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Anhui

Fantastical mountainscapes and well preserved villages make Anhui (安徽, Ānhuī) the perfect antidote to the brashness of China’s larger cities. The main attraction is unquestionably Huangshan, a jumble of sheer granite cliffs wrapped in cottony clouds that inspired an entire school of ink painting during the 17th and 18th centuries. But the often overlooked peaks of nearby Jiuhua Shan, where Buddhists bless the souls of the recently departed, have a hallowed aura that offers a strong contrast to Huangshan’s stunning natural scenery.

At the foot of these ranges are strewn the ancient villages of the province formerly known as Huizhou. With distinctive whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs augmented by lush surroundings of buckling earth, bamboo and pine forest, they are among the most picturesque in the country.

Anhui's top sights are clustered in its southeast corner. Easy to navigate and within striking distance of Shanghai, this is rural China at its accessible best.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Anhui.

  • See

    Huangshan Summit

    The summit's huge network of connecting trails and walks meander up, down and across several different peaks. More than a few visitors spend several nights on the peak, and the North Sea (北海, Běihǎi) sunrise is a highlight for those staying overnight. Refreshing Terrace is five minutes’ walk from Beihai Hotel and attracts sunrise crowds. Lucky visitors are rewarded with the luminous spectacle of yúnhǎi (literally ‘sea of clouds’): idyllic pools of mist that settle over the mountain, filling its chasms and valleys with fog. The staggering and other-worldly views from the summit reach out over huge valleys of granite and enormous formations of rock, topped by gravity-defying slivers of stone and the gnarled forms of ubiquitous Huangshan pine trees (Pinus taiwanensis). Many rocks have been christened with fanciful names by the Chinese, alluding to figures from religion and myth. Beginning to Believe Peak (始信峰, Shǐxìn Fēng; 1683m), with its jaw-dropping views, is a major bottleneck for photographers. En route to the North Sea, pause at the Flower Blooming on a Brush Tip, a 1640m-high granite formation topped by a pine tree. Clamber up to Purple Cloud Peak (丹霞峰, Dānxiá Fēng; 1700m) for a long survey over the landscape and try to catch the sun as it descends in the west. Aficionados of rock formations should keep an eye out for the poetically named Mobile Phone Rock (手机石, Shǒujī Shí), near the top of the Western Steps. If you're coming via cable car, the hike between White Goose Ridge station and Jade Screen Tower station takes 3½ hours – though you'd be missing out if you didn't explore the summit further.

  • See

    Tangyue Memorial Archways

    Over generations, the Bao (鲍) family constructed these seven carved stone páifāng (牌坊, memorial arches), stretching east to west in the fields outside their village, to consecrate their ancestors for feats of service and piety. Three are from the Ming dynasty, four from the Qing. Placards (in English) describe the acts – some touching, some gruesome – that earned such high esteem. Tourist bus 2 runs from Tunxi’s Tourist Distribution Center, calling at Tangyue (¥6, one hour) before continuing to Tangmo. The Bao family also practised an impressive gender parity: several of the arches commemorate female family members. There is also a rare ancestral hall for women (请懿堂; Qīngyì Táng) in addition to the (usual) one for men (敦本堂; Dūnběn Táng). Beyond the main attractions, you can explore the attached village and the sprawling Bao Family Garden (Bàojiā Huāyuán; 鲍家花园), which includes a collection of bonsai.

  • See

    Refreshing Terrace

    The vantage point for watching the Huangshan sunrise, five minutes’ walk from Beihai Hotel. Lucky visitors are rewarded with the luminous spectacle of yúnhǎi (literally ‘sea of clouds’): idyllic pools of mist that settle over the mountain, filling its chasms and valleys with fog.

  • See

    Tangmo

    A narrow village stretching along a central canal, Tangmo is usually uncrowded, though it's by no means uninteresting. According to village lore, the original Tang dynasty settlers planted two ginkgo trees: only one grew, and that became the site of the village. The tree (银杏, yínxìng), in the centre of the village, up a small path, is thick and full of leaves, still bearing fruit 1300-plus years later. At the east gate (东门; dōng mén) is Tan’gan Garden (檀干园; Tán’gàn Yuán), a miniature model of Hangzhou’s West Lake. It was constructed in the early Qing dynasty by a wealthy merchant as a gift to his mother, who was too weak to visit the real thing. Shui Jie (水街) runs along the length of the canal, past Qing residences and the covered Gāoyáng Bridge (高阳桥; Gāoyáng Qiáo), built in 1733 and home to a small teahouse. At the west end of town is the Shangyi Ancestor Hall (尚义堂; Shàngyì Táng), with 199 peony blossoms carved into the entrance beam. Next door, in Jishan Hall (继善堂; Jìshàn Táng), Huizhou opera and folk music are performed most days at 9.30am and 3pm. The main entrance is at the east gate but the public bus may drop you off at the west gate.

  • See

    Huizhou Old Town

    The entrance to the old town is marked by Yanghe Gate (阳和门, Yánghé Mén), a double-eaved, wooden gate tower that dates from the Song dynasty. To the left are two stone xièzhì (獬豸, a legendary beast) and straight ahead, the main attraction: the magnificent Xuguo Archway (许国石坊, Xǔguó Shífáng). This is China’s sole surviving four-sided decorative archway, with 12 lions (18 in total if you count the cubs) seated on pedestals around it and a profusion of bas-relief carvings of other mythical creatures. Continue in the same direction to reach the alleyway (on the left) to the old residential area of Doushan Jie (斗山街古民居; Dòushānjiē Gǔmínjū), a street of Huizhou houses, with several courtyard residences decorated with exquisitely carved lintels, beautiful interiors and occasional pairs of leaping-on blocks for mounting horses. Villagers will likely invite you inside their homes to look around, though they will expect a small payment (¥10 to ¥20, depending on the size of your group) or a purchase from their shop. You can walk here from Shexian bus station in about 20 minutes: cross the bridge over the river and turn right at the end of the road.

  • See

    Yuliang

    Little-visited Yulang is a historic riverine port village on the Lian River (练江, Liàn Jiāng). The cobbled and picturesque alley of Yuliang Jie (渔梁街) houses former transfer stations for the wood, salt and tea that plied the river; the tea shop at No 87 is an example. Note the firewalls separating the houses along the road. The attraction with most historical significance is the 138m-long granite Yuliang Dam (渔梁坝, Yúliáng Bà) across the river; it's believed to be 1400 years old. Boat operators can take you on excellent 20-minute return river trips (¥20). A pedicab from Shexian’s bus station or Huizhou Old Town to Yuliang costs ¥10.

  • See

    Flying Rock

    The Western Steps descent begins at the Flying Rock, a boulder perched on an outcrop half an hour from Beihai Hotel.

  • See

    Banshan Temple

    Located at 800m, this Huangshan temple's name literally means 'Halfway up the Mountain Temple'.