Written by Clementine |
The Lishan Mountain (or Mount Li) is a branch of the Qinling Mountain Ranges. Rising more than 1,300 meters above sea level,Ā it towers high on the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain. If you take a look at it from down below, the mountain, fully grown with green pines and junipers, looks very much like a dark green steed. The character āLiā here means the black horse in Chinese, hence the name of the mountain āLishanā.
The mountain has a long history. When walking up or down the mountain along the 3,200-meter-long road, you will see many scenic spots of different dynasties along the way. It is also famous for the āSunset on Lishan Mountainā, which is renowned as one of āThe Eight Scenic Spots of Guanzhongā. Lishan has been designated as one of the first batch of nationally important scenic attractions by the state.
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- Overview of Lishan Mountain
- Essential Information for Visitors
- Highlights on Lishan Mountain
- History and Stories about Lishan Mountain
- Attractions nearby Lishan Mountain Scenic Area
- How to Plan a Xian Day Trip with Lishan Mountain
- Essential Tips on Visiting Lishan Mountain
- How to Get to the Mountain
- How to Travel around
- Best Time to Visit
- FAQs about Lishan Mountain
- Contact China Xian Tour to Plan a Xian Trip with Lishan Mountain
Overview of Lishan Mountain
Boasting numerous cultural relics and natural landscapes, Mount Li once served as a royal garden for several dynasties, spanning the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. It has witnessed the rise and down of many dynasties and the historical progress of the nation. The mountain was the place where King You of the Western Zhou period once lit up the beacon fires to please his favorite concubine, Bao Si.
The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty was erected at the foot of Lishan Mountain, leaving behind the renowned Terracotta Army. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Yang Guifei’s love story happened at the Huaqing Hot Spring at the mountain foot. The infamous “Xi’an Incident” in China’s modern history also unfolded on Lishan Mountain.
If you are not in a hurry, it’s recommended to make a visit to Mount Li after your Xi’an tours to Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Huaqing Palace.
Essential Information for Visitors
- Location: 3 Huancheng East Road, Lintong District, Xi’an City.
- Altitude: 1302 m
- Opening hours: 7:00-19:00
- Ticket price: CNY 70 per person (Mar. – Nov.); CNY 45 per person (Dec. – Feb.)
- Time needed: 2-3 hours
- Highlights: historic sites and natural scenery
- Recommended for: Nature lovers and history enthusiasts
- Best views: Beacon Tower, Laomu Hall, Sunset Pavilion
- Cable car tickets: A single trip and a round trip take CNY 35 and 60 from March – November, and CNY 25 and 40 from December – February
Highlights on Lishan Mountain
Beacon Tower (ē½ē«å°)
The “Beacon Tower” is the highest point of Lishan Mountain and also one of the most famous attractions here. In ancient times, the beacon towers are used to transmit wear signals. In the late Western Zhou period, King You once lit up the beacon tower on the mountain to please Bao Si, this farce finally caused the king to lose his kingdom.
Bingjian Pavilion (å µč°äŗ)
The Bingjian Pavilion is an ancient building located at the summit of Lishan Mountain. This is a spot where Zhang Xueliang detained Chiang Kai-shek during the Xi’an Incident, a crucial event in modern Chinese history.
Eastern mausoleum of Qin Dynasty (ē§¦äøéµ)
In February 1986, the ancestral tomb of the first Qin emperor was discovered in Fanjia Village, Han Yu Township, located near the western foot of Lishan Mountain. It has been identified as the eastern tomb of the Qin Dynasty and the tomb of Qin Shi Huang’s predecessors, who were kings and queens, following trial excavation.
Laomu Hall (čęÆę®æ)
Situated halfway up Mount Li, Laomu Hall is a renovated ancient building that serves as a great location for sightseeing. This temple is dedicated to venerating the Mother of Lishan.
Sunset Pavilion (ęē §äŗ)
Sunset Pavilion on Lishan Mountain is an ancient building offering great sunset views. At dusk, with the evening glow casting a picturesque scene over Lishan, visitors can overlook Huaqing Hot Spring and the entire Lintong area, which is the famous landscape of “Lishan Sunset”.
Renzong Temple (ä»å®åŗ)
Renzong Temple, or Han Terrace Temple, is located at the top of Lishan Mountain at an altitude of 1,302 meters. During the Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty, it got its name because Emperor Kangxi lived on the east and west sides of Renzong Temple. When the observatory was constructed in 1957, the Renzu Temple was scheduled to be destroyed. Thankfully, the locals’ protection prevented its destruction, saving this priceless temple from the Han Dynasty.
Lishan Mountain Landscape
There are unique features to Mount Li’s formation. Only Mount Li ascended between the Weihe and Ba rivers to create a horde during the period when the ancient crust was undergoing many orogenic processes and the entire Weihe Graben was lowering.
Due to the scattered faults, gullies are spread all over, and rivers of all sizes are formed. There are Han Yu River, Zhiyang Valley, Sanli River, Tong River, Linhe, Wind King Valley, Peony ditch, Tiger ditch, Shiweng Valley, slope ditch, black mouth ditch, Long Ditch, Shahe River, Yuchuan River, Xinfeng River, play River… .
In addition to the beauty of the natural landscape, the lush trees and flowers make the Lishan Mountain vibrant.
History and Stories about Lishan Mountain
It is no exaggeration to say that Lishan Mountain is one of the most story-rich mountains in China.
In ancient Chinese legend, the goddess NĆ¼wa gathered five-colored stones near Mount Li. She melted the stones here and, using the molten material to repair the breach in the sky.
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, King You of Zhou lit the beacon towers on Lishan Mountain to amuse his concubine Bao Si. At that time, the beacon towers should only be lit to summon nobles when some emergency or enemy invasion happened. As King You of Zhou repeated the trick many times, the lords ceased to trust the signals. So when the Xirong tribes attacked the capital, no help came; the king was thus killed, causing the end of Western Zhou.
In the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong built the Huaqing Palace at the foot of Mount Li. The palace was used as a bathing retreat for the imperial family. Xuanzong and his beloved consort Yang Guifei often bathed in the hot springs here. Huaqing Palace and Mount Li thus became enduring symbols of romantic love story between them.
Attractions nearby Lishan Mountain Scenic Area
- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor: This is the tomb of Ying Zheng, the first emperor in Chinese history. The mausoleum was built in the layout of the capital of Qin Dynasty. It is located at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain.
- Museum of the Qin Dynasty Terracotta Warriors and Horses: Famous as the eighth wonder of the world, there are over 1000 terracotta figurines, over 100 chariots and a large number of weapons unearthed here. It is about 10 kilometers from Lishan Mountain.
- Huaqing Palace of the Tang Dynasty:Huaping Palace is the royal hot spring resort in ancient China. Directly backed by Lishan Mountain, the existing architectures are rebuilt in Tang style along the terrain.
How to Plan a Xian Day Trip with Lishan Mountain
Around Mount Li, there are many other historic attractions, like the Huaqing Palace, and Bingjian Pavilion (The Site of the Xiāan Incident). After your exploration in Xian city center, you are highly recommended to arrange a Xian day tripĀ to visit Mount Lishan and its nearby attractions for some relaxing time. The following itinerary is a reference for you:
In the morning, visit Huaqing hot spring to witness the site where Emperor Xuanzong and consort Yang Guifei once bathed in. Then visit Bingjian Pavilion to learn history about the Xiāan Incident.
In the afternoon, take a cable car to go up to the Lishan Mountain, enjoy a panoramic view from the Beacon Tower (the highest point of Lishan Mountain).
In the evening, get relaxed and watch the famous Song of Everlasting Sorrow Show. The first session starts at 19:30 in summer.
If with another half-day available, you can also visit the world-famous Terracotta Army before getting back to Xian city center.
Recommended tour
Essential Tips on Visiting Lishan Mountain
How to Get to the Mountain & Travel around
- Take tourist bus line No. 306 from Xi’an Railway Station and get off at Lishan National Forest Park station, taking about 45 minutes.
- Take buses 915, 914 and get off at Lishan National Forest Park station.
- Or, you can take a taxi from Xi’an city center to the mountain which will cost about CNY 150-180 for a single trip.
To save energy, you can take the cable car nearby Huaqing Palace at the foot of Lishan Mountain to the core tourists area, Laomu Hall, at the halfway of the mountain directly. It opens from 08:00 to 19:00 in March – November with a ticket price of CNY 35 and 60 for a single trip and a round trip respectively. While in December – February, it operates from 08:00 to 18:30 with a ticket price of CNY 25 and 40 for a single trip and a round trip respectively.
If you are a hiking lover or travel with families, then here are some recommended hiking routes for you to choose based on your needs. During hiking, you can tour the main scenic spots meanwhile appreciating the scenery of Li Mountain.
1. Classic Line
- Route: Zhaoyang Gate – Bingjian Pavilion – Sunset Pavilion – Palace of Eternal Life – Laomu Hall – Take the cable car down the mountain – Huaping Palace
- Time:4 hours
- Distance: 5 kilometers
2. Leisure line (suitable for families)
- Route: Huaqing Palace – Take the cable car to Laomu Hall – Laojun Hall – Bingjian Pavilion – Walk down the mountain – Sunset Pavilion – Ruins of the Imperial Hot spring of Huaqing Palace
- Time: 3 – 4 hours
- Distance: 3.5 kilometers
3. Challenging Line (suitable for hiking lovers)
- Route: Ascend the mountainthrough the small path next to Lintong Museum – Beacon TowerĀ – Shiweng Valley – Scale Stone – Yuxian Bridge – Sanyuan Cave – Huaqing Palace
- Time: 5 – 6hours
- Distance: 8 kilometers
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Lishan Mountain is March – May and September – November. You can see the peaches and forsythias in full bloom across the mountains in spring and the red leaves covering the mountain in autumn. Also the weather is moderate and cool during this time. Do not miss the āSunset at Lishan MountaināĀ at 17:00-18:30, when the setting sun bathes the mountain in golden light. The best observation spot is the Sunset Pavilion.
Practical Tips Based on Our Real Experience
- For foodies, you should stop by Fushunxiang Big Plate Chickenā restaurant. By spending around CNY 40 per person, you can enjoy a * lunch.
- You’d better bring some water, as the bottled water on the mountain is much more expensive, about CNY 8 per bottle.
- Beacon Tower city wall, the cable car, and the path behind Bingjia Pavilion are recommended photo hotspots.
- Bringing sun protectio clothing in summer is essential, as UV rays on the summit are extremely strong.
- If you want to save on tickets, you can enter Huaqing Palace after 4 pm for half price.
FAQs about Lishan Mountain
How long should I spend at Lishan Mountain?
To explore Lishan Mountain only, 2 -3 hours is enough. Most tourists will combine it with Huaping Palace, and this tour needs over half a day to one day.
How much is the cable car on the mountain?
March – November: CNY 35 for a single trip and CNY 60 for a round-trip.
December – February: CNY 25 for a single trip and CNY 40 for a round-trip.
Are there combined tickets available for Lishan Mountain and Huaqing Palace?
The entrance ticket of Huaping Palace already includes the Lishan Mountain.
Is the cable car necessary, or can I hike the entire way? How difficult is the hike?
The cable car is necessary if you have an average strength and limited time. But you can also hike the entire way if you enjoy the hiking process. The path is mainly stone steps with a rather steep slope, so it is relatively difficult.
Contact China Xian Tour to Plan a Xian Trip with Lishan Mountain
Lishan Mountain is about 35 km away from downtown Xian, it requires much time to transfer by yourself. China Xian Tour is glad to plan a day trip including Lishan Mountain and Huaping Palace for you and assign a driver to transport you. Of course, we will also arrange a guide to give you detailed explanations about the scenic spot, so you can have a deep understanding of it rather than climb the mountain only. If needed, we can also cover the nearby Terracotta Army to enrich your travel experience. Just contact us right now.
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