Golden Summit
Halls on the crags.
Nyx Ning — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 祝鱼贵 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Huangdan2060 — CC BY 4.0 · 祝鱼贵 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 祝鱼贵 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nyx Ning — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 祝鱼贵 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 祝鱼贵 — CC BY-SA 4.0
The principal peak of the Funiu range, Laojun Mountain rises to 2,200 metres at its main summit; it was called Jingshi until the Tang dynasty renamed it after the sage Laozi, who tradition says withdrew here, and in 2012 it was given China's highest tourist-site rating. Its best-known sight is the «Golden Summit», a cluster of Taoist halls with gleaming golden roofs clinging to knife-edge crags; the mountain's first temple is said to date from the Northern Wei dynasty, and visitors reach the summit across a suspension bridge and timber walkways bolted to the cliffs above a sea of clouds. In winter snow covers the rocks and golden roofs in a scene widely shared across China, while in spring and autumn the valleys fill with mist and coloured trees; two cable cars in succession climb close to the top, with long stairways for those who prefer to walk. The ticket costs CNY 100 and covers Laojun Mountain with the Zhaigou and Zhuimeng valleys, while the first cable car costs CNY 70 up, 65 down or 130 return and the second CNY 45, 40 or 80, per visitor guides. The drive from Luoyang takes two to three hours, so stay a night in Luanchuan if you can, and bring warm clothes, as the summit is cold even in summer.
Halls on the crags.
Above a sea of clouds.
On golden roofs.
3 km east of Luanchuan town, Luanchuan County, Luoyang
By car or bus to Luanchuan town in about two to three hours, then on to the mountain gate; staying a night in Luanchuan is a good idea, per visitor guides.
They are optional but save hours of stairs; the first costs CNY 130 return and the second CNY 80 return, per visitor guides.