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Great walks of China


THE GREAT WALL: Many great walks Few people realize how arduous it can be to slug up the Wall — until they do it, that is. The steps are steep in most places and in some stretches they are no longer there. The Great Wall is actually a network of separate bulwarks. Some have been built up and restored, others are remote and decrepit; some are made of brick, many older sections were created with packed earth and straw. So the Great Wall is actually "many great walks in China."	TAISHAN: Over the top Of the five great mountains in the Chinese imagination, Taishan reigns supreme. From celibate Taoist priests offering celestial sacrifices to young couples praying for a child, countless climbers have consecrated this holy peak. Start a comfortable half-day climb from the main Hongmen path and feel like the emperors who marked the beginning of their reigns by conquering Taishan. More than 7,000 steps and 20 temples grace the mountain, but it is the rich literature by immortal poets and leaders inscribed on stone tablets and cliff-faces that stamp its historical and cultural significance on the climber. Most pilgrims stay the night to catch the famous sunrise that is also associated with birth and renewal. Hidden deep in the Lujiang (Salween) River Gorges and sprawling on a tableland surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the small town of Bingzhongluo borders the Tibet autonomous region in the northwestern corner of Yunnan province. The mighty river, white sand dunes, sheer cliffs, dense forests and hamlets are ideal for hikers.

JIUZHAIGOU: Watery wonderland The Jiuzhaigou mountain valley in Sichuan province offers one of China’s best walking experiences. The 72,000-hectare area is a watery wonderland, teeming with lakes, waterfalls, ponds, streams, springs, rivers and rapids. There are also Tibetan villages inside the World Heritage-listed national park. The mesmerizing blue-green lakes are the reason there are more than 20,000 hotel beds in this small mountain town. The intense colours are caused by the high concentration of calcium carbonate crystals, which cover lakebeds and embankments. The sun’s rays dance with these crystals and paint an amazing picture.	XI’AN: The other wall An ideal place to begin the day’s walk in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, is the 12-metre high city wall. Start early to catch the locals doing their morning exercises, while taking in the best views of the ancient city. Get off the wall at the Southern Gate and enter Shuyuan Gate Pedestrian Street, a superb place to savour Xi’an’s history and culture. There are many shops here selling books, antiques, jade and xun, an egg-shaped musical instrument made of clay or ceramic, dating back some 6,000 years. At the end of the street is the Steles Forest Museum, where 1,000 or so ancient steles are covered with calligraphy, paintings and excerpts from the ancient Chinese classics. To relax after the brisk walk, visit the Muslim Snacks Street near the Drum Tower in the city centre.

LHASA: Palace wonder The grand Potala Palace is a striking landmark of Lhasa. To get a good picture, climb a small hill to the left of it and catch the rays of the rising sun lighting its golden roof. Some 2,000 visitors are allowed entry each day. All the local guides will make the two-hour trip worthwhile. Not far is the Jokhang temple, which has a gilded bronze Sakyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng in AD 647 when she journeyed from Xi’an to marry King Songtsen Gampo. Circling the monastery is Barkhor Bazaar, a heaven for shoppers and photographers.	WUYUAN: Old-world charm Houses with grey roofs and white walls are surrounded by blossoming yellow rapeseeds. Small rivers that wind their way around the villages are home to ducks and geese and are spots for women to wash their clothes. Large camphor trees with huge crowns offer plenty of shade. These are typical scenes in Wuyuan and its beautiful, centuries-old villages in Jiangxi province. Spring is the best season to visit. Wuyuan’s tourist attractions are divided into three areas — east, west and central. Apart from wandering around the villages you should not miss the Rainbow Bridge. Built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), it is one of the best preserved roofed bridges in the country.