Jinxiu Valley & Immortal Cave

锦绣谷

A 1.5 km cliffside trail from Huajing to Immortal Cave, passing the Sky Bridge, the Lucky Stone and the Negotiation Platform, with strange rocks and steep peaks all the way, ending at the cave that Mao Zedong called “Heaven-made Immortal Cave.”

Jinxiu Valley is the highlight of Lushan's western route. A cliffside trail starts at Huajing (near Qin Lake and the peach garden where Bai Juyi wrote “In the mortal world, April's fragrance fades; at the mountain temple, the peach blossoms only now begin to bloom”), then passes the Sky Bridge (a cliff where Zhu Yuanzhang is said to have escaped danger), the Steep Peak, the Lucky Stone, and the Negotiation Platform (where Marshall held talks during his mediation in 1946), before reaching Immortal Cave. The full route is about 1.5 km and takes 1 to 1.5 hours. One side drops into a deep valley, where flowers and trees bloom through all four seasons, and the spectacle is especially striking when clouds roll into the valley. Immortal Cave is a natural grotto said to be where Lü Dongbin meditated. Inside are a Taoist shrine and a dripping spring. Mao Zedong's line “Heaven made an Immortal Cave, with boundless scenery among the peaks” was written about this place. Beside the cave stand the Imperial Stele Pavilion (built by order of the Ming founder) and the Round Buddha Hall. All of this is included in the Lushan Gate ticket. Getting there: take the west-route sightseeing shuttle from Guling Town to Huajing station, walk Jinxiu Valley, and board the shuttle again at Immortal Cave station. From there you can continue to Datian Pool and Longshou Cliff. Note: the trail has railings but runs along cliff edges, so watch your footing in fog or rain. Walking from Huajing to Immortal Cave is mostly downhill; the reverse direction is mostly uphill. It is busiest in peak season, and it is quieter before 8 a.m.

Jinxiu Valley & Immortal Cave

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