In Xiangxi, or the western part of Hunan province, mountains dominate the landscape. At the peak of summer, they are draped in lush vegetation against a clear blue backdrop, creating a visual feast. While many of these mountains are undeniably beautiful, some are truly extraordinary, making the region a magnet for tourists, particularly hikers.

In Zhangjiajie, my first stop on a seven-day trip to Xiangxi, I awoke to the sound of my alarm, feeling like a zombie as I stumbled out of bed. But when I drew the curtains open, my heart skipped a beat — the Tianmen Mountain loomed in the distance, a pitch-black silhouette resembling a giant paperweight solemnly anchored to the earth.

As I gazed at the mountain, I was struck by the realization that these colossal "rocks" were once submerged under the sea hundreds of millions of years ago. Compared to them, our lives are but fleeting moments, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps this is one reason why the Chinese people have always held mountains in such reverence.