[+/-] : Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve

Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve lies in Jiuzhaigou County, northwest of Sichuan Province in the southern part of Minshan Mountains, approximately 400 kilometers from Chengdu City. Established in 1978, the Reserve covers an area of 60,000 hectareswith its name stemming from 9 Tibetan villages nearby.Luxuriant forests and snow peaks in Jiuzhaigou make it a spectacular gem of nature. Jiuzhaigou is a comprehensive nature reserve, its main protection targets are pandas, other rare wildlife and forest ecosystem. In 1992, it was listed in the World's Natural Heritage, and three years later, it was included in the International Man and Biosphere Reserve Network of UNESCO

2008-01-07 10:07:22.0Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve131Nature Reservesaboutchina/enpproperty-->
Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve

Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve lies in Jiuzhaigou County, northwest of Sichuan Province in the southern part of Minshan Mountains, approximately 400 kilometers from Chengdu City. Established in 1978, the Reserve covers an area of 60,000 hectareswith its name stemming from 9 Tibetan villages nearby.Luxuriant forests and snow peaks in Jiuzhaigou make it a spectacular gem of nature. Jiuzhaigou is a comprehensive nature reserve, its main protection targets are pandas, other rare wildlife and forest ecosystem. In 1992, it was listed in the World's Natural Heritage, and three years later, it was included in the International Man and Biosphere Reserve Network of UNESCO.
Climate
The climate of the Reserve is a transition of northern sub-tropic and warm temperate one. It is cool temperate, being especially damp and cold on the higher mountain slopes and cool and dry in the valleys. It is low in temperature in the spring and mean temperature varies from 9°C to 18°C. Mean temperature is around 19°C to 22°C in the summer. It is pleasant in the autumn with a temperature of 7°C to 18°C, but it is rather cold in the winter with a mean temperature of around 0°C. Total annual rainfall is no more than 600 millimeters and the rainy season usually runs from July to August.

Physical Features

2008-01-07 10:07:22.0Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve131Nature Reservesaboutchina/enpproperty-->
Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve

Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve lies in Jiuzhaigou County, northwest of Sichuan Province in the southern part of Minshan Mountains, approximately 400 kilometers from Chengdu City. Established in 1978, the Reserve covers an area of 60,000 hectareswith its name stemming from 9 Tibetan villages nearby.Luxuriant forests and snow peaks in Jiuzhaigou make it a spectacular gem of nature. Jiuzhaigou is a comprehensive nature reserve, its main protection targets are pandas, other rare wildlife and forest ecosystem. In 1992, it was listed in the World's Natural Heritage, and three years later, it was included in the International Man and Biosphere Reserve Network of UNESCO.
Climate
The climate of the Reserve is a transition of northern sub-tropic and warm temperate one. It is cool temperate, being especially damp and cold on the higher mountain slopes and cool and dry in the valleys. It is low in temperature in the spring and mean temperature varies from 9°C to 18°C. Mean temperature is around 19°C to 22°C in the summer. It is pleasant in the autumn with a temperature of 7°C to 18°C, but it is rather cold in the winter with a mean temperature of around 0°C. Total annual rainfall is no more than 600 millimeters and the rainy season usually runs from July to August.
Physical Features
Lying on the edge of the diverging belt between Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Jiuzhaigou is geologically the high altitude karst landforms that have been strongly influenced by glacial, hydrological and tectonic movement. As a branch of the source of the Jialing River, part of the Yangtze River system, Jiuzhaigou is a magnificent valley extending over 60 kilometers with a complex landscape. Along the valley, there are 108 plateau lakes of different size and shape, many of which are classic ribbon lakes at the base of glacially formed valleys. Among them the Nuorilang Lake is most famous for they are stepped lakes in which crystal clear water cascades from one tier to the next, producing melodious music in the process. Lakes in Jiuzhaigoun are called by the locals "haizi", which means "sons of the sea".

Multiple and complex geological changes throughout history resulted in the unique landscape of the Reserve, in which primitive forest covers an area of over 200 hectares. Vertical distribution of the natural vegetation is kept intact with the altitude varying from 2,000 meters at the entrance to 4,700 meters at its peak. With the increase of the altitude, there appears vertical difference of vegetation types, corresponding to variation in temperature and moisture. Between the altitude of 2,000-2,400 meters, oaks, birches, poplars and other broadleaved trees and Chinese pines, firs and other conifers grow densely in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest. Between the altitude of 2,400-3,200 meters, firs and Fragesia denudata grow well in coniferous forest. At the altitude of over 3,200 meters, Korean pines, firs, dragon spruce and other precious tree species as well as medicinal materials such as Cordyceps sinensis and tendril-leaved fritillary bulb grow in the alpine shrub. The Reserve is not only rich in plants but also in animal species, among which there are rare species such as giant pandas, golden monkeys, Takins, lesser pandas, otters and swans.

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[+/-] : Mt.Huashan

Huashan Mountain is located in Huayin County, Shaanxi province. It is the Western Mountain of the Five Sacred Mountains. It is second highest to the Northern Mountain -- Hengshan Mountain and praised as "the First Odd Mountain in the World". Its craggedness is outstanding compared with the other four sacred mountains.

Huashan Mountain boasts five imposing peaks with sheer precipices and overhanging rocks: the east one is called the Peak of the Rising Sun which is the best location to view sunrising; the north one, the Peak of Cloud Terrace which is famous for cliffs on its three sides; the west one, the peak of Lotus; the south one, the Peak of Wild Geese which is the main peak and also the steepest of Huashan Mountain with an elevation of 2,083 meters; and the Central one, the Peak of the Jade Maiden, which links the east, west and south peaks. Each presents a unique scenic beauty, surrounded by over 70 minor peaks.

Places of historical interest and scenic spots such as towers, caves, stone steps, temples and pavilions can be found everywhere. The cloud-enshrouded cliff path, the sculptured rocky cliff, the floating-in-the-air Somersault Cliff, the cliff-excavated Thousand-Foot Precipice with 370-odd stone steps, the Hundred-Foot Valley, the Laojun's Furrow with 570-odd stone steps, the Ear-Touching Cliff, the Up-the-Heaven's Ladder and so on, are all marvelous views of precipitous and perilous cliff paths.
In ancient times, many emperors came here to make sacrifices to their ancestors, and celebrities visited Huashan Mountain leaving quite a lot of stone inscriptions of poems. Huashan Mountain has many places of historic interest and scenic beauty, as well as many fantastic and legendary stories. Its fascination lasts forever.
Cultural Heritage
1、South Peak: Taoism Temples
The south peak is the main peak and also the steepest of Huashan Mountain. Legend has it that Laozi, the originator of Taoism, used to missionize here. Among the many temples, the Jintian Palace, the Zhenyue Palace and the Chunyang Temple are the listed among the state-level Taoist structures.
2. West Peak: Green Cloud Temple

The Green Cloud Temple is also called the Holy Mother Temple. It enshrines statues of three holy mothers. There is a large stone cut into three parts outside. It is the well-known "Ax Cutting Stone" for it looks as if it is being cut by an ax. Beside the stone, there is a huge ax. According to legendBaolian Deng(The Lotus Lamp), it was used by Chen Xiang to save his mother.

3. Central Peak: Jade Maiden Shrine
It is on the central peak of Huashan Mountain and stands on a natural stone tortoise. The Jade maiden was said to be Nong Yu -- daughter of Duke Mu of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC). The story took place in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC): A young man named Xiao Shi was good at playing bamboo flute. Nong Yu, who fell deeply in love with the poor young man, gave up all her nabobism to marry Xiao. The lovers came to Huashan Mountain and lived here for the rest of their life. To commemorate the couple, people built the Jade Maiden Shrine.

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[+/-] : Ice waterfall in Huangshan city

Tourists take pictures of ice waterfall at the headwaters of three rivers (Xinan River, Fuchun River and Qiantang River) in Huangshan city, East China’s Anhui Province, January 3, 2007.

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