CHAPTER V 



HWA-SHAN — THE FLOWER MOUNTAIN 



A LITTLE off the main road between Honan and 

 Sian-fu rises Hwa-Shan — the F'lower Mountain — 

 one of the five sacred mountains of China. Tai- 

 Shan in Shantung, Omi-Shan in Szechuan, Wu- 

 tai-Shan in Shansi, Heng-Shan in Hunan, are 

 the others, thougli Hwa-Shan is not less famous 

 than any. 



But few tourists visit it, for but few tourists 

 reach the interior of China. During the summer 

 months an odd missionary or two seek its cool 

 shade, raising their eyes from the sweat holes in 

 which they live, looking to the hills for their help. 

 The mountain rises, a bulbous-looking top set on 

 a spur of hills, surrounded by a curious confusion 

 of jagged green peaks which slope to the Yellow 

 River. Coming from the east one sees a lesser 

 peak set in its shadow shaped like a temple roof. 

 A tremendous chasm tears it from its neighbours 

 on this side, and, to the west, a thousand -foot 

 precipice drops to a tumbled huddle of lesser 

 ridges, which, in turn, give place to green, splayed 

 foot-hills, and the fruit orchards nestling about 

 their base. 



The plain is rich, and to reach the mountain's 



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