Jiuhua Shan: The Quiet Buddhist Mountain of Anhui

The Mountain Most People Skip

Jiuhua Shan, in southern Anhui, is one of China's four great Buddhist mountains and comfortably the least visited of them. That is not because it lacks substance: it has a temple town built along a ridge, dozens of monasteries, pilgrimage paths cut into the rock, and forest that stays cool when the plains are hot. It is simply harder to reach than Emei, Putuo or Wutai, and it is not yet on the package-tour circuit.

The Temple Town and the Ridge

The heart of the mountain is a ridge-top settlement where temples, halls and guesthouses crowd together along a stone street, with pilgrims moving between them from early morning. From there, paths climb to higher temples and viewpoints, and a cable car covers part of the ascent for those short of time.

Walking and Pilgrimage

Jiuhua's walking is the point: stone stairways, cliff-side shrines and the sight of pilgrims climbing on knees at the steepest sections. A full day on foot covers the ridge and one or two of the higher temples; a second day adds the quieter western valleys, where the crowds thin out completely.

Practical Notes

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and the mountain is a comfortable escape from summer heat on the plains. Access is by bus or car from Chizhou, with high-speed rail connections at Chizhou and Tongling; most visitors stay on the mountain rather than in the town below.

Frequently Asked Questions