Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 51 (Color Image)

0051	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

THE HWA SHAN 23

one of the numerous little shrines cut into the sides

of the walls. Proceeding on his way, Pereira found

the climbing up the mountain was often on the

side of the rock, with a precipice on one side. The

steps were uneven, and in two of the worst places

there were 314 and 246 steps respectively. Event-

ually the top of a long narrow ridge running north

and south is reached, and in some places it is barely

more than the width of the steps.

The Pei-feng is built on the eastern edge of the

precipice. From it there is a fine view to the

south along the ridge, studded with three or four

small temples and a few blossoming fruit trees in

the wider parts. It appears to end at the foot

of the huge solid perpendicular rock forming the

main mountain ; but actually there is a very

steep ascent of some 900 steps between precipices ;

and this is the only accessible approach.

At the top of these steps is the Wu-yün-feng

temple ; and the ridge here rises again and forms

the western end of the mountain, with a small

valley on the right and two sharp peaks at the

north-east and north-west corners. The top is

covered with pine trees, whilst on the four sides

are perpendicular walls of rock, that on the west

being some 2000 feet above the valley. A com-

paratively easy ascent from the Wu-yün-feng

leads to the Hsi-feng (western peak) temple ; and

just above it rises the north-west peak (8100 feet),

a smooth rock which has to be reached by more

difficult steps. From it there is a magnificent

view across the Ching Ling (range), some of the

adjacent hills being higher than the Hwa Shan, and

many rising into needle peaks quite unscaleable.

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