Mount Qiyun

齐云山

Qiyun Mountain, a Danxia peak and one of China's four great Taoist mountains, with Heavenly Gates, Yuehua Street temples, cliff inscriptions and views over the Heng River and Huizhou farmland from the clouds.

Qiyun Mountain lies in Xiuning County, about 33 km from Tunxi, at 585 meters above sea level. It combines Danxia landforms with Taoist culture and, together with Wudang, Qingcheng and Longhu Mountains, is one of China's four great Taoist mountains. The Ming Jiajing Emperor sent officials to offer sacrifices here and ordered the Yuxu Palace built. Highlights include the layered Danxia cliffs of the First, Second and Third Heavenly Gates; Zhenxian Grotto (a cave shrine beneath the cliffs with rock inscriptions); Yuehua Street, an old street halfway up the mountain where Taoist priests and residents live side by side, with the Taisu Palace; the Yuxu Palace, built against the cliff face; and Incense Burner Peak. From the summit you can look down over the Heng River and Dengfeng Bridge, and the combination of farmland and Danxia cliffs photographs beautifully. Admission is 68 yuan (55 yuan in the off-season). A one-way cable car costs about 40 yuan, and a round trip about 70 yuan; you can also walk up from Dengfeng Bridge in about 1 hour. Suggested route: Dengfeng Bridge, cable car up, Yuehua Street, Taisu Palace, Zhenxian Grotto, Yuxu Palace, Incense Burner Peak, then walk down, about 3–4 hours. Temples on the mountain offer accommodation, so you can stay overnight to watch the sunrise. Getting there: buses from Tunxi bus station run to Qiyun Mountain Town in about 40 minutes, or a taxi takes about 45 minutes. It can be combined with Xidi (about 20 km) on the same day. Note: far fewer visitors come here than to Huangshan, making it a good choice for those who don't want a strenuous mountain climb. Paths can be slippery, so watch your footing, and respect the rules on photography inside the temples.

Mount Qiyun

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Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby