2 Days Jiuhuashan Buddhist Pilgrimage Trip from Huangshan

Day 1 Huangshan-Jiuhuashan

Arrival from Huangshan (Tunxi)

A private guide meets you at your hotel in Huangshan (Tunxi) in the morning, holding a Your Way Holiday sign. The drive to the Jiuhuashan scenic area takes about two and a half hours through the Anhui countryside. On arrival your guide walks you to the Jiuhuashan hotel, helps with check in and leaves your luggage there, so the afternoon pilgrimage starts light. The temples are visited slowly over the next two days.

Longevity Palace (Centenary Palace)

From the mountain lodge you take the cable car up to the Longevity Palace, also called the Centenary Palace, which was built in the Ming dynasty. It is the second body hall on Jiuhuashan. Beyond the usual Buddhist statues, the room here keeps several preserved monk remains, said to be the body of a well known monk that did not decay after death. In Buddhist terms such a body is read as a sign that the monk reached a high level of practice.

Hall of Five Hundred Arhats

The next hall is the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats. Large temples across China keep an arhat hall of this kind, each statue with its own face and pose. Believers come here to recite sutras and to walk slowly among the figures, and the room is often full of chanting. Your guide explains who the arhats are and what people mean when they bow or write a name into a prayer book.

Jiuhua Street and the Incarnation Grand Hall

You then take the cable car back down to Jiuhua Street, the busy temple lane at the foot of the climbs. At its heart stands the Incarnation Grand Hall, the burial hall associated with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the form of Kim Qiaojue, the Silla monk who made Jiuhuashan his home. This is the main reason pilgrims travel to the mountain, and the hall is where the devotional feeling is strongest.

Huacheng Temple

The last stop of the day is Huacheng Temple, set on a low hill that can be approached from several sides and facing Lotus Peak to the south. It is the oldest and principal temple of Mount Jiuhua, and for centuries it marked the gate where visitors and monks first entered the mountain. It is a quiet place to end the afternoon before dinner.

Overnight on Jiuhuashan

You spend the night at a hotel on Jiuhuashan, close to the temples, so the second day of the pilgrimage can start early without a long drive back up.

Day 2 Jiuhuashan-Huangshan

Tiantai (Heavenly Terrace Peak)

After breakfast you take the cable car up to the Tiantai, or Heavenly Terrace Peak, area at 1,306 meters. Tiantai Temple sits on the ridge and is the highest temple on Mount Jiuhua. A local saying holds that a visit to Jiuhuashan is not complete without climbing to the Heavenly Terrace. From the temple platform the view runs across the 99 peaks of the range, and your guide gives you time to walk the ridge and take photographs.

Phoenix Old Pine

On the way down from the peak you reach the Phoenix Old Pine, a gnarled mountain pine whose spreading branches are said to look like a phoenix with open wings. Your guide tells the story behind the tree if you want to hear it, and there is a natural spot to stop for a photograph.

Return to Huangshan

When the sightseeing is finished you descend to the mountain foot, where the car waits to drive you back to Huangshan. Your guide takes you to your hotel in Huangshan (Tunxi), and the two-day Jiuhuashan service ends there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a cable car used on this tour?

Yes. The cable car is used on both days to reach the Longevity Palace and the Tiantai Peak area, so you avoid the longest stair climbs. The fare is paid on the day and your guide shows you where to board.

How much walking does the pilgrimage involve?

There is steady walking between the temples on Jiuhua Street and along the ridge at Tiantai, with some steps. The cable car cuts out the long climbs, but comfortable shoes still matter because the stone paths can be smooth.

Do I need to dress a certain way for the temples?

Jiuhuashan is an active Buddhist site and not only a sightseeing stop. Modest clothing is appreciated inside the halls, and your guide will share the simple manners to follow when you pass a statue or a chanting monk.

Is this tour only for Buddhist pilgrims?

No. Many travellers join for the temples and the mountain scenery alone. The guide explains the history, the statues and the highland plants so the visit makes sense whether or not you follow Buddhism.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts at your hotel in Huangshan (Tunxi) and finishes back at your hotel in Huangshan after the drive down from Jiuhuashan on the second afternoon.

What should I pack for one night on the mountain?

The Jiuhuashan hotels are simpler than those in the city, so bring toiletries, a warm layer for the cool mornings and evenings, and a small overnight bag; larger luggage can stay arranged at the base in Huangshan.

Price Per Person in US Dollars