Jiuhuashan Self-driving Tour

Jiuhuashan Self-driving Tour

The pace of life for modern urbanites is getting faster and faster, and they have gradually moved away from tranquility and nature. Surrounded by heavy work every day, they always want to go out for a walk, take a look, find a pure sky, and breathe fresh and natural air. Experience the simplicity and nature in the peaceful and quiet countryside.

If you have time and a car, then come to Jiuhuashan. Jiuhuashan is located in Chizhou City, it is a mountain-type national key scenic and historic interest area featuring a long history of Buddhist culture and natural landscapes; it is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, one of the first batch of national 5A-level scenic spots, and one of the first batch of national natural and cultural dual heritage sites.

Green hills, clear waters, and beautiful scenery; what catches the eye is the magically created natural beauty of Jiuhuashan. Taking advantage of this free time, invite your friends, bring your loved ones, wander in this natural world of green hills and clear waters, and feel the comfort and nature of the soul after washing away the glitz. Amidst bursts of Buddhist sounds, let me take you to appreciate the beautiful and mysterious Jiuhuashan, let's go on a two or three-day tour together!

Route Guide

>>> Shanghai to Jiuhuashan

Departing from Shanghai, take the Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Anhui Expressway, then transfer to the Shen-Su-Zhe-Wan Expressway, to Guangde County and then take the Xuan-Guang Expressway. Get off the expressway in Xuancheng, then take National Highway 318 to Nanling, and then take Provincial Highway 320 to Tongling (currently the section from Nanling to Qingyang is under construction), then take the He-Tong-Huang Expressway to the Qingyang exit, and drive 17 kilometers straight to Jiuhuashan. The total distance is 448 kilometers.

>>> Hangzhou to Jiuhuashan

There are two routes to choose from: First, depart from Hangzhou, pass through the Ning-Hang Expressway to Changxing County in Huzhou, take the Shen-Su-Zhe-Wan Expressway to Guangde County, then pass through the Xuan-Guang Expressway to Xuancheng, then take National Highway 318 to Nanling, pass through Provincial Highway 320 to Tongling, then take the He-Tong-Huang Expressway to Qingyang, and then go straight to Jiuhuashan. The total distance is about 416 kilometers. Second, go from Hangzhou via the Hui-Hang Expressway to Huangshan, take the He-Tong-Huang Expressway to Qingyang, and then go straight to Jiuhuashan. The total distance is about 435 kilometers.

>>> Nanjing to Jiuhuashan

Departing from Nanjing, take the Ning-Ma Expressway to Ma'anshan, then take the Wu-Ma Expressway to Wuhu, then take the Yanjiang Expressway to Tongling, take the He-Tong-Huang Expressway to Qingyang, and then go straight to Jiuhuashan. The total distance is about 223 kilometers.

Scenic Area Guide

Jiuhuashan is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China. Buddhist culture and folk culture integrate here, featuring a unique cultural atmosphere and beautiful scenery. When coming to Jiuhuashan, you can choose different travel methods completely according to your personal preferences. The tourism projects of Jiuhuashan include: sightseeing tour, study and pilgrimage tour, leisure and vacation tour, eco-tour, folk custom tour, hiking and mountaineering tour, cultural investigation tour, Jiuhua temple fair tour, etc. The tourist routes are divided into two: the front mountain route and the back mountain route. There are 6 front mountain routes: Baisui Palace route, Tiantai route, Huatai route, Lion Peak route, Lotus Peak route, and Shami Peak route. There are 3 surrounding routes: Jiuziyan route, Qiupu Wonderland route, and Guniujiang route. There are 3 boutique routes in southern Anhui: the "Two Mountains and One Lake" essence tour, the famous mountain holy land and ancient village culture tour, and the holy land beautiful water and karst cave exploration tour.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Jiuhuashan is very convenient; from star-rated hotels to ordinary inns, there are nearly a hundred tourist hotels with more than 7,000 beds. Corresponding supporting services are also very complete. There are more than 60 individual inns in Jiuhuashan, with a maximum of over a hundred beds and a minimum of about 10. Most guest rooms are equipped with facilities such as private bathrooms, air conditioners, and color TVs. The service is thoughtful, clean and sanitary, and the prices are low.

Food

The most famous food in Jiuhuashan is vegetarian food; when coming to Jiuhuashan, you must taste the vegetarian food of Jiuhuashan to make the trip worthwhile. Jiuhuashan is located in a mountainous area with an excellent ecological environment and is rich in green products. Most of the food is unpolluted; the vegetarian ingredients of Jiuhuashan are sourced from bamboo shoots, lilies, Polygonatum, Stone Fungus, wood ear mushrooms, and other mountain delicacies produced in this mountain, accompanied by tofu, gluten, vegetable oil, fresh vegetables, etc. Whether stir-fried, simmered, stewed, or baked, more than 100 varieties can be made. Generally, no condiments are added for coloring or flavoring; the natural color and light taste are maintained. The green shreds and leaves have distinct colors, natural game flavor, emphasizing fragrance, crispness, freshness, and tenderness, rich in nutrition, and you will not get tired of eating it for a long time. For any meat dish name, vegetarian food can take its shape and be made into food, such as vegetarian chicken, vegetarian duck, vegetarian fish, vegetarian sausage, vegetarian sea cucumber, vegetarian ham, etc.

The all-vegetarian banquet cooked by famous chefs at Jiuhua Shareholding Dongya Hotel and Julong Hotel is renowned at home and abroad; after tasting it, tourists are full of praise and eagerly take photos as a souvenir. The vegetarian dishes of Julong Hotel were also selected as famous state banquet dishes

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If you visit Jiuhuashan without tasting the local vegetarian dishes, it would be a pity.

         In addition, all hotels across the mountain have restaurants supplying Chinese food and vegetarian dishes. Chinese food mainly consists of Huizhou cuisine and local flavors, and also serves Huaiyang cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine, and other delicious delicacies.

Shopping

Jiuhuashan has many mountains and lush forests, and is rich in various product resources. Due to the vast difference in mountain altitude, complex and diverse landforms, and significant vertical climate changes, the multi-level three-dimensional climate directly leads to a diverse and rich layout of product resources. There are many shops in Jiuhuashan, with a dazzling array of various commodities, making shopping very convenient. Mainly there are local specialties, tourist handicrafts, and Buddhist souvenirs. Local specialties include tea, Polygonatum, Stone Fungus, ice ginger, Shaji hairy tofu, bamboo shoots, kudzu root powder, etc. Tourist handicrafts include Buddha light umbrellas, Jiuhua folding fans, bamboo weaving crafts, Jiuhua Buddha statues, and tourist souvenirs from other places. Some large temples in Jiuhuashan have set up sutra circulation offices, dealing in various Buddhist books, classics, DVDs, dharma instruments, sacrificial offerings, etc. There are eight Sangha clothing factories on the mountain, producing and dealing in monk clothes, shoes and hats, incense bags, banners, etc., which are deeply welcomed by pilgrims.

Entertainment

Jiuhuashan is a pure land of Buddhism. With the increase of tourists at different levels, cultural and entertainment activities have been carried out correspondingly. There are more than 20 places in the block, including bars, dance halls, Buddhist tea art performances, and Huangmei Opera teahouses. Major hotels are equipped with supporting cultural activity venues; Dongya Hotel and Julong Hotel are equipped with multi-function halls, dance halls, saunas, coffee shops, and snooker billiard rooms, while Jiuhuashan Resort has a bowling alley. Except for normal activities in the morning and evening classes in various temples, Zhiyuan Temple and Dabei Hall hold Buddhist activities such as Yoga Flaming Mouth every night, basically meeting the cultural life needs of tourists at different levels. On every festival and Buddhist holiday, Jiuhuashan organizes various traditional or modern cultural and entertainment activities with rich and colorful contents.

Warm Reminder:

Jiuhuashan is a famous mountain of Buddhist culture, which is different from visiting other places of interest and historical sites. Therefore, tourists must understand the following when entering the temple:

1. Pay attention to entering the temple gate

Tourists entering the temple gate should try to walk on both sides. When taking the right door, step with the right foot first; when taking the left door, step with the left foot first; do not cross the middle threshold, and never stand or sit on the threshold, as that is disrespectful to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

2. Standard actions for kneeling and worshipping

Buddha Tourists and pilgrims must first put the bags they carry on their backs or hold in their hands aside, and then kneel and worship on the futon on the right side in front of the Buddha statue. With palms facing upward, bow the head down to the palms; when raising the head, turn the palms over and touch the ground, and then put the palms together.

3. Rules for offering incense

When tourists and pilgrims burn incense, it is best to insert three incense sticks into the censer, known as "burning three high incenses". The incense should be inserted upright. If you casually insert one stick of incense, it must also be inserted upright; otherwise, it is regarded as disrespectful to the Buddha.

4. Rules for eating vegetarian meals

It is very flavorful for tourists to have a vegetarian meal in a temple in Jiuhuashan. Vegetarian meals not only feature various famous vegetarian dishes, but the rice is cooked in a large pot over a firewood fire and boiled with mountain spring water, tasting fragrant and delicious. Monks and nuns must hold an offering ceremony before eating vegetarian meals. After the ceremony, those eating should modestly take a seat at the lower table (facing north is the lower table). Be careful not to sit opposite the abbot, and absolutely do not sit opposite the Buddha statue in the Buddhist hall. When eating vegetarian meals, use the serving chopsticks on the table to pick up food; avoid talking loudly, and do not laugh or make noise; monks cherish rice like gold, so be careful not to spill grains of rice. Under normal circumstances, monks and nuns do not charge for meals when eating in temples; diners should consciously put some incense money into the merit box in the Buddhist hall to show the sincerity of giving.

5. Behave politely

When meeting monks and nuns in the temple, put your palms together and salute. Sutra hall dharma instruments, incense table candles, and offerings should not be touched randomly. In addition, monks are taboo against others inquiring about their life background and reasons for becoming monks; you cannot casually ask them such "sensitive" questions.

Common Telephone Numbers:

Tourism Quality Supervision and Management Office: 0566-2831288

Jiuhuashan Ticket Office: 0566-2823169

Jiuhuashan Long-distance Bus Station: 0566-2823178

Emergency Center: 0566-2831330120

Jiuhua Town Police Station: 0566-2831331

Jiuhuashan Comprehensive Booking Center: 400-111-0566

Tour Guide Service: 0566-5578666

Washing away the lead and comforting the soul — A comprehensive guide to the Jiuhuashan self-driving tour