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Looking at
a tourist map of Sichuan, you may find a lot of
places to your liking. Don't know which one to
choose? Then we give you our top 10 Sichuan
attractions for your reference.
#10 Yading
Yading is a nation-level reserve in Daocheng County,
in the southwest of Sichuan Province. Located in the
eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, it
boasts a beautiful alpine valley scenery.
The reserve covers an area of 1,344 square
kilometers (134,400 hectares), with Chenrezig being
its highest peak at 6,032 meters above sea level. It
is known as one of China's oldest and best-preserved
alpine ecosystems. The reserve's particular
geographical environment, in addition to its alpine
springs, carries with it a rather humid climate with
rich vergetation covering the land, creating unique
scenic sights.
Yading's amazing scenery has won itself the titles
of "the last Shangri-La" and "the last pure land on
the blue planet."
#9
Four Girls Mountain
Located in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous
Prefecture, Sichuan Province, the Four Girls
Mountain consists of four adjacent peaks, covered
with eternal snow. Its name stems from a local
legend that the place was once slammed by chilling
northern winds and in order to protect the local
residents, four beautiful girls turned into four
peaks to shield the place from the blows.
Just like four girls, the charming peaks are white
as ice and pearly colored as jade, spanning an area
of over 2,000 square kilometers (200,000 hectares)
and earning it the nickname of the "Eastern Alps."
The 6,250-meter-high fourth peak is the highest as
well as the most captivating one. The heights of the
first, second, and third peaks are 5,355 meters,
5,454 meters, and 5,664 meters respectively.
As a nation-level nature reserve, the mountain is
home to many species, including golden monkeys and
black bears. It flaunts a group of scenic areas
where people can go to enjoy some sightseeing,
mountain climbing and other recreational outings.
#8
Huanglong
Located in the southern part of the Minshan Mountain
range, Huanglong is a scenic and historic area in
northwestern Sichuan, extending over an area of 700
square kilometers (70,000 hectares).
This area is known for its colorful pools created by
calcite deposits, especially in Huanglonggou (Yellow
Dragon Gully), as well as for its diversity in
forest ecosystems, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and
hotsprings. Its highest peak, or Xuebao Peak,
measures a height of 5,588 meters and is covered
with eternal snow. It is located at the eastern end
of China's currently remaining glaciers.
Huanglong is also home to many endangered species,
including the Giant Panda and the Sichuan Golden
Snub-nosed Monkey. Huanglong was declared a World
Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1992 and listed in
the World Human and Biosphere Reserve by the UN in
2000.
#7
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Dujiangyan is an irrigation infrastructure built by
Governor Li Bing of the Qin State in 256 BC, during
China's Warring States Period (476-221BC). It is
situated on the Min River in Sichuan Province, near
its capital Chengdu.
Dujiangyan is the only existing ancient hydro-power
project, featuring diversions without a dam, in the
world. It is widely regarded as the "ancestor" of
the world's hydro-power culture, with a history
dating back over 2,200 years. It also functions as a
means for preventing floods and plain shipping. It
is still in use today, irrigating over 5,300 square
kilometers of the region's land.
Dujiangyan is known as one of the "three great
hydraulic engineering projects of the Qin Dynasty."
The other two are the Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi
Province and the Lingqu Canal in Guangxi Province.
Dujiangyan is also one of China's better-known
touristic spots, with many historic sites
surrounding the area.
#6
Mount Qingcheng
Located to the southwest of Dujiangyan, Sichuan
Province, Mount Qingcheng can claim to have some
strong roots for China's Taoism (Daoism). It is a
famous historical mountain and one of the nation's
major scenic areas.
The mountain faces the Chengdu Plain, at the back
sporting the Minjiang River, and stretches over an
area of 200 square kilometers (20,000 hectares). It
has 36 peaks, 8 large caves and 72 small caves. Its
main peak, Laoxiao Peak, rises up to 1,260 meters.
Many temples can be found in the area.
In 2000, UNESCO included Mount Qingcheng, together
with the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, on its World
Heritage List.
#5
Southern Sichuan Bamboo Forest
Sixty-eight kilometers southeast of Yibin City, you
find an extraordinary natural bamboo forest,
covering a total area of 60,000 mu (4,000 hectares),
including 500 hills.
The Bamboo Forest scenic area, situated at an
elevation ranging from 600 m to 1,000 m, features as
many as 58 different bamboo types. Strong and dense,
from a distance they seem to resemble a green ocean.
The scenic area also features mountains, rivers,
karst caves, lakes and falls. In the middle of the
forest you find many cultural relics and historical
sites, such as the Bamboo Forest Museum, the old
folk residences on Mount Xijia and fish fossils.
The scenic area has very enjoyable weather with a
year-round average temperature of 15.5℃ (60℉). It is
the perfect place to enjoy some fresh air and gaze
out over the beautiful landscape. It has been
described as "one of the top 10 most beautiful
forests in China."
#4
Hailuo Valley
The Hailuo Valley lies at the foot of the Gongga
snow-topped peak, situated on the eastern hillside
of Gongga Mountain at the eastern edge of the
Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is well-known for its
low-elevation glacier.
The crystal glacier comes down along the steep
hillside and decorates the whole valley with a pure
icy white coating. Its huge ice cave and bridge make
the scenery resemble a crystal palace straight out
of an ancient myth. More particularly, the
magnificent grand ice waterfall, over 1,000 meters
high and 1,100 meters wide, is 10 times larger than
the famous Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou
Province.
In this world of ice and snow, there are dozens of
hot, warm and cold springs, exuding from
underground. The highest temperature of the spring
mouth can be up to 90 C°
(194
F°).
The ancient forest is also an important feature of
the valley.
#3
Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha, or Lingyun Giant Buddha, is
the sculpture of a seated Maitreya Buddha located at
the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi
rivers in southern Sichuan Province, close to the
city of Leshan. The stone sculpture, carved out from
a cliff, faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing
below its feet.
Built in Tang Dynasty (618–907), it is the largest
stone-carved sitting Maitreya Buddha in the world as
well as the tallest pre-modern statue in the world
(by far).
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant
Buddha Scenic Area, has been listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site since 1996. It easily rivals
other famous stone carvings such as the Sphinx and
the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
#2
Mount Emei
Mount Emei(Source: www.china.org.cn)
Sitting on the western rim of the Sichuan Basin,
Mount Emei is a scenic area in Emei City, stretching
over 15,400 hectares. Its highest peak is Wanfo
Peak, with an elevation of 3,099 meters.
Mt. Emei has a steep terrain and boasts some great
natural scenery. It is covered by more than 3,000
kinds of plants, including a number of rare trees.
Groups of monkeys are often seen by the mountain
roads, looking to get some food from the travelers.
As one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of
China, Mt. Emei features some 26 temples, including
8 major ones, which frequently hold Buddhist
ceremonies.
Mt. Emei was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1996.
#1 Jiuzhaigou Valley
Jiuzhaigou Valley is a nature reserve and national
park located in the northern part of Sichuan
Province. It is part of the Minshan Mountain range
on the edge of the Tibetan Himalayan Plateau,
extending over 72,000 hectares.
A branch of the Baihe River, the upper stream of
Baishuigou Valley, Jiuzhaigou Valley was named after
the nine Tibetan villages located along its length.
With an elevation ranging from 2,000 m to 4,500 m,
the valley is covered by primary forests and 108
lakes. It is known for its crystal lakes,
multi-level waterfalls, colorful forests,
snow-capped peaks and Tibetan culture. Over 140
types of birds can be found in the valley, together
with many other kinds of endangered animals and
plants, including pandas and Sichuan Takins.
Thanks to its beautiful landscape, Jiuzhaigou Valley
has been branded a "fairytale world" and a
"fairyland on earth." In 1992, UNESCO put the area
on its World Heritage Site List and in 1997 named it
a World Biosphere Reserve.
(Source:
china.org.cn) |
