Suiping & Mount Chaya

Mount Chaya, the Central Plains' famous mountain of strange rocks, is a 5A (top-tier national) scenic area where many outdoor scenes of the 1986 TV series Journey to the West were filmed; it has a hot-spring resort town, and you can combine it with Mount Laole in Zhumadian, Nanhai Chan Temple in Runan and Tongshan Lake in Biyang.

Suiping and Mount Chaya are in Zhumadian, Henan Province, where the last spurs of the Funiu Mountains meet the Huang-Huai Plain. The Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway and the Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway run through the area, and high-speed trains from Zhumadian West to Zhengzhou East take about 1 hour. The main attraction, Mount Chaya, lies about 25 km west of Suiping town. A national 5A scenic area and national geopark, it bristles with granite peaks and oddly shaped rocks — it's been called "the bonsai of the Funiu Mountains" — and many outdoor scenes of the 1986 Journey to the West were shot here. The hot-spring town at the foot of the mountain has hot-spring hotels and guesthouses, ideal for an overnight stay after the climb. Nearby Chayashan Town preserves the site of China's first people's commune.

With Suiping or Zhumadian as a base, you can extend your trip to: Mount Laole (Beiquan Temple) and Mount Jinding, two 4A mountain areas south of downtown Zhumadian; Nanhai Chan Temple, the Tianzhongshan Cultural Park (the origin of the name "center of the world") and the hometown of the Butterfly Lovers legend in Runan County to the east; Tongshan Lake (Songjiachang Reservoir) in Biyang County to the southwest; and the Zhugou Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Queshan County, known as "Little Yan'an". In the city, the Royal Post Station · Time Post Lane is great for an evening of strolling and snacking.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild weather ideal for hiking; summers on the plain are hot and muggy, and winter is the time for hot springs. Allow 2–3 days: spend day one on Mount Chaya and stay in the hot-spring town; on day two visit Mount Laole or Mount Jinding plus the city; on day three, take in Nanhai Chan Temple and Tianzhongshan in Runan, or Tongshan Lake in Biyang. Sights are spread out and public transport is infrequent, so self-driving or hiring a car is recommended. Mount Chaya's stone steps are steep and its rock crevices narrow, so wear non-slip sports shoes and bring plenty of water.

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