A complete guide to food, clothing, housing and transportation in Wutai Mountain

Clothing:

There is no summer in Dawutai. The hottest time in August is only over ten degrees Celsius, and it belongs to a mountainous microclimate, with cloudy days basically every day. and small amounts of rain. The wind was even stronger on the top of the stage. Therefore, if you are going to Wutai in July and August, you should bring autumn equipment (long-sleeved quick-drying clothes, jackets, fleece clothes, and if it is around the end of August, it is best to bring some lightweight warm clothes such as cashmere sweaters. ). If the weather is good when marching during the day, you can wear less clothing, but thick clothes must be easily accessible to avoid sudden weather changes. The temperature at the top of the platform drops rapidly at night and approaches winter temperatures in the plains in the early morning. The mountain opens in May every year and closes at the end of September. The best time to visit Taiwan is in July and August. Every year on the 14th day of the sixth lunar month (the birthday of Manjusri) and the 15th day of the seventh lunar month (the Bon Festival) there are large Dharma gatherings. Try to come near these two days, it will be more lively.

Food:

Mount Wutai is a holy land of Buddhism. It is absolutely forbidden to eat or expose meaty items in the temple! ! But it is edible on the way to Taiwan. The food you bring must be high in calories and easy to carry. If you want to eat vegetarian food in a temple on the top of the platform, you can bring less food if appropriate, but it may not be a good time. The four of us brought two sets of stoves and pots, some instant noodles, some cooked food, some beef jerky, grain food, milk, salad dressing, and fruit. The amount of food can be determined according to the schedule. Basically, it is enough to bring enough food for the journey to Taiwan. The climate in Dawutai Mountain is dry during the day, but the temperature is low. The daily water demand per person is about 1.5 for men, 2 for women. You can bring it according to your own usage. The water on the top of the platform is made up of nectar from the sky. If you have a good stomach, it may not be a consideration.

Accommodation:

Since it is a Chaotai, there is no need to bring a tent. There will be many pilgrims staying on the top of the platform during the Dharma assembly. There may not be enough quilts, and there are not many quilts in the temple on the top of the platform. It is very humid and cold, so it is highly recommended to bring your own cotton sleeping bag and moisture-proof pad. If you are visiting Taiwan for two days, you must walk to the West Terrace before 18:00 on the first day, because the West Terrace will break the fast at 18:00. It would be better to walk from West Taiwan to Nantai the next day. It is said that accommodation is also available in Gunantai, but we did not go on an on-site inspection due to time issues. I hope the teams behind me can go take a look.

Note: There is no charge for eating and sleeping on the top of the platform. The team in front said that we have not encountered the Zhike monk from the west platform chasing him for incense money. When the four of us set out the next morning after having breakfast in the temple, we gave 50 yuan to Zhike Monk, but he said we couldn't take it, and he didn't accept it until we said it was the incense money we donated. People like us who go hiking usually have to give alms at about 10-15 yuan per person. Please be sure to pay attention to this for the teams behind you.

The hotels in Taihuai Town are of different grades, ranging from luxury hotels priced at 200-300 yuan to family hotels priced at more than 10 yuan. We stayed at the "Jinfo Hotel" next to Puhua Temple. The boss was the minibus driver who took us from the train station to Hongmenyan on the first day. I left a phone number: Li Sihai (13934008610), recommended to be the designated receptionist in Luye, and provide a chartered car. If anyone goes, just mention to him that a young man from Beijing once dropped his hiking pole at his house, and he will know. The people are very nice. The four of us stayed in two very comfortable double standard rooms for 15 yuan per person per day. But there's no bathwater. There are also many restaurants, grocery stores, and an Internet cafe around (4 yuan/hour, the same for locals).

OK:

The most suitable time to depart from Beijing is K701 bound for Taiyuan, which departs from Beijing Station at 21:13 every night. It is recommended to buy a sleeper berth. (Beijing-Wutaishan) middle shop is 102 yuan. The price of a hard seat is 51 yuan. Arrive at Wutaishan Station (i.e. Shahe Railway Station) around 3:40 in the morning. Charter a car to go to Hongmen Rock (10 yuan per person for CMB, 20 yuan per person for Santana or other small cars). It takes 50 minutes to drive to Hongmen Rock. On the first day, we faced the East, North, Central and West Terraces and stayed at the West Terrace. The next day we went from West Taiwan to Nantai. You can stay in Gunantai, or you can arrange a car to wait in Nantai and return to Taihuai Town on the same day. We took a bus from Nantai directly back to Taihuai Town, which cost 25 yuan per person. The person who bought the ticket on the bus said that if he met the ticket checker, he would say that he was going to Longquan Temple, or that he had left the ticket in the hotel. (I don’t know if it will be useful in the future).

There were two more suitable cars for me to call back to Beijing. The first is K702 from Taiyuan to Beijing Station. It arrives at Wutaishan Station at 0:30 every night and arrives in Beijing the next morning. The other bus is regular bus No. 7096 (Taiyuan-Beijing South) to Wutaishan Station at 13:07 noon for 21 yuan per person. 7096 is a kowtow car. It gives way to other cars and stops when it comes to a stop. And there are more people. They all have hard seats and the environment is poor. On the way back to Beijing, we will go through tunnels of various sizes. After arriving in Beijing, people usually become disgraced. hehe.

Equipment requirements:

1. Backpack of 45 liters or above. In principle, it only needs to be able to hold the things you need to bring. There is no limit on the size, but the minimum weight should be the principle. Otherwise, you will be comfortable.

2. Hiking shoes, because the road is mountainous and bumpy all the way. Wearing ordinary travel shoes will ruin your feet. But it must be strapped comfortably. It will take more than 20 hours of walking in two days, so you can make up your own mind.

3. Trekking poles are essential equipment. In addition to being able to borrow strength, you will remember its benefits when you encounter strong winds.

4. Sun protection products, hats with brim, and gloves. One is for sun protection, and the other is for wind protection. The temperature difference between day and night is too great.

5. Communication equipment is very important, because the distance is easy, and the team in front and behind is likely to be far behind. Smooth communication is important. The mobile phone signals on the four stations in the Northeast, Central and West are very poor, so it is recommended to bring intercoms. And it’s best to be further away. When going from Xitai to Nantai, there is a mobile phone signal after arriving at the Golden Pavilion Temple.

Journey time:

D1:

3:40. Shahe Railway Station.

4:50. Hongmen Rock. The train station driver was delayed a bit. I was surprised to find that there was one more archway than last year. I didn’t see the sea of ​​clouds last year, I only saw the sunrise.

5:50. The top of the east terrace. A highly praised PP was released.

6:30. Descend to Dongtai. I have been following a nun from Fujian, whom I call "Sister Immortal".

7:00. Return to Hongmenyan.

7:15. Depart for Beitai. On the way, I chatted with the fairy sister for 30 minutes.

11:30. Beitai. Have a meal. I searched everywhere for a cell phone signal but failed. I met a female pilgrim from Hangzhou who gave me scriptures.

13:00. Depart for Zhongtai.

14:15-14:30. Rest in the bathtub. Thanks to the chef here for giving us hot water. He actually recognized me who had been here a year ago. Before leaving, I saw the master's MOTO6288 mobile phone and was so shocked that I dislocated my jaw.

15:30. Climb to the center stage. Rested for nearly an hour. I slept on the same bed I slept on last year for ten minutes and dreamed about last year’s 12climbers. I didn't see the host of the center stage or those familiar lay people. The fairy sister lives here.

16:30. Depart for West Taiwan.

18:00. Climbing up to the west terrace, a knowledgeable monk who looked like Li Dazhao told us that he was already cooking for us. Because we saw that we were walking upwards. Touched, Amitabha!

19:54. I looked at my watch for the last time in my memory, and then fell asleep. It was the first time in N years that I fell asleep. I woke up three times due to heat during the night and had to resist going to the toilet in the morning.

D2:

5:30. I was woken up by the chef making breakfast.

6:30. breakfast.

7:00. We went up to the top of the west platform to take pictures and looked around for flowers stuck on cow dung, and found a pair next to us. I saw the roaring statue of Manjusri in the small Buddhist niche on the top of the platform. I saw the woods on the ridge in the distance like Punk Head.

8:00. Return to the Zhaitang. Pack a backpack. Hardis was extremely depressed to find that the 2 liters of water he had carried from North Taiwan to West Taiwan were lying in his backpack without a drop of water. Then he angrily threw two cans of beer into my bag.

8:30. He said goodbye to Zhike Monk and paid for the incense. Orange MM was depressed to find that Li Dazhao had shaved off his beard. No personality at all.

10:30. Go to Kichijoji Temple. Take photos and "sing". The part of the journey from the West Platform to here can be cut directly. After that, just walk along the road and encounter a monument indicating the direction to the top of Zhongtai. Going in the opposite direction is Nantai.

12:30. Arrive at the lion's den. Look at the 700-year-old ancient pagoda and imagine yourself riding on the pine trees at the top of the pagoda.

13:30. We had lunch next to a spring on the roadside, basked in the sun, and secretly rejoiced looking at the cloudy Beitai. Hehe, a group of "local dogs" must be in the clouds and mist now (there was a team from the local dog forum that day walking to the north of Sitai). This section of the road is more interesting. Walking on the winding mountain road, there is a large ravine on the left. Keep walking along the road. After you see the archway in the back section, you can cut off the path on the mountain and walk directly to the side entrance of Kinkakuji without paying a ticket.

15:20. Golden Pavilion Temple. Entering from the back mountain path, it is the most magnificent and beautiful temple I have ever seen in the Wutai Mountain area. Because I entered through the side door, my 4 yuan ticket was stolen.

15:40. Walk out of the Golden Pavilion Temple, pretend to be an American soldier, and walk on the highway in Baghdad. Half an hour is enough for this journey.

16:00. Nantai Archway. I showed off my equipment to the management staff, which elicited bursts of envy, and I set out on the road quite vainly. Take the mountain road on the left behind the pavilion directly and cut onto the winding mountain road. It is too far to go up the main road. If you encounter a fork in the road, go left. You can cut through the forest in some places. There is nothing to see at the weather station, so just walk straight ahead. After that, you have to look at the road conditions and take the appropriate steps. When you get to the bottom of a big mountain, you must follow the road to the right and don't go into the woods on the left.

18:30. In front of the Nantai Temple, I saw countless little squirrels in cages. What a sin!

18:50. Take a ride back to Taihuai Town. Looking at Gu Nantai from a distance, I imagined the pious faces of the monks in the temple.

19:50. Return to Taihuai. I made a safety call at home.

20:30. Eat, rotten, eat half a watermelon, wash off and sleep.

D3:

9:00. Get up

9:30. He was called by Tianya to Puhua Temple to witness the annual Manjusri birthday and disaster relief ceremony.

I took N volumes.

12:00. Check out and take the bus back to Shahe Railway Station.

13:30. The train is late. Get on the bus and build a floor berth at the end of the car.

21:20. Go to Beijing South Railway Station, take a taxi to the food stall near home, and eat like crazy.

23:30. Go home and go online to report that you are safe.

The above timetable is for a total load of 15 kilograms and a combination of walking and photography. It is for your reference only. Please make your own arrangements according to your own habits.

I don’t know how long it takes to get from Nantai to Fomu Cave. We took a bus directly from Nantai to Taihuai. My suggestion is: don’t be too anxious the next day, because the road is very long and it will be boring if you just rush. I suggest you stay in Gunantai at night. I heard people on Nantai say that you can stay overnight in Gunantai. Then the next morning, we descended from Gunantai to Buddha Mother Cave and then to Baiyun Temple. There is basically a mobile phone signal all the way to Kinkakuji Temple. You can make an appointment to pick up a car at Baiyun Temple or Fomu Cave in the morning of the third day. After that, go back to Taihuai for a walk or go directly to the train station. Regarding staying in Gu Nantai, it is just a suggestion, you still need to go and verify it.