Huangshan Local Customs

Not sure if this should be included in this section. Apparently you are not free to smoke wherever you like. There are designated areas for smoking. I guess the reason could be that your smoke might create discomfort for other climbers (I mean, you can't be inhaling smoke when you are panting on your way up the mountains, YOu need oxygen!). I think the only place where you can smoke is in the hotel and withing radius of approximately 500 metres from there.or at the base of the mountain. And yes, perhaps oxygen is limited up there. Cheers to non-smokers?

Lovers would connect their locks onto chains in the peaks and walkways of Huangshan hoping that their love will survive "as long as there is an Earth." Then they will fling the keys over the cliffs.

From the dates etched into the locks, I didn't find many that were over a year old. And from what I was told, the park service remove and trash the older locks and park workers would clean up the valley of disgarded keys and other trash (which is a dangerous job). If this wasn't the case, millions of locks and keys would litter the grounds of Huangshan.

The love locks do distract from the natural beauty of Huangshan but it is such a popular tourist spot that it shouldn't be too surprising. Overall, I think this is a harmless tradition probably less harmful than burning incense or paper money.

What is even worse than the love locks were seeing some tourists throwing empty bottles/cans into the valleys even though there were plenty of garbage bins.

What is even sillier are the vendors selling medallions (like the kind given at the Olympics) to tourists. Getting up any of the peaks at Huangshan is no big feat and surely doesn't warrant a medal.

Chain your love, and throw away the key so that it is locked forever, that is what a lot of couples do here. They buy the lock from streetvendors. On "Freecloud"s Huangshan page I read her comment on this, you should read it too, if this lock thing looks like a thing you would do.

If you decide to buy a lock anyway, don't throw away the key over the fence, you'll litter the place.

The steps up and down the peaks can be quite steep. Wear sensible shoes, hold onto the railing, and take your time.