Weizhou Island

The magnificent Penglai Island is a legendary place in the East China Sea, where fairies dance about the forests and immortal Tai Chi masters roam the mountains. It is an island where, if you’re lucky, you too can achieve immortality. Throughout history many powerful leaders, including Qin Shi Huang, wasted countless resources and spent their lives searching for this mythical place. If only they’d gone to the South China Sea first, then they’d have found Weizhou Island, a real paradise on earth! Weizhou was formed over 10,000 years ago by volcanic eruptions, making it the youngest and largest volcanic island in China. It is just 67 kilometres (about 36 nautical miles) from Beihai City Port and, like Beihai, benefits from luxuriously hot subtropical weather.

The island is only 6.5 kilometres from north to south, and 6 kilometres from east to west, but its unspoiled natural landscapes and thriving wildlife make it an idyllic place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The splendid coral reefs in the waters, rigid pines of the forest and plump cacti blanketing the cliffs make for a sumptuous visual feast. It’s no wonder that people thought the island was a mythical place! Over thousands of years, the numerous volcanic eruptions that have taken place on the island have helped produce unusual landforms, such as the cliffs near Nanwan Port. However, don’t be plagued by nightmarish visions of lava! There hasn’t been an eruption on Weizhou for over 7,000 years.

Considering Weizhou was formed by fire and brimstone, it seems rather odd that it is home to two of the first Catholic churches ever built in China. From 1869 to 1879, French missionaries set about building a Gothic-style Catholic church in the small fishing village of Shengtang, which is now referred to as the Weizhou Catholic Cathedral. Once it was completed, they built the Saint Maria Church in Chengzai village, meaning that you never have to go too far for Sunday Mass on this small island! These churches were built using a special type of coral rock, giving them an extraordinarily unique appearance. They are now open to visitors, although the Catholic Cathedral in Shengtang is considered the most popular. The sight of this western-style cathedral, located alongside the eastern-style Sanpo Temple, aptly portrays how international these fishing villages have become, thanks in part to tourism and in part to the historical Maritime Silk Road.

If you’re feeling a little less holy and a little more hellfire, you can always take a trip to the Volcanic Park just west of Nanwan Port. The park boasts a variety of unusual volcanic formations, including Crocodile Hill, Pirate’s Cave, and Moon Bay. There’s also a lovely little Geological Museum where visitors can learn more about how the island was formed and what types of fossils they may find scattered throughout the park.

Since it is an island, Weizhou is not without its fair share of beaches. West Beach, with its soft sand, sparkling waters, and fresh seafood barbecues, is widely considered to be the finest on the island. It’s the ideal place to enjoy a refreshingly cold beverage, frolic in the sand, indulge in some snorkelling, or go diving with an instructor and marvel at the sparkling coral reefs. You can even book a space on a glass-bottomed boat and admire the marine life from the safety of your seat. However, it is important to note that there are no lifeguards on the beach so you must be very careful when swimming or taking part in other water-sports. Along with West Beach, the Multi-coloured Beach on the east coast is not without its charm. When the sun rises on this volcanic stone beach, the sunlight reflecting off of the wet, crimson rocks looks truly spectacular.

Fishing is the main source of income for many of the locals, but there are also plentiful banana plantations littered throughout Weizhou. We recommend hiking or renting a bicycle from one of the hostels so you can explore the island and take some photographs. Just be sure not to slip on those banana peels! Once you’ve worked up a healthy appetite, you can retire to one of the villages and sample some of the freshest seafood dishes in Guangxi. There are many small eateries and restaurants scattered throughout the island and, since seafood is abundant in Weizhou, most dishes are incredibly cheap. They only vary in price depending on the rareness of the seafood, what the catch of the day is, and what the weather conditions have been like, so having dinner may start to feel like seafood roulette!

Weizhou can be easily reached from Beihai port via ferry, which departs daily at 8.30am, 11.15am, 4.00pm and 5.30pm, and takes approximately 3 hours. There are reasonably regular return ferries to Beihai or, alternatively, you could stay in one of hostels on the island. These hostels are of good quality and private, air-conditioned rooms are usually available on request.

Xieyang Island

Xieyang Island is 9 nautical miles to the southwest of Weizhou and is only a twelfth of the size. There is one small path, which leads from the north side of the island to the south, and only about 100 people call this small, isolated place home. The island has become famous for its myriad of exotic birds and its tranquil forests. Visitors to Weizhou can rent a boat to Xieyang and admire the simple, unchanged lifestyle of its locals.

Beihai Silver Beach

Who can resist a day out at the beach? The sun on your back, the soothing sound of the waves, the glittering soft sand beneath your feet, it’s the ideal way to spend a hot summer’s day. Yet, for most of us, a trip to the beach means a long drive spent anxiously waiting for the cool sea breeze and the first sweet taste of ice cream. In Beihai, Silver Beach is only 10 kilometres away from the city centre! Silver Beach is celebrated as the greatest beach in China and boasts rare grey-white quartz sand, which gives it its distinctive silvery appearance. Sparkling in the sunlight, both the silvery sands and crystal clear waters look far too tempting to pass up. After one day at Silver Beach, you may just scrap your retirement plans in Hawaii and decide to move to Beihai instead!

This wonderful white beach stretches 24 kilometres along the southernmost coast of China and varies from 30 metres to about 300 metres in width. Its popularity is in part due to its renowned safety, as the waves are particularly gentle and there are no sharks or other harmful wildlife in the water. This makes it an ideal place for parents to bring their children, as the beach is a safe haven for adults and youngsters alike. The beach is split into three sections: Beihai Silver Beach Park, Beihai Beach Park and Qiaogang Beach. The two beach parks have an admittance fee but the beach itself is free. These parks boast unusual buildings, a children’s swimming pool, a marine biology museum, an open-air dance floor, and even an exotic bird exhibit. If the beach just isn’t exciting enough for you or you’ve been out in the sun so long that you’re starting to look a bit like a lobster, you might want to take a stroll around the beach parks and enjoy the various attractions on offer.

In the middle of the beach, there’s a bridge that appears to go nowhere. This bridge is known as Fairy Bridge or Immortal Bridge. According to legend, a Japanese monk had come to China on a pilgrimage and happened to be walking along Silver Beach when all of a sudden he saw a rainbow drop out of the sky. The shimmering rainbow landed in the middle of the beach and, from a distance, the monk could see two figures stood on the rainbow discussing something. The monk rushed towards the rainbow but, before he could reach the talking figures, the rainbow vanished, leaving behind only this bridge. The monk supposedly spent the rest of his days praying at this bridge, hoping to catch another glimpse of the mysterious figures. That being said, we don’t recommend spending your day out praying at the bridge.

On top of sun-bathing and swimming, Silver Beach hosts a myriad of activities that are sure to tempt you. You can indulge in a little volleyball on the sand, go snorkelling in the clear blue waters, catch the adorable sand crabs as they skitter out of their holes, or go-cart along the seafront. If you fancy passing a more leisurely day, the beach is lined with several kiosks, shops, and restaurants. Here you can purchase small souvenirs, sample some of the freshest seafood delicacies, or simply enjoy an ice cream as you watch the other visitors frolic on the sand. Just be sure not to drop your ice cream, or the sand crabs might just pinch it!

The Three Parallel Rivers

Taking up only 0.4% of the country’s area yet somehow managing to support 20% of its plant species and 25% of its animal species, the protected areas around the Three Parallel Rivers are some of the most bio-diverse in the world. Altogether 15 protected areas along the three rivers were made into a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003 because of their biodiversity and phenomenal landforms. The site represents the point where the Yangtze (Jinsha), Mekong (Lancang) and Salween (Nujiang) rivers run parallel for over 300 kilometres. This is rather miraculous in of itself, considering these are the 3rd, 12th and 25th longest rivers in the world respectively and, while the Yangtze eventually flows into the East China Sea at Shanghai, miles away the Mekong empties into the South China Sea at the city of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and still further the Salween flows into the Indian Ocean at Moulmein in Burma.

Some of the gorges in these areas boast a depth of over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft.), making them twice as deep as the Grand Canyon! At the bottom of the gorges the climate is sub-tropical, whilst along the top there are mountain ranges sporting over 100 snow-covered mountains that are higher than 5,000 metres (over 16, 400 ft.). With all these different temperature zones, you can see how this area has come to support so many plant and animal species. The protected areas are inhabited by a phenomenal 6,000 species of plants, 173 species of mammals, and 417 species of birds, including red pandas, snow leopards, Lady Amherst’s pheasants, Asiatic wild dogs, and the incredibly rare Gaoligong Pika. The animal species found here are a wonderful mixture of the wildly beautiful and the painfully cute!

Of the many snow-capped mountains littered through the Three Parallel Rivers National Park, the Meili Snow Mountain is considered the most famous. Its tallest peak, Kawagarbo, looms over the surrounding countryside at an elevation of over 6,500 metres (22,100 ft.) and the whole range itself is considered sacred by the local Tibetan monks. As of 2001, it is illegal to climb the mountain as its status as a religious site means it would be sacrilegious to set foot on it. So be sure not to climb it or you’ll be arrest for high treason! If you travel to the town of Shenping in Yunnan, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view of the mountain range and may even see a few of the Tibetan pilgrims completing their circuit of it on foot.

The Meili Snow Mounta in is part of the eight geographical clusters that make up the national park and each one offers something new to its visitors. The Gaoligong Mountain Area is the most extensive and, as such, features cavernous gorges, dizzying cliffs, bubbling streams, thundering waterfalls, primeval evergreen forests, and settlements of the 25 ethnic minorities that call the area home.

The Yunling Mountain Area is home to the most diverse community of animal species, including the elusive Yunnan golden monkeys that can be found nowhere else on earth. And the Haba Snow Mountain Area boasts a modern oceanic glacier, an Indian azalea forest, alpine lakes, snow-capped mountains, and lava formations. Each of these clusters feels like an ethereal paradise and, with all of these choices on offer, you may never find your way out of the mountains!

From the luxuriant forests to the reddish sandstone Danxia landforms and the verdant alpine meadows, the protected areas of the Three Parallel Rivers represent a visual feast that should not be missed. You can access parts of the national park from the cities of Dali, Lijiang or Shangri-la in Yunnan. Most of the treks can take upwards of a week or more, so say goodbye to your creature comforts and prepare to get a little wild!

The Three Pagodas

Rising up alongside the magnificent Cangshan Mountains, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are an architectural wonder that is certainly protected by the gods. In 1925, during what was considered the most severe earthquake ever to hit Dali, only one out of every hundred buildings survived. Yet the Three Pagodas came out unscathed. Over a period of more than a thousand years, these towering monuments have witnessed numerous natural and man-made disasters, and have miraculously remained undamaged to this day. Nowadays they are the must-see tourist attraction in Dali and one of the few enduring remnants of China’s ancient past.

They are located about 1.5 kilometres away from Dali Ancient Town and rest at the foot of Yinglo Peak on the Cangshan Mountains. All three pagodas are made of brick that has been covered in white mud and they are arranged on the three points of a symmetric triangle. It is believed they were built for auspicious reasons as, according to local legends, Dali was once a swamp that acted as a breeding ground for dragons! When humans came to populate the area, they did not want to anger the frisky dragons, as it was well-known that dragons could cause natural disasters, so they built the three pagodas. Why, you ask? Because dragons are terrified of pagodas, of course! The ancient people believed these three pagodas would deter the dragons from returning and, as there hasn’t been a dragon sighting in over 1,000 years, I think we can firmly say that it worked.

The main pagoda at the centre, known as Qianxun Pagoda, is both the oldest and the most magnificent. The Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902) ruled over most of Yunnan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and King Quan Fengyou of Nanzhao built the pagoda sometime between 823 and 840 AD. At a colossal 70 metres (227 ft.) in height, it is one of the tallest pagodas in Chinese history. It is sixteen storeys high and is distinctly square-shaped, giving it a powerful elegance amongst the looming mountains.

As you marvel at this fine pagoda, it’s hard not to detect its resemblance to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an. Don’t worry; your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you! The designers of Qianxun Pagoda reputedly came from Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an) and this is why the pagoda is built in the traditional Tang-style. Tragically, the ladder that recently provided access to the upper storeys has collapsed so there is currently no way to climb Qianxun Pagoda.

In 1978, during a major restoration project, over 700 Buddhist relics, including statues made of gold, silver, wood and crystal, were found inside the pagoda. A number of ancient Buddhist documents and over 600 traditional medicinal ingredients were also excavated. These artefacts have provided historians with invaluable information about the history of the region, but have failed to answer the most pertinent question; how did so many people manage to miss spotting 700 statues? I could understand walking past a couple of statues without noticing them but not 700!

The two sibling pagodas were both built about 100 years after Qianxun and are each about 43 metres (140 ft.) tall. Unlike their big brother, their architectural style resembles that of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), as they are octagonal in shape and are ten storeys high. Behind the three pagodas, the Juying or “Reflection” Pond mirrors the image of the snow white towers jutting out amongst the mountains. For reasons unknown, one of the smaller pagodas leans slightly to the side and is reminiscent of Italy’s Tower of Pisa. If you fancy getting a fun snapshot of your trip, you can try “holding up” this pagoda in a photograph. You’ll end up with an interesting souvenir, but the other tourists might think you’ve gone a little crazy!

Chongsheng Temple, the pagodas’ mother building, was a Buddhist temple that acted as the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom (937-1253), which ruled the old Nanzhao Empire during both the Tang and Song dynasties. It was originally built around the same time as Qianxun Pagoda but was tragically destroyed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and had to be rebuilt in 2005. It is now a massive complex that winds its way up the Cangshan Mountains. If hiking isn’t your thing, on the nearby Marble Street you’ll find stalls where you can purchase locally made craftworks, marble carvings or brick-paintings.

Nowadays, tourists can visit both the temple and pagodas at almost any time. During the day, the pagodas rise up through the mist and stand tall, protecting the region from amorous dragons. At night, they are beautifully illuminated and appear almost ethereal, like towers from long forgotten fairy tales. If you’re taking a trip to Dali, set aside a few hours to make the trip and marvel at one of the last vestiges of the ancient Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms.

Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture

As an area of both extreme ethnic diversity and biodiversity, the prefecture of Xishuangbanna is one of the last known refuges of both the Jinuo ethnic minority and the rare Asian elephant. Although its full name, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, suggests that it is dominated by the Dai ethnic minority, this is far from the truth. The Dai people only account for 30% of the 990,000 strong population and the prefecture in fact supports 13 of China’s 56 resident ethnic minorities. From the Jinuo people, who are peculiar to the prefecture, right through to the mysterious Blang people, cultures of all kinds have found their niche in this tropical paradise.

Xishuangbanna shares its borders with Burma and Laos, and its southerly location, coupled with its low altitude, means it benefits from a near tropical climate. In ancient times, the Dai referred to the region as “Mengbanaxi” or “Miraculous Utopia” because, even in winter, it was as hot and balmy as summer. With an average annual temperature of between 18 and 22°C (64.4-71.6°F), the weather is so consistently warm that the locals often say there are only two seasons; dry and rainy. It is often recommended to visit between November and April, during the dry season, but the exceptional condition of the roads means that even a trip during the rainy season is feasible if you want to avoid the tourist crowds. Just be sure to pack an umbrella since, in these temperatures, wearing a raincoat will practically turn you into a walking sauna!

Tropical fruits, herbs, teas, coffee and Yunnan tobacco are all in abundance throughout Xishuangbanna and form part of the rich, lusciously multi-coloured tapestry of the landscape. Some of the highest quality pu’er tea is produced in this region along what are known as the Six Famous Tea Mountains. In a place where even the mountains are famous, you know there will be plenty of stunning attractions to keep you occupied! In Wild Elephant Valley, visitors can stay in hostels near the Mengyang Nature Reserve, 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the prefectural capital of Jinghong, and make their way through virgin forests, occasionally being treated to rare glimpses of China’s only community of Asian elephants. In the Single Tree Forest you can marvel at the nine-hundred-year old banyan tree, which covers an area so large (over 120 square metres or 143.6 square yards) that it is practically a forest in of itself!

Xishuangbanna’s proximity to other Southeast Asian countries means that is has been heavily influenced by Buddhism and much of its architecture reflects this. The magnificent Manfeilong Pagodas, a complex of nine snow-white pagodas in Manfeilong Village, are the perfect place to witness the religion in action. The Water Splashing Festival of the Dai people, a Buddhist festival which normally takes place from the 13th to the 15th of April each year, is held at this complex and represents one of the most popular ethnic minority festivals in China; perhaps because it affords the opportunity to throw buckets of water on your friends! However, if you happen to miss it there’s no need to fret as the Dai Ethnic Garden holds their own Water Splashing Festival every day of the year!

From the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden to the Mandian Waterfall, from the wild elephants through to the diverse ethnic peoples, Xishuangbanna is undoubtedly an exotic utopia that you don’t want to miss.

The Manfeilong Pagodas

With its golden tip glinting in the blinding sunlight, the main stupa of the Manfeilong Pagodas rises up like a shimmering lighthouse in a sea of rich tropical greenery. Buried in the rainforests of Xishuangbanna, on a hill near Manfeilong Village just 70 kilometres south of Jinghong City, these towering edifices are rumoured to be over 800 years old. Yet for so many years it appears they have been called by the wrong name! They are actually stupas, not pagodas, as a pagoda is a multi-tiered temple or place of worship whilst the Manfeilong Pagodas are hemispherical structures with small interiors designed for storing Buddhist relics and for private meditation. They look like large gourds and so earned the alternate name the “Bamboo Shoot Pagodas” for their striking resemblance to bamboo shoots. That being said, we don’t recommend trying to cut them up as part of a tasty stir-fry!

The site is made up of one central stupa that is approximately 16 metres (52 ft.) in height, with eight smaller stupas surrounding it at about 9 metres (30 ft.) in height. Some say that the main stupa looks like a caring parent surrounded by her bulbous little children! According to Buddhist records, the complex was built in 1204 AD or the year 565 according to the Dai ethnic minority’s calendar. It was originally designed by three Indian Buddhist monks and was sponsored by the chieftain of a local tribe, but has recently been renovated. Today the stupas pure white bricks still shimmer as the sunlight hits their calabash shaped bodies and the bells that dangle from the top of the main stupa still chime sweetly in the wind.

Inside each stupa you’ll find a niche featuring a statue and a relief of Buddha with another niche above it containing a relief of a flying phoenix. The gates of each stupa are topped with engravings of two giant dragons and both the interior and exterior are heavily decorated with sculptures, reliefs, and colourful paintings, all in the style of the Dai ethnic minority. All of these mystical figures combine to give the stupas an ethereal appearance. With dragons guarding the outside and phoenixes keeping watch over the inside, it’s no wonder the Manfeilong Pagodas have survived for so long!

Just to the south of the stupas, you’ll find a large footprint imprinted on a rock. According to local legend, this is the footprint of Sakyamuni[1] and is thus greatly revered by the local people. Both the Manfeilong Pagodas and the nearby Black Pagoda were built in honour of this rock. The Black Pagoda, towering over the Manfeilong Pagodas at 18 metres (59 ft.) in height, is equally famous and has an equally misleading name, as it is now silvery white in colour! It is seven-storeys high and was originally black, but has suffered numerous paint jobs that have now led to the confusion regarding its name.

The Manfeilong Pagodas and the Black Pagoda are dedicated to Hinayana Buddhism, a small branch of the religion that is known for being particularly conservative, and if you visit the Black Pagoda nowadays you’ll still find monks diligently worshipping there. Every year, usually from the 13th to the 15th of April, Dai people from Manfeilong Village gather at the stupas and the pagoda to celebrate the Water Splashing Festival. This Buddhist festival represents the New Year according to the Dai calendar and involves chasing your friends and family while splashing water on them! The Dai people are known for their friendliness and will happily let visitors take part in the celebrations. After all, it’s always better to have more targets in a water fight!

[1] Sakyamuni: One of the titles of Gautama Buddha, the central figure and founder of the Buddhist faith. It is derived from the place named Sakya, which is where he was born.

Tianshui

Long before recorded time, it was believed that the universe consisted solely of formless chaos. Over 18,000 years, this chaos formed into a cosmic egg, which housed a sleeping giant named Pangu. When he awoke, Pangu set about creating the world. First, he separated Yin from Yang with a swing of his giant axe, creating the Earth and the Sky. In order to keep them apart, he stood upon the Earth and held up the Sky for over 18,000 years, until he tragically died. On his death, his breath became the wind, mist, and clouds; his voice became the thunder; his left eye, the sun; his right eye, the moon; his head formed the mountains; his blood flowed into rivers; and his muscles became fertile land. In short, every part of Pangu’s body formed an integral part of the world we live in, including several of the deities that are still worshipped in Chinese folklore today.

He is the focal figure of the Chinese creation myth and, from his death, a powerful being named Huaxu was born. Huaxu gave birth to two central figures in Chinese mythology: Fuxi and Nüwa. They supposedly had the faces of humans and the bodies of snakes, although they are often regarded as the first human beings. So, next time someone accuses you of being as sneaky as a snake, just say it’s in your DNA! According to legend, Fuxi was born sometime during the 29th century BC in the town of Chengji, which is usually identified as modern-day Tianshui. He ended up marrying his sister Nüwa and together they used clay to create the first human beings on earth. He then taught mankind how to hunt, fish, domesticate animals, and cook, and is even credited with developing the first Chinese writing system and establishing the institution of marriage. Not too shabby for a guy who had to slither around on his belly all day!

He is heralded as one of the Three Sovereigns, which were god-kings or demi-gods who used their powers to improve the progress of mankind. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Fuxi Temple was erected in Tianshui to honour this mythical ancestor and nowadays throngs of visitors still flock to the temple every year, particularly during the annual Tianshui Fuxi Culture and Tourism Festival in June. So, while many cities in China boast beautiful natural surroundings or stunning architecture, very few of them can claim to be the birthplace of a god!

Yet the city’s illustrious history doesn’t end there. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was settled by humans as early as the Neolithic Period (c. 8500-2100 BC), making it one of the cradles of ancient Chinese civilisation. The famous Dadiwan Site in Zhangshaodian Village can be found just northeast of the city and consists of over 200 primitive houses that date back approximately 4,800 to 7,800 years ago. It is one of the most well-preserved Neolithic sites in the country and some of the houses’ even contain prehistoric paintings of humans and animals!

The name “Tianshui” literally means “Water from the Heavens” and it was a fantastical local legend that lent the area its unusual epithet. According to this legend, sometime during the Han Dynasty (206 BC– 220 AD) the region suffered from a long drought and was racked by warfare. Suddenly a colossal storm struck, with gale force winds, heavy rain, lightning and thunder only adding to the locals’ troubles. This storm was so powerful that it split the sky itself and water poured down from the heavenly realm, creating the Tianshui Lake. So, out of great tragedy and suffering, came great beauty. That being said, the city wouldn’t formally be given the name until 1950, so don’t go there with the intention of drinking some holy tap water!

Its auspicious position meant that, during the Han Dynasty, it swiftly became one of the major trading hubs along the ancient Silk Road. Like many of the oases towns along the Silk Road, Buddhism made its way to Tianshui around about the 5th century and wonderful works of Buddhist art and architecture soon followed, including the nearby Maijishan Grottoes. Resting just 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of the city proper, this cave complex is renowned as one of the Four Grand Groups of Grottoes and represents 194 caves filled with over 7,200 Buddhist sculptures and 1,000 square metres (10,700 sq. ft.) of intricate murals. This colossal endeavour was begun sometime during the Northern Liang Dynasty (397–460) and continued for over 1,000 years. Even at the grand old age of over 1,500, the Maijishan Grottoes have yet to retire and still welcome visitors on a daily basis!

Another equally magnificent yet less well-known grotto complex can be found in the valleys of the Zhonglou Mountains just northeast of Tianshui. Amongst verdant hills, flowery meadows, and bubbling brooks you’ll find the secluded Water Curtain Cave Complex, which hides a sequence of five grottoes known as the Water Curtain Cave, Thousand Buddha Cave, Lashao Temple, Xiansheng Pond, and Sanqing Cave. These were once an important pilgrimage site along the Silk Road and date all the way back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420). During the rainy season, water cascades from the top of the mountain and covers the mouth of the cave like a curtain, earning the grotto complex its unusual name. Filled with gorgeous murals and resplendent with natural beauty, a trip to these caves is sure not to dampen your spirits!

Join a travel with us to explore more about Tianshui: Explore the Silk Road in China

The Yingxian Wooden Tower

The Yingxian Wooden Tower, also known as the Shakyamuni[1] Pagoda of Fogong Temple, rests just 85 kilometres (53 mi) south of Datong City in western Yingxian County. Having been built without a single nail or rivet, it is a masterpiece of carpentry and the oldest surviving wooden pagoda in the world. It has reached such a level of fame in China that it is now widely referred to simply as “Muta” (木塔) or “Wooden Tower”. At the grand old age of 959, this tower has pushed its woody competitors to the side and taught them to respect their elders!

The tower was originally built in 1056 by Emperor Daozong of the Liao Dynasty (907–1125), which controlled an empire encompassing Mongolia, northern Korea, and northern China, and was established by a nomadic subgroup of Mongolian people know as the Khitans. Emperor Daozong was a devout Buddhist and his father, the preceding Emperor Xingzong, was a native of Yingxian County. This would perhaps explain the isolated location of the tower, as pagodas such as these were normally erected to symbolise the death of Buddha and its placement may have been Emperor Daozong’s way of equating the importance of Buddha’s death with that of his father.

The tower was placed at the centre of Fogong Temple, which was known as Baogong Temple until its name was changed during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). According to local historical documents, from the years 1056 to 1103 it withstood a total of seven earthquakes and, right up until the 20th century, it required only ten minor repairs. Talk about resilient! Unfortunately, it sustained major damage during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) but, when it underwent the necessary repairs in 1974, renovators uncovered over 50 block-printed and handwritten scrolls of Buddhist sutras[2] dating back to the Liao Dynasty. These scrolls helped historians to finally establish that the use of moveable type printing had indeed spread widely across China after being developed by the Song Dynasty (960-1279). So it seems every cloud really does have a silver lining!

Although the archway, bell tower, drum tower, and shrine to Shakyamuni Buddha were all rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the wooden tower itself is in its original condition and has been stunningly well-preserved. It stands on a 4 metre (13 ft.) high stone platform that is delicately decorated with crawling lion sculptures in the Liao Dynasty style, and it towers in at a height of over 67 metres (220 ft.). Looking at it from the outside, it appears to have only five storeys, but walk inside and you’ll soon realise that there are in fact nine storeys in total. Just when you thought you were going to have a relaxing climb to the top!

An 11-metre-high (36 ft.) statue of Shakyamuni Buddha takes pole position at the centre of the first floor, with an ornate caisson[3] directly above its head. Similar caissons bedeck the ceilings of every storey in the pagoda and its walls are beautifully decorated with vibrant murals and vivid sculptures that all reflect the Liao Dynasty style. There are windows on all eight sides of its top floor that provide stunning views of the surrounding countryside and supposedly, on a clear day, the tower itself can be seen from up to 30 kilometres (19 mi) away!

[1] Shakyamuni: One of the titles of Gautama Buddha, the central figure and founder of the Buddhist faith. It is derived from the place named Sakya, which is where he was born.

[2] Sutra: One of the sermons of the historical Buddha

[3] Caisson: Also known as a caisson ceiling or zaojing, it is a feature of East Asian architecture commonly seen on the ceilings of temples or palaces, usually at the centre or directly above an object of importance, such as a throne or statue. Generally speaking, it is a sunken square, octagonal, hexagonal, or circular panel set into a flat ceiling that has been richly carved and decorated.

Mount Heng

Located just 62 kilometres (39 mi) south of Datong City, Mount Heng is a behemoth of a mountain range and consists of over 100 separate peaks. Not only is it considered one of China’s Five Great Mountains, but it also boasts the highest peak of them all, Tianfeng Peak, which towers in at over 2,100 metres (6,900 ft.) in altitude. To put that into perspective, it’s nearly twice the size of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the UK! Yet it’s not the mountain’s size that has earned it such prestige, but its religious value. According to the Chinese religion of Taoism, Mount Heng is considered a sacred mountain and has been a site of pilgrimage since the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1045-256 BC).

It is sometimes referred to as Northern Hengshan because there is another Mount Heng in Hunan province which is coincidentally also one of the Five Great Mountains. Although their names are written differently in Chinese, they are pronounced in the same way and so the prefixes “northern” and “southern” are used to differentiate them. Imagine having twins named “Stephen” and “Steven”, and you get the idea!

According to legend, over 4,000 years ago Emperor Shun (c. 2294-2184 BC) was on a tour of his northern territory when he came upon Mount Hengshan and was so impressed by it that he simply named it Beiyue (北岳) or “Northern Mountain”. When it came to imperial prestige, Mount Hengshan had literally reached the pinnacle! Another legend purports that Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals in Taoist mythology, secluded himself on the mountain and is still there somewhere practising his faith. So if you bump into any strange old men while you’re hiking, be sure to be polite!

The mountain was held in such high esteem that a temple known as the Shrine of the Northern Peak or Beiyue Temple was erected there during the Han Dynasty (206 BC– 220 AD) and was dedicated to the god within the mountain. During the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), Emperor Qin Shi Huang not only named it as one of the 12 most sacred mountains, but also regarded it as the “Second Greatest Mountain in the entire World”. From then onwards, emperors, scholars, travellers, poets, monks, and people from all walks of life came to visit this alluring mountain range. Many of them left behind stone inscriptions extolling its incredible beauty, which can still be seen along the mountain paths today.

However, its northerly location meant that it was frequently cut off from China proper, as historically northern China was often under the control of non-Chinese kingdoms. This meant that it was not as accessible to pilgrims as the other Five Great Mountains, and so as a consequence it is the least-developed and least-visited of the five. Although therefore it is considered to have less religious importance, it is also less crowded and less commercialised, making it a more peaceful and isolated place to go hiking. In the summer, its hills come to life in a flurry of lilac blossoms, and its verdant pines, elms, firs, poplars, and bountiful forests provide stunning views throughout the year.

Alongside the Beiyue Temple, perhaps its greatest claim to fame is the Hanging Temple, which has survived for more than 1,500 years clutching precariously to the side of a cliff. The temple’s unusual appearance, coupled with the fact that it is dedicated to not just one religion but to Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, means it has recently become a mecca for visitors looking to explore China’s architectural curiosities.

Yet this isn’t the only bizarre feature the mountain has to offer. The Kutian or “Sweet and Bitter” Wells are located about halfway up its slope and are simply two wells placed very close together. For reasons unknown, the water from one well is sweet and refreshing, while the water from its neighbour is bitter and has a distinctly unpleasant aftertaste. Perhaps one well is the other’s evil twin! In spite of the fact that the “sweet” well is only a few feet deep, its waters are inexhaustible, further adding to the mystery of this exceptional oddity. In fact, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Emperor Xuanzong visited the “sweet” well and found it so fascinating that he christened it “Dragon Spring”.

The area surrounding Mount Heng is distinctly less magical, as it was once a battleground and its plains have been ravaged by centuries of warfare. Relics of these ancient skirmishes can be found littered throughout the landscape, from tactical passes and small fortresses to colossal castles and beacon towers. The most well-known of these is Golden Dragon Gorge, which is a deep yet narrow pass that was used by General Yang Ye of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) to resist an invasion from the neighbouring Liao Dynasty (916-1125).

Other natural sites on the range include Sisters-in-Law Cave, Flying Stone Cave, Tiger Wind Gap, and Clouds Out Cave, which are all symbolically named and as such are imbued with a certain mystical quality. Clouds Out Cave is arguably the most spectacular as, on a clear and sunny day, it looks like any other cave, but when it’s raining or foggy then mist will billow out of the cave’s entrance and endow it with an ethereal appearance. Perhaps it’s haunted by the soldiers who died in Golden Dragon Gorge; perhaps it’s where Zhang Guolao lives; or perhaps there’s just a hole somewhere in the top of the cave!

The Mount Heng is one of the many wonderful stops on our Explore the Ancient Tradition of Tai Chi tour

The Kanas Lake Nature Reserve

kanas lake

The remote Kanas Lake Nature Reserve rests in the northernmost reaches of Xinjiang and is over 180 kilometres (112 mi) away from the nearest town, making it an area resplendent with virtually untouched natural beauty. It is situated close to the borders between Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia, and it contains the aptly named Youyi or “Friendship” Peak, which is the landmark where China, Russia, and Mongolia approximately meet. The word “Kanas” means “beautiful, rich, and mysterious” in the Mongolian language and, with its towering snowy peaks, thick green forests, and turquoise hued waters, it certainly lives up to the title!

Its primary attraction is the expansive Kanas Lake, which rests deep within a valley of the Altay Mountains. Its crystal clear waters originate from the Kanas Glacier and run for over 125 kilometres (77 mi) along the Kanas River before finally joining the lake itself. It was formed over 200,000 years ago as a result of glacier movement and is the deepest freshwater lake in China, plunging in at depths of up to 120 metres (394 ft.). Stretching out over an area of 45 square kilometres (17 sq. mi), it is over three times the size of Lake Windermere!

kanas villageSeasonal changes and weather conditions endow the lake with a constantly changing appearance. In May, melted snow from the surrounding peaks turns the water a greyish blue colour; in July, it turns a bright aquamarine; in August, the algae turns the water a deep green; and from September onwards it goes a rich turquoise. As if in tandem with these watery wardrobe changes, the surrounding alpine forests also evolve, with dense greens in spring, thick multi-coloured blankets of flowers in summer, and lush golds, reds, and yellows in autumn.

Yet don’t let Kanas’ idyllic appearance fool you; it’s not like your typical lakeside retreat. Temperatures here can plummet to -24°C (-11°F) in winter and rest at an average of about -4°C (39°F), reaching heights of just 18°C (66°F) in July. So if you’re taking a trip to this natural paradise, be sure to wrap up warm! The low temperatures mean it is the only region in China that is home to Siberian animal species and, with over 117 different species of bird regularly nesting here, it’s also a haven for bird-watchers.

But these aren’t the only strange creatures prowling the area, or at least that’s what paranormal researchers would have you believe. Since the 1980s, rumours of the Kanas Lake Monster have enthralled visitors and nowadays sightings of it occur once or twice every year. It is even said that, on the odd occasion, it drags local livestock into the lake’s murky depths! Scientists believe the most likely culprit to be a large taimen or Siberian salmon, which people have mistaken for an otherworldly creature. These freaky fish can reach lengths of nearly 2 metres, so it’s no wonder people might be horrified at the sight of them! Another bizarre phenomenon is that the sixth bay, which rests at the end of the lake, is flanked by a 2,000-metre-long (6,500 ft.) bank of dead trees. No one knows exactly what is stopping the trees from floating downriver, but locals will tell you it’s because they’re reluctant to leave the beautiful lake!

Kanas mountainsThese days the lake is a popular destination for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, paragliding, and boating, with the most popular hike being the one to Guangyu Pavilion. This scenic spot offers a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and grasslands. In terms of accommodation, Burqin is the closest town and the best option if you want easy access to the lake. From there you can also visit the nearby village of Hemu, which is a popular site for tourists as its home to people from the Tuvan ethnic group, a Siberian people who have Mongolian, Turkic, and Samoyedic roots. The village rests on the Hemu Grasslands and visitors have the choice of either staying with a Tuvan family or venturing onto the plains and staying in a yurt with people of the Kazakh ethnic minority. It’s a wonderful way to connect with other cultures, sample their delicious local dishes, witness their centuries-old customs, and experience their unique way of life. That being said, bear in mind that the Tuvan people trace their ancestry back to the legendary troops of Genghis Khan, so be sure not to get on their bad side!