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2004 Huang Shan Hiking Group Diary
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The HuangShan hiking trip makes a stop at the village where the Movie was filmed.
Yellow Mountains( HuangShan) is located at 118 east longitude and 30 north latitude
For thousands of years it has been regarded as a Natural Wonder in China landscape.
In 1990 it was listed in Catalogue of World Cultural and Natural Heritage by UNESCO.
"This trip may only last for fifteen days, but the experience of Chinese culture/history and the memory of beautiful mountain scenery will last for a lifetime."
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China Hiking Adventures Inc. welcomes you to the website for the Huang Shan Hiking Tour.
The HuangShan hike covers three main areas in China, all within the Province of An Hui. They include HuangShan, Mount JiuHua and the XinAn River. On the way, you will get to visit remote areas rarely seen by foreigners. For some pictures, please click on this link.
Audience: This tour is a perfect compromise between back packing and being bussed around with a new hotel every night. Day Hiking, as opposed to back packing, means that each day after breakfast, a bus takes us to the beginning of a hike, transfers our luggage, and pick us up at the end of the hike. A hot shower always awaits us at the next hotel. Every night we stay at a comfortable hotel. Although the hiking is not difficult, daily hikes of 10 to 15 km (1 km = 0.621 mile) require good endurance. You should be an enthusiastic, experienced day hiker to enjoy this trip.After two or three days spent on hiking, we will take one day sightseeing because there are many history, cultural and traditional events you do not want to miss. For detail itinerary please click on the menu-bar at the top of this page.
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The following is part of a letter from Jeff and Ellen in Maine,USA (email : MessyJean@aol.com), who hiked with us on Yellow Mountains October 5 to 19, 2001 :
". . . . You have done a wonderful job choosing fascinating places to visit. These are places that would be so hard to visit on one's own. I absolutely fell in love with the villages and scenes along the Xin An River. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to see the rural China that has existed for so many centuries and that is fast disappearing... Climbing the religious mountains was spectacular as well. QiYun was a fascinating place with its Taoist shrines and grottos. It was exciting to be there during the National holiday and to see so many Chinese families visiting the shrines. Jiuhua was the experience of a lifetime. The Buddhist religion is still very much alive ? it was totally unexpected to see so many temples being built. Attending the Buddhist ceremony at night was incredible ?I felt like I had been transported several centuries back in time...'" . . . "
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To meet Jeff and Ellen click here
This website is divided into five sections.
Overview gives a general description of the aims and scope of this tour.
Itinerary provides a detailed look at the daily activities.
References allows others who have taken this tour to talk about their experiences.
Details talks about what's included in the tour, as well as the costs.
Registration will bring you to the China Hiking Adventures Inc. Online Registration System Page for secure registration.
For Cancellation Policy and Insurance
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China Hiking Adventure Inc. licensed under the Ontario Government Travel Agency Act TICO for your financial protection. Our TICO registration number is 50015540. To check us out you can phone TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) at 905-624-6241. This is the travel industry regulating body which maintains a bonding insurance to protect consumers' funds.
A Trip to Remember
Sam
Imagine studying eastern philosophy, mysticism, and history for many years out of books but never truly witnessing this at its origins. Now, imagine knowing these thoughts, these ideas, these sacred teachings and finally getting to see it first hand. That is the opportunity that I was presented in May of 2004 through Tony Pao by way of China Hiking Adventures. Forget crowded tourist places that large groups visiting China see, this is the real, authentic, hard to reach sites that many westerners have never had the opportunity to visit.
Tony's trip allowed me the rare adventure that comes very seldom in the life of a person that loves Taoism and eastern thought. His trip allowed me the chance to visit a true Taoist temple and meet true Taoist priests in the land where Taoism originated, China. "That which can be described is not the Tao," as stated in the Tao Te Ching is also true of Tony's trip. Trying to describe the feeling one gets when setting foot on Qiyunshan (the Taoist mountain visited on his hiking adventure) is a feeling one cannot describe but only witness for themselves.
When visiting Qiyunshan, the air is fresher, the water cleaner, your life, better. As soon as we stepped foot onto the soil of this sacred Taoist site, I felt as if I were a different person. I couldn't wait to reach the top and visit the Temple of the Heavenly Master. I sprinted up the stairs leaving the rest of the group behind as if I were floating on a cloud. Meeting the locals along the way felt like meeting members of one's own family. The kindness, generosity, helpfulness that these people demonstrated could only come from a place that had a spiritual essence about it. This place was special. As we climbed, we saw numerous ancient alters and smaller cave temples dedicated to various gods in the Taoist pantheon. Once at the top, we entered the main temple filled with breathtaking statues of Lao Tzu, Guan Gong, the Jade Emperor, and many more. As a special treat, I brought a copy of my Tao Te Ching with me to have a priest write a Taoist inscription on the inside cover which he gladly did without hesitating. Once we saw the temple at our own pace, Tony surprisingly and unexpectedly, arranged a special Taoist meal at one of the priest's homes. To Tony's credit, I do not think any other guide could have or would have arranged this. Tony went over and beyond what a guide is required to do for his customer; he did what a friend should do for a friend. After our meal, we visited a cave temple that we were told has been in use for over 1000 years! Finally, after visiting some other sacred areas and observing everything we could at our heart's content, we descended the mountain and took a bamboo raft down the Hengjiang River to our bus that was waiting to take us back to our hotel for a hot shower.
Tony's trip provides the chance to see one of the four sacred Taoist mountains in China. Yet, it also provides the opportunity to witness first hand what so many of us have studied in books and have tried to attain in our daily life. It provides us with the chance to understand the true nature, chi, balance, and harmony. Thank you Tony!
Author : Sam is a Cardiovascular Perfusionist in USA
Information about this Taoist Hike
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On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railway put into operation
which changed the History of Tibet forever !!
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to foster people-to-people relations between China and USA
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Relief goods from China arrives in US
2005-09/08
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, the United States, Sept. 7 (Xinhuanet)-- A total of 104 tons of relief aid from China arrived Wednesday afternoon at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, the United States, on board a Boeing 747 airplane.
The relief materials provided by China include tents, light power generators, bed sheets and clothes.
The US side extended warm welcome to the arrival of the aid. "Welcome our People's Republic of China friends" and "Thanks for your support" were written in electric bulletins around the air base.
Commander for Little Rock Air Force Base, General Joseph Reheiser, greeted at a civil airport in Little Rock China's Consul General at Houston Hu Yeshun, who arrived here to receive the cargo plane.
Reheiser told Xinhua, "It (the airlift)'s quite unusual. I'm not a historian, but I can't think of a time when China has airlifted relief supply to the United States. I think it's a historic event and we're very appreciative that China has done it."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency would arrange cargo trucks and see to it that the relief materials be sent to the stricken areas, he added.
Hu said the airlift showed deep sympathy and condolences of the Chinese Government and people to the American people who have suffered a severe natural disaster.
General Reheiser had expressed the hope for increased exchanges between the armed forces of China and the United States, apart from the efforts to boost the governmental and non-governmental exchanges between the two countries, said Hu.
According to General Reheiser, Little Rock Air Force Base has been the sole distributing center for international relief materials for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which ripped through the southeastern part of the United States on Aug. 29 and inflicted heavy casualties and damages.
So far,the base has received 14 air
cargos loaded with relief materials from Russia, Spain, France,
Italy, Britain and other countries, said General Reheiser, adding
that another 13 dispatches of relief aid are expected to pour in in
the next two days. Enditem
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/08/content_3460897.htm
For you to have a second opinion Link to: Travel With A Challenge click here
Pour encourager le développement des relations entre le Québec et la Chine
Audience: Day Hiking, as opposed to back packing, means that each day after breakfast, a bus takes us to the beginning of a hike, transfers our luggage, and pick us up at the end of the hike. A hot shower always awaits us at the next hotel. Although the hiking is not difficult, daily hikes of 10 to 15 km (1 km = 0.621 mile) require good endurance. You should be an enthusiastic, experienced day hiker to enjoy this trip.
We invite you to look at
Photos
from hikers in the past tours
(click for photos)
Extension Tours are available :
1. China's most famous Gardens cities : SuZhou and HangZhou
2. Xian -- Terra Cotta Warriors Museum and its photos
3. Three Gorges Cruise down YangTse River and its photos
Buddhism
in China
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Taoism
in China
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NEW For Real Media Player users, click here to view video clips.
From Pat Camenzend
In October 2000 I joined a tour group to hike China's Great Wall from Beijing to the China Sea. The tour was an absolutely fantastic two weeks spent with five other single women, the tour coordinator, and a local Chinese guide.
Before I describe the highlights of the trip, I need to explain my background. I am not a hiker by profession or hobby. I walk! And I do not walk in the mountains or any major hills, if they can be avoided. I am in my mid-fifties and not as slim as I was in my twenties. Now, with that said, I decided to join this hiking tour because it sounded exciting and adventurous with an opportunity to see more of the 'real' China outside the normal major tourist stops generally found in tours.
I did my homework before leaving for the trip and studied travel books, visited internet sites on China, and talked to others who had been to the country. Even with this preparation, I was not ready for the truly awesome sight of the Great Wall when I saw it for the first time in person. With photographs showing only two dimensions, it is hard to appreciate the immense size of the wall as it snakes over and around the mountain peaks. Although the steps are steep (and there are many), the hiking is done at your own pace. There are no marathons to win and the time allocated to the actual hiking is sufficient to enjoy the sights and to stop and take pictures...
The tour is well coordinated and offers the chance to see ten different aspects of the wall. The first stop is a day's trip outside of Beijing. Because of the wall's proximity to the city, it is the section most visited by tourists and, therefore, the most crowded. Since it has been restored by China to accommodate the millions of visitors every year, it gives a perspective of the wall as it originally looked. As we traveled East following the wall as it winds its way toward the China Sea, we saw a mixture of restored sections as well as portions still in ruins. And the crowds thinned so, at times, we were the only ones walking. It was great hiking the wall without the jostling of a crowd.
One great opportunity on this trip was to walk on a section generally submerged under water. A lack of rain in the area lowered the reservoir 20 meters exposing the wall. While this provided us a once in a lifetime chance to see this section, the country is desperate for rain.
The food was another pleasant surprise. Course, I am not sure what I expected, but I certainly was not prepared for three banquets a day. The food was excellent. The menus were varied, artfully served, and simply delicious. The group chose to continue to Chinese experience by having Chinese breakfast rather than a Western menu. And I even learned to use chopsticks proficiently.
Accommodations were agreeable as many of the hotels were rated three star. One fun place was a restored military garrison that was located at one of the entrances to the wall. This gave us the opportunity to see how the army guarding the wall actually lived.
In between our hiking jaunts on the wall, we visited some Imperial tombs, toured a Summer palace, walked through villages, viewed some Buddha temples, saw the Forbidden City, and shopped at local markets. I especially enjoyed the experience of watching two Chinese artists demonstrate their skills with watercolors and a pair of scissors. They each produced beautiful images.
The tour was very well planned and diverse in its offerings. The local guide was excellent. From him we learned much about the Chinese culture. He was patient, considerate, and knowledgeable. The country is very clean and the people gracious.
I would not hesitate to recommend this tour. The hiking can be exhausting, but well worth the effort. I did learn a lot about the Chinese culture and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the countryside. I am ready to return to China to learn and see more of this vast country.
The above was written by a participant in the Great Wall Hiking Tour. For more information about our tours, please browse our website or e-mail us at e-mail info@china-hiking.com.
by: Allan Bancroft
In ancient China, a revered emperor visited the mountain region of the An Hui province. His health was poor and it was hoped that its spectacular beauty would help. It did, and in gratitude, the emperor offered the exclusive gift "yellow" as the name for the region. Two thousand years later, UNESCO identified HuangShan, Yellow Mountains, as a World Heritage Site, famous for the natural beauty of the rocks, pine trees and cloud formations and the curative properties of the hot springs. We spent two days here, carrying only our day packs and over-nighting in a high quality hotel, reachable only by foot or cable car. There was plenty of time to absorb the beauty. The trip down took us past many of the highlights of the region, spectacular vistas, huge rocks oddly perched on bald mountain tops and thousand-year-old pines that welcome weary travellers for a rest. This day was most tiring, about 10 hours on the go, trotting on about 8000 stair treads carved by stone masons.
Our walking trip was much more than a hike in beautiful mountains. It was also an exposure to the history of two of the world's great religions, Taoism and Buddhism. As we walked the paths of pilgrimage mountains of both religions we exchanged smiles and brushed shoulders in good spirit, as pilgrims have done for thousands of years. We paid our respect at shrines that appears at strategic rock faces, lookouts, springs and pools. About 2000 years ago, LaoTse wrote the first comprehensive summary of Taoism, which means "truth" and centres around living in harmony with nature. Yin and Yang, the balance struck between opposites, is perhaps its best known feature. Pilgrims come from many parts of China and neighbouring countries as the fulfilment of a lifetime obligation. During the five days we were on these mountains we were the only white-skinned people we saw. We were a novelty and enjoyed the smile we caused and "ni hao"s (hello) that we prompted. The shoe was on the other foot when Chinese tourists asked to take a photograph with us !
Perhaps our most pleasant days were those spent on the paths between villages where there was no vehicle traffic. Here, away from Chinese tourists and where the only white visitors are those who are part of this hiking tour out of Toronto, was the perfect opportunity for closer human contact. We were in the studio of an artist who carved human faces from bamboo stumps, of which the fine roots were the hair. In the fields along the paths was an astounding variety of crops. After all, we were in one of China's richest agricultural regions. On the valley bottoms, the black canola grains were being harvested and the straw burned. These fields produce two crops of rice and one of canola each year. In smaller fields were potatoes, cabbages and almost everything else that grows in the ground. On the valley sides at a level above irrigation were tea, mulberry( to feed the silk worms), qumquats, wheat, barley and oats. The patchwork of textures and colours was eye-catching.
Hong-Lin is a village of 800 residents close to the XinAn River that is noted for its bonsai trees. The day we visited, several dozen trees were carried on porter-poles to the river ferry for delivery to offices in Shanghai. They are an important cash crop to supplement the adequate table produce. Most courtyards in the village had many dozens of trees being patiently trained to their beautiful shapes. We were told that some, about a meter tall, had "been in the family" for a thousand years! This village was a special part of the tour because of the relationship Tony has established there during the last two years. When we arrived we were invited into the doctor's house for tea and noodles. Later, we participated in a meeting with the village chief, school headmaster and teacher about establishing a library for the children. There are no books for use at school or at home and it appears that people in villages can expect little help from governments, other than the use of land to grow crops. An earlier tour group had helped the school by providing the materials to cover the earth floor in an old stone building and to build six new desks. The new floor had reduced breathing difficulties among the young children.
"Hiking in China" tours are the creation of Tony Pau of Toronto. He spent much of 1995 planning the details with Madame Shan of the An Hui Tourism Corporation. In September of that year he tested the accommodation and hikes on sixteen seniors from the Bruce Trail Hiking Association. "It couldn't have been better" said Tony. "The food was good, no one got sick, there was hot water for showers and the day outings were the right level of difficulty". China is encouraging foreign tourists and, because of the participation of the government, Tony is allowed to go to places off the normal tourist paths. He also offers a two-weeks tour along a few sections of the Great Wall between Beijing and the East China Sea. Although we have not been, the features of this tour are topography and history. In 1998, bird-watching along the Yellow Sea coast is being planned. For us, the experience was special for the obvious reasons of culture, history and scenery. In addition, Tony's personal presence and all the doors he opened into the living rooms of the local people were important pluses. The use of local guides added to our pleasures by providing further insight into culture and customs. We travelled during May 1997, enjoyed our exposure to Chinese people and cuisine.
1997 November 2
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