Fanjingshan 梵净山
November 7, 2024
Fanjingshan, one of China’s five great Buddhist mountains, is a sacred site dedicated to Maitreya Buddha. Interestingly, we didn’t know much about it until we began researching areas near Guiyang. Intrigued by photos of the striking red and golden temples perched atop split rock formations on Little Red Book, we decided to spend a day exploring this mystical destination.
We took a high-speed train to Tongren Station and transferred to a direct shuttle bus heading to the Fanjingshan Scenic Area. So far, we’ve found the combination of high-speed trains and shuttle buses to be the most convenient way for car-free travelers like us to explore China’s scenic parks.
Upon arrival, the host of our B&B kindly picked us up at the bus station since the accommodation was over a kilometer away. The unit was newly built but had an uncomfortably small bathroom, so we switched to a different room.
After settling in, we wandered to the food street just outside the scenic area. There, we enjoyed matcha lattes and were surprised to learn that matcha tea is a major local product. Dinner was at a nearby restaurant; while the food was good, it didn’t leave a lasting impression.
November 8, 2024
We set out early in the morning to catch the park shuttle. After a 40-minute ride, we were dropped off at the lower cable car station. From there, visitors can either ride the cable car to the summit or hike up. While more than 90% of people opted for the cable car, we decided to take the challenging hike.
For safety reasons, we had to register at the entrance of the hiking trail. The path was well-maintained, featuring over 8,000 stone steps that wound through lush scenery. However, it was no easy feat for Chenggang, especially during the final 1,000 steps. He had to rest every 100 steps, and his knees began to hurt halfway up. He used KT tape to ease the pain, which helped him power through. Covering 5 kilometers with a 1,200-meter elevation gain, the hike took us five hours to complete. At the exit gate, a counter showed only 67 people had chosen to hike up that day.
Once at the plaza, we learned that during peak season, visitors must book in advance to climb the iconic Red Cloud Golden Summit. Fortunately, with fewer tourists today, we could walk up without a reservation. However, the narrow pathway near the summit caused a traffic jam, and we waited patiently for about 30 minutes to continue our climb.
The ascent itself was not difficult or dangerous, as the path and summit were well-fenced for safety. At the summit, we were rewarded with panoramic views of mountain ranges and the sight of two temples perched on split rock formations connected by a bridge. The scenery was nothing short of breathtaking.
Afterward, we visited the nearby Mushroom Rock, an extraordinary natural formation that added another highlight to the day. By the time we finished, the summit area was nearly empty, and staff began closing it for the day. We were among the last visitors to take the cable car down, as the hiking trail for descending closes at 3 PM.
The experience, though exhausting, was truly unforgettable.
2024年11月7日
梵净山是中国五大佛教名山之一，也是弥勒菩萨的道场。我们在计划贵州贵阳附近的行程之前，对它并不了解。直到在“小红书”上看到一些红金相间的庙宇坐落在巨石裂缝顶端的照片后，决定抽一天时间探索这片神秘的圣地。
我们乘坐高铁抵达铜仁站，然后换乘直达梵净山景区的班车。目前来看，高铁加班车的组合是我们这种不自驾游客人游览中国景区的最佳方式，既便捷又高效。
抵达后，民宿老板在车站接我们，因为民宿距离车站超过一公里。入住的房间是新装修的，但浴室太小，不够舒适，于是我们换了一间更合适的房间。
安顿好后，我们来到景区外的美食街，品尝了抹茶拿铁，得知抹茶茶叶是当地的一大特产。晚餐在街上的一家餐馆解决，菜品还不错，但没有特别的感觉。
2024年11月8日
今天一早，我们赶上了景区的班车。经过大约40分钟车程后，抵达了下缆车站。在这里，游客可以选择乘缆车上山或者徒步登山。虽然超过九成的游客选择了缆车，我们决定挑战一下徒步上山。
为了安全，徒步入口处需要登记信息。步道非常规整，全程有8000多级台阶，蜿蜒穿梭在郁郁葱葱的山林中。然而，这趟旅程对成刚来说并不轻松，尤其是最后1000级台阶，每走100级就需要休息片刻。途中，他的膝盖开始疼痛，不得不使用肌贴缓解疼痛。最终，我们完成了5公里的徒步，攀登了1200米的海拔高度，用了整整五个小时。当我们通过徒步出口时，统计牌显示今天仅有67人选择了徒步上山。
在旺季，到达普渡广场后，需要提前预约登顶红云金顶。然而今天游客较少，我们无需预约即可登顶。不过，由于登顶小径较窄，前段出现了“交通堵塞”，我们耐心等待了大约30分钟才继续前行。
攀登本身并不算危险，因为通道和山顶都有防护措施。到达山顶后，两座庙宇分别坐落在断裂的巨石上，由一座桥连接起来。这一壮观的景象与群山的全景交相辉映，令人叹为观止。
随后，我们前往附近的蘑菇石景点参观，这块奇特的自然岩石形态为一天的行程增添了新的亮点。结束游览时，山顶的游客几乎已经散去，工作人员开始清场。徒步下山的步道下午3点就关闭，我们赶上最后一班缆车下山。
尽管这段旅程略显疲惫，但它所带来的震撼与满足感无可比拟，令人回味无穷，难以忘怀。
