OlaChina.Org

Mount Jiuhua: The Sacred Mountain a Korean Prince Made

Scenic
Sep 11, 2026
Yellow temples perched on a pine-covered granite ridge of Mount Jiuhua above hazy blue mountains

Mount Jiuhua is the one sacred Buddhist mountain in China whose central figure was a foreigner. In 719 a prince of the Korean kingdom of Silla, Kim Gyo-gak, crossed the sea, settled on these peaks and meditated here for 75 years. He died at 99. Monks came to see him as a living form of Ksitigarbha, the bodhisattva who vows to empty hell, and the mountain became that bodhisattva’s home (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2024).

That story still shapes the visit. Pilgrims come to see preserved bodies of monks, not views, and the busiest days follow the lunar calendar, not weekends. Getting up the mountain also takes three separate tickets. So this guide covers the history and the logistics together, since you need both.

Where Mount Jiuhua Is, and What You’ll Find There

Mount Jiuhua (Jiuhuashan) rises in Chizhou, in southern Anhui province. It was in China’s first batch of 5A scenic areas and is a UNESCO Global Geopark. The planned scenic area covers 120 square kilometres, split into 11 zones (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2024). Shiwang Peak, the highest point, reaches 1,342 metres.

By its own count, the mountain has 99 temples, close to a thousand monks and nuns, and more than ten thousand Buddha statues. Most of the life happens in Jiuhua Street, a monastic village halfway up, with hotels, shops and temples packed together. The summit area, Tiantai, sits higher and quieter.

It completes a set, too. The site already covers Mount Wutai, Mount Emei and Mount Putuo. Jiuhua is the fourth of the four sacred Buddhist mountains.

Why Mount Jiuhua Is Worth the Trip

The prince from Silla

Kim Gyo-gak first went to Tang China as a young man of royal birth and later came back to stay on Jiuhua (Wikipedia, 2026). The Chinese tradition is fond of that detail. The patron of one of its holiest mountains was an outsider who chose it, and that cross-border thread still makes Jiuhua unusual among China’s sacred sites.

In the Western tradition, the nearest parallel might be a saint’s shrine built around a relic. The difference is scale. Here, a whole mountain was reorganised around one monk’s life.

The preserved monks

Now the part most English guides skip. Over the centuries, 15 monks’ bodies on Jiuhua are said to have stayed intact after death, and five of them can be viewed today. One is the Ming-dynasty monk Wuxia, whom the Chongzhen emperor honoured as a bodhisattva. Another is the nun Renyi, found in January 1999, whom the scenic area calls the only preserved body of a nun anywhere (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2024).

These are objects of worship, not museum pieces. Pilgrims kneel before them. Walk in quietly, and follow the lead of the people around you.

Li Bai named it

The mountain was once called Jiuzi, “Nine Sons”. The Tang poet Li Bai visited three times, and one of his lines, describing the peaks as nine flowers, gave Jiuhua its name. Poets from Du Mu to Su Dongpo followed him up.

The Best Time to Visit Mount Jiuhua

Autumn is the easy answer: September to early November, with clear air and changing leaves. Spring is green and often misty. Summer is humid, although the mountain is cooler than the plain below. Winter brings rime ice, and the gate ticket drops to the off-season price from 15 November to 15 January.

Pay more attention to the lunar calendar than the season. The 1st and 15th of every lunar month draw pilgrims. The biggest crowds come for Ksitigarbha’s day at the end of the seventh lunar month, which usually lands in late August or September and brings a temple fair. Chinese holidays add to it, so plan around the best time to visit China as well.

How to Get to Mount Jiuhua

By high-speed rail: Jiuhuashan station

The best way in is now the train. Jiuhuashan station opened in 2024 on the line to Huangshan, with services from Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Hefei. It sits about 20 kilometres from the visitor centre at the foot of the mountain. A shuttle makes the run in roughly 20 minutes, with around ten departures a day from 8:20 to 17:00 (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2026a).

Chizhou station, in the city, gets more long-distance trains. It is about 40 kilometres out. If you buy the 50 CNY mountain bus pass at the service desk by the exit, the 50-minute shuttle is free. Our guide to getting around China explains booking trains with a foreign passport.

Up the mountain, and why you won’t drive

From the visitor centre, scenic-area buses climb to Jiuhua Street in about 25 to 30 minutes, stopping at the Great Wish Culture Park on the way. That park holds the 99-metre bronze Ksitigarbha statue.

Private cars are banned from the mountain road all day on Fridays, Saturdays, lunar 1st and 15th days, Buddhist festivals and public holidays. On other days, cars can go up only after 17:00, and only 1,500 a day (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2026a). In practice, everyone rides the bus.

Mount Jiuhua Tickets: Three Tickets, Not One

  • Gate ticket: 160 CNY from 16 January to 14 November, 140 CNY from 15 November to 15 January. It is valid on the day of entry only (Chizhou Municipal People’s Government, 2025). To come back within three days, register at the checkpoint on the mountain before you leave (Jiuhua Changyou, 2026).
  • Bus pass: 50 CNY, one return trip each on two routes: visitor centre to Jiuhua Street, and Jiuhua Street to the Tiantai cableway. It is valid for three days from the date you choose (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2026b).
  • Cableways: Tiantai cableway 160 CNY return or 85 CNY one way in peak season. The Baisui Palace funicular costs 100 CNY return or 55 CNY one way (Jiuhuashan Scenic Area Administrative Committee, 2023).

A full day with the summit cableway therefore costs about 370 CNY per person before food. Official sales run through the “九华畅游” WeChat account and the “游九华” mini-program. Concession rules are written around Chinese ID documents, so foreign visitors should bring a passport and ask at the window. For reservation apps in general, see our notes on booking China attractions.

Must-See Spots on Mount Jiuhua

  • Huacheng Temple, in Jiuhua Street: the oldest foundation and the historic core of the mountain.
  • Roushen Baodian (the Flesh Body Hall), on Shenguang Ridge: the shrine tied to Kim Gyo-gak, and the main pilgrimage stop. Climb the steps to it rather than riding past.
  • Baisui Palace: the hilltop temple housing the monk Wuxia’s preserved body, reached by funicular or a steep path.
  • Tiantai: the summit ridge, with sea-of-cloud views on good mornings and a cableway that spares you the longest climb on the mountain.
  • Great Wish Culture Park: the 99-metre bronze statue. It is modern, and visible for miles, so treat it as a stop, not the main event.

What to Eat on Mount Jiuhua

Up in Jiuhua Street, temple vegetarian food is the natural choice: tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and mountain greens, cooked simply. Several monasteries serve set meals at low prices. Local Buddhist tea makes a good gift, and it travels well.

Down on the plain, the menus turn Anhui. Stinky mandarin fish, braised bamboo shoots and cured ham belong to the same kitchen you would find around Huangshan, which is now one train ride away.

Practical Tips for Mount Jiuhua

  • Entry to China: check China’s visa-free policies against your passport before you book.
  • Payment: buses, cableways and most temples take mobile payment. Our guide to how to pay in China covers setup.
  • Closing time: temples on the mountain stop receiving visitors at 17:00, and the last scenic-area bus down leaves at 17:30 on ordinary days.
  • Monkeys: wild macaques live near Tiantai. Do not feed them, and skip the red jacket that day; the scenic area specifically warns against bright red.
  • Incense: temples give three sticks free. You do not need the large bundles sold on the street.
  • Language: English signage is limited. Save 九华山 and the names of your temples in Chinese.

Common Mistakes on Mount Jiuhua

  • Arriving on a lunar 1st or 15th by accident. The dates move against the Western calendar every month, so check before you travel.
  • Planning to drive up on a Saturday. The road is closed to private cars all day on Fridays and Saturdays.
  • Budgeting for one ticket. The gate, bus and cableway are all separate.
  • Leaving the summit too late. Cableways stop around 17:00, and the walk down is long.
  • Treating the preserved bodies as a curiosity. Photography is often forbidden, and pilgrims will notice.
  • Doing it as a day trip from Shanghai. It is possible on paper, but one night in Jiuhua Street makes the visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need for Mount Jiuhua?

Two days with one night in Jiuhua Street is ideal. Spend one day on the temples in the village and the second on Tiantai.

How much does Mount Jiuhua cost?

The gate ticket is 160 CNY in peak season, and the bus pass is 50 CNY. The Tiantai cableway adds 160 CNY return.

Can you combine Jiuhua with Huangshan?

Yes. The 2024 rail line links the two mountains directly, and Hongcun and Xidi sit close to Huangshan for a third stop.

Is Mount Jiuhua a hard climb?

Only if you walk to Tiantai. Buses and cableways handle the rest, though the temple steps in Jiuhua Street are steep.

Why is a Korean prince worshipped here?

Monks believed Kim Gyo-gak was a manifestation of Ksitigarbha. After his death in 794, the mountain became that bodhisattva’s sacred site.

A Mountain Built Around One Life

Mount Jiuhua suits travellers who like their scenery with a story. The views are good, but the preserved monks, the pilgrims on the steps and a Silla prince at the centre of it all are what set it apart from the other three mountains. Go on a weekday, stay a night, and watch the lunar calendar.

For how it compares with other top-rated sites, our overview of China’s top scenic spots puts it alongside the other 5A areas.

References