Hunan Tourism: The Soul of Danxia – Mount Langshan Travel (Photos)
In Hunan Province, there is a scenic area called Mount Langshan, known as the soul of Danxia. A journalist had the privilege of visiting Mount Langshan for sightseeing. It was on October 6, 2010, that the journalist, as part of the 'National Car Enthusiasts Gather in Green City – Self-Driving Cheer for Thousands of Miles' convoy, entered Hunan Province after finishing the itinerary in Guangxi and stayed overnight at the Mount Langshan Scenic Area in Hunan that evening.
Mount Langshan Scenic Area (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
On the morning of October 7, the journalist and the convoy drove to Mount Langshan Scenic Area. Mount Langshan is located in Xinning County, Hunan Province. It is a model site of the main types and basic characteristics of China's Danxia landform, hailed by Academician Chen Guoda as 'the soul of Danxia and a national treasure.'
Mount Langshan Plank Road (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
On August 2, 2010, at 5:06 a.m. Beijing time, good news came from the 34th World Heritage Conference held in Brasília, Brazil: The UNESCO World Heritage Committee unanimously approved the 'China Danxia' serial nomination, which includes Hunan Langshan, Guangdong Danxiashan, Guizhou Chishui, Fujian Taining, Jiangxi Longhushan, and Zhejiang Jianglangshan, as a World Natural Heritage site. Hunan Langshan officially became a World Natural Heritage site.
Looking Up at Mount Langshan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
'Danxia' is a landform landscape name proposed by Chinese geologists Academician Chen Guoda and Professor Feng Jinglan in the 1920s. This landform is characterized by red cliffs, danxia peaks, and peak forest valleys, and is named for its color 'like cinnabar, brilliant as rosy clouds.'
Journalist at Mount Langshan (Photo: Wang Yin)
Hunan Langshan is distinguished by its majesty, uniqueness, peril, beauty, serenity, and elegance, while also imbued with long history and diverse folk customs. It has the following features: peculiar stone and peak landscapes, perilous rock walls and stone alleys, charming rivers and waterfalls, deep and serene valleys and mountains, mysterious stockade culture, ancient religious legends, and simple folk customs.
Close-up of Mount Langshan Plank Road (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
As the soul of Danxia, Mount Langshan Scenic Area includes six major scenic zones: Tianyi Alley, Chili Pepper Peak, Fuyi River, Bajiao Stronghold, Zixia Cave, and Tiansheng Bridge, along with 18 smaller scenic areas. It has over 500 named important attractions, three karst caves, and a primeval forest, covering a total area of 108 square kilometers. It is a typical Danxia landform and a rare eco-friendly natural landscape of mountains and waters.
Dragon’s Mouth Sunrise (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The beauty of Mount Langshan's red cliffs, the handsomeness of General Rock, the elegance of Camel Peak, along with lush dense forests, the winding and crystal-clear Fuyi River, create a magnificent scenery of Danxia, green waters, and green mountains complementing each other, truly like a masterpiece of nature.
Plank Road on the Mountainside (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The car enthusiasts first arrived at Camel Peak Scenic Area. After climbing a short mountain path, they looked up and saw a spectacular suspended plank road around the middle of the mountain. Walking on the narrow plank road, which was just over a meter wide, despite the beautiful scenery around, being suspended in mid-air required some courage to fully enjoy the natural beauty.
Group Photo at Mount Langshan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The journalist suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu about this spectacular plank road. After careful thought, it seemed very similar to the suspended plank roads on the East and West Coasts of Sanqingshan in Jiangxi. Asking the tour guide, he learned that the Langshan plank road was built by the same construction team responsible for Sanqingshan. No wonder they looked so alike. However, although the plank roads are similar, the landscapes of the two places are distinct and unique.
Chili Pepper Peak Cluster (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
There is an old folk rhyme about Camel Peak Scenic Area: 'A thousand-mile dragon comes to Shitian, a pair of candles shine on the blue sky; whoever buries his ancestors here will produce top scholars for generations.' After climbing the mountain, entering the Shitian area, a huge camel came into view. Camel Peak is 273 meters long and 187.8 meters high, very lifelike.
One-Line-Sky Danxia Valley (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
First to appear was Candle Peak. A towering sharp rock stood abruptly from the ground, with steep cliffs on all four sides, averaging 218 meters in height and 400 meters in circumference. The southeast cliff had a negative slope. The northeast cliff was 200 meters high, with a crack about the width of a fist at 70 meters, separating a huge rock connected at the base to Candle Peak but separated in the main body. This rock was bigger at the top and smaller at the bottom, sharply angular, over 40 meters high, with a triangular top. Together with Candle Peak, they are called 'Double Candles.'
Stepping into the Clouds (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
Moving forward, sights like the inclined Danxia gorge of Dragon's Mouth Sunrise, Arrow Rock, and Danxia Gorge appeared one after another. Especially when reaching the summit and looking around, the unique and beautiful natural scenery of Mount Langshan was fully visible. Below were ravines, villages, and farmland; in the distance, layered peaks of Candle Peak.
Chili Pepper Peak View (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
Leaving Camel Peak and driving to Chili Pepper Peak, another distinctive mountain shape appeared. A huge rock stood upside down, with green vegetation covering the top, 180 meters high, shaped exactly like a giant chili pepper. It became famous in 2002 when French Spider-Man Alain Robert climbed it bare-handed. Looking back at Camel Peak from Chili Pepper Peak, the rock had steep cliffs on three sides, with two indentations dividing it into camel head, hump, and tail, resembling a resting camel.
Village at the Foot of the Mountain (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The sightseeing at Mount Langshan took the entire morning. In the afternoon, the convoy drove to the pier on the bank of the Fuyi River to take bamboo rafts for rafting. Originating from Mao'er Mountain in Guangxi, the Fuyi River is the mother river of the Langshan people. Its waters run through the Langshan Scenic Area, providing ideal conditions for both mountain and water tours.
Fuyi River Pier (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The water of the Fuyi River is crystal clear, calm as a mirror, about 100 meters wide at the widest and over 70 meters at the narrowest. The peculiar peaks and rocks on both banks are reflected on the water under the blue sky. The beaches on both sides have pure white sand, continuous willows, and lush grass. Boats dot the river, and bamboo flute sounds echo, creating a poetic and picturesque scene.
Rafting Photo (Photo: Ying Zengxuan)
The car enthusiasts leisurely drifted down the river on bamboo rafts. Along the riverbanks, many scenic spots appeared, including General Rock, Wuying Islet, Long Dike Willows, Langhu Roaring at the Sky, Jade Stone Lane, Turtle Rock, Warship Rock, Woodpecker Rock, Mother-in-law Rock, Brush Holder Mountain, Eternal Embankment, and Lotus Pond Moon Reflection, all delighting the eyes.
Joy of Rafting (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
During the rafting, the river was gentle. Some car enthusiasts gently dipped their hands into the water, creating ripples in the green water. The boatmen on the bamboo rafts rowed, and the scenery on both banks began to slowly recede. After some distance, some car enthusiasts felt it was not exciting enough and started water fights. They used plastic water guns bought at the pier to shoot water at each other, creating a lively scene.
Water Fight (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The water of the Fuyi River was so clear that stones at the bottom were visible, and small fish and shrimp swam in the water, their nimble bodies very cute. The rugged rocks on Mount Langshan, accompanied by occasional bird calls, made people exclaim: 'Langshan scenery rivals Guilin, and Fuyi scenery rivals Li River!'
General Rock Standing Firm (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The naturally formed General Rock stands on a low, gentle hill on the east bank of the Fuyi River. It is a stone pillar formed by late-stage development of the Danxia landform, 399.5 meters high, with a net height of 75 meters, a circumference of over 40 meters, roughly uniform in thickness with a slightly thinner top. From a distance, it looks like a general in battle robes, looking up to the sky and roaring with authority.
Bamboo Raft on the River (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
On the west bank of the Fuyi River, covered with green bamboo, there is a lifelike Woodpecker Rock. It is formed by a cliff 90 meters high, steep at the top and sloping at the bottom. The top resembles a head overlooking the river, with a protruding long stone like a sharp beak, a round hole on the head like angry eyes, and a tree standing on the cliff with its beak against the trunk, as if a woodpecker is pecking a hole to remove insects.
Bamboo Forest on the Bank (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
Opposite the Woodpecker across the river is the imposing Warship Rock, composed of three huge rocks extending east-west, pointing toward the Fuyi River. Each warship is 300 meters long and 150 meters high. The front ends are raised high, and the backs slope in an arc, one ship close to another, resembling a fleet setting sail.
End of Rafting (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
Floating on the clear waters of the Fuyi River, with green mountains and trees on both sides and fields like brocade, drifting leisurely in the emerald river winding among the unique peaks and rocks, the water and mountains merge, visitors and fish and birds share joy, autumn water and the sky share one color, a gentle breeze blows, ripples spread, boats move on the river, and people tour in a painting, making all worldly worries disappear. It evokes a feeling that 'such scenery should only exist in heaven, rarely seen in the mortal world.'
Baisha Town Ancient Street (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
After finishing the rafting on the Fuyi River that day, the journalist and several car enthusiasts took advantage of limited time to visit a distinctive old street called Baisha Town, about 50 kilometers from Langshan. The old street is located in the central part of Xinning County, backing onto the east bank of the Fuyi River, running north-south, 1,100 meters long and 3 to 5 meters wide, with convenient water and land transportation. The street surface is paved with blue hemp stone slabs and equipped with coin-shaped drainage holes. On the side facing the river, there are alleys of varying widths connecting to the river.
Ancient Street View (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
On both sides of the old street, shops stand in close rows, mostly single-bay, brick-and-wood structures with green tiles, generally two stories, a few three stories. The ground floor has removable plank doors for business, while the upper floors have wooden columns, raised beams, and eaves, with wooden railings or various lattice windows facing the street.
104-Year-Old Grandma (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
As the car enthusiasts walked into the narrow ancient street, they looked around as if their eyes were not enough. Everywhere were antique furnishings, and some old farming tools were placed outside some houses. On the walls, there were still slogans from various historical periods, giving a sense of ancient vicissitudes. On the street, they met a 104-year-old grandmother who was still in good spirits, and everyone took photos with her. One car enthusiast even found a stone from the Fuyi River and treasured it as a treasure.
Children on Ancient Street (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
The overall architectural layout of Baisha Old Street adapts to local conditions, with scattered and orderly arrangements, winding and extending, combined with the advantageous geographical location. As early as the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, it was a bustling commercial hub, bustling with merchants and crowds, becoming one of the famous commercial trade and material distribution centers in Xinning County. The street buildings mostly date from the late Qing Dynasty style, incorporating some Western architectural features. During the Anti-Japanese War, the northern part of the old street was partially burned down and rebuilt. To this day, Baisha Old Street still retains its original architectural style, with colorful murals, flag advertisements, and ink traces, preserving its ancient charm.
Group Photo at Old Street (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
According to locals, a film titled 'Feng Shui,' adapted from the novel 'The Life of the Old Street' by Hunan writer Lin Jiaping, was just shot here. The author Lin Jiaping was born on the old street of Baisha Town, Xinning County, and is a famous realistic writer in Hunan. 'The Life of the Old Street' won the first International Asia-Pacific War Literature Award, was nominated for the seventh Mao Dun Literature Prize, and was translated into English by the New Jersey Association for the Preservation of the History of the War of Resistance against Japan.
Visiting Hunan Museum (Photo: Feng Ganyong)
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Fascist War and the War of Resistance against Japan, after more than a year of preparation and conception, Lin Jiaping created a film work using documentary techniques to reproduce the massacre in Baisha Town, Xinning, committed by the Japanese army in 1944. It reproduces the 'cruel crimes of the Japanese army in China, which were even more heinous than the Nazis' genocide of Jews in gas chambers' and is dedicated to 'those who were killed and forgotten in remote mountainous areas.' Critics hailed it as a 'model work commemorating the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Fascist and Anti-Japanese War.'
Orange Island Head Statue (Photo: Ying Zengxuan)
On October 8, the self-driving convoy arrived from Langshan in Hunan to the provincial capital Changsha. Some car enthusiasts took advantage of the brief stopover in Changsha to visit and tour the Hunan Museum and Orange Island Head in the Xiangjiang River. The famous cultural and natural landscapes of Hunan left the car enthusiasts reluctant to leave. (Text and photos: Feng Ganyong)
