Mount Mogan
Mount Mogan (Chinese: 莫干山; pinyin: Mògàn Shān) is a mountain located in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, China, 60 kilometers from provincial capital Hangzhou and 200 km from Shanghai. It is part of the Moganshan National Park and at its base is the small village of Moganshan.
Known for its cool temperatures during the region's scorching summers, it has long been the playground of the Shanghai elite. Today, Moganshan mixes a country lifestyle with a mix of local inns and old villas built early in the 20th century. In 2012 it was named by New York Times one of the "45 places to go" in the world.[1]
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[edit] History
According to Chinese legend, in the Spring and Autumn Period of 770- 476 BC, China’s most talented swordsmith Ganjiang, arrived in the mountains. It was here that he cast and forged a pair of special swords on the demand of the Emperor of Wu. Gan’s wife was called Moye, hence the name Mogan Mountains and the main tourist attraction Sword Pond.[2]
The crisp refreshing breezes of Mogan Mountain first enchanted foreigners in the 1880s, where rooms and houses were rented from locals. This ideal summer retreat soon attracted the foreign community in Shanghai who came together, dug deep into their pockets and bought the mountain top for 50 dollars. Large European style villas, houses, churches and public halls were built for missionaries, businessmen, customs officials and their families. Many of these villas and houses are still standing, with some being turned into hotels and guesthouses operating today.
By 1910 approximately 300 foreigners, mostly Americans and British, had set up summer homes on the hill. The foreigners left the mountain top with the rise of the Communist party in 1949, where the villas were handed out to different work units or “danwei’s” from Hangzhou and Shanghai.[3]
[edit] Geography
Moganshan is a major bamboo area, with lush bamboo forests on its slopes and surrounding areas.[4]
[edit] Tourism Today
Moganshan receives a variety of Chinese and foreign visitors for relaxation, hiking, and visiting a variety of scenic and historical spots, including the post-World War II villa of Chiang Kai-shek.
[edit] References
- ^ "The 45 Places to Go in 2012". New York Times. 6 January 2012. http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=2.
- ^ "China Travel Introduction". http://www.moganshanlodge.com/HistoryOfMoganshan.htm.
- ^ "China Travel Introduction". http://www.chinatravel.net/Destination/DestinationIntroduction.asp?Destination=151.
- ^ "Shanghaiist Weekend escape to Moganshan". http://shanghaiist.com/2008/04/09/photos_weekend.php.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mount Mogan |
- Mogan Mountain (Chinese)
- Mogan Mountain Eco-Friendly
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