Friday, April 22, 2011

Emerald Valley - Huangshan 黄山 。翡翠谷



Emerald Valley (翡翠谷) is also known as Lover's Valley as many lovers choose to forget their way back. It lies at northern end of Mt Huangshan at the foot of Xiandu Mountain. The valley stretches upstairs as a ladder and as sunlight shining from different angle, colors changes into all shades of green as if many emerald jades and crystal spreading over the valley. It is 6 km long with more than 100 ponds in various sizes and shapes. The largest is as big as 30m in width and smallest one is just like a horse hoof. Emerald Vallley is a place you must not miss when traveling to Huangshan Region. It was the shooting place for Oscar Film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The abundant offerings of pools, waterfalls, trees, rock, bamboo, mountains and many shades of green in water from the valley, is able to make any one suffocated.



As per famous Chinese saying : If you never been to Huangshan, you could not say that you've been in China, and if you never been to Emerald Valley, you could not say you've been in Huangshan. Pay the admission of rmb70.00 and enjoy the gorgeous scenery of its colorful ponds and romantic pathway. You may also like others, choose to forget your way back, especially you are accompanied by your love one .






Starting from Trumpet Shell Stone where I sat, it requires about two hours to wandering through the whole valley.



Layers of natural designed granite stone at Flower Mirror pond which was the main spot for shooting the Oscar film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.















Lover's bridge where people lock their love.






Yunchou waterfalls drop into a pearl shape pond with crystal clear water, glittering with green shade colors when sunlight shinning on it.






Lots of colorful stones lying at the bottom of this Peacock pond making the appearance of water rich in green and blue color of peacock.






Pearl Pond was also one of the major scene in the Film.












Bird's Bridge and opposite it is forest of bamboo.



Stream giggling together with you while strolling along the pathway.






Liandan Platform is a flat stone standing besides the Love River. There are 4 hollows which resemble devices for making medicine. It was said that this was the location for angles to make immortal pills.



There is a huge Chinese character Love measured in 5 meter long by 5 meter wide, engraved at the slope of the stone. It's said that it was the handwriting of Poet Shushi from Song Dynasty.





















Actor and Actress of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, toed on bamboo trees, flying high and low to compete their "gongfu". The scene was taken from all these bamboo forest.



It's interesting to read the love stories of Chinese legends, carved on an erected stone at every corner inside the bamboo forest.





















And, out of no where there is a drawing of Guan Yin Boddisattva's image. It was a totally different feeling when we kneel and bow to our feet.



Do not miss the lovely scenery when you reach an altitude at the valley.






Too exhausted or run short of time, then pay approximate rmb100.00 and hire a sedan chair, ever ready at your service.



Spring is about to arrive, flowers sprouting



And some flowers had started blooming






We stayed at this hill foot hotel at Tangkou, located just right in front of Huangshan South Gate. It was owned by an American Chinese originated from Hongkong. He communicated with us in fluent English and provide us good and necessary services by all his staff. The hotel is quite well organized and the food offered from its little kitchen were really not too bad.



We enjoyed our first meal in the little cozy restaurant of the hotel. They offers meal at any hour upon request.



The taste of food offered from hotel's little kitchen were really not too bad and price chargeable at this tourist center was considered reasonable. A lunch with rice and tea with two dishes: Baby spinach and their local specialty mountain chicken herb soup cost us rmb78.00. Further more, we were allowed to split our chicken soup for two meals. They kept the other half for us and warm it up for our dinner.



Tangkou is the town just right at the foot of Huangshan. Emerald valley is just 20 minutes away from it while Yugu Cable Car station going up to Huangshan, is just short distance away. . All long distance buses are accessible at Tangkou.m3



View of Anhui country sides along the journey from Shanghai to Tangkou.

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