Xiang Shang

Fragrant Hills

Date:15-05-2008
Location:Beijing,China
Written by Ester van Dam
Yesterday Xu Laoshi and LiWen ( Xu Laoshi’s wife) took us for a visit to Fragrant Hills. After a long taxi trip we got off at Beijing Zoo from where we took the bus to Xiang Shan, the Fragrant Hills. After a bumpy ride of at least 45minuts, we were out of town and we saw the first magnificent mountains. At the foot of the hill/mountain there was a beautiful park with typical Chinese pavilions and gardens filled with flowers.

We had a picnic by the lakeside that was just straight out of painting. Xu Laoshi gave us a demonstration of Fa Li before we went on.




A winding path took us higher and higher up the mountain (oke for Chinese it might be a hill but for Dutch people this was a small mountain), it was so beautiful, a lot of big pine trees with white bark and fragrant blossoming trees who wouldn’t be enchanted! Then there was the breathtaking view! Eventually we stopped to have another bite to eat after which we would go to the top of the mountain. We didn’t have to climb at all because there were steps hacked into the rock, only 650 steps or so…
Xu Laoshi stayed with the bags while Mrs. Xu took us to the top. She basically ran up, her physical condition is very impressive! Halfway Maarten and Natasja decided that they would go down again because they had aching knees, it were a lot of steps I have to admit that. After that Mrs. Xu decided that we could speed up and she went even faster. We reached the top in no top which turned out to be a very good thing as not much later a thunder storm started.

The view was not as clear as it normally is but it was still hauntingly beautiful. The mist made it maybe even more atmospheric. We could have guessed it, even here there was a little souvenir shop, imagine having to climb up all those steps for work every day! You do get very fresh air and that is a luxury here. Of course we just had to make some pictures that will be posted soon, action pictures too! After staying on the top for a little while we ran off the mountain again to join the others. They had had an amazing TaiChi demonstration of Xu Laoshi that they could not stop talking about. Luckily Maarten filmed it all so we also get to see it later on. Soon after it started to rain, as fast as we could we walked down the mountain and just when we stopped at a toilet it started to rain like crazy. As if someone up there had left the shower on.

With quite a significant group of Chinese we waited in the toilet building. Ofcourse they liked to know here we came from and everybody was most interested and friendly. It was kind of fun and cozy apart from the rather strong smell of urine that was not to be ignore.

Finally the weather cleared up a bit and while it was still raining softly we walked to the bus that was already waiting as quickly as we could. I don’t want to be a wimp but I must admit that it was kinda nice to sit down ,really we weren’t tired at all it was that jujube juice that I (Ester) drunk that made me yawn endlessly. Jujube juice is a perfect drink before you go to bed Xu Laoshi told us and he was right. That night we slept like babies and believe me the mountains of China are just magical and not to be missed!!!!