Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain
The iconic landmark of Mount Sanqing. The Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain is a towering granite column formed by weathering and gravitational collapse.…
Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain, Mount Sanqing
Key facts
- Admission
- Included in the Mount Sanqing scenic area ticket
- Opening hours
- 8:00—17:00
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Getting there
- From the main gate of Mount Sanqing, take the Eastern Cable Car (Jinsha Cable Car, 金沙索道); the ride takes about 10 minutes
- Guidebook rating
- 3 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 1476. Open in Google Maps
About Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain
The iconic landmark of Mount Sanqing. The Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain is a towering granite column formed by weathering and gravitational collapse. Several transverse cracks run across its body, yet after hundreds of millions of years of wind and rain, it still stands firm.
Tips from the guidebook
- 1. Agree on prices upfront: It's best to confirm the price of each dish when you order. Locals keep their word, but there is no tradition of post-meal discounts.
- 2. Avoid wild game: Do not eat wild game. First, most of the wild animals sold here are farm-raised species bought from the foothills, and they are not cheap. Second, the state has explicitly banned it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain cost?
Admission to Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain is Included in the Mount Sanqing scenic area ticket, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
What are the opening hours of Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain?
Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain is open 8:00—17:00.
How do I get to Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain?
From the main gate of Mount Sanqing, take the Eastern Cable Car (Jinsha Cable Car, 金沙索道); the ride takes about 10 minutes
How long should I spend at Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain?
Plan on 1–2 hours for Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain.
Where is Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain?
Giant Python Emerging from the Mountain is in Mount Sanqing, Jiangxi Province, in the East China of China.
More places in Mount Sanqing

Mount Sanqing
Many famous Chinese mountains have rock formations that resemble human figures, but most depend largely on the viewer's imagination. The "Goddess Peak" at Mount Sanqing is so lifelike it is hard to believe. The mountain is steep and dramatic on the east, wondrous on the west, graceful on the north and precipitous on the south. Its Goat Bed area is also a natural botanical garden, home to rare plants such as East China cathay fir, East China hemlock, Fujian cypress, Magnolia, Chinese dove tree, Pachysandra, and Manglietia. Springs and waterfalls add further charm to the scenery. The Sanqing Palace (Sanqing Gong) on the mountain is a small temple complex backed by Yujing Peak. The current buildings date from the Ming dynasty, and a plaque reading "Sanqing Blessed Land" hangs above the palace gate. From Ziyan Terrace (Ziyan Tai) beside the palace, visitors can take in views across the surrounding peaks.
Admission: ¥150 (peak season), ¥120 (off-season); cable car up and down: ¥125 (peak season), ¥110 (off-season) · 1–2 days
West Coast Scenic Area
The West Coast, also known as the West Sea Plank Walk, is the most thrilling section of Mount Sanqing. Along a cliff face about 1,600 metres above sea level, a plank walkway about 3,700 metres long and 2 metres wide juts out over the abyss. Running from Tiyun Ridge (梯云岭) in the south to Sanqing Palace in the north, it is the longest and most expansive suspended plank walkway on the mountain, and arguably among the longest and most open high-mountain cliff walkways in the world. Standing on the viewing gallery, you will feel as carefree as wandering the West Sea and as joyful as an immortal.
3 hours
Yujing Peak Scenic Area
At 1,819.9 metres above sea level, Yujing Peak is the highest summit on Mount Sanqing. Here you will find the ethereal Penglai Three Peaks, the steep plunge of Feixian Valley, and natural wonders such as sea of clouds, mist and sunrise. The local saying goes, "Without climbing Yujing Peak, you will miss the wonder of Sanqing." It is one of the best spots on the mountain for watching both sunrise and sunset.
3 hours

Guifeng Scenic Area
Anyone who has watched the TV series Journey to the West will find this place strangely familiar. Legend has it that this was once the Dragon Palace of the East Sea. When the waters receded, the turtles turned into stone. Also worth exploring are the city wall ruins from the Taiping Rebellion and the villas built during the Republican era. If you look closely, you will notice that the heads of the stone turtles here all face east, so if you get lost in the mountains, the turtle heads can help you find your bearings. The most remarkable feature is that a small stone turtle on Jinzhong Mountain can forecast the weather. Locals have a saying: 'When Jinzhong wears a hat, rain brings flooding.'
¥160 (includes sightseeing bus and boat ride) · 3–5 hours