Compared to the Yellow Mountains, I have a greater fondness for this less-known mountain

Speaking of Mount Qiyun, one must mention its past life. In addition to the Yellow Mountains, Mount Qiyun is characterized by its typical Danxia landform, complemented by dinosaur fossils, Taoist culture, and cliff carvings all in one. Mount Qiyun is one of the four famous Taoist mountains in China, with a long history and profound cultural heritage. Taoism began in the Tang Dynasty, with foundations laid during the Song and Yuan dynasties. During the Jiajing and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty, the third-generation patriarch of the Zhengyi sect, Zhang Zhenren, was ordered to stay, where he conducted rituals, built Taoist temples, and gradually turned it into the center of Taoism in southern China. During the Ming Dynasty, the incense market was prosperous, and the 'Xuantian Tasu Palace' built by Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty was a place that visitors yearned for. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty praised it as 'an unparalleled scenic spot in the world, the number one famous mountain in the south of the Yangtze River.' The traveler and explorer 'Xu Xiake' climbed this mountain twice over three years, which shows the beauty of 'Baiyue'. Walking up the ancient Xiake trail, on the short 1.5-kilometer mountain path, there are thirteen pavilions with distinct styles, known as 'Nine Miles Thirteen Pavilions'. It embodies the Taoist concept of harmony between yin and yang and the idea of health and longevity, hence the saying 'Walk on Mount Qiyun and you will live ninety-nine years longer.'【Main Attractions of Mount Qiyun】 One of the core scenic areas of Mount Qiyun, named for its crescent-shaped terrain. Here, the peaks are beautiful, and stone bridges, stone houses, and stone paths form a 'fairyland on earth' like a paradise. Beneath the cliff of the Zhenxian Cave Mansion, there are many caves, and the four large characters 'Heaven Opens Divine Beauty' on the cliff of the Zhenxian Cave Mansion serve as its symbol.