Monkeys rule in Qianling

Qianling also houses the province's largest Zen Buddhist holy site.

Hongfu Temple started as a mud hut built in the late 1600s by a monk, who later cajoled officials' support for constructing it into a major spiritual center.

A drum tower and a tower with a 1,500-kilogram bell flank the compound. In the center stands a Guanyin Buddha mirrored in a reflecting pool.

Monks march clockwise in the gallery while chanting sutras.

The temple is surrounded by a stele forest inside an actual forest.

But just down the road, the serenity is broken by the Children's Paradise, which houses camels for riding, an arcade and amusement park rides.

The children's play area is also next to Unicorn Cave. Despite being small and slick, this remains the most famous of the park's 200 caverns.

The grotto, in turn, is near the exit - from which, macaques' yelps can be heard bouncing off the mountains.