Hiking around Xi'an - Zhongnan Mountain.

I heard about Zhongnan Mountain and happened to be in Xi'an, so I had to check it out. Itinerary: Take bus 730 directly to the entrance of Zhongnan Mountain Scenic Area. The bus fare is CNY 2, payable by WeChat QR code. Bus 730 runs along a straight road, and you can see villages and farmland along the way. The words on the gates of the villagers' houses are interesting, such as "Heaven rewards diligence," "Self-reliance," and "Fortune family." Buy a bottle of hot mineral water at the convenience store at the entrance of the scenic area. Nongfu Spring is CNY 3. (After entering the scenic area, the prices are reasonable at first, but get more expensive as you go up.) The entrance fee is CNY 45 for adults and half price for students. After entering the scenic area, there are two sections: The first half is a cement road, about 11 km long, with not much to see, so I took the sightseeing bus. The ride takes about 25 minutes and costs CNY 20 one way, saving more energy to stroll around the top of the mountain. The second half starts from Huo Long Cave, which is mostly steps. Some places are a bit steep, but it feels quite safe and not too difficult to hike. It's a leisurely climb with views. I basically walked through all the attractions in this section. It took about 4 hours to go up and down the mountain. I went down the steps back to Huo Long Cave, took the sightseeing bus back to the entrance of the scenic area, and then took bus 730 back. Note that the last bus 730 in winter is at 7:30 pm. The scenery of Zhongnan Mountain is worth the trip. Starting from Huo Long Cave, I walked through Purple Bamboo Forest, Guanyin Terrace, Manjusri Terrace, Cool Terrace, and Lingying Terrace. I basked in the warm sun of early winter and stood on the top of the mountain overlooking the misty green mountains and temple pavilions. The atmosphere of Zhongnan Mountain is gentle.