Wǔtái Shān & Táihuái

Introducing Wǔtái Shān & Táihuái

Wǔtái Shān, or ‘the Five Terrace Mountains’, is Buddhism’s sacred northern range and the earthly abode of Manjusri (Wénshū), the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Enclosed within a valley formed by five main peaks is the town of Táihuái, the site of some 15 temples and meandering groups of monks and nuns, where countless visitors come to temporarily escape the world of illusion.

The forested slopes outside of town eventually give way to alpine meadows and another 20 temples or so scattered across the hillsides. The windswept summits are located in China’s five cardinal directions (north, east, south, west and centre), with the highest being North Terrace Peak) at 3058m. Besides temple hopping, Wǔtái Shān offers some great hiking and, with enough persistence, you just might be able to momentarily detach yourself from the world of red dust.

Avoiding high season isn’t a bad idea (it’s a zoo), but remember that temperatures are often below freezing from October through March, and roads can be impassable. Even in summer the temperature drops rapidly at night.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009