Hua Shan

He needs some time alone. Decides to climb Hua Shan: one of the many beautiful settings of Jin Yong's famous martial arts novel.


Where Emei Shan is soft. Lush with flora and fauna. Hua Shan is harsh. Trees grow sparsely in crevices of its precipitous white cliffs. The trail runs along rapids which drown out his messy thoughts every now and then as its clear cold water crashes noisily against the smooth rocks. It winds around the mountainside where sheer cliffs rise sharp and dangerous.


He passes by the usual porters, transporting basic necessities up the hill. And a few Taoist priests. But he overtakes many young couples seeking to sanctify their sweet innocent love. Like the true and faithful love between Yang Guo and Dragon Girl. They buy locks and engrave their names and wishes on it. The railings lining the trail are filled with them.


The peak is cold. Even at its base, it was already cool so despite being a 1000 metres lower than the summit of Emei Shan, it's just as cold. The rain falls around him softly but he's so far up that it doesn't feel like rain at all.


Looking at the sheer precipices before and around him, he can imagine the clashing of swords echoing down the valley's steep walls as the ranking of martial arts heroes took place. Or Yang Guo leaping from precipice to precipice as he followed Hong Qigong.


Coming down the hill, he sits in his own cable car. Which is good because if his cable car falls, he'll be the only who dies. What took him five hours now becomes ten minutes. It could've taken an eternity for all he cares.