Huangshan — the Yellow Mountain — is the single most painted, most photographed mountain in China: a forest of granite pinnacles rising out of the clouds in southern Anhui, twisted pines growing straight out of bare rock, and seas of cloud that fill the valleys after rain. A UNESCO World Heritage site honoured for both scenery and culture, it earned the old verdict that "you will not care to look at any other mountain after the Five Great Mountains; and after Huangshan, you will not care to look at the Five." It is demanding, crowded at peak times, and worth every stair.
