Luanchuan Travelogue

The trip to Luanchuan was triggered by chance. Several tourism industry bosses planned to open a Luanchuan travel route and organized a 'route inspection', targeting mostly insiders. I was 'unfortunately' among the invitees, so I joined the group tour.

The trip was arranged for three days, with main attractions including Yichuan Longfengshan Ancient Town, Luanchuan Jiguan Cave, Laojun Mountain, and Chongdu Valley. Transportation was round-trip by tourist bus.

On the first day, we gathered at Taiyuan Yingze Hotel at 7:00 AM and set off by bus. The first stop was the Longfengshan Scenic Area in Yichuan, Luoyang. Yichuan is about 450 kilometers from Taiyuan, a six-hour drive. The journey was uneventful, and we arrived around noon.

Yichuan is located in western Henan. In 1927, when Feng Yuxiang governed Henan, he divided the area along the Yi River into two counties, Ziyou and Pingdeng, which were merged in 1932 into what is now Yichuan County, currently under the jurisdiction of Luoyang. Yichuan has a long history, anciently known as Yique, and belonged to the Sanchuan region of Qin. It is situated in hilly terrain, with simple folk customs and abundant products. Yichuan is part of the Central Plains, with profound and long-standing cultural heritage. During the Song Dynasty, the brothers Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi wrote and taught here, founding 'Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism', which had a far-reaching impact on later generations.

In the afternoon, we visited Yichuan Longfengshan Ancient Town. Though called an ancient town, it is actually newly built. To boost tourism and develop the economy, the local government invested billions of yuan to create a comprehensive tourist attraction covering over a thousand mu, integrating folk customs, an ancient town, a sea of flowers, conferences, elderly care, amusement, and parks. The aim was to create a new operation model that integrates tourism commerce, leisure entertainment, and ethnic culture, with the goal of economic development, job creation, and income increase. In fact, this model has already 'blossomed everywhere' across the country and is not uncommon. There is a saying in the tourism circle: 'Nine out of ten man-made ancient towns die.' Of course, some have 'metamorphosed into butterflies', while others have 'spun a cocoon around themselves', with various reasons hard to fully explain.

Entering the scenic area, the first thing that caught the eye was a tall and majestic gate tower (the main entrance). Inside the gate, there were a square, a dragon-phoenix auspicious sculpture, an artificial lake, the gate of Yishuiyao Ancient Town, and ancient town streets and other architectural landscapes. According to the scenic area's introduction, the entire area plans nine streets of different historical styles. Since we couldn't get a bird's-eye view, it was hard to distinguish them, so we just wandered randomly and went with the flow. It's worth mentioning that the buildings in the ancient town are all made of black bricks and grey tiles, built in imitation of ancient styles. Especially the roof forms, such as hip roof, gable-and-hip roof, overhanging gable roof, flush gable roof, rolled roof, and pyramidal roof, were all present, making it a comprehensive collection of ancient building roof forms, almost like a large museum of ancient architecture. Other features like pavilions, terraces, towers, corridors, bridges, and gardens were all exquisite and breathtaking. From an industry perspective, the cost of imitation ancient architecture is higher than modern architecture. With civil engineering and decoration, the cost is considerable, so the investment of billions of yuan is likely true.

The scenic area's theater had performances. The show began with high-quality stage scenery, lighting, sound effects, costumes, and props, and the visual effects were good. The themes of this performance included 'Ode to the Luo River Goddess' and 'Composing a Poem in Seven Steps', lasting over half an hour. Such themes require a certain cultural literacy from the audience; otherwise, they would be incomprehensible and boring.

Strolling through the streets and lingering around, we saw that the commercial shops, tea houses, and taverns had few visitors, were deserted, and business was bleak, lacking a lively atmosphere. Whether it was due to the post-pandemic recovery not yet complete or the wrong time of day, I couldn't tell. Being an outsider, I don't understand the operation or the input-output situation of the scenic area. I was just 'worrying about the Three Kingdoms' tears' and feeling concerned for the scenic area.

Since time was ample and I was tired from walking, I gathered some friends and found a small snack shop, sat down, ordered a few small dishes, a bottle of Songhe Liquor, and slowly sipped while chatting aimlessly to pass the time. All purchases here were made via mobile payment, and cash was not accepted, probably a management tactic of the scenic area.

In the evening, there were light shows and performances on the lake. After watching, we returned to the hotel for dinner and rest.

The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, we had a wake-up call at 5:00 AM. After washing up and packing, we went downstairs. The guide distributed breakfast: one egg, two buns (one meat, one vegetable), and a cup of porridge. Everyone squatted or stood, ate quickly, and then boarded the bus to head to Luanchuan.

Today was the highlight of the trip, with visits to Jiguan Cave and Laojun Mountain. We went to Jiguan Cave first.

Jiguan Cave is located on Jiguan Mountain, a branch of the Funiu Mountain range of the Qinling Mountains, over a thousand meters above sea level. It is a large limestone karst cave, now a 5A-level scenic area and one of Henan's top ten tourist attractions.

Karst caves, as the name implies, are natural caves formed by water erosion. After long-term erosion and cutting by groundwater, limestone deposits are carried away by water, forming voids that gradually enlarge into caves. Geological changes inside the mountain form karst caves, while those on the surface create peaks, such as Guilin's landscapes, geologically called karst landforms. The number of karst caves in China is countless. Due to abundant rainfall in the south, karst caves account for a larger proportion, with famous ones like Guilin's Seven Star Cave and Silver Cave. Karst caves in the north are somewhat inferior in both number and观赏 value. I have visited some northern karst caves, such as Yuwang Cave in Xinzhou, Shanxi, Taihang Dragon Cave in Changzhi, and Lingshan Karst Cave in Quyang, Hebei. Compared to southern caves, they are more majestic but less delicate.

Lingchuan Jiguan Cave is said to have been discovered during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, but it wasn't until the end of the last century that the local government developed and opened it. The cave is over 5,000 meters deep, divided into multiple levels, with about 2,000 meters open for游览 and an area of over 20,000 square meters.

Inside the cave, we followed the guide and the crowd, listening while walking. The cave was dimly lit, and we couldn't distinguish directions or distances. It was high and low, winding and zigzag. The guide's explanations went in one ear and out the other (I knew nothing afterward). It was a superficial glance, and everything was forgotten instantly. Actually, tourism is just like that—not like eating where you feel hunger or fullness (laugh).

A poem about Jiguan Cave:

The northern karst cave is best at Jiguan,

Countless wonders, hard for nature to plan.

A 5A spot, not in vain,

Visitors linger and remain.

In the afternoon, we visited Laojun Mountain Scenic Area.

Laojun Mountain Scenic Area is located in Qiliping Village, Luanchuan County, very close to Jiguan Cave, essentially part of the same scenic area.

Laojun Mountain has profound historical and cultural heritage. Legend has it that after Laozi (the founder of Taoism) preached and rode his green ox out of Hangu Pass, he retired to cultivate himself in Jingshi Mountain. Since the Spring and Autumn period, it has been recognized as the birthplace of Taoism and the place where Taoist ancestor Laozi cultivated himself. Taoist buildings on the mountain began in the Wei Dynasty and reached their peak in the early Tang Dynasty. The reason Taoism flourished most in the Tang Dynasty is related to politics. Since the Tang emperors were surnamed Li, and Laozi was also surnamed Li (claiming the same family five hundred years earlier), Tang Gaozu Li Yuan wanted to use Laozi's reputation to elevate the royal family's status, making people believe they were descendants of Laozi, thereby justifying the legitimacy of their rule and strengthening centralized royal power. After all, the Li family seized the throne from Emperor Yang of Sui, fearing it might not be considered legitimate. Among the three religions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—Taoism had always been ranked last. Li Yuan reordered them, stipulating Taoism first, Confucianism second, and Buddhism last. After Gaozu, successive dynasties followed and expanded this practice, thus starting the Tang Dynasty's veneration of Taoism. Laojun Mountain was originally named Jingshi Mountain. For the above reasons, during the Zhenguan period of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, it was renamed Laojun Mountain (by imperial decree), a name that continues to this day. It was precisely because of the Li royal family's 'self-interest' that Laojun Mountain became a famous Taoist mountain and remains a sacred site for Taoist followers.

Before visiting Laojun Mountain, I didn't make any preparations and completely followed the guide's arrangements. After checking tickets and entering the mountain, we took the first cable car (Yunjing) to Zhongtianmen, took a short rest and photos, then transferred to the second cable car (Fenglin) and walked up the mountain. We walked along the plank road, toured the Ten-mile Painting Gallery, passed through Mazong Ridge, reached the Glass Observation Deck, and finally arrived at the Golden Summit Taoist Temple Complex.

One of the highlights of Laojun Mountain is the natural landscape of the Ten-mile Painting Gallery. Walking on the thousand-meter plank road clinging to cliffs, overlooking the mountains, with lush forests, misty clouds, rugged rocks, and a myriad of scenes changing with every step, it was overwhelming and reminiscent of Huangshan Mountain.

Another highlight is the Taoist architecture, especially the Golden Summit Taoist Temple Complex. The Golden Hall, Liangbaotai, and Yuhuangding—three golden peaks—stand on the summit, resplendent and magnificent, complementing each other like celestial palaces and immortal abodes, stunning the soul and rivaling Wudang Mountain in Shiyan, Hubei.

During the trip, I heard fellow travelers discussing that Laojun Mountain is off-limits to foreign tourists, with rumors that there might be a military base or some state secret protection. The talk was mysterious and vague. However, I saw no such notice at the scenic area. Instead, there were foreign-language signs on restroom doors, suggesting the rumor might be unfounded or perhaps a gimmick of the scenic area.

Although Laojun Mountain is high and vast, with proper arrangement, we could visit the main attractions in half a day without too much physical exertion. It just ranked high on the WeChat Sports step count leaderboard (laugh).

A poem about Laojun Mountain:

Laozi left Hangu Pass,

Retreated to Funiu's Jingshi Mass.

Secluded cultivation, unseen,

Leaving a wonderland between.

On the third morning, we visited Lingchuan Chongdu Valley.

Chongdu Valley Natural Scenic Area is located in the Xiong'er Mountains southwest of Tantou Town, Luanchuan. It got its name because Emperor Guangwu of Eastern Han, Liu Xiu, crossed the Yi River here twice (chong means again) to escape Wang Mang's pursuit. After becoming emperor, he named it in gratitude (though I really don't know why so many historical anecdotes of famous mountains and rivers are related to Liu Xiu).

Chongdu Valley was originally an obscure natural valley and stream in the western Henan mountains. At the end of the last century, under the leadership of Ma Haiming, then deputy mayor of Tantou Town, they worked hard to overcome numerous difficulties and vigorously developed tourism. Once the rough jade was carved, the rare treasure emerged, creating the current Chongdu Valley Scenic Area. Unfortunately, Ma Haiming later died in the line of duty. To commemorate this pioneer of Chongdu Valley's tourism development, local villagers voluntarily donated money to erect a monument, cast a statue, and build a park in his memory.

Visiting Chongdu Valley mainly involves viewing water. Jinji River is the main area. Along the stream, the hiking trail winds forward. Scattered along the way are Lingtan, Feihong Waterfall, Toad inviting the host, Xiefenya Waterfall, Qiuzhao Tan, Suojiaoya, Yinsha Chan Xiuqiu, Double Cascade Waterfall, Crocodile Shedding Tears, Jiutian Leigu, Double Turtle Making Waves, Tingtao Ridge, Golden Rooster Leading the Way, Liu Xiu's Backrest, Xie San Xie, Jinji Valley Waterfall, Jianzhu Tan, Jiancha Spring, and Ivory Dam. Every three steps a waterfall, every five steps a pool. Waterfalls splash pearls and jade, and pools are crystal clear. Walking through, the sound of waves is constant, the coolness is refreshing, and the high concentration of negative oxygen ions in the mountains makes breathing very comfortable. Along the way, we stopped at the signboards of scenic spots to study them. When natural scenery is endowed with certain cultural connotations, the combination of natural features and folklore becomes more interesting.

Another highlight of Chongdu Valley is its abundance of bamboo. As far as the eye could see, large bamboo forests covered the mountains, tall and lush, like a green sea. The dense bamboo forests were not inferior to those in Sichuan. Chongdu Valley is located in the northern temperate zone at high altitude, yet bamboo usually grows in the south. I wonder how it can grow here. With the help of tourism, local villagers have developed handmade bamboo weaving, selling their products at roadside stalls. Lazy people simply cut a bundle of thin bamboo poles into walking sticks and sell them to tourists for hiking (two yuan each, easy and profitable).

Since all the travelers were 'elderly', due to physical and psychological reasons, most gave up halfway, and only a few completed the entire route. Although I am over 60, I still have the 'spirit' and climbed bravely without fear of difficulty. Among the companions were the general manager of Shanxi Cultural Tourism Haijing International Travel Agency, General Shi, and his wife, both in their seventies. They still showed 'youthful exuberance' and didn't want to be left behind. Especially the wife, who had a leg ailment and limped, but climbed stairs and ridges without any timidity—worth praising. During casual conversation, I learned that she previously worked in the public security system and after retirement, often traveled with General Shi, already used to it.

We visited Chongdu Valley for half a day, had lunch, and then returned, ending the trip.

A poem about Chongdu Valley:

Originally just a stream,

Now renowned in the Central Plains.

Benefiting the hometown with great deeds,

'Mayor Ma's' merit forever remains.

Traveling is about touring and sightseeing. Tourism in China has existed since ancient times. However, in ancient times, travelers were either rich or noble, or literati. Ordinary people did not have such leisure and could hardly get involved. Tourism requires certain conditions: beyond basic needs, economic conditions (like 'carrying 100,000 strings of cash and riding a crane to Yangzhou'), ample time (like Xu Xiake traveling all his life), and a good mood. Just imagine, if your stomach is not full, how can you have the strength to climb mountains? If you are entangled with money all day, how can you have the mood to enjoy scenery?

As a social activity, tourism among Chinese people only became accepted after the reform and opening-up, when the problem of adequate food and clothing was solved, and the country was politically stable and prosperous. During the three-year pandemic, cultural tourism suffered greatly and was in a difficult situation. After the pandemic was lifted, tourism has regained its vitality. May the tourism industry flourish and make greater contributions to the development of the national economy.