Long White Mountain, Manchuria : in the border of North Korea and China

Long White Mountain, or White Mountain as called by locals, stands in the north-west border of North Korea and China.  The mountain is in fact a sleeping volcano.  The last eruption took place less than three hundred years ago.  The mountain is about 2,750 meters high.  Moisture from the Pacific Ocean turns the mountain top white with snow except the summer months.  We had run into a snow storm when we visited it in late May this year.

(Entrance gate to the Long White Mountain)

(Pine trees and silver birch covered by snow)

(Snow capped mountain top - with hexagon shaped rocks)

The White Mountain is a holy place for both Koreans and Manchurians. In their legend, their gods lived in the mountain. Their ancestors settled around the mountain long time ago.  During our trip, we saw many tourists from South Korea.  Few of them even prayed to the mountain. 

(Hanging snow cliff in the mountain top)

(Hot spring along the water stream)

(Beautiful water stream with snow covered rocks)

The Long White Mountain is rich in vegetation.  According to Roy Lancester, there are more species of vegetation in the Long White Mountain than those in the British Isles. (Lancaster, Roy. Plantsman’s paradise: travels in China. Suffolk, UK: Garden Art Press, 2008.) 

Ginseng is one of the well-known Chinese herb from this area.  Many local villagers sell ginseng and local herbs near tourist hotels. We were delighted to see few flowers already blooming in the early Spring.  They grew beautifully near the pine tree forest.  We saw them during our leisure morning walk through the forest.

(Beautiful pine trees and blue sky)

(Undergrows ready to bloom)

(Beautiful blow flower blooming under the sun)