Cloud walking sensation on Taoist mountain

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 ◆ Cloud walking sensation on Taoist mountain

Those who prefer a thrilling should try walking amid clouds on a Chinese Taoist mountain cliff-side of Sanqing Mountain in east China's Jiangxi province.

The real-life cloud walking experience is made possible by the recent construction of the world's most elevated cliff plank mountain roadway. The ferro-concrete cliff plank, 1,600 meters in average altitude and 4,600 meters long, zigzags across the western part of Sanqing mountain, famed both for its natural charm and its1,600-year-long cultural heritage of Taoism.

Located in the city of Shangrao in Jiangxi province, Sanqing Mountain, although easy to get to, is not easy to climb. Many visitors have been unable to manage the difficult mountain tracks. Now visitors can have the thrill of walking along the cliff-edge on the plank roadway with the narrowest width only 90 centimeters.

Leaning against the cliff, visitors can enjoy the sight of wind passing through the pines and the rolling waves of cloud. Almost 80 percent of the cliff plank, 3,600 meters long, is a sloped without steps.

The planked roadway, which cost more than 20 million yuan (2.4 million US dollars), connects the Tiyunling (Cloud Ladder Peak) scenic area and the Sanqing Palace area of artificial scenery and provides visitors with a platform to see wildlife.

The cliff plank has undergone repeated safety tests for weight and tension. Experts say it is completely safe.

Sanqing mountain sank into the ocean three times during the geological upheavals some 1.4 billion years ago. The cliff plank roadway runs along the cliff-side in an area once an ancient coastline.

In order not to spoil the mountain's natural resources, local officials said, all sand, stone and rock materials were carried from the foot of the mountain by 300 workers. The officials also said that they also favored a tree-cutting ban during the construction after discussion and therefore left the woods intact and trees standing.

Local officials have the construction of a cliff plank roadway across the east of the mountain on their agenda.