Mount Heng

Nanyue Hengshan is the southern mountain of the five sacred peaks of Chinese tradition, and unlike the bare granite of the northern peaks it is green: subtropical forest covers it almost to the 1,300-metre summit, and it is known in the old saying for its beauty rather than its steepness or danger. At its foot stands the Nanyue Grand Temple, a complex of nine courtyards covering a hundred thousand square metres, unusual in housing Buddhist and Taoist halls side by side within one enclosure, with Buddhist monasteries along one flank and Taoist temples along the other. Around eighty temples stand on the mountain, and pilgrim traffic is heavy on festival days.

What you actually see

• The Nanyue Grand Temple - nine courtyards with Buddhist and Taoist halls together.
• The forested slopes - subtropical woodland covering the mountain.
• The temple network - some eighty temples and monasteries across the peak.
• The summit - Zhurong peak with the sunrise view when clear.

When to go

April to June and September to November; the eighth lunar month brings the largest pilgrim influx, when the mountain is extremely busy. Summer is hot at the base and cooler above. Winter brings ice near the summit.

Honest expectations

Shuttle buses are compulsory above a certain point and add cost. Pilgrim crowds on festival days fill the temples and roads. Cloud frequently covers the summit. English interpretation is minimal.

Nearby

Hengyang lies south; Changsha is north.