Hezhou, Guangxi—Step into the beautiful legend of Mount Gupo

Mount Gupo is 24 km from the center of Hezhou City, Guangxi. It is a national 4A scenic spot, a national forest park, and a must-see destination in Hezhou. When I first heard the name Mount Gupo, I guessed there must be a beautiful story behind it. And indeed, there is a touching legend. It is said that during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, a plague broke out in the Xianggui area. A young man named Aman, from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, decided to go to Tiantang Mountain to collect medicinal herbs to cure the plague. However, he never returned. His fiancée, Miaohong, was anxious and went to the mountain alone to look for him. She didn't find her husband, but she collected a lot of Ganoderma lucidum, which cured the villagers. Day after day, year after year, she changed from a young girl to a "Gupo" (a local term for an elderly unmarried woman). The villagers were grateful to Miaohong and renamed Tiantang Mountain to Mount Gupo. Listening to this legendary story, I visited Mount Gupo in early spring in February. I took the scenic sightseeing bus (CNY 15 for a round trip, 9.6 km in total) at the main entrance, which stops at six scenic spots. First, I went to the highest point, Xianggu Waterfall, the core scenic spot of Mount Gupo. The sign showed that the concentration of negative oxygen ions in the air was 88,734 per cubic meter. When we walked down, it jumped to 93,551. It is truly a place where humans and nature are perfectly integrated. I greedily took slow, deep breaths of the "vitamins in the air," reveling in the natural oxygen bar. I felt comfortable, refreshed, and relaxed, and I was reluctant to leave. Going down the mountain, I passed Xianggu Lawn, a mountain grassland suitable for slow-paced leisure and relaxation; "Lover's Forest"—a place for lovers to stroll; Fangjia Tea Plantation, where many TV series have been filmed; Xianggu Village—a quiet and peaceful village; and Guyao Stream, where wild monkeys appear. The scenic spot has a kind reminder: do not provoke the monkeys, do not carry bags into the monkey area, and use the storage area provided on the bus. From Guyao Stream to the main entrance of the scenic spot, you can stroll through the tall pine forest, which is very pleasant. Each scenic spot offers a great experience. Mount Gupo is the easiest mountain climbing trip I have ever had. The tour takes about three hours. Opening hours: 08:00 to 17:00. Buses No. 16 and 17 go to the scenic spot from downtown. You can also book a car online (CNY 58 to CNY 72).