Mountains and waters often occur in literary works to express great breadth of mind or yearning for nature. They usually hold more than what their facial beauty can convey.

Mountains

A mountain has its unique character - magnificent, imposing or elegant. The Five Most Famous Mountains can be the representative of all mountains in China. Mount Taishan in Shandong is the most revered; Shaolin Temple brought worldwide fame to the Song Mountain in Henan; Mt Huashan in Shaanxi is precipitous; Hengshan in Shanxi has jagged ranges and Mt. Hengshan in Hunan is elegant in appearance.

Many mountains epitomize different religions and cultures. Mt. Jiuhua in Anhui, Mt. Emei in Sichuan, Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang and Mt. Wutai in Shanxi are the most noted Buddhist holy mountains. While Mt. Huangshan in Anhui, Mt. Laoshan in Shandong, Wudang Mountain in Hubei, Mount Wuyi in Fujian, Mt. Qingcheng in Sichuan and Dragon and Tiger Mountain in Jiangxi are well-known Taoist holy mountains. Mt. Huangshan seems to enjoy exceptionally high reputation. It is said to boast of combining the masculine grandeur of Mount Taishan, the mist and clouds of Hengshan in Hunan, and the grotesque splendor of Mt. Huashan. That's why the old saying goes as having no wish to see any of the five most famous mountains if having seen Mt. Huangshan.

Waters

If joined together, the natural rivers of China reach a total length 10.5 times greater than the length of the Earth's equator. Among all the rivers, the Yellow River is affectionately known as the mother river of Chinese nation. The Yangtze River, the world third longest, enjoys great fame because of the numerous historic relics found along its banks and the beautiful legends about this vital waterway. Holding enchanting riverside scenery, Li River gathers the most astonishing natural beauty of northeast Guangxi by connecting Guilin and Yangshuo.

Poyang, Dongting and Taihu Lakes are the top three freshwater lakes in China, which fertilize the fields around and make them towns of rice and fish. West Lake, the golden name card of Hangzhou and Thousand Islets Lake (Qian Dao Hu), the resplendent pearl of the city are hot scenic spots. Qinghai Lake, the largest inland salt lake in China, has the Bird Island as its most charming part, attracting lots of tourists.

In addition, Beidaihe Scenic Spot, Qingdao Seashore Scenic Area, Beihai Silver Beach and Asian Dragon Bay (Yalong Wan) have top beaches for summer holiday.

Scenic Areas and Natural Reserves

Scenic areas and natural reserves are built to better protect the intactness and original flavor of some sights from damage of tourists. Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong scenic and historic interest area are the most popular destinations especially famous for the beauty of colorful lakes. If willing to walk among luxury forests, Zhangjiajie and Wulingyuan scenic spots are wonderful options. Moreover, Qiannan area of Guizhou boasts the most splendid subtropical karst ecosystem within the Maolan Karst Forest Nature Conservation. The Stone Forest formed by water erosion is a masterpiece by nature with countless labyrinthine vistas, being one of the most famous attractions of Yunnan.