Hiking options for Double Ninth Festival---sz...

Song Yingwen

AS the summer heat subsides, the time for outdoor sports returns to Shenzhen. A great excuse to go mountain hiking this month is the Double Ninth Festival, a traditional Chinese festival that falls on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar, which this year falls on Oct. 26. The ancient Chinese used to celebrate the festival by mountain hiking, and it is easy to see why: Cool breezes and clear autumn skies make the season a perfect time for hiking, and the views, with the leaves turning yellow in some places, can be stunningly beautiful.

Wutong Mountain

With the title of “the highest in Shenzhen,” Wutong Mountain is often first on the list of Shenzhen’s natural resorts. At a height of 944 meters, the mountain is a visual treat for tourists. There are forest parks which are home to numerous birds and animals. The top of the mountain rewards hikers with an amazing view of Hong Kong.

With its natural beauty and well-planned hiking routes, it is the first choice for hikers on the Double Ninth Festival. Every year, a citywide mountaineering competition will be held at the mountain to celebrate the festival. This year, the competition will be held from Oct. 24 to 26.

Route one

Wutongshan Village mountain road parking lot Haohan Slope Big Wutong

This is the most traditional and safest hiking route, with most of the journey following a well-paved winding mountain road. The only challenge lies in climbing Haohan Slope, which consists partly of stone-paved steps and earth lanes that ascend at 60 to 80 degrees.

Route two

Wutongshan Village Taishan Brook Hulu Pond Wutong Peak

This route was once the favorite of local outdoor lovers. But as man-made pathways extended to the cross-jungle route and more visitors followed the way to the brook, the route was abandoned by the outdoor zealots and became more popular among visitors.

Route three

Wutongshan Village Wutonghshan Water Plant Small Wutong Big Wutong

This is a more challenging route which involves hiking beside brooks and walking along steep cliffs, but there is little threat to safety. Although lesser known, this route is more fun for lovers of the outdoors.

Double Ninth Festival

Chinese people adore certain numerals, such as the number eight in South China for its resemblance to 发 (fa), prosperity. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Chinese Double Ninth Festival (nine in Chinese sounds similar to 久(jiu),meaning long and healthy). It is also called “Height Ascending Festival”, “Cornel Festival”, “Chrysanthemum Festival” and nowadays “The Aged Festival.”

Opinion differs as to the origins of the festival. It occurs at the time of the transition between autumn and winter. The climate changes abruptly at this time, and people fall ill easily. As tradition has it, when the autumn sky is clear and the air is bracing, climbing hills is good for the health of the body and mind. Hill climbing might have something to do with worshipping the Mountain Spirit, for it is believed the Mountain Spirit can ward off calamities and send down blessings.

In the late autumn, chrysanthemums come into full bloom. It is said that liquor made from chrysanthemums can prolong life. Throughout history, Chinese literary scholars have enjoyed drinking chrysanthemum liquor, composing poems and singing songs at this time.

On the day of the festival, various activities are held to show respect and love for the aged.

(Yang Bingzheng)

Yangtai Mountain

Yangtai Mountain is located in Bao’an District with a main peak of 587.3 meters. Although it’s not high enough to challenge the status of Wutong Mountain, Yangtai Mountain enjoys a better reputation than Wutong Mountain among local hikers for its annual international hiking festival and cliff-climbing competition. The hiking festival will be held tomorrow.

To locals, Yangtai Mountain is also known as the “Mountain of Heroes” because it served as a hiding spot for democratic patriots like Mao Dun, Zou Taofen and He Xiangning, who escaped from Hong Kong when it was occupied by the Japanese Army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1936-1945).

Blessed with plentiful rain, the mountain is home to luxuriant trees and native animals. The greenery of Yangtai earned it a place in Shenzhen’s latest list of the top eight popular scenic spots. At the foot of the mountain, there are a dozen reservoirs. Large and small waterfalls plunge into the valleys, forming brooks and ponds. A natural cave in the side of the mountain, Qiniang Cave, is home to a spring that supplies water to Hakka people living at the foot of the mountain.

Route one: start from Longyan Village

A stone-paved hiking path starts from the village and leads to the peak. This is the traditional hiking route where the annual hiking competition is held. It takes around one and a half hours to reach the peak.

Route two: start from Huangjinkeng

There are no man-made pathways on this route. If you choose this route, head north through litchi trees and wild jungle, and you will reach a small peak in around 40 minutes. Head northwest and follow the mountain ridge, and you will reach the peak of Yangtai Mountain in three hours.

Lianhua Hill

Located at the center of Shenzhen’s CBD area, Lianhua Hill is a park rather than a destination for outdoor sports or hiking. But if you are too busy to actually go hiking but still want a taste of the traditional celebrations for the Double Ninth Festival, this is an acceptable substitute.

Four cement-paved paths lead to the peak of the 106-meter hill, where a hilltop plaza offers a bird’s-eye view of the city. The journey to the top of the hill takes between 20 and 40 minutes.

Bijia Mountain

Located near the Second People’s Hospital, Bijia Mountain is another park in downtown Shenzhen. Bijia Mountain is 178 meters in height, and like Lianhua Hill, hiking routes are well paved, dotted with platforms for sightseeing along the way. The mountain is home to more than 400 types of plants and a variety of animals.

Dananshan Mountain

Stretching along the Nantou Peninsula and surrounded by the Shekou Industrial Zone, Dananshan Mountain is a popular destination for people living in the area. Over 10,000 people walk up the mountain every day. The number doubles on weekends, and during important holidays like the Double Ninth Festival, over 150,000 hikers gather here to embrace nature. The climbing is not tough at all. It takes about an hour and a half to walk to the 336-meter summit. The reward is a bird’s-eye view of the whole of Shenzhen Bay. (Song Yingwen)