Simian Mountain, or Simian Shan (四面山), is located in the northern part of Jiangjin country in Chongqing. The Simian Mountain Forest part contains several scenic areas open to tourists. Most famous are perhaps The Dragon Pool, Danxia Landform, Wangxiangtai Waterfall, The Pearl Lake and Honghai Lake. You can also find the Steps to Heaven, which according to legend, were carved into the mountain by hand, by a husband for his wife.

Click below to watch a travel vlog from Simian Mountain

Simian Mountain is classified as a transitive zone between the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Sichuan Basin. The climate and regular rainfall mean the whole area is covered in dense forests. There are several famous waterfalls located at Simian Mountain, the most famous of which is Wangxiangtai, which, at 160 meters in height is one of the largest waterfalls in all of China.

The beautiful Wangxiangtai Waterfall at Simian Mountain.

The mountain park is located about 140 kilometers Southwest from downtown Chongqing, it is a national 5A (highest rating) tourist site and has been awarded as one of the ten most beautiful forest parks in China. Simian Mountain covers an area of about 213 square kilometers and is an ideal location for sightseeing. The mountains, dense forests, crystal clear lakes, and stunning waterfalls make for spectacular scenery, and the mountain remains somewhat chilly during the hot Chongqing summer. Furthermore, the mountain takes on a different kind of beauty when it is covered in snow during the winter, making it an attractive destination all year round.

The Scenery at Simian Mountain

The scenery at Simian Mountain

The scenery at Simian Mountain

One of, perhaps the most legendary sites in the park are the steps to heaven. More than 6000 steps carved into the mountain by Liu Guojiang for his wife, Xu Chaoqing. Xu was a widower, who fell in love with Liu Guojiang despite being 10 years older than him. At the time, in 1950, this was considered immoral and unacceptable, and to escape the prying eyes of the villagers, Liu took his love to the mountain. But because the mountain is very steep, Liu stared carving the steps for the safety of Xu. The steps to heaven are also now referred to as the Chines Love Ladder

Love story happened in Simian Mountain - Steps to the Heaven, photo by Zhang Shuren