Yushan sits in the middle of the island, inside Yushan National Park. The park is one of the wildest, quietest places in Taiwan. It is home to bears, monkeys, deer and many kinds of bird. The further up you climb, the colder it gets - and the smaller and tougher the trees become.
Even though Taiwan is a warm island, the top of Yushan is so high that it gets snow in winter. Hikers who reach the peak in January or February sometimes find a layer of fresh white snow. That is why the mountain's name talks about 'jade' - the snow glows in the sunshine.
Walking to the top is a big adventure. Climbers usually start the day before, sleep in a mountain hut along the way, and then walk up in the dark so they can reach the peak just as the sun is rising. From there, on a clear morning, you can see all the way to the sea on both sides of Taiwan.
Yushan is so important that it appears on Taiwan's thousand-dollar banknote. Many Taiwanese people grow up dreaming of climbing it at least once in their life. It is a kind of national journey - and you don't need to climb alone, because there are always others walking up the same trail.