Mt. Huashan, called the West Mountain in ancient times, is one of the noted Five Mountains in China.
Located in Hayin city, Shaanxi province, it is at the junction of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan provinces. With Mt.Qinling to the south and the Yellow and Weihe Rivers to the North, Mt.Huashan has long been called number one precipitous mountain under the heaven.
Mt. Huashan is formed of a piece of huge and complete granite. Its history dates back to 2.7 billion years. The mountain has three summits: the south peak, which is the highest of the three, 2160.5m above sea level, is also named the Wild Goose Perching Peak, the east Morning Sun Peak and the west Lotus Flower Peak. The mountain flanked by the Yuntai (Cloud Terrace) and Yunu (Jade Maiden) peaks and fronting thirty-six minor peaks, has peculiar peaks, strange rocks, seas of clouds, purling springs as well as flying waterfalls.
Two hundred and ten famous scenic spots and historical sites are scattered everywhere, including the Planked Road high up in the air, the towering path known as Sparrow Hawk Turning Its Body, the Canglong (green dragon) Ridge as well as the Qian Chi Chuang (Thousand-Feet Cliff), the Bai Chi Xia (Hundred-Feet Valley), the Lao Jun Li Gou (old-gentleman-ploughed furrows), Shang Tian Ti (steps leading up to the sky) all of which were chiselled on cliffs.
The Immortal's Palm Rock ranks the first in the Eight Scenes of the Guangzhong Plain. The changeable weather on the mountain makes Mt.Huashan sometimes in the clouds, or in the rain, or in the mist, or in the snow, which make people feel as if they were in a fairyland.
In recent years, the basic construction of Mt.Huashan has developed rapidly. In past, there was only one path leading to Mt.Huashan. Now, two new high ways up to the mountain have been opened. Mt. Huashan cable cars to the North Peak were finished.
A series of service facilities were established both on the top and at the foot of the mountain, including the Huashan Hotel, the Jinrong (finance) hotel, the Li Hua Ping Hotel and the Beifeng Restaurant. An electric and telephone circuit has been set up throughout the mountain.
