Qiyun Mountain
Qiyun Mountain is located 15 kilometers west of the downtown area of Xiu County, Anhui Province. It is also known as Baiyue (White Mountain) and stands at an elevation of 585 meters, covering an area of 100 square kilometers. It is renowned for its Taoist culture and Danxia landform, with features that are quiet, beautiful, odd, and perilous. It is said to be the place where the Emperor Zhenwu (True Martial Emperor) manifested and is often referred to as the “Small Wudang Mountain,” belonging to the Quanzhen school of Taoism. The mountain contains 36 peculiar peaks, 72 strange cliffs, and features secluded caves, winding streams, crystal-clear pools, and green springs, all combining to create a picturesque landscape.
During the Tang Dynasty’s Qian Yuan period (758–760), Taoist priest Gong Qi Xia traveled here and secluded himself at Tianmen Cave in the mountain. During the Southern Song Dynasty’s Baoqing period (1225–1227), Taoist priest Yu Daoyuan came to the mountain for cultivation and built the You Sheng Zhenwu Temple at Qiyun Rock. Afterward, Taoist priests began to flock here, and Taoist architecture grew. It reached its peak during the Ming Dynasty, with the Zhang family from Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi, representing the Zhengyi school, stationed at Qiyun Mountain during the Jiajing and Wanli reigns. They held Taoist rituals, refined Taoist teachings, and built Taoist temples, leading to a thriving incense cult. The area around Yuehua Street, centered around the Xuantian Taizu Palace built by the Jiajing Emperor, became a sacred destination for Taoist priests and pilgrims. According to the Records of Qiyun Mountain, there were once 108 Taoist buildings, including palaces, temples, halls, and pavilions, modeled after the architecture of Wudang Mountain in Hubei, grand in scale and imposing in structure.
However, due to years of neglect and constant warfare, many of the buildings were destroyed. Today, only a few Taoist temples, pavilions, and other buildings remain, most of which have been recently rebuilt. Qiyun Mountain remains one of the famous Taoist mountains and is a key site for Taoist activities in Anhui, as well as a renowned tourist destination.
Cavernous Sacred Grounds
The mountain has inscriptions at Qizhen Rock, Zhonglie Rock, and Shuzi Cliff. Legend has it that Qizhen Rock was where the earliest Taoist priest, Qi Xia Zhenren from the Tang Dynasty, cultivated; Zhonglie Rock is a site dedicated to Guan Yu (the God of War); and Shuzi Cliff features the character “寿” (Longevity), written by Empress Dowager Cixi during the Qing Dynasty. The area is known for its numerous cliff inscriptions and stelae, collectively referred to as the “Baiyue Stele Forest.”
True Immortal Caves
The True Immortal Caves consist of many caves such as the Eight Immortals Cave, Yuan Tong Cave, Luohan Cave, Rain God Cave, and Wenchang Cave, where statues of various gods and immortals are enshrined. The cave walls feature many cliff inscriptions, the most striking of which is the inscription “Tian Kai Shen Xiu” (Heaven Opens to Divine Beauty), which is a prominent symbol of the True Immortal Caves.
Yuehua Street
Yuehua Street has eight ancient buildings and many Hui-style residences, forming a dense cluster of buildings, including Taoist temples and residences. It serves as the dwelling place for both Taoist priests and the mountain’s residents, and is also a marketplace for pilgrims and tourists.
Tai Su Palace
Tai Su Palace is the largest Taoist temple at Qiyun Mountain, where Taoist rituals are held. The temples at Qiyun Mountain vary in terms of ritual content and form, which are classified into Wen (literary) and Wu (martial) categories.
Yuxu Palace
Yuxu Palace is located beneath Zixiao Cliff at Qiyun Mountain. It was founded during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty by the Taoist Wang Taiyuan. The palace is dedicated to Zhenwu (True Martial Emperor). In front of the palace, there is a three-tier stone archway made of red sandstone, which stands 17 meters tall and is elegantly simple and unique in design. To the left of the palace, a stele with the inscription “Zixiao Palace Xuan Emperor Stele” was written by the Ming Dynasty artist Tang Yin.
Incense Burner Peak
Incense Burner Peak stands in front of Tai Su Palace on Yuehua Street. The peak is slender and stands out like an incense burner, hence its name. The base of the peak is small and stable, the body is stout, and the top is almost the same size as the base. It is said that the iron pavilion and incense burner at the top were gifted by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. After rain, when the clouds and mist dissipate, the peak may appear mysteriously or remain hidden. A poem praises: “The mountain is the incense burner, the cloud is the smoke; the towering jade view has hidden for a thousand years.”
Event
Activities The Qiyun Mountain incense offering ceremonies begin on the first day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar and end on the first day of the tenth month. In addition to the annual incense ceremony, there are also special rituals held on the 19th of the ninth lunar month at the “Loushang Lou Guan Yin Cave.” The incense is particularly intense on that day. At the foot of the mountain in Yanqian Town, the village holds a night dragon lantern festival on the 15th of the first lunar month, where villagers carry incense pavilions and dance with cloth dragon lanterns, climbing Qiyun Mountain to perform dances and offerings in front of Tai Su Palace.
Transportation Routes
If you are traveling from Shanghai:
Option 1: Take a high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Yi County East Station (黟县东). The journey takes approximately 3 hours and 17 minutes. Second-class seats cost 204 RMB, first-class seats cost 328 RMB, and business class seats cost 619 RMB. (Note: There is only one train each day, which departs at 17:26 and arrives at 20:43.) Once you arrive at Yi County East Station, take a taxi to the Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area, about 13.2 kilometers away, which takes around 25 minutes and costs approximately 35 to 40 RMB. (Please make sure to book your hotel or guesthouse in advance.) After resting overnight, you can take a cable car to the mountain’s starting point the next morning.
Option 2: Take a high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Huangshan North Station. The journey takes approximately 3 to 5 hours, with more train options available for flexible travel times. Once you arrive at Huangshan North Station, take a taxi to Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area, approximately 28.4 kilometers away, taking about 45 minutes and costing around 80 to 100 RMB. Alternatively, you can take the local bus “Xiuning 1 Road,” which takes about 2 hours and 27 minutes to reach Qiyun Mountain. (Please make sure to book your hotel or guesthouse in advance.) After resting overnight, you can take a cable car to the mountain’s starting point the next morning.
If you are traveling from Beijing:
Option 1: Take a high-speed train from Beijing South Railway Station to Yi County East Station (黟县东). The journey takes approximately 6 hours and 43 minutes. Second-class seats cost 612.5 RMB, first-class seats cost 1029 RMB, and business class seats cost 2058 RMB. (Note: There is only one train each day, which departs at 7:21 and arrives at 14:04.) Once you arrive at Yi County East Station, take a taxi to the Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area, about 13.2 kilometers away, which takes around 25 minutes and costs approximately 35 to 40 RMB. (Please make sure to book your hotel or guesthouse in advance.) After resting overnight, you can take a cable car to the mountain’s starting point the next morning.
Option 2: Take a high-speed train from Beijing South Railway Station to Huangshan North Station. The journey takes approximately 6 to 7 hours, with more train options available for flexible travel times. Once you arrive at Huangshan North Station, take a taxi to Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area, approximately 28.4 kilometers away, taking about 45 minutes and costing around 80 to 100 RMB. Alternatively, you can take the local bus “Xiuning 1 Road,” which takes about 2 hours and 27 minutes to reach Qiyun Mountain. (Please make sure to book your hotel or guesthouse in advance.) After resting overnight, you can take a cable car to the mountain’s starting point the next morning.
