Mountain paradise

Visitors stroll around Gaizi Old Town, one of the historical towns near Mount Qingcheng in Chengdu, Sichuan province.[Photo by Chen Liang/China Daily]

When talking about Mount Qingcheng, people usually mean the UNESCO world heritage site, which as one of the most important centers of Taoism in China, hosts dozens of Taoist temples along a circular route heading up and down several peaks.

However, the famous site actually covers only the front (southern) part of the mountain. The back (northern) side of Mount Qingcheng, which was not explored or developed until the 1980s, is less known by visitors and more natural and beautiful.

Catching a mini-bus for the one-hour ride from the entrance of Mount Qingcheng, locally known as Qianshan (Front Hills), you can reach Houshan (Back Hills) of Mount Qingcheng along a winding road.

After paying the admission of 40 yuan ($6.52), you can hike along a trail on the bank of a clear stream to Tai'an Old Town. Based on the historical town, encircled by the river and dominated by three-story buildings with white-washed walls, black-tiled roofs and curved eaves, as well as stone archways, you can explore Houshan's scenic spots - valleys featuring stone slab trails, roaring mountain streams and waterfalls.

You can explore these valleys with some pleasant hiking over two or three days. Restaurants in the town are the perfect places to enjoy the local specialties, including fish from the river and wild vegetables from the mountain. Besides fresh ingredients, you will find traditional and authentic Sichuan flavor in these restaurants. As for teahouses, there are hundreds of choices from the Front Hills to the Back Hills along the picturesque mountain road.

If you stay in the area for a week, you will have enough time to explore the Front Hills, which is usually too crowded and touristy on weekends and during the holidays.

It is best to visit on a weekday, a rainy day, or to arrive before 7 am and start the hike way before the arrival of the package tour groups from Chengdu. Then you are sure to get the most out of your visit and will truly understand why the mountain is listed as a world heritage site.