Journeying to grand Jiuzhai (china.org.cn ) Updated: 2006-08-28 11:49 Mt. Siguniangshan and the Tibetan and Qiang Ethnic
Customs
Situated on the edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Mt. Siguniangshan (Four
Maidens' Mountain) is noted for its unusually shaped landforms and abundant
eco-environment plateau vegetation. The natural environment is extremely well
preserved in the area and it offer ideal habitats for approximately 100 rare
animals. Because of the vast quantities of raw natural resources, the area is
praised by experts as being a "Gene Bank" of southwestern
China.

[Photo Source: China.org.cn]
As with all typical plateau climates, the best time of the year to visit is
between May and October, when the average temperature is a comfortable 13
degrees centigrade. Mt. Siguniangshan consists of four snow covered mountains of
more than 5,000 meters high and the Four Maiden's Mountain, standing at a height
of 6,250 meters, is the tallest of the four. The four mountains stand shoulder
by shoulder on the Northwestern Sichuan Plateau, attracting both Chinese and
foreign mountain climbers. Because of the thick forests at the foot of the
mountains, the verdant grasslands, and the murmuring streams, Mt. Siguniangshan
has been called the "Alps of the Orient. "Indeed, traveling in the area
certainly does bring to mind certain Alpine destinations of southern Europe.
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