A Serene Place at the Foot of the Bodhisattva - My Slow-paced Buddhist Life at Jiuhua Mountain

As a sacred Buddhist site and the abode of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Jiuhua Mountain is a must-visit destination. However, the accommodation options here are not as luxurious or abundant as those at Huangshan Mountain. While Jiuhua Street within the scenic area is bustling with incense offerings and offers various hotels led by the Dongya Hotel, the constant crowds make it less peaceful. Although Hanyue Lou provides tranquility, its remote location requires taxis for transportation, and the prices are relatively high. Only Lotus Town strikes a perfect balance between convenient transportation and serene living. Lotus Town is actually adjacent to the Great Vow Cultural Park, with the statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva just a few hundred meters away in a straight line. Although there's no shortcut to the cultural park, it's not far—just a little over a kilometer by detouring along the main road. Moreover, the town's entrance has a shuttle bus stop, allowing visitors to avoid long queues at the tourist center. The town is uniformly planned with consistent architectural styles and features several hotels like Moonlan and Lijing Bieyuan. However, as a loyal member of the Kaiyuan Club, I chose the Kaiyuan Yiju Hotel for my stay, marking my first experience with the Yiju brand. The hotel is not far from the town entrance, and the statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is visible from the front. Unfortunately, due to the building's orientation and low height, this iconic view isn't visible from the rooms. However, most rooms come with a balcony or small courtyard, offering lovely views of the fields and mountains. Wrapped in mountain mist and greenery every day, falling asleep to the sound of frogs and waking up to birdsong was incredibly relaxing. I even spotted lively squirrels and rare birds. The hotel service was excellent, with all member benefits honored. I stayed in a family suite on the second floor, featuring a balcony, two bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom. At 77 square meters, it's the hotel's best room and quite impressive for the Yiju brand. The complimentary water is local mineral water, and the tea bags are from Chali Original Leaf. The kettle has multi-stage temperature control. When I asked the housekeeping staff for extra water and tea bags, they kindly provided six bottles of water and eight tea bags daily—a thoughtful touch I didn't expect at such an affordable hotel. In contrast, a certain delisted Kaiyuan hotel charged ¥5 per bottle for additional water. The bedding was comfortable, and the air conditioning worked well. However, there was no bathtub or smart toilet, and the bathroom space was relatively small, with only a single sink—a bit tight for a two-bedroom suite. The toiletries, though, were of good quality, featuring Damana. Overall, with reasonable room rates, a peaceful environment, and good service, this hotel is an excellent choice for those visiting Jiuhua Mountain for Buddhist practices or a retreat. Considering the 10-night stay reward of ¥1,500 (redeeming 7,000 points for one night at Fangwai, valued at ¥1,500), the cost of staying here is quite low.