Luofu Mountain
A Daoist mountain where the alchemist Ge Hong wrote, and where a Chinese text later guided a Nobel-winning malaria cure.
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Luofushan has been a Daoist mountain since the fourth century, when Ge Hong settled here to practise alchemy and write the Baopuzi, a foundational text on Daoist immortality practice and early Chinese chemistry. He also compiled a handbook of emergency remedies, and a line in it describing sweet wormwood steeped in cold water gave Tu Youyou the clue to extract artemisinin without heat, work for which she received the Nobel Prize in 2015. The mountain keeps Daoist temples including Chongxu Guan, waterfalls, pools and a cable car to the ridge, and its herbal tradition is still visible in the medicine shops below.
What you actually see
- Chongxu Guan - the main Daoist temple associated with Ge Hong.
- The herbal tradition - the mountain's long medicinal reputation.
- Waterfalls and pools - streams down the forested slopes.
- The ridge views - reached on foot or by cable car.
When to go
October to April for cooler walking; Guangdong summers are hot and humid, with afternoon storms. The mountain is busy at weekends and during Daoist festivals.
Honest expectations
Temples are largely modern rebuildings. The site is heavily developed with ticketed sections and cable car. The Ge Hong and artemisinin connection is interpreted mainly in Chinese.
Nearby
Huizhou lies southeast; Guangzhou is west.
What to pack for Luofu Mountain
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.