My travelling at Nanyue Heng Mountain // 南岳衡山游记

南岳衡山是湖南衡阳市的一座名山，在湖南一带颇有名气，据说到南岳许愿非常灵验，我曾经听过不少这样或者那样的故事。

Heng Mountain is a famous mountain in Hunan, located in Hengshan City of Hunan Province (Southern China). It is very popular at least in Hunan area. It is said that making a wish at Heng Mountain will easily come true, and I did heard about similar stories like that in the past.

在善男信女对佛教和道教的信仰下——南岳大庙确实是佛道并存的地方，每年农历八月一到，到南岳衡山进香的人数众多，这在我这小时候的印象中十分深刻。

Thanks for the holy belief of this sorts of religion people, Heng Mountain is indeed a unique place for Buddhism and Taoism co-existing. When it approaches the 1st of August of Chinese calendar every year, hundreds and thousands pilgrims go to Heng Mountain for worshiping their God, which is quite impressive during my childhood memories.

本月有幸在湖南大学朋友们的陪同下，游览了这个心目中一直向往的地方，了了我心中一直以来的一个愿望。

It is so lucky I had the chance to visit this famous place by the accompany and help of my friends who work at Hunan University. Visiting this holy place has been my dream for quite long time. Now my dream comes true.

以下是沿途拍下的一些照片，我配以文字说明，讲述这次旅行。留作将来的回忆。

The following pictures are what I shot when I was travelling at Heng Mountain. I will be adding extra texts explaining this fantastic travelling, helping me recall it in the future.

我的两个向导，湖南大学的王德辉博士以及湖南工业大学的欧志华博士。

My two "guiders", Dr Deihui Wang (Hunan University) and Dr Zhihua Ou (Hunan University of Technology)

正值夏天经常下雨季，随处可见的小瀑布。

It is summer, a rain season. We can see waterfalls nearly everywhere.

我小时候见到的四脚蛇（可能是壁虎）在衡山上也常能见到。

An unknown snake with four legs (maybe it is gecko)? I have seen them when I was a child in Hunan, now I see them again at Heng Mountain.

我们选择步行上山，衡山开发得很好，但我们去的时候几乎没有游人和香客，山径通幽，很安静。

We hike the mountain. It is a well developed place of interest. There was few tourists. The path to the summit is a bit dark and very quiet.

天然形成的洞，小路从中穿过。

A nature cave, with the pavement go through it.

为什么国内所有的旅游景点都有黄瓜？

Why is cucumber so popular in China’s places of interest?

爬累了，大家歇息一会儿。

We are tired, have a rest.

这是半山腰中的菜园。

A veg garden at the middle height of the mountain.

半山腰上的老房子，我小时候在湖南老家也常见到。

A traditional style local house at the middle height of the mountain, which is also very common in my Hunan hometown.

这只蝴蝶偏偏落在了王博士的身上。

A beautiful butterfly stayed on the back of Dr Wang.

这处小路在一块大石头上，有些险。

The little path on the huge rock, looks dangerous, is not it?

半山腰上的快餐还不错，这碗炒粉15块钱，我觉得味道不错。小老板居然也姓谭——然而没有给我打折。

Fast food at the middle height of the mountain. This rice noodle costs only 15 CNY. Very delitious, I like it. The chef and boss of the restaurant has a same family name Tan, shoud he give me some discount? He did not.

百年树木？

Trees grown over hundreds years?

三人行，必有我师，这张图片是我们勾搭的两个90后妹子拍的。

There must be a teacher among three people? The picture was taken by two lovely girls of the 90s who we met on the hiking uphill.

湘南寺，我就来自湘南。

Xiangnan Temple. I come from Xiangnan (Southern Hunan Province)

在云端。

Feels like in the cloud?

前面说的两位妹子，有了她们后，说说笑笑，爬山就不累了，真的。大叔的内心世界也很无聊……

The aforementioned two girls we met on the hiking. We talked, we laughed, and we did not feel tired and boring anymore. True, the inner spiritual world of we old boys may be also boring?

今天的游人真的很少，欧博士说，他以前来衡山，从来没有拍到没有人在跟前的“寿比南山”。

There were quite few tourists today. Dr Ou said that he had never successfully taken picture of the “Shou Bi Nan Shan” stone (Live as long as the age of Nanshan Mountain) with no people in front of it, now he did it.

快到山巅时的远处山脉。

Far-reach mountains when we were approaching the summit.

扫地僧飞檐走壁？

A low profile monk was flying on the wall?

峰顶的祝融峰，1300米左右。

Zhurong summit of Heng Mountain, around 1300 m high.

虔诚的香客，然而在我看来，皆为利来利往。

Holy pilgrims, they are aiming at wealth and fortune, in my opinion.

祝融殿入口，非常古朴。

The entrance of Zhurong Temple, looks like very traditional and simple.

在祝融殿旁观山。

Watching mountains by the side of Zhurong Temple.

在祝融殿旁看美女？

And watching the beautiful ladies?

还是观山吧。

OK, enjoy the beautiful landscape…

祝融殿的出家人玩手机，想必也很无聊吧。

The monk was playing smartphone. Maybe he also feel boring?

有求必应随处可见。

Your wish will come true.

观音菩萨，这难道不是佛教？

Guanyin Buddha, this is Buddhism related.

南岳圣帝，感觉又像是道教？

Great Holy Emperor of Nanyue Mountain, this is from Taoism, right?

六部尚书大神们。

Liu Bu Shang Shu (Ministers of Six Ministries).

给我解签的大师，然而我没有得到签。

The Master who is a fortune teller, but I did not get the poem of fortune.

三人行和两位勾搭到的小美女，来自湖南女子学院……想必她们内心也是惊喜的吧，后来验证，还真是的。

The two girls come from Hunan Women’s University. Is it exiting to meet us? Yes, it is true, they told us later.

文人骚客们的崖刻。

Cliff engravings left by Famous and writers and poets.

山的那边还是山。

The mountain has no end.

如果你愿意花钱，还可以雇人抬轿，这位女士最逍遥。在我国的景点，只要带着钱就可以了。

If you would like to pay, you can even hire a sedan, just like this lady, relaxing. So what you need to do is bringing your money when you are touring in China, money is everything.

岚气很重。

The heavy mountain mist.

在衡山，我也没有忘记跑上一程，哪怕是做做样子。

I did not forget to run at Heng Mountain, even just a short distance, showing I am running everywhere.

下山途中遥望祝融殿。

Looking at the Zhurong Temple from a distance when we were hiking down the mountain.

衡山高铁站很大，显得空旷旷，游客看来还是不多。

Hengshan railway station looks huge and marvelous, it is looks empty since there is not so many tourists and travelers.