Province's mountains hit new heights of beauty

By Huang Zhiling and peng chao in Chengdu | China Daily | Updated: 2016-07-23 07:47

Different people have different ways of dealing with incessant heat, but Hao Jian, a pensioner in Chengdu, Sichuan province, takes an original approach: He lives in a farmer's home on Emei Mountain for two months each summer.

"The temperature (there) is about five degrees centigrade lower (than at lower altitudes). And the scenery around my temporary home is breathtaking," he said.

Emei is a poetic term for "beautiful women" in Chinese. Stretching over 154 square kilometers, Emei Mountain, which was included on the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List in 1996, offers panoramic views of the landscape throughout the year.

In spring, its azaleas are brilliantly red. In summer, its lush green trees and grass give it a fresh, verdant look. In autumn, the mountain is a riot of color, as the green, yellow, orange and red of the trees blend with the blue sky. And in winter, the mountain becomes a white wonderland, lending a stark beauty to its ancient temples, trees and slopes.

Close to Emei Mountain, the Giant Buddha in Leshan city, Sichuan province, is the largest stone sculpture of a sitting Buddha in the world.

Jiuzhaigou, located in Aba, is on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Jiuzhaigou Valley has long enchanted tourists with its dramatic mountains, luxuriant forests, colorful lakes, gushing waterfalls and abundant wildlife. Autumn is the best season to visit Jiuzhaigou Valley, because the leaves begin to change color and form a striking contrast with the clear emerald waters.

Because of its transparent and colored ponds, there is a popular saying that after visiting Jiuzhaigou, all other water scenes are rendered irrelevant.

Located in Xiaojin county in the Aba Tibet and Qiang autonomous prefecture, Siguniang Mountain, meaning "Four Girls Mountain", features a cluster of snow-capped peaks reaching 6,250, 5,664, 5,454 and 5,355 meters above sea level respectively.

The mountains, which are about four hours' drive from Chengdu, have an intriguing legend.

According to legend, in an unknown dynasty, a mountain god called Balang had four beautiful daughters, all of whom were admired by a devil who wanted to marry them. He suggested to Balang that they fight a duel, and if he won, he would get the girls.

The mountain god was killed in the duel and the girls fled. They made it as far as Xiaojin county in Sichuan before freezing to death in the valley. As time passed, the sisters' remains rose to form the four peaks, which protected local people from floods and beasts.

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, featured with a great number of historical and natural landscape, is expecting more global visitors in the coming years.

Famous tourist spots include the Jinsha Site Museum, the Shrine of the Marquis Wu, Kuanzhai Alley, Thatched Cottage of Du Fu, and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

Qingcheng Mountain, together with the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 2001.

It is an important and sacred mountain for Taoists. In addition to its cultural significance, the tall trees and clear brooks create a wonderful environment, resulting in its moniker as China's most tranquil mountain.

The mountain also appears in the Hollywood blockbuster Kung Fu Panda 3. It provided abundant inspiration for DreamWorks' creative team.

Chengdu adopted a tax rebate policy on Jan 1, according to which overseas visitors can receive a rebate of 11 percent on consumer goods purchased at 33 designated stores.

In September 2013, Chengdu also became the first city in western China to adopt the 72-hour visa-free policy.

Chen Shian, deputy director of Chengdu Tourism Bureau, said the two policies offer strong support for Chengdu to achieve its goal of building itself into a world-class tourist destination and shopping paradise.