"Wu Tai Shan" a Wutai Shan Travel Page by Ningyochan

For people who don't have time to stray far from the Beijing or the North of China, but want to experience a living, breathing Buddhist town high, high up in the mountains you could save yourself the trek to Tibet and come here instead. I was blown away by the place, especially after the pollution, dirt and gracelessness of low-land Shanxi Province. I was very lucky to have been there on the 17th of August this year- the biggest day in the local Wu Tai Shan calendar. Tibetan monks from all over China flooded the town to celebrate something (?) not sure what but it was some kind of thanksgiving for the efforts of the low-land monks to raise money and support the lives of the Wu Tai Shan monks. Chanting and payers pervaded the little town, pigs and goats roaming freely, the surrounding hillside dotted with the remoter monasteries, some of them a good few hours hike away.
The town is called Taihuai, and the main road is now a strip of restaurants and gift shops catering to domestic tourists. At nightime it can seem gaudy and tacky, but wake up the next day, see the alpine slopes that surround you and go hike and befriend some monks!
A wonderful place, with dazzling sunlight in summertime though surprisingly chilly at nightime. But don't forget- you are at almost 3000 metres in altitude!