Longhu Mountain is a key national scenic spot is 20 kilometers southwest suburb of Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province. It is said that Zhang Tianshi made pills of immortality here in the middle period of East Han dynasty, so it becomes the cradle of Chinese Taoism.
Bamboo raft is the principal way of touring Longhu Mountain. So the best time to visiting the mountain by water is during April to October. If traveling along the overland route, visitors can get there at any season during a year. You can pick the green in spring, enjoy the cool in summer, see the golden country in autumn and see the snow scene of Longhu Mountain in winter.
Shangqing Palace(Shangqinggong), first built in East Han Dynasty, is the place for Zhang Daoling to pray and the place where all gods received their official ranks. The entire construction layout presents the Eight Diagrams, has a two-eaved roof and red door, showing the unique style of Taoist temple. There are a total of ninety-nine peaks, twenty-four boulders, and o-ne hundred and eight natural and artificial sights. The long Taoist culture, the characteristic green water and red mountain and the grand cliff group form the three brilliant sights of this area. The Lu Xi River, like a jade belt, meanders westwards through the whole mountain area and strings Shangqing Palace, Longhu Mountain and Xianshui Rock, etc.
Tips:
1. Travel by train is not a bad idea because you can enjoy the good views from the window, eating your favourite snacks in the train. It is still a good option for the tourists, comparing with travelling by air.
2. The bus from Yingtan to Shangqinggong costs 6 rmb/person and this trip is about 1 hour’s ride.
3. Shangqinggong is not an old temple and you don’t need to pay the 20 rmb to enter it. You can just take some pictures at the entrance of Shangqinggong temple.
4. Tianshifu is totally a new building. (not any ancient Daoism temple) The admission fee is 30 rmb/person. It is not a wise decision to visit this place.
5. The bus from Shangqinggong to Shangqingzhufamatou cost 1 rmb/person and the trip takes only 5 minutes.
6. The Shangqingzhufamatou – Xianshuiyan drifting cost 100 rmb/person(takes 3 hours). You can get a tour guide for this activity at the cost of 30 rmb.
7. From Xianshuiyan to Yingtan: In winer, the last bus is at 17:30. In summer, the last bus is at 18:00. You will have to get a taxi cab if you miss the last bus. The cost is about 40 rmb for the taxi and the trip takes 45 minutes.
8. There are many restaurants in Shangqinggong. But the cost are not low because it is a tourism area in China. The food in Yingtan city is much better than Shangqinggong.
9. Lots of people recommend a restaurant named Yiweichi. It is close to the Yingtanfandian in the Yingtan city. The decorations of Yiweichi is very special and the food here is special too. The cost is about 60 rmb for a person. The only thing you need to pay attention is that all the food here is very spicy in Jiangxi province.
10. There is a good hostel near the Yiweichi restaurant. Its name is Xinyuanfandian. It is a very good choice for the tourists who want to save some money. The cost is only about 30 rmb for a person. Another advantage of this hostel is its location, very close to the railway station. (costs ony 3 rmb for the taxi)