The first time I learned about Simian Mountain was during the summer vacation of 2001 when I went to Chongqing. At that time, I used it as a destination when I was looking at a map for a guide, but later gave up because the journey was too long and the time was not enough. More than ten years later, I saw the story of the Love Ladder on TV and began to pay attention to this place again. It was only then that I realized there were not only Love Ladders here, but also many scenery related to love. So, I put Simian Mountain back into my travel plan until one day I had the opportunity to see its true face.

When you come to Simian Mountain, the first thing to do is to see the charm of Wangxiang National Taiwan University Waterfall, which is also a landmark attraction of Simian Mountain. Before reaching the scenic spot, I could already hear the rumbling sound of water. I saw a white waterfall falling from the cliff, its sound like thunder, shaking the valley. The original name of "Wangxiangtai" was "Huchouyan", which made even the tiger look sad, indicating its steepness and momentum. There are two proverbs in the local area that say "If you don't eat rice in the sun for three days, you will go to Wangxiangtai for four days". The "Wangxiangtai" referred to in these sayings is the Wangxiangtai Waterfall on the Four Faced Mountains.

The 'Number One Heart Under Heaven' is another wonder of the Four Faced Mountains, located in the same place as the Great Waterfall. It was discovered by tourists in 2009. The color of the Danxia Cliff behind the waterfall contrasts sharply with the surrounding green vegetation. The outline of the red cliff looks like a heart shape on the opposite side, and the waterfall is located in it, like Cupid's arrow, forming a spectacle of "one waterfall piercing through the heart", known as the "number one heart in the world".

The 'Number One Heart in the World' has already amazed us, and across from the waterfall, there is another wonder waiting for us, which is the 'Eye of Heaven' of the Four Faced Mountains. This is a huge cave, formed due to the unique Danxia landform of the Four Faced Mountains. The mountainside has been weathered and eroded to form a natural stone cave, named "Tianyan" because the entrance is flattened and oval shaped, resembling an eye. In the "Heavenly Eye", the winter is warm and the summer is cool, making it a great place to escape the heat and enjoy the waterfall. Watching the waterfall in the "Heavenly Eye", one has a waterfall in their eyes and a heart in their eyes, which is in line with the love theme of the Four Faced Mountains. And after the rain, several small waterfalls will appear in the Tianyan, echoing the Wangxiangtai Waterfall from afar, each displaying its own charm.

The original name of "Tianyan" was Xiaoyao Cave. Legend has it that the two immortals of Xiaoyao in the divine realm passed through this place during the Queen Mother's Peach Blossom Festival, where they saw vast mountains, deep canyons, rushing waterfalls, and misty clouds. The beautiful scenery shook the two immortals, so they decided to open a cave for them to enjoy the scenery during their leisure time.

A 417 meter long boardwalk has been opened behind Wangxiangtai Waterfall, allowing tourists to enjoy the wonder of Wangxiangtai Waterfall from multiple angles. From the boardwalk, visitors can overlook the waterfall and have a panoramic view of the mountain stream. The waterfall is within reach, and the "Number One Heart in the World" is clearly visible. The true appearance of the "Eye of Heaven" can be seen at a glance, echoing the waterfall from afar. The three wonders coexist and are breathtaking.

When we first arrived at Simian Mountain, only the three wonders of Wangxiang National Taiwan University Waterfall, "The First Heart of the World" and "The Eye of Heaven" had already caught our attention for half a day. After dinner, we visited again and the Wangxiang National Taiwan University Waterfall and "The First Heart of the World" were even more spectacular and mysterious under the light, echoing the full moon in the sky and creating a romantic atmosphere in front of flowers and under the moon.

Simian Mountain is a love themed mountain, with the shadow of love everywhere. Many places are named after love related names. Passing through the Xiangsi Bridge, you will arrive at the Wangxiang Terrace with seven hundred stairs. Climbing up the stairs, you can enjoy the waterfall from another perspective. I arrived at the place full of love - the Love Forest - through the swaying of a mysterious dream bridge. Continuing forward is the quaint and simple cedar corridor built with wooden materials. This is a great place for leisure tourists to relax and chat. There is also a couplet describing the scenery of Wangxiangtai Scenic Area, which reads "The cliffs are disorderly, the mountains are disorderly, and the sound of the long and beautiful stones in the water".

Love can be seen everywhere on the Four Faced Mountains, and on the way to the Wangxiangtai Waterfall, there are two naturally occurring Runnan trees with strange shapes, one thin and one thick. The big tree resembles the figure of a woman, showcasing the beauty of curves. The upper branches are more like a pair of arms holding the small tree in their arms, creating an intimate and loving scene. Therefore, it is named "Old Wife and Young Husband Tree". The story of the ladder of love begins here.

This is a love story of over half a century, with the male protagonist named Liu Guojiang and the female protagonist named Xu Chaoqing. On the day Xu Chaoqing got married, the two met for the first time. Due to Liu Guojiang breaking his front teeth. There is a local custom that a child who has lost their front teeth only needs the bride to touch their mouth, and new teeth will grow out. Therefore, his aunt carried him to the sedan chair, and the bride touched his mouth for him. That year, he was 6 years old and she was 16 years old. The first meeting left a deep impression on Liu Guojiang.

Xu Chaoqing was happily engaged at the age of 13, confessed to getting married at the age of 16, but became a widow at the age of 26 due to her husband's death from acute meningitis. Her mother-in-law said she was against her husband, so she lived a difficult life alone with her four children. Without food, she carried her child to the mountains to pick up wild mushrooms. She couldn't afford three cents a pound of salt, so she made grass shoes and sold them for five cents a pair. Once, Xu Chaoqing and her child fell into a river, and 16-year-old Liu Guojiang jumped into the river to save them. Afterwards, Liu Guojiang often took the initiative to help her carry water, chop wood, and take care of household chores. Over the course of four years, emotions gradually developed.

But she was not only 10 years older than him, but also a widow with four children. In order to avoid the gossip of the villagers, one morning in August 1956, the villagers discovered that she and her four children had suddenly disappeared, along with 19-year-old him. In order to escape the criticism of the secular world for this shocking love at that time, the two of them worked together to live a secluded life in the deep mountains at an altitude of 1500 meters.

In the following 50 years, they supported each other, relied on their own efforts, and raised seven children with diligent hands. For the convenience of Xu Chaoqing's travel, Liu Guojiang spent decades alone, chiseling more than 20 iron mills and carving out a 6208 level stone ladder on the cliff, which was later known as the "ladder of love".

On the Mid Autumn Festival of 2001, a team of outdoor explorers discovered two elderly people living deep in the deserted mountains while exploring the primeval forest. They seem to live in a primitive society of slash and burn agriculture, lighting kerosene lamps made by himself and living in rudimentary mud houses. And before, when there were no mud houses, we lived in caves. Cultivate on one's own cultivated land and be self-sufficient. They are him and her who disappeared decades ago. The two of them addressed each other as' young man 'and' old mother ', expressing their affection beyond words. Mr. Xu Chaoqing touched the calluses on his wife's hands and tearfully told the interviewer, "I feel sorry, but he always says that once the road is fixed, it will be easier for me to go out of the mountains. In fact, I have never been out of the mountains many times in my life

A TV station wanted to invite them to the Qixi evening party. He worried about his wife's health and went down the mountain alone to the party. When the host introduced the story of the love ladder, he asked him to speak on the stage. When the host asked what he wanted to say to his audience friends now, he blurted out, "I want to go home." Thousands of viewers were stunned, and then he said, "I'm afraid monkeys will steal my corn." Afterwards, Liu Guojiang said that the real reason he went home was because he was worried about his mother, not the monkeys, but he was too embarrassed to say it at the time.

On December 18, 2007, the male protagonist Liu Guojiang passed away, and Xu Chaoqing moved down the mountain to live with his son. On October 30, 2012, Xu Chaoqing passed away, and hundreds of strangers from all over the country rushed to attend his funeral. After visiting the ladder, everyone was moved by this love story.

Nowadays, the small house where Liu Guojiang and Xu Chaoqing lived for half a century has been built into a love museum, preserving the original life of the elderly. The museum displays all the items that witnessed this extraordinary couple, including the steel chisel and hammer that Liu Guojiang used to chisel the "ladder of love", the kerosene lamp that he used for half a century, and newspapers reporting on the "ladder of love".

Our journey to the Four Faced Mountains is coming to an end here, and we will continue to reminisce on our return journey. Simian Mountain not only has magnificent scenery, but the theme of love that runs through it makes this mountain full of humanistic atmosphere and emotions. Especially the story of the ladder of love, which not only moved countless viewers, but also became another business card of the Four Faced Mountains. Although the Love Museum is small and rudimentary, it attracts visitors from all over the world who travel thousands of miles to visit. Perhaps this is the power of love.

Scenic Area Name: Simian Mountain

Representative attractions: Wangxiangtai Waterfall, Tianyan, Love Ladder, Twin Villages, Dahonghai, Earth God Rock, Flower Xiaoyuan, etc

Opening hours: Open all day

Best travel season: March to October

Suggested playtime: 2 days

Ticket price: 90 yuan

Scenic spot address: Simian Mountain is located at 27 Wenfeng Road, Simian Mountain Town, Jiangjin District, Chongqing.

Transportation Guide:

bus

1. Chongqing - Simian Mountain

Take a bus directly from Longtousi Bus Station to Simian Mountain. From May 1st to October 1st, there will be one bus per day with a ticket price of 35 yuan and a departure time of 08:00.

2. Chongqing Jiangjin Simianshan

① Take a bus from Longtousi Bus Station to Jiangjin Bus Center, with a ticket price of 24 yuan. The starting time is 7:00 and the ending time is 21:00, with a frequency of every 60 minutes. After arriving at the station, transfer to the bus heading to Simianshan.

② Take a bus from Chenjiaping Bus Station to Jiangjin Bus Center, with a ticket price of 20 yuan. The starting time is 7:00 and the ending time is 20:00, with trains departing every 40 minutes. After arriving at the station, transfer to the bus heading to Simianshan.

③ Take a bus from Caiyuanba Bus Station to Jiangjin Bus Center, with a fare of 24 yuan. The bus starts at 6:30 and ends at 20:00, with a frequency of every 30 minutes. After arriving at the station, transfer to the bus heading to Simianshan.

④ Take a bus directly from Jiangjin Bus Center to Simian Mountain, with a ticket price of 22.5 yuan. The departure time is 6:18 and the departure time is 17:06, with a frequency of every 30 minutes.

3. Simian Mountain Jiangjin Chongqing

Take a bus directly from Simianshan Passenger Transport Center to Jiangjin, with a ticket price of 20.5 yuan. The departure time is 6:00 and the departure time is 15:20, with a frequency of every 30 minutes. After arriving in Jiangjin, transfer to a Chongqing bound bus.

Self driving tour route

1. Starting from Chongqing, take the Chengdu Chongqing Expressway: take Ma (down road) - Shuangfu - Jiangjin - Yangjiadian - Lishi - Caijia - Fujia Sancha Road - Simianshan.

2. Starting from Chongqing, take the Outer Ring Expressway: Chongqing Outer Ring Expressway - Yulu Expressway - Diaojia Interchange (down road) - Lishi - Caijia - Fujia Sancha Road - Simianshan.

3. Starting from Chongqing, take the Qisi Highway: Nanping Qijiang Baidu Bridge Yongxin Zhongfeng Fujia Sancha Road Simianshan.

4. From Chengdu: Lugong Expressway (Chongqing direction) - Chongqing Outer Ring Expressway (Jiangjin direction) - Yulu Expressway (Simianshan direction) - Diaojia Interchange (exit).

5. Starting from Yibin and Luzhou: Luyi Expressway - Yulu Expressway - Diaojia Interchange (down road) - Lishi - Caijia - Fujia Sancha Road - Simianshan.

6. Departing from Guiyang: Lanhai Expressway (Chongqing direction) - Ring Road Chongqing Guizhou Interchange (Jiangjin direction) - Chongqing Ring Road Expressway (Jiangjin direction) - Yulu Expressway (Simianshan direction) - Diaojia Interchange (down road).