Overview
| Name | Mount Chaya 嵖岈山 |
| Web address | https://parkofchina.com/en/chayashan.html |
| Designation | AAAAA tourist attraction (2015) |
| Province | Henan |
| Location | Western Suiping County, Zhumadian, Henan; eastern end of the Funiu Mountains |
| Latitude, longitude | 33.13, 113.72 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Granite rock formations |
| Top sights | Rock forests of the South and North mountains, First Stone Monkey under Heaven, Tianmo Lake, Pipa Lake |
| Nearby cities | Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Kaifeng |
| Nearby sites | Mount Jigong, Mount Song, Shaolin Temple, Northern Song Imperial Tombs, Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang |
| Themes | Mountain, Low Mountain, Stone, Lake, Hiking & climbing |
About
Mount Chaya lies in the west of Suiping County, Zhumadian, Henan, at the eastern end of the Funiu Mountains. It is a national AAAAA attraction and a national geopark. The mountain is not high, but long weathering of its granite has left a forest of strangely shaped peaks and rocks.
The scenic area consists mainly of the South Mountain, the North Mountain, Liufeng Mountain, and Tianmo and Pipa lakes, with Xiumi Lake also among the hills. The best-known rock is a huge boulder shaped like a monkey, called the “First Stone Monkey under Heaven”. The television series Journey to the West filmed outdoor scenes here.
Chayashan town, north of the mountain, has the site of the Chayashan Weixing People’s Commune, a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level.
Travel tips
Getting there: the scenic area is about 25 km west of Suiping town, with east, north and south gates.
Time: usually half a day to a day; the rocks of the South and North mountains are the main sights.
Nearby
| World Heritage | Taishi Que and Zhongyue Temple 159km, Mount Song 166km, Shaolin Temple 169km, Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang 196km |
| National parks | Mount Tongbai and the Source of the Huai 92km, Mount Jigong 151km, Mount Shiren (Stone Men) 152km, Mount Dahong 194km |
| AAAAA attractions | Taihao Fuxi Mausoleum Cultural Tourist Area 128km, Yaoshan Mountain and Central Plains Buddha Scenic Area 152km, Baiyunshan Scenic Area 185km, Funiu Mountain Laojieling and Dinosaur Relics Park Tourist Area 189km |
| AAAA attractions | Dengtaijia 16km, Erlangshan 21km, Xianglonggu 22km, Jindingshan 32km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Funiushan UNESCO Global Geopark 162km |
| Historical sites | Site of the Chayashan Sputnik People's Commune 8km, Jiudian Iron Smelting Site 14km, Yangtaisi Site 20km, Dongqiao Site 29km |
| Nature reserves | Dongzhai National Nature Reserve 48km, Baotianman National Nature Reserve 106km |
| Historic towns | Chayashan Town 3km, Zhugou Town 38km |