Autumn brings not only cooling breezes, but the glow of red and golden shades that suffuses the natural landscape. And the end of October onwards is the time that maple leaves transform in this way creating one of the most famous sights of the fall season.
"The maple tree goes by the scientific name of aceraceae, and there are a great number of species that differ in everything from the shapes to the colors of their leaves," Huang Zengyan, senior botanical engineer at the Shanghai Botanical Garden, told the Global Times. "The change in color of maple leaves from green to gold or red depends greatly on the change in temperature; when it reaches an average of 15 C, the color begins to transform. This change in maple leaves in southern China normally lasts until late December, so now's the best time to appreciate this beauty."
In Shanghai, maple trees can be seen in botanical gardens and on some public greenbelt land, but not in large quantities. But you don't have to travel all the way to Canada, to appreciate this arboreal landscape in all its splendor; there are a number of weekend trips around Shanghai that present the opportunity and the Global Times has uncovered three of the more popular destinations.
Ancient beauties
Tianping Mountain, adjacent to Taihu Lake and about 14 kilometers west of downtown Suzhou, has been revered as a scenic spot since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The site is famous for its unusually shaped stones, clear springs and red maple leaves.
Some 400 ancient maple trees planted more than 400 years ago remain the highlight of this scenic area. Every autumn, the Red Maple Leaf Festival is held there and which, this year, runs until December 9. Maple leaf-related souvenirs can also be found in the area.
Amid the natural beauty are a number of man-made attractions such as temples and memorial arches, some commemorating ancient Chinese poets and emperors who once traveled there.
Take the D-train from Shanghai to Suzhou Railway Station, and get on the No.4 travel bus (You Si Xian). The terminal station is the stop for the Tianping Mountain area. Be mindful of the departure times of the buses; they leave at half past every hour from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Entrance: 25 yuan
Opening hours: 7:30 am to 5 pm
Tel: 0512-6657-8763
Geological interest
As one of the country's four famous red maple scenic areas (the other three are the aforementioned Tianping Mountain, Xiangshan Mountain in Beijing, and Yuelu Mountain in Hunan Province), Qixia Mountain is located in a suburban area to the north east of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province.
Now is the best time to visit the area for sightseeing, particularly the Red Leaf Hill in the Qixia Mountain area. The mountain boasts many kinds of trees with red leaves, such as Sweet Gum, Japanese Maple, Buerger Maple, Acer Palmatum, Zelkova, and Chinese Pistache. The area also boasts many fascinating sites of geological interest including a number of ancient fossils. For this reason, Qixia Mountain is known as a "natural geology museum."
During the mountain's annual Red Maple Leaf Festival, there is an exhibition showcasing calligraphy and painting works around the theme of maple leaves which lasts until December 16. This year, there is also a photographic exhibition being staged, which shows images of the Qixia Mountain and the surrounding area from times past.
Take the D-train from Shanghai to Nanjing Railway Station (about two and a half hours), and then take a bus on the Nanshang Line, Nanqi Line or Nanlong Line in order to arrive at Qixiasi Station.
Entrance: 35 yuan (during the maple leaf season)
Opening hours: 7 am to 5 pm
Tel: 025-8576-1831
Streams and waterfalls
Known as "the Huangshan Mountain of Zhejiang Province" and lying 116 kilometers from Hangzhou, Daming Mountain in Lin'an county boasts a variety of interesting landscapes including 32 peaks, 13 mountain streams, and eight waterfalls.
The mountain is especially worth a visit in autumn for its breathtaking maple-leaf scenery. The best time to enjoy the view is from the end of October to about the middle of November when the whole mountain is covered in a sea of red.
The ongoing Daming Mountain Red Maple Leaf Festival runs until November 31.
Transportation from Hangzhou Railway Station to this scenic spot is patchy, so it's recommended that visitors drive there. After arriving in Hangzhou via the Shanghai-Hangzhou Highway, change to the Hangzhou-Anhui Highway and get off at the exit for Baiguo.
Follow the directions for the mountain area which is a further 10 minutes drive away. A 50 percent discount on the entrance fee is offered to every driver of a vehicle.
Entrance: 110 yuan
Opening hours: 8 am to 5 pm
Tel: 0571-8783-5571