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REED FLUTE CAVES
The name of the cave is derived from ludi cao (reed grass), which grows in front of the cave and is used to make flutes with melodious sound. The grass covered the entrance to the cave, so the people of the area used this cave for many centuries as a hideout in times of war.
Reed Flute Cave is widely acknowledged that Guilin landscape tops that elsewhere under heaven. As one of the numerous natural caves in Guilin, Reed Flute Cave is the most noteworthy and renowned one that cannot be missed for any comers here. It is located five kilometers northwest of the downtown of Guilin, or a pleasant 45-minute bike ride northwest of the town, on the southern shoulder of the Guangming Hill (Bright Hill), in China. It is famous for its speleologists.
The cave is about 240 meters long and it was formed 600,000 years ago. According to the geological research, the cave used to be an underground lake; it gradually turned into the cave as a result of the enhancement of the mountain and decline of the water level. In the long course, the calcium carbonate in the rock was dissolved by the underground water. When the water flew into the mouth of the cave through the gaps, the crystallization of the calcium carbonate was deposited. After the accumulation of several million years, the wonderful sceneries were formed.
When you enter the Reed Flute Cave, your eyes will be feasted with a large display of stone formations, such as stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, stone flowers, stone curtains, stone mushroom and so forth.
If you look at each one with your imagination, you will surprisingly find every stone has its equivalence in the real life. Some are like the human figures, some resemble the animals, some are similar to the famous flowers, and some look like the fruit and vegetables. What is more, pagodas, forest, fish, waterfall, canyon, peanut, carrot are all available here.
Even the artists and craftsmen dare not to say they outmatch the nature in making the fine works of art. It is no wonder Reed Flute Cave is reputed as ‘The Palace of the Natural Arts’.SUMMER PALACE
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| Seventeen Arch Bridge |
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| View from distance |
Summer Palace is one of the China's largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. With a concentration of the best of ancient buildings as well as styles of gardening, it is a virtual museum of traditional Chinese gardening.
The Summer Palace with its cool features - water, gardens and hills - was the palace of choice for vacationing emperors and Dowager Empresses during the summer time. It was badly damaged by Anglo-French troops during the Second Opium War (1860) and its restoration became a pet project of the Empress Dowager Cixi, last Qing dynasty rulers.
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| Pagoda |
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| Marble Boat |
The 100-odd examples of traditional architecture in the park include pavilions, terraces, temples, pagodas, waterside gazebos, covered corridors, stone bridges and the famous marble boat. The palace occupies a total area of 290 hectares, three quarters of which is made up of shallow lakes.
In December 1998, UNESCO include the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declare the Summer Palace as "A masterpiece of Chinese Landscape garden design".
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| Bridge at Summer Palace |
The Natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.
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| Winter at Summer Palace |
HUANG LONG, SINCHUAN
Huang Long is a scenic and historic interest area in Songpan Country in the northwest part of Sinchuan, China. It is located in the southern part of the Minshan mountain range, 150 km north-northwest of the capital Chengdu.
This area is known for its colorful pools formed by calcite deposits, especially in Huanglonggou (Yellow Dragon Gully), as well as diverse forest ecosystems, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and hot springs. 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 UNESCO in 1992.
Due to thousands of years of geological evolution, Huanglong consists of numerous unique landscapes of geological landforms. Glacial revolution, terrane structure, stratum of carbonic acid rock, tufa water and climatic conditions such as artic-alpine sun light have created this world-famous travertine landscape.
These accumulated travertine landscapes and fascinating pools are Huanglong's main attraction. The total length of the travertine is 3.6km and it is thought to look like a huge golden dragon wheeling through the snow-capped mountains of the valley. The main landscapes are travertine banks, amazingly colourful ponds and travertine waterfalls and caves.
