In late autumn and early winter, the moderate cold turns the leaves red. It was a good time to watch maple leaves in Xiangshan Mountain, but there would be too many people there, so we chose a quiet place – Hongluo Temple in Huairou. 

Millennial Hongluo Temple in the arms of the lofty Yanshan Mountain looks solemn and majestic. Hongluo Temple used to be a world-famous Buddhist temple. Now it enjoys certain popularity among Buddhist believers in Beijing. Though we don't know Buddhist rules, we are sincere. (Under the striking red archway, we left our warm smiles in early winter). 

In the mountain, we should try some delicacies of the mountain. The smoke from kitchen chimneys of farmhouses and the long-missed smell of roast corn allured us. Each of us bought a roast corn. Holding up the yellow old corn, we took an artistic close-up beside the Fairy Pond.
"The higher in the mountain, the wider your field of vision will be". We climbed up slowly along the southern foot of Hongluo Mountain, but we were determined to conquer it.  

Today it is windy. The wind in the mountain is ever stronger. Anyway, "climbing a mountain is a game of brave people!" Since we decide to climb it, we will never recoil.
Against the wind, with a hand pressing the hat, we are challenging the peak.

The fantastic natural landscape of Hongluo Mountain adds conviction to its mysterious Buddhist origin. Chinese people always cherish respect and worship to their ancestors and Buddha – enshrine Guan Gong, worship Bodhisattva, pray for sons and safety……. On the way to the peak, when we passed Heavenly King Hall, Hall of the Three Holy Ones, Warrior God Hall, Dharma Hall, Thousand-hand Bodhisattva Hall, Hall of Patriarch and Guanyin Temple, some of us would entered the halls and paid homage to Buddha. Others including me would cherish their piety in their hearts and express their respect to Buddha with the love for the nature. Picking up a "red fans" and posing before the giant inscription of Master Hongyi "Fortune Green", we prayed for success in our heart. 

Finally, by our indomitable willpower against the gale and the blessing of Buddha, we completed the mountain climbing game today. After buying some local specialties and souvenirs on the stalls at the foot of the mountain, we wore strings of prayer beads and bracelets and went to the tastefully situated "Bell Villa" where we had a genuine farmer meal.
We sat on the heated kang (brick bed) and ate the dishes in large bowls, corn pastry and mountain delicacies. It was a gorgeous feast.  

After filling up our stomachs, we bid farewell to Hongluo Temple.

See you Hongluo Temple! We will come again!

(The mythical allusions about "Hongluo Pond" and "Hongluo Temple" are cited from the website of Beijing Hongluo Temple.)