Imagine a hiking trail built into a sheer rock face, looking out onto a forest of fantastical granite spires and a gorgeous canopy sprinkled with white rhododendron blooms. This is one of the many walks you can do at Sānqīng Shān, one of the most underrated national parks in eastern China.
Unlike Huángshān, its more famous neighbour to the north, Sānqīng Shān has a spiritual legacy and has been a place of retreat for Taoist adepts for centuries. The name Sānqīng means ‘The Three Pure Ones’, in reference to the three main peaks, believed to resemble Taoism’s three most important deities. Views are spectacular in any season, reaching a climax when the rhododendrons bloom in late May.
There are enough trails that you could easily spend two days up here, though a long day hike is doable. There are two main access points: the southern section (南部; nán bù) and the eastern section (东部; dōng bù).
You can buy maps (¥5), or photograph ones on signboards.
