Tàihángshān

The northern Taihang highlands rise above the valleys of Shanxi, their ridges and deep-cut gorges forming a formidable mountain landscape. Here the range meets the uplands around Mount Wutai, whose broad summits have long been associated with Buddhist pilgrimage. Roads through the mountains follow valleys and passes, while the higher slopes experience a colder climate than the plains below. The terrain has shaped both the movement of armies and the journeys of pilgrims visiting the region's temples.