5 Days in Jiujiang

Climb to Guling at 1,164 metres for Flower Path and the Jinxiu Valley; the 1903 Meilu Villa and Immortal Cave round out the afternoon. Overnight in the mountain town.

1. jiujiang lushan
2. jiujiang flower path
3. jiujiang jinxiu valley

Start under the peaks that face Hanyang's 1,474-metre summit, then take the shuttle-and-stairs loop to Sandiequan, whose three drops total 155 metres. Second night in Guling.

1. jiujiang five old men peaks
2. jiujiang sandiequan waterfall

Descend the east flank: the academy founded in 940 and rebuilt by Zhu Xi in 1179, then the 1934 botanical garden next door with its conifer collections.

1. jiujiang white deer academy
2. jiujiang lushan botanical garden

Donglin, founded in 386, anchors the valley, and Xilin is where Su Shi's 1084 wall poem about the mountain's many faces was written. Keep visits to opening hours.

1. jiujiang donglin temple
2. jiujiang xilin temple

A morning bus to Hukou for Shizhong Mountain, whose 1084 essay by Su Shi gives it its fame, and the mouth of Poyang, China's largest freshwater lake; back to Jiujiang by evening.

1. jiujiang shizhongshan
2. jiujiang poyang lake