Considered one of five holy mountains in China, Buddhism was introduced to Huangshan Mountain as early as 420 AD with 100 Buddhist temples built on isolated mountain slopes. Many of these structures still remain and are of interest to modern day pilgrims. In all, there are more than 200 surviving temples, pavilions, pagodas, zigzag passages, stone sculptures and ancient bridges.

I stopped at a particularly lovely little stone bridge where literally thousands of padlocks were affixed to its railings. This practice, I learned, is undertaken by newlywed couples on honeymoons or serious romantics who pledge their unbreakable allegiance to each other on this most spiritual mountain.

The serenity of the moment was broken as I watched a labourer burden with a 75 kg load of stone blocks amble his way up the granite steps. As he was nearing the end of his journey he had to stop every 15 to 20 steps for a break. I could feel his pain even though the only load I had to carry was my body and it’s a fair bit more than 75 kg!

There are no motorways on this World Heritage Listed Mountain and consequently no vehicles to transport goods. All supplies have to be carried by hand … actually on sturdy shoulders …attached to the ends of long bamboo poles. Porters are the lifeline for a hot springs resort located between Purple Cloud Peak and Peach Blossom Peak, the White Goose Hotel and Bei Hai Hotels and a few other supporting amenities that have been sited on the mountain.

Porters carry supplies in and rubbish out in bags balanced on the ends of long bamboo poles. Prices for everything from bottled water to souvenirs and especially accommodation reflect the effort required to bring the cargo uphill although many visitors ignore increased costs as they stay overnight merely for the priceless experience of gazing at sunset and sunrise above the clouds.

The unforgettable scene of clouds flowing and bobbing between pine-padded peaks like waves cresting in a celestial sea has inspired mountains of poems and peaks of prose. The widely travelled Ming Dynasty geographer, Xu Xiake said that no mountain near or far was comparable and after a visit no other mountain was worth visiting. Nothing on earth could be more beautiful!

Even from a distance, mountain grandeur is awe inspiring. Those living within view of the fabled mountain are indeed fortunate, I thought, as we retraced our cable car journey down the cloud-shrouded slope and proceeded to two ancient villages at the foot of Huangshan Mountain in the Huīzhōu region of southern Anhui.

Huicheng Town in Shèxièn county, once a grand centre of Huīzhōu Culture, is but one of a series of villages where wealthy merchants lived in highly detailed residences during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A gigantic archway loomed before me as I walked up an incline and into the older part of Huicheng. The Xuguo Archway, China’s only surviving four-sided decorative archway, is a highly carved lion-adorned gateway to a famous state-listed cultural and historical city.

Beyond this grand welcome is another even bigger reminder of yesteryear. Tucked away from modern shops is the city’s old residential area. Though it’s just 300 metres long, Doushan Street constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties has a compact collection of ancient dwelling houses, sculpture and wells.