LUSHAN Mountain in Jiangxi Province is famous as a retreat of Chairman Mao Zedong and other leaders. And it has lured lovers ever since the first cinematic kiss on the lips was filmed there. Chen Ye reports.


Lushan Mountain in Jiangxi Province is a summer resort famous for its spectacular views, shifting seas of clouds, waterfalls - and a romantic screen kiss.

"Lushan Lian" or "Romance on Lushan Mountain" (1980), the first love story film after the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), was famous for the first lips-to-lips kiss in Chinese cinema.

The film was immensely popular and a theater on the mountain screens the film daily. It's about the love between the daughter of a wealthy former Kuomintang general living in the United States and the son of senior officer in the People's Liberation Army. It was filmed entirely on the mountain.

Lushan Mountain was also a favorite retreat of Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders.

Lushan has 171 peaks and the main peak, Dahanyang Peak, rises 1,474 meters above sea level.

An overnight train from Shanghai takes 12 hours to Lushan Station, and then a bus runs to Lushan Mountain. A car can also be rented at the station.

A 180-yuan admission ticket covers attractions such as Wulao Peak, Xianren Cave, Three Ancient Trees, Han Po Kou and the Botanical Garden.

Shanghai Daily travel reporter takes a three-day trip to explore.

Day 1

Lushan Mountain is famous as a place to watch the sunrise and Han Po Kou is the place to go. Every morning people stand in Hanpo Pavilion and watch the sky lighten. The panoramic view takes in Poyang Lake, one of China's "greatest lakes," to the east, Wulao Peak to the north and the Botanical Garden to the west.

It is said the pavilion is built in the spot where Chairman Mao once stood to take a photograph. Locals like to ask tourists to look at surrounding peaks and try to spot a famous person. They say the outline of one peak looks like Chairman Mao's face in profile.

Lushan Mountain is located in northern Jiangxi Province and the entire area offers spectacular views. Flora and fauna are abundant.

Nearby is the Lushan Botanical Garden covering 300 hectares of subtropical mountain forest. It was established in 1934 and has more than 3,400 species of trees and plants. It contains a rock garden, flower garden, herb garden, marsh plant garden and greenhouse, among other attractions.

After hiking in the area, visitors can see Lushan Museum, once the residence of Chairman Mao when he visited. Visitors can see his sitting room and bathroom, as well as many historic photographs and documents.

The residence was built in 1960.

For those who are fascinated by Chinese history and politics, this is where the watershed Lushan Conference was held in July 1959; there was a critical discussion of agricultural and industrial policies and the situation in 1958. Visitors can watch a film about the proceedings.

After touring the museum, visitors can take a shuttle bus to Huajing (flower path), where Bai Juyi, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), wrote verse in praise of peach blossoms.

Huajing takes one along a scenic mountain path where flowers bloom in spring and summer.

Day 2

Shi Men Jian (stone gate brook) with many sheer cliffs and rock formations is reached by cable tram. Longshou Cliff looks like the head of a dragon.

Tour guides ask visitors if they can spot 13 dragon shapes on Longshou Cliff; sighting them is said to bring good luck.

Other rocks are shaped like a flying dragon and a monkey searching for food.

Walking down from Longshou Cliff people find Huang Long Tan (dragon gate pond) which is famous for its waterfalls and rocks. Further along are wall paintings depicting lions and tigers, designated as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1996.

There is one inscribed rock in Shi Men Jian that people used to visit when they felt they had lost their way in life. It bears the words, "Death is the beginning of life and life is the new starting point to death."

No one knows when the inscription was carved.

Hiking is popular but some climbs in the area can be arduous.

In the afternoon, people can visit Lulin Lake, which is surrounded by green mountains and straight pines. It mirrors the scenery.

Then visitors can catch the shuttle bus to Mei Lu, where Soong Mei-ling, wife of Chiang Kai-shek used to live. Most of the other buildings are used as a hotel and restaurant.

At the People's Theater visitors can watch an official film about the Lushan Conference.

Day 3

After two days of mountain climbing and sightseeing, visitors can soak up some literary ambience at the White Deer Cave Academy at the foot of Wulao Peak.

Poet Li Bo raised white deer on the site and visitors can feed the deer.

Long ago people used to cross Zhuangyuan Bridge and touch the stone for good luck. Those known as Zhuangyuan were known as No. 1 Scholar because they had scored high in the imperial civil service examinations, ensuring them of a bright future.

Then take the shuttle bus again, this time going to Three Step Spring, the most famous waterfall at Lushan, with a drop of 155 meters. The spring has three levels and swimming is allowed in the lower pond in summer.

Nearby is Camel Rock, which looks like a camel. It is said a thirsty camel walked for a long time to reach paradise, and then died, when it was turned to stone. Alien Stone looks like a mysterious goshawk.

Heaven Gate Pond is shaped like a bell and two giant rocks form a portal nearby.

If you go

How to get there

Take the overnight train from Shanghai South Railway Stations. It departs at 7:21pm and arrives at 7:14am. Fare is 222 yuan per person. Then take a bus. The shuttle bus on Lushan Mountain (65 yuan) lets you get on anywhere and ride for a day

Tips

Since it's close to Poyang Lake, Lushan Mountain is quite humid for most of the year and there are four distinct seasons.

Temperatures vary greatly from the base to the summit of the mountain. Summer is ideal for visits.

Tickets

Lushan Mountain: 180 yuan (includes Wulao Peak, Huajing, Xianren Cave, Three Ancient Trees, Han Po Kou and the Botanical Garden)

Three Step Spring: 64 yuan for admission, 80 yuan for cable car

Mei Lu: 25 yuan

Shi Men Jian: 98 yuan