Mountain pressure The mountain, considered the epitome of classic Chinese landscape scenery, draws visitors from around the world.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

The tree has a branch protruding out from the cliff, resembling a waving arm that welcomes visitors from far and wide.

For those with stamina, it takes about three hours on foot to reach the spot.

"It's the perfect time of the year to catch the autumnal scenery," Ge says.

Fresh air and a profound cultural heritage have contributed to the mountain's popularity.

"There are many inscriptions on the precipices and ancient paths and bridges here," Ge says.

Many well-known painters have based their classic artistic creations on Huangshan since the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, which also adds to Huangshan's fame.

Photography competitions also draw a large number of shutterbugs to the scenic area.

Huangshan received more than 180,000 visitors during the recent National Day holiday (Oct 1-8), an increase of 17.4 percent over the same period last year.

In 2016, the number of visitors broke 3.3 million, more than 30 times the number in 1978, and the scenic spot raked in 2.83 billion yuan ($428 million).

The launch of the Hefei-Fuzhou high-speed railway in 2015 has given local tourism a shot in the arm. "We've seen a significant increase in the number of tourists from cities along the rail line, especially from Beijing, Fujian and Tianjin," Ge says.

Outbound tourists from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative are also increasing, especially those from Europe. Visitor numbers from the United States are also rising.