Sanqing Mountain Scenic Area is located at the junction of Yushan County and Dexing City, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. It is a World Natural Heritage, World Geopark, and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. The scenic area is famous for its unique granite peak forest landform, featuring the five characteristics of "majesty, strangeness, danger, beauty, and seclusion". It is known as the "Oriental Alps" and "the most beautiful granite on the edge of the Western Pacific". The total area of the scenic area is 229.5 square kilometers, with the core scenic area covering about 76 square kilometers. The main peak, Yujing Peak, stands at an altitude of 1819.9 meters, ranking as the fifth highest peak in Jiangxi. The area preserves a large number of Quaternary glacial relics, with complex geological structures and rich biodiversity. There are 2373 species of higher plants and 401 species of wild animals, including national key protected species such as Taxus chinensis and white-necked long-tailed pheasants. The scenic area has a profound Taoist cultural heritage, with existing Taoist architectural sites such as Sanqing Palace. It is one of China's famous Taoist mountains, where natural and cultural landscapes complement each other.
History and Culture
Sanqing Mountain gets its name because its three peaks—Yujing, Yuxu, and Yuhua—resemble the three revered gods of Taoism (Yuqing Yuan Shi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, and Taiqing Daode Tianzun) sitting atop them. Taoist culture has been passed down here for over 1600 years. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong, a famous Taoist theorist, practiced alchemy and Taoism here, laying the foundation for the Taoist culture of Sanqing Mountain. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Taoist activities flourished, gradually forming a Taoist architectural system centered on Sanqing Palace.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Taoism in Sanqing Mountain reached its peak, with a large number of temples, pavilions, and stone carvings built. There are more than 50 existing ancient buildings and over 230 stone inscriptions. Among them, Sanqing Palace, first built in the Western Jin Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, covers an area of about 500 square meters and is one of the best-preserved ancient Taoist architectural complexes in the Jiangnan region. These buildings are built according to the mountain terrain, cleverly integrating with the natural landscape, embodying the Taoist concept of "harmony between man and nature". In addition, the cliff carvings and Taoist myths and legends in the scenic area together form a rich Taoist cultural heritage, making it an important carrier for studying Chinese Taoist culture.
Main Attractions
Yujing Peak
Yujing Peak is the main peak of Sanqing Mountain, with an altitude of 1819.9 meters, the highest point of Sanqing Mountain. There is an observation deck on the peak, offering a 360-degree view of the surrounding peaks and sea of clouds. In the early morning, visitors can often enjoy the magnificent sunrise and sea of clouds, making it one of the best places to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds in Sanqing Mountain. It takes about 2 hours to reach the summit on foot. Along the way, you can see granite peak forests, ancient pines and other landscapes, among which the natural shapes such as "Divine Cat Waiting for Mouse" and "Mother and Child Pines" are particularly peculiar.
Nanqing Garden Scenic Area
Nanqing Garden Scenic Area is the most concentrated area of natural landscapes in Sanqing Mountain, covering an area of about 5 square kilometers. It centers on the granite peak forest landform and gathers famous attractions such as "Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain", "Shenlong Valley", and "Guanyin Appreciating the Music". "Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain" is a 128-meter-high giant granite pillar, with a large and flat head and a slightly thinner middle part, shaped like a giant python raising its head to fly. It is one of the iconic landscapes of the World Natural Heritage. "Shenlong Valley" is a gorge about 300 meters deep, with gurgling streams, steep stone walls on both sides, and dense vegetation, making it cool and pleasant in summer.
Sanqing Palace Scenic Area
Sanqing Palace Scenic Area is the core area of Taoist culture in Sanqing Mountain, covering an area of about 3 square kilometers. Centered on Sanqing Palace, it is surrounded by Taoist buildings such as Yanjiao Hall, Jiucha Mansion, and Longhu Hall. Sanqing Palace is located at the mouth of Jiulong Mountain at an altitude of 1530 meters, with an architectural style featuring Ming Dynasty Taoist temple characteristics. The main hall enshrines the three revered Taoist gods. The temple is surrounded by ancient pines and stone carvings. The "innate eight trigrams" layout architectural system in the scenic area perfectly combines natural landscapes with Taoist culture, being a model in the history of Chinese Taoist architecture.
West Coast Scenic Area
West Coast Scenic Area is famous for its hanging plank road. The plank road is about 4 kilometers long, at an altitude of about 1600 meters. Some sections are glass plank roads hanging on the cliffs, overhanging 2-5 meters outward. Walking on it feels like walking on clouds, hence the name "West Coast". Along the plank road, you can see landscapes such as "Monkey King Viewing Treasures" and "Guanyin Sending a Child". In the evening, the sunset shines on the peaks, making the scenery particularly magnificent. It takes about 2 hours to hike the whole journey, being one of the most exciting and ornamental tourist routes in Sanqing Mountain.
Sunshine Coast Scenic Area
Sunshine Coast Scenic Area is connected to West Coast Scenic Area, with a total length of about 3 kilometers and an altitude of 1600-1700 meters. It gets its name because it is exposed to sunlight all year round. The plank road is built along the mountain, with a wide view, allowing visitors to enjoy landscapes such as sea of clouds, sunrise, and pine forests. Among them, "Five Elders Worshiping Sanqing" is a group of granite peaks shaped like five elders worshiping the three revered Taoist gods, with vivid shapes. The "Qiankun Platform" in the scenic area is a good viewing spot, from which you can overlook Yujing Peak and surrounding peaks.
Food
Special Dishes of Sanqing Mountain
Braised Chicken with Stone Ear
Stone ear is a unique wild fungus in Sanqing Mountain, growing on cliffs and rich in various minerals. Braised Chicken with Stone Ear uses locally free-range native chickens stewed with stone ears. The chicken meat is tender, the soup is mellow, and it has the effect of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, being one of the signature dishes of Sanqing Mountain.
Stir-Fried Kudzu Root Starch
Kudzu root starch is made from kudzu roots, a specialty of Sanqing Mountain, rich in starch and dietary fiber. When stir-frying kudzu root starch, first mix the kudzu root starch with water to make a paste, then stir-fry in a pan until transparent, and add ingredients such as eggs and green vegetables. It has a smooth taste, combining nutrition and deliciousness, being a common home-cooked dish among local farmers.
Surrounding Food
Yushan Fried Noodles
Yushan County around Sanqing Mountain is famous for its fried noodles. Yushan fried noodles use locally produced indica rice noodles, mixed with ingredients such as eggs, green vegetables, and shredded pork, stir-fried over high heat. The noodles are smooth and chewy, with a fragrant aroma, being a popular choice for local breakfast and supper.
Dexing Wulao Guo
Wulao Guo in Dexing City is a traditional snack. It uses glutinous rice flour as the skin, wrapped with fillings such as shredded radish, dried shrimps, and tofu, shaped into a half-moon shape, steamed, and eaten with vinegar. It has a soft and glutinous taste and a fresh aroma, being a characteristic food during local festivals.
Tickets
The ticket price is 120 yuan per person, and the round-trip cable car fare is 140 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "三清山旅游" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open all year round, and the daily opening hours are adjusted according to the season. In the peak season (April-October), the opening hours are 6:30-18:00; in the off-season (November-March of the next year), the opening hours are 7:30-17:00. The cable car operation time is basically the same as the opening hours of the scenic area, and the specific time is subject to the announcement on that day. In case of bad weather (such as heavy rain, snowstorm, typhoon, etc.), the scenic area may temporarily close some areas or cable cars. It is recommended to check the official information of the scenic area before traveling.
Tour Route
Recommended Two-Day Tour Route
Day 1: In the morning, take the Waishuangxi Cable Car up the mountain, go to Nanqing Garden Scenic Area, visit attractions such as "Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain" and "Shenlong Valley", and have lunch at the Nanqing Garden service area at noon; in the afternoon, go to Sanqing Palace Scenic Area, visit Sanqing Palace, Yanjiao Hall and other Taoist buildings to experience Taoist culture, in the evening, go to West Coast Scenic Area to enjoy the sunset and sea of clouds, and stay in a hotel on the mountain that night.
Day 2: In the early morning, go to Yujing Peak to watch the sunrise, then visit Sunshine Coast Scenic Area, hike the hanging plank road, and enjoy landscapes such as "Five Elders Worshiping Sanqing"; go down the mountain to have lunch near the cable car upper station at noon; in the afternoon, take the Jinsha Cable Car down the mountain to end the trip. This route can fully cover the core landscapes of Sanqing Mountain, taking into account both natural and cultural landscapes, suitable for tourists with ample time.
Transportation
- Public transportation: Take a bus from Shangrao City Passenger Station to the south (Waishuangxi) or east (Jinsha) of Sanqing Mountain. Buses to the south run every hour from 7:30-17:30, with a journey of about 1.5 hours and a fare of 27 yuan per person; buses to the east run every 2 hours from 8:00-16:00, with a journey of about 2 hours and a fare of 32 yuan per person.
- Self-driving: Starting from Nanchang, drive along Shanghai-Kunming Expressway to Yushan Exit, then transfer to Sanqing Mountain Tourist Road, with a total distance of about 300 kilometers and a driving time of 4 hours; starting from Hangzhou, drive along Hangzhou-Changsha Expressway to Jiangshan Exit, then transfer to provincial roads to Sanqing Mountain, with a total distance of about 350 kilometers and a driving time of 4.5 hours. There are parking lots in the south and east of the scenic area, with a charging standard of 20 yuan per car per day.
- High-speed rail connection: Take the high-speed rail to Yushan South Station, then transfer to the tourist special line bus to Sanqing Mountain after exiting the station. The journey is about 1 hour, with a fare of 20 yuan per person. The special line bus runs every hour from 8:00-18:00 every day.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Yujing Peak: The main peak of Sanqing Mountain, at an altitude of 1819.9 meters, is an excellent place to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds, and you can overlook the whole view after reaching the summit.
- Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain: A 128-meter-high granite pillar, shaped like a giant python, is an iconic landscape of the World Natural Heritage and can be called a geological wonder.
- West Coast Plank Road: A 4-kilometer-long hanging plank road, with some sections being glass plank roads. Walking on it allows you to experience the excitement and grandeur of viewing the scenery at high altitude.
- Sanqing Palace: The core of the Ming Dynasty Taoist architectural complex, covering an area of about 500 square meters, embodying the Taoist concept of "harmony between man and nature", and being an important relic for studying Taoist culture.
Travel Suggestions
- Sanqing Mountain has a high altitude, with a large temperature difference between morning and evening. Even in summer, you need to bring a thin coat; in winter, the temperature is low, so you need to take cold protection and warmth measures.
- The hiking route is long. It is recommended to wear comfortable mountaineering shoes and carry trekking poles to save energy. Some sections in the scenic area are steep, so you need to pay attention to safety.
- Catering prices on the mountain are relatively high. You can bring a small amount of dry food and water, but you need to pay attention to environmental protection and not litter.
- There are many tourists in the peak season. It is recommended to book accommodation and tickets in advance and avoid peak holidays to improve the travel experience.
- To watch the sunrise and sea of clouds, you need to pay attention to the weather forecast. The early morning (5:30-6:30) with a high probability of sunny weather is the best time.
Matters Needing Attention
- Smoking and open fires are prohibited in the scenic area. Picking plants and catching wild animals are strictly forbidden. You must abide by the ecological protection regulations.
- The plank road is narrow, and some sections can only allow one person to pass. When walking, you need to walk close to the inner side, do not chase and play, and do not climb over the guardrail without authorization.
- The signal on the mountain is unstable. It is recommended to download an offline map in advance and agree on the meeting time and place with your companions to avoid getting separated.
- In thunderstorm weather, you need to stay away from open areas such as mountain tops and cliffs, do not use electronic devices such as mobile phones, and take shelter in nearby indoor safe areas.
- The operation of the cable car is greatly affected by the weather. It may be suspended in case of strong winds, thunderstorms, etc. It is recommended to confirm the operation status of the cable car before going down the mountain to avoid staying on the mountain.