The Most Difficult-to-Define Mountain in China: Spanning Two Provinces and Four Counties

There are many beautiful mountains in China, Yellow Mountain is called ‘the first wondrous mountain in the world,’ and Mount Tai is called ‘the sole lord of the Five Great Mountains.’ There are many others, and regardless of whether you agree or disagree, they all have a definition. However, there is one mountain that is difficult to define, which is particularly interesting.

It is the second highest peak of the Dabie Mountains, Tianzhang Village, and it’s said to be difficult to define because it is located in the border area between Anhui and Hubei provinces. Both provinces claim a portion of it. You can’t simply say it belongs to one place. There is a stone tablet on the mountain that reads ‘Anhui-Hubei Border.’ When I received my first message from Anhui Tianzhang Village after buying a ticket to climb to the summit, it was: ‘Welcome from Hubei Mobile!’ It’s truly a matter of laughter and tears.

There is also a viewing on the mountain, and the advertising slogan is astonishing: ‘One foot in two provinces, one view of four counties.’ It turns out that besides Anhui, two provinces – Hubei – can also be seen, and the four counties of Henan province can be seen at a glance. I think this is unique in China.