Huangshan

Huangshan, 蓮花峰

Huangshan, 天都峰

Huangshan was formed approximately 100 million years ago and gained its unique rock formations in the Quaternary Glaciation.[1]

During the Qin dynasty, Huangshan was known as Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree;[2] the name is commonly thought to have been coined in honor of Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of the Han Chinese.[3] One legend states that Huangshan was the location from which the Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven.[4] Another legend states that the Yellow Emperor "cultivated moral character and refined Pills of Immortality in the mountains, and in so doing gave the mountains his name.[1] The first use of this name "Huangshan" often is attributed to Chinese poet Li Bai.[3] Huangshan was fairly inaccessible and little-known in ancient times, but its change of name in 747 AD seems to have brought the area more attention; from then on, the area was visited frequently and many temples were built there.[2]

Huangshan is known for its stone steps,[4] carved into the side of the mountain, of which there may be more than 60,000 throughout the area.[5][6][7] The date at which work on the steps began is unknown, but they have been said to be more than 1,500 years old.[6]

Over the years, many scenic spots and physical features on the mountain have been named;[8] many of the names have narratives behind them. For example, one legend tells of a man who did not believe the tales of Huangshan's beauty and went to the mountains to see them; almost immediately, he was converted to the same view. One of the peaks he is said to have visited was named Shixin (始信), roughly meaning "start to believe."[8]

In 1982, Huangshan was declared a "site of scenic beauty and historic interest" by the State Council of China.[2] It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 for its scenery and for its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species.[9] Subsequently, certified as a National Geopark, and then as a regional geopark (Asia Pacific Geopark Network), it was admitted as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2004.

In 2002, Huangshan was named the "sister mountain" of Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps.[4]

^ a b Huangshan Mountains, p. 12. ^ a b c "Mount Huangshan Scenic Beauty and Historic Interest Site". [Protected Areas and World Heritage]. United Nations Environment Programme. October 1990. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-10-08. ^ a b "Huang Shan". [ChinaTravel.net]. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-08. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference cao was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ Butterfield, Fox (1981-02-08). "China's Majestic Huang Shan". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-08. ^ a b "The Mystic World of Shanshui: Huangshan". UNESCO Culture Center. UNESCO. Archived from the original (.wmv) on 2008-08-16. Retrieved 2008-10-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help) ^ McGraw, David (2003). "Magic Precincts" (PDF). University of Hawaii. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2008. p. 52. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference guo was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ "Mount Huangshan". China.org.cn. 1990. Retrieved 2008-10-08.