Huaqing Palace — Lishan Mountain Hot Springs

The extended Lishan Mountain section of Huaqing Palace near Xi'an, including the cold mineral springs at higher elevation, the site of the 1936 Xi'an Incident where Chiang Kai-shek was detained, and panoramic ridge paths above the hot spring resort.

The Huaqing Palace complex at the base of Lishan Mountain is celebrated primarily as the setting for the Tang Emperor Xuanzong's legendary romance with the consort Yang Guifei (Yang Yuhuan), immortalised in Bai Juyi's poem 'Song of Everlasting Regret'. The hot spring pools where Yang bathed have become the site's most visited feature. However, the mountain above the palace — Lishan, literally Black Stallion Mountain — offers an entirely different visit focussing on landscape and modern history.

The Lishan scenic area above the palace is reached by cable car or a steep 2–3 hour ascent on foot. The upper mountain contains the cave where Chiang Kai-shek hid in his pyjamas on 12 December 1936, when his own generals arrested him in the Xi'an Incident — an event that led directly to the CCP-Kuomintang United Front against Japan. The cave (Bingjian-Ting Pavilion site) and a small memorial hall explain the incident's history. Below the cave, the bullet-pocked steps where Chiang stumbled in his flight are preserved.

Higher on Lishan, the Mother of the West Peak (Xumu Peak) carries a small Daoist temple dedicated to Nüwa, the creator goddess. The ridge path connecting this peak to the eastern summit gives panoramic views across the Wei River plain toward Xi'an and, in clear weather, the Qinling Mountains to the south. The secondary cold springs — the Jiulong Tang (Nine Dragon Pool) — at the middle elevation are quieter than the famous hot baths below.

The full Lishan visit combined with the palace hot spring pools requires a whole day.