That phoenix rock formation...

[nis11]

Hi everyone,

maybe some basic information first:

Next year I'm gonna have my first visit to China, lasting several months including a semester at Shanghai University CIE and an internship. While staying in China, apart from Shaghai, I would also like to visit some of the major cities like Beijing or Hong Kong, buddhist and daoist temples and, if possible, some of the countryside like rice fields in Yunnan and stuff. (But probably this would take a lot more than the one month of holidays I will have between semester and internship to visit it all, so I'll see what's gonna be possible and what's not gonna be).

Now, let's get to the point:

What I definitely want to visit very badly, having searched for for quite a while, is a beautiful place I've seen in a documentary on TV some 2 or 3 years ago.

The only problem is that, unfortunately (stupid as I am), I didn't write down the name of the place, and now cannot remember it. The only details I remember are:

- approx. 7 hours of walk (no possibility of getting there in any other way) to get up to that part of

the mountain where the site is located

- there's a buddhist (i think it was buddhist) monastery and a

- pagoda (yes, i know there are plenty of them in China)

AND (what probably does not exist that often in China)

- a natural rock formation looking like a PHOENIX COMING OUT OF THE FACE OF THE ROCK!

near the pagoda.

I've already searched the entire web (in German and English) for that place, with only poor results. What I've found was Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuangling), already containing the word phoenix and also having some strange rock formations, but that doesn't seem to be what i'm looking for.

So if anyone of you guys has got any hints where i can find that place in "small" China i would be very glad to hear of them.

Thanks for reading and hopefully future tips

nis11

[skylee]

There is a phoenix rock at the Jade Screen Peak of Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). Mount Huangshan is very famous/popular and attracts a lot of hikers. Not sure if it is what you are looking for, though.

A picture here -> http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E5%87%A4%E5%87%B0%E7%9F%B3%5B%E9%BB%84%E5%B1%B1%E7%81%B5%E7%9F%B3%5D

More on Huangshan -> http://www.tourmart.cn/english/default.htm

[anonymoose]

I can't help with the phoenix thing, but if you have time, I really do recommend a trip to Yunnan. It is very different from Shanghai, so you would definitely get to see another side of China. Dali has a huge temple complex called San Ta (three towers - I don't know if that's the official name, but that's what it's often refered to as). I went there during Chinese New Year, and it was very quiet. I'm not sure if it's usually like that, but at least when I went, it was a nice change from the usual crowds of people. What makes San Ta nice is that the scenery surrounding it is spectacular. Whilst you are in the area, Lijiang is also worth a visit. Unfortunately it has become a bit touristified, and has thus lost some of its authenticity, but again, the scenery is nice.

Also, you should definitely pay Xishuangbanna a visit. It is very different from those cities in the north of Yunnan. It is a lot less developed, and in my opinion, feels more like provincial Thailand than China. Another temple that I went to was Man Fei Long, which took about 2 or 3 hours by road from Jinghong. They have recently built paved roads in the area, so it may be a lot quicker to reach now. That temple is not very big, but it's quite remote and off the tourist trail, and nestled at the top of a mountain near a traditional minority village. When I was there, I was the only visitor to the whole temple. By the way, if you go there (or any other small places), you should check carefully what time the last bus leaving is, as services often stop quite early (5pm), and you don't really want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way to get back.

There are many other places in Yunnan worth visiting. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to see much else, but I definitely hope to go back at some point.

[abcdefg]

Yunnan is a rich destination for seeing less urban aspects of China. I agree with @annonymoose's recommendation (but I haven't been to Man Fei Long Temple.) Maybe I'll check it out this coming Spring. I like to go to the north of Yunnan (Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La) in Summer and to the south of Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) in winter. Will be going back next month and I hope to explore the western parts of the province a bit this time as well.

[nis11]

Hey guys, thanks for your quick replies! Gonna check out your recommendations as soon as I'll have a little bit more time.