Huangshan Travel Guide

Huangshan Map

Huangshan City, located in the southern part of Anhui Province, situated on the western wing of the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone. It is a prefecture-level city that combines natural beauty with a long-standing cultural heritage.

The city is named after Mount Huang (Yellow Mountain/Huangshan Mountain), which is renowned for its four wonders: unique pine trees, bizarre rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs. Mount Huang is one of China's most famous scenic tourism destinations and is also a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

In addition to its magnificent natural landscapes, Huangshan City preserves a wealth of historical and cultural relics. For example, the ancient villages of Hongcun and Xidi are outstanding representatives of Huizhou-style architecture and have been listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites. Other attractions such as Tunxi Ancient Street, Qiyun Mountain, and Taiping Lake each offer their own distinct charm, attracting countless tourists from home and abroad.

Huangshan City boasts not only natural wonders but also rich cultural deposits. In ancient villiages nestled at the Mountain's foothills, you can wander along stoneslab-paved streets to admire Huizhou-style architecture with its distinctive white walls and dark tiles. This region is also one of the birthplaces of Chinese Four Treasures of the Study (Chinese brush, ink stick, Xuan paper, and inkslab). 

A journey to Huangshan promises an unforgettable experience blending natural splendor with cultural discovery!

Features

Huangshan Tourism Resources

Mount Huangshan

When we talk about Huangshan, we usually think of the world-famous natural landscape -- Mount Huang. In fact, Huangshan is not only a beautiful mountain, but also an ancient city with a long history and profound cultural heritage. 

Huangshan City covers three districts (Tunxi District屯溪区, Huizhou District徽州区, Huangshan District黄山区) and four counties (She County歙县, Xiuning County休宁县, Yi County黟县, Qimen County祁门县), each of which has its own unique tourist attractions and characteristics.

As one of the birthplaces of Xin'an River, Huangshan City has many rivers and abundant water resources, which not only provide important irrigation water sources, but also shape the beautiful pastoral scenery on both sides of the river.

Huangshan City is also one of the birthplaces of Huizhou culture. The Chinese Four Treasures of the Study (Chinese brush, ink stick, Xuan paper, and inkslab) record the rich historical deposits. The rhythms of time flow through three carvings of Huizhou(wood, stone, and brick carvings). Huizhou cuisine cooks the dishes of local flavor. The wash paintings of the Xin'an School narrate artistic philosophies...They compose the ancient stories of Huizhou.

Huangshan, with dense vegetation and a forest coverage rate of 82.9%, is an important ecological reserve with rich animal and plant resources and rare species. The combination of superior natural environment and rich cultural heritage, together with convenient transportation conditions (many highways and railways pass through), makes Huangshan a comprehensive tourist resort in East China.

Huangshan Tourist Attractions

1. Mount Huangshan

"There is no mountain as extraordinary as Mount Huangshan in Huizhou around the country, and there is no desire for climbing other mountains after a visit to Mount Huangshan", said by Xu Xiake, a renowned Chinese traveler and geographer of the Ming Dynasty.

Mount Huangshan represents an outstanding representative of magnificent mountains and rivers and splendid culture in China. Known as Wonderland on Earth and The First Strange Mountain in the World.

2. Hongcun Village

Hongcun is a well-preserved ancient village known for its traditional Hui-style architecture. Featuring white-walled, black-tiled houses and intricate wood carvings, it is surrounded by lush mountains and waterways. The Moon Pond is a notable landmark, reflecting the village's timeless beauty.

In the village, you can see the most authentic production process of Huizhou hairy tofu -- neatly cut into small pieces, the tofu is placed on long wooden boards and after a few days of cultivation, their surface is covered with white mycelium, like a cotton quilt.

3. Xidi Village

Xidi Village is a living testimony to the rich cultural heritage and architectural splendour of ancient China. Together with Hongcun Village, Xidi has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Xidi Village boasts over 120 well-preserved traditional houses, ancestral halls and memorial archways, all built with meticulous craftsmanship that showcases the elegance of Huizhou-style architecture. The houses are not just dwellings but works of art, decorated with intricate wood carvings, stone engravings and brick sculptures. Each element tells a story of wealth, family values and scholarly achievement.

4. Tunxi Old Street

Tunxi Ancient Street, stretching over 1.5 kilometers, is a living museum that reflects the bustling commercial history of Huizhou. This historic street has retained its ancient charm with well-preserved traditional shops and residences dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The architecture features distinctive Huizhou-style designs, characterized by white walls, black tiles, and intricate woodcarvings, offering a vivid portrayal of past prosperity.

The street is lined with shops selling local specialties, handicrafts, and traditional snacks, providing a rich cultural experience. Visitors can explore tea houses, antique stores, and folk art galleries, immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of this historical marketplace.

5. Chengkan Village

Chengkan, located in Huizhou District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, is an ancient village with a history of over 1,800 years, renowned as the "First Village of Jiangnan." The village is laid out according to the principles of the Yin-Yang and Bagua, nestled between mountains and rivers, offering picturesque scenery. It boasts a wealth of ancient architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, characterized by white walls, black tiles, and towering horse-head gables with exquisite carvings, epitomizing Huizhou-style architecture. Chengkan is also the ancestral home of Zhu Xi, imbuing it with profound cultural heritage. Strolling through its cobblestone alleys feels like stepping back in time to ancient Huizhou.

6. Tangmo Village

Tangmo Village was founded in the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Tanggan River runs through the village, with nearly a hundred Huizhou-style buildings scattered on both sides.

Here, you can experience traditional rubbing techniques, an ancient copying technique primarily used to transfer text or patterns from inscriptions, stone carvings onto paper using rice paper and ink. Rubbing technique has a long history in China and is an important means of preserving documents, calligraphy art, and various carving works.

7. Qiyun Mountain

Qiyun Mountain, also called Baiyue in ancient times, is located in the west of Xiuning County, Huangshan City. As one of the four famous Taoist mountains in China, Qiyun Mountain is renowned for its rich Taoist culture and unique Danxia landform.

Qiyun Mountain is lined with strange peaks and rugged rocks, with a total of 36 peaks and 72 cliffs. The scenery is magnificent, as if it were the work of nature. Qiyun Mountain also has numerous historical relics, such as cliff carvings and ancient road views, witnessing the long history and profound cultural heritage of this land.

>>More Tourist Attractions in Huangshan

Best Time to Visit Huangshan

Depending on your preference, you will enjoy different scenes in different seasons and weathers. Based on geographical features of Huangshan city and our experiences, the following information may help you better discover beautiful Huangshan.  >>Huangshan Seasonal Scenery

Spring: Plants Revive

Spring magnolias and witch hazels compete in bloom, adding vibrant colour to Huangshan Mountain. At the foot of the mountain, vast fields of rapeseed blossoms are like a golden ocean, swaying in the wind and emitting a strong fragrance. In ancient villages such as Hongcun and Xidi, peach and apricot blossoms dot the white walls and black tiles, creating a vibrant ink painting.

Summer: Summer Resort

In summer, Mount Huang becomes an ideal place for people to escape the heat. The temperature in the mountains is much lower than in the plains, making it cool and pleasant. Visitors can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the sea of clouds and the sunrise in the east, or hike through the dense forests, listening to the songs of birds and the murmur of streams.

Autumn: Nature's Picture Scroll

Autumn is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful seasons in Huangshan. As the temperature gradually drops, the maple leaves on the mountain begin to turn red, while the pines and cypresses remain green, creating a colourful picture.

Tachuan is a paradise for photographers. Here, the leaves of Sapium sebiferum trees turn deep red, and the whole village is wrapped in this fiery red. When you walk into the village, every step is scenery and every corner captures a mesmerising picture.

Winter: Fairytale World

In winter, heavy snow dresses up the whole mountain in silver. The branches of the trees are covered with crystal clear icicles, which look as beautiful as coral reefs from a distance, which is the phenomenon of freezing fog. When you climb the Lotus Peak or the Bright Top of Mount Huang at this time, you will be amazed by the scenery in front of you -- a blanket of white, with only a few evergreens occasionally dotted in the distance.

>>Best Time to Visit Huangshan / Seasonal Scenery