Fellow Virtual Travelers,
On this day we recognize the Ides of March stemming from the Latin word 'idus' indicating the approximate day that was the middle of the month. More notably, it is also the date when Julius Caesar met his demise by conspirators in 44 B.C.
By 44 B.C. in China, Daoist (also spelled Taoist) monks already inhabited the dangerous peaks of Huashan in the northwestern region of the country. The ruggedness of the mountain lent itself well to a hermit's life and avoided some of the destruction from the days of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. Taoism is this mountain's historical religion and the mountain's history is rich with Chinese martial arts. It is believed that China's most famous physician frequented this mountain, in part due to the plentiful herbal medicines that grow naturally - Dr. Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo is also credited to having developed some of our Kung Fu martial arts history with the Exercise of the Five Animals. Learn more about Hua Tuo (last name pronounced like our English word toe) here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Tuo
For those who were with us during the October 2012 expedition, you'll remember that we wrote some of our day on Hua and with the pelting rainstorm how we got within 30 minutes walk from one of our goals, before the storm forced us to retreat:
http://www.wherecoolthingshappen.com/huashan-crazy-plank-walk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hua
The mountain is solid granite and consists of five separate but connected peaks. Being in the colder months of the year and with coal the primary fuel for heat in the city at the base of the mountain, the air was quite hazy and dense. Not conducive to photography. Likewise, we noted the increased tourism and multitudes of tourists on the mountain, even though late October is not a peak season for tourism in China.
Until recently, the mountain was traversed via hand hewn hand and foot holds allowing access to many temples scattered across the mountain peaks. In modern times, we now have the (relative) ease of using hand-hewn steps and walkways. The only way to get water, food, construction materials and goods to sell onto the mountain is by porters. Likewise, the only way to get trash and sewage off the mountain is by (you guessed it) porters.
There are historically five great mountains in China, representing the center and all four directions. Huashan is considered to be the West Great Mountain.
Hua itself is described as having five peaks: North Peak where the cable car from the base of the mountain ends, Central, South, East and West. The highest of the peaks is South Peak measured at 2154.9 meters or 7070 feet in elevation. The name Huashan loosely translates to flower mountain because of the five petaled peaks.
http://www.chinatravelkey.com/xian/attractions/mthuashan/mainpeak.htm
One of the main pathways from north peak to the remainder of the mountain is the Knife edge or Dark Dragon Ridge. This is a narrow ridge with sheer precipices on either side, an approximate 60 degrees of stair walking, over 1,000 feet in length. Not for the faint of heart! All of the steps shown in the attached photos are steps we traversed going up and later down the mountain in the driving rain storm!
Blessings,
Dennis & Anita