Behind Beijing: A Hidden 'Lung-Cleansing Paradise'
In the northern winter, as precious as blue skies and white clouds is perhaps clean air.
The city’s dazzling neon lights have ignited countless dreams, but these brilliant lights cannot dispel the environmental pollution brought by rapid construction.
Smog is one such consequence.
Smog, as the term suggests, is a combination of smoke and fog. Though often mentioned together, the two are quite different. The former is an aerosol system composed of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended near the ground, while the latter consists of particles like dust, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and organic carbon compounds in the air. In short, both contain toxic substances, but haze contains far more than fog.
When winter arrives, these particles invade along with the cold, adding layers of hazy gloom to the already gray sky.
They lurk on windless days, creeping through the streets, silently seeping into people’s breath and gnawing away at their health.
At such times, a place “above the dust” is needed, somewhere to rejuvenate the body. And as it happens, there is just such a place behind Beijing.
Yi County has little smog, partly because of its unhurried, “unambitious” lifestyle, which leaves no room for vehicle exhaust or industrial waste gases, and partly because nature has blessed it with abundant resources, keeping this small world lushly green.
The soaring Langya Mountain and the rippling Yishui Lake are pristine and pure, purifying the air while generating health-beneficial negative ions.
Surrounded by such an environment, one feels completely refreshed, as if cleansed through and through.
If you wish to stay for a while, Yandu Ancient City is an excellent choice. Nestled against the Taihang Mountains and beside the Yishui River, no place is more favored by nature. Whether you exercise in the morning or stroll at dusk, gentle breezes carry fresh air, soothing the mind and spirit.
Whether you are busy with work or living a fast-paced life, health should never be overlooked. If you have the chance, why not plan a “lung-cleansing” trip to restore both body and mind to their best state?
