古麓山寺 - origin and center of Hunan's Buddhism) of over 1700 years' history.

Mount Hengshan as the "Elegant Mountain" among the five, Mount Hengshan has beautiful and elegant sightseeing for the nature admiration of visitors, such as flowers in spring, verdant pines and cypresses, mist and clouds in summer, sunrise and sunset in autumn, sea of clouds and rimes in winter, etc. An essence Mount Hengshan tour within two days is the most popular route to deeply experience its beauty and Taoist culture.

Furthermore, Hunan is a beautiful destination to discover more nature miracles, ethnic culture and history of China. Most visitors plan 4 ~ 5 days in Zhangjiajie to discover the top nature highlights without missing Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Tianmen Mountain, etc. It is also quite popular to enjoy Zhangjiajie with Fenghuang Ancient Town (1 day) into about 5 days. Besides, Changsha as a traffic hub city is also popular to spend 1 ~ 2 days for its snacks and culture before / after discovering other places in Hunan. If you are interested in Chinese history and culture, you are also recommended to extend to Shaoshan (hometown of Chairman Mao) for 1 day, Yueyang (home of Yueyang Tower) for 1 day, and so forth to explore more natural and cultural beauty of Hunan. Check more about 12 Things to Do in Hunan.