衡山

Why this place

Mount Heng in Hunan is the southernmost of the five sacred mountains, and the most accessible: it is lower than the others, covered in forest and temples, and can be walked in a day. Its Nanyue Temple at the foot is one of the largest temple complexes in southern China.

What to see

• The Nanyue Temple, a vast complex of nine courtyards with both Buddhist and Taoist halls
• The Zhurong Peak path, through forest and past dozens of small temples
• The sunrise and the sea of cloud from the summit ridge
• Shuilian Cave and the Fangguang Temple, on the quieter side of the mountain

What to eat

• Hunan mountain cooking — bamboo shoots, smoked meats and of course chilli
• Hengshan's own tea, and the vegetarian temple food

How to plan

One to two days; it is far gentler than Taishan or Huashan.

Best time

April–June and September–November