A Hong Kong Family's Journey Through Yellow Mountain's Sea of Clouds
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago6 MIN
Summary
Art historian Chan Cho-wing shares a personal account of a family journey to Yellow Mountain (Huangshan), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in eastern China's Anhui Province. The mountain is celebrated for its "Four Wonders": oddly-shaped pines growing from rock crevices, peculiar rock formations, seas of clouds, and hot springs. Departing Hong Kong on Greater Bay Airlines' only weekly direct flight to Tunxi International Airport, the family discovered they were among the youngest passengers aboard, with elderly tour groups dominating the aircraft. After arriving late, the airport staff politely hurried them along—the pair later learned they were the last passengers of the evening, with the entire airport awaiting their departure.
Key Points
- Yellow Mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its four natural wonders: oddly-shaped pines, peculiar rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs
- Greater Bay Airlines operates one direct flight weekly from Hong Kong to Tunxi Airport; the author and family were among the youngest passengers on this evening flight
- The family opted to travel light without山顶 accommodation, taking a bus from their hotel to the cable car station at dawn the following day
- The 20-minute cable car ride ascended through clouds, revealing dramatic peaks with knife-edge cliffs and pines growing from rock crevices—landscapes resembling classical Chinese ink paintings
- All three children completed the demanding hiking route; the three-year-old was carried for most of the journey yet remained the most peaceful traveler
- Author Chan Cho-wing is a Hong Kong-born art historian and critic who received the French Order of Arts and Letters, educated across Hong Kong, Canada, and France
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong families seeking to connect with mainland China's natural and cultural heritage, Yellow Mountain offers an accessible yet transformative encounter with landscapes that have shaped Chinese artistic imagination for centuries. The journey demonstrates how urban-dwelling Hong Kong residents can engage with China's broader geography beyond the Greater Bay Area, while the article's blend of travel narrative and art-historical perspective enriches cross-border cultural exchange.
For Hong Kong families seeking to connect with mainland China's natural and cultural heritage, Yellow Mountain offers an accessible yet transformative encounter with landscapes that have shaped Chinese artistic imagination for centuries. The journey demonstrates how urban-dwelling Hong Kong residents can engage with China's broader geography beyond the Greater Bay Area, while the article's blend of travel narrative and art-historical perspective enriches cross-border cultural exchange.