What are the must-see attractions in Cihua Mountain

My friend and I were bored at home on the weekend and decided to go hiking. We had not had any physical activity in a while, so we readily agreed to go to the nearby Cihua Mountain. At the foot of the mountain, we were greeted by lush greenery as far as the eye could see, rising and falling like waves, full of life. This instantly motivated us to climb the mountain and discover more wonders within, hoping to make this trip worthwhile.

National Geopark

Cihua Mountain, Shaanxi

Our goal was to avoid the crowds of the “Golden Week” holiday, where you would be “looking at people’s backsides going up the mountain, and their heads coming down,” seeking a quiet retreat instead.

Due to time constraints, we chose the route to the left, leading to the “Long Yiqiu” scenic area.

The car wound its way up the mountain road, left and right, then passed through a tunnel with water dripping down. In less than ten minutes, we saw a tall welcoming pine tree in the distance, lush and green, with branches stretching out, welcoming visitors from afar.

Welcoming Pine

As soon as the car stopped, a young mountain villager approached. From the business card he handed us, we learned his name was Xinbao. He ran a “farmhouse” in a street full of eateries on the mountain. Xinbao volunteered to be our free tour guide, on the condition that we have lunch at his “farmhouse.” Seeing his simple and friendly demeanor, we readily agreed.

Tianchi (Sky Pond)

Chinese Landslide Wonder

The Spirit-Inspiring Jade Seal

Splendid Scenery

Sword Stone

Husband and Wife Bowing to Each Other

Hawk

Although the early autumn mountain air was cool, the rugged path took its toll on us. Soon, we were panting, sweating profusely, and quickly took off our coats. But as we turned a bend in the mountain, we had to quickly put our coats back on, because we were about to pass through a natural cave formed by boulders piled and stacked on top of each other. The cave was filled with cold air. It is said that the temperature difference between inside and outside the “ice cave,” known as the “thousand-year-old cold freeze three-nine land, four-season ice seal June day,” can reach over 23°C in the summer.

Ice Cave

Southern Sky Low

We wandered here and there, up and down, unknowingly spending more than an hour in the mountains. While the scenery was beautiful, we hadn’t yet felt the uniqueness of Cihua Mountain. Combined with aching backs and knees and a rumbling stomach, we felt a bit reluctant to move.

“This is the best place to enjoy the view. You can see the entire landslide remains,” Xinbao said. Thinking that we had already “done 36 bows, there’s no harm in one last push,” we gathered our strength again. This was a 30-meter-high boulder, which had split longitudinally, forming a narrow passageway a few steps wide. An inscription on the boulder reads “Mysterious Gate,” written by Mr. Zhao Puchu. We spiraled upward from below, crossed a small bridge above the crack, and reached a relatively flat natural viewing platform.

Mysterious Gate

We stood there, looking around, surveying the whole scene, and finally understood the true face of this mountain.

I thought that after seeing the towering peaks of Zhangjiajie, a wonderland of the world, there was no need to see any more mountains. After seeing the sky-blue pools and waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou, an earthly paradise, there was no need to see any more water. But in the Cihua Mountain National Geopark, known as the “Chinese Landslide Wonder,” I was once again awestruck by the wonders of nature.

Stone Forest

Cuiya Dan Valley

Natural Wonder

Baofeng

Listening to the Waves

Want to stay where people live, ask the woodcutter across the water

The mountains here are rugged and steep, with thousands of strangely shaped boulders between the peaks and cliffs.

The water here is a clear blue pool, situated on top of a mountain, surrounded by peaks.

It is hard to imagine that these mournful mountains and picturesque waters are the result of a major earthquake.

After descending the mountain, we went to Xinbao’s “farmhouse,” as agreed. While the conditions were a bit primitive, the food was abundant, and the process was not bad. The snacks before the meal were walnuts from his own trees, a bowlful of them was smashed and brought out quickly, with tea brewed from mountain spring water, we chatted about the day, a good way to soothe our “stimulated” minds. In a flash, we picked some seasonal wild vegetables, blanched them in water, and mixed them with oil, salt, and chili peppers, a fantastic appetizer with a pot of local “small liquor.” Then, fragrant crispy small whitebait fish, stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat, scallion and egg, chestnut stewed mountain chicken, all fragrant, hot and delicious. The staple food was oil-splashed chili hand-rolled noodles, served with a small bowl of clear broth for “returning the essence to its original state.” For a while, our happiness level skyrocketed from the bottom of our hearts. As we left, the clever Xinbao gave us a small bag of wild kiwi each, so we could try some fresh fruit on the road.