The second highest peak of Daba Mountain, the main peak of Hualong Mountain. Photo by Wang Tao
After a little summer, summer is really coming. Whenever this time comes, I want to go to the Eight Immortals to escape the heat.
In the memory, to the Eight Immortals to turn over the Maoyazi and Feng Jialiang two mountains, the road is far away, is a kind of Dongfeng convertible truck, no seats, passengers all stand in the body, from both sides of the cargo compartment guardrail pull two thick ropes or iron chains as a handrail to maintain balance, as soon as it starts, the people of the whole vehicle are swaying left and right on the rugged mountain road, when they arrive at the Shiping of the Eight Immortals, they are already covered in gray face, only a pair of eyes are bright, very difficult. Later, the Taogu Road was opened, and the Maoyazi was thrown off, and there was one less mountain. The asphalt road leads all the way to Baiguoping, and the means of transportation have also been changed to minibuses. In 2017, the highway tunnel on Fengjialiang was officially opened on the eve of July 1st, and the mileage from the county seat to the eight immortals was reduced to more than 70 kilometers, entering the one-hour economic tourism circle of the county, and in 2018, the Baishi Highway was rebuilt as a secondary road, and the improvement of travel traffic benefited the people's livelihood, and the dream of several generations of eight immortals was realized.
The statue of the Eight Immortals in the central square of the town of Eight Immortals. Photo by Wang Tao
The Eight Immortals are named after the legend of Han Xiangzi and other eight immortals cultivating here, the rivers in the territory are dense, the strange peaks are handsome, the canyons are deep, and there is quite a paradise, the artistic conception of the fairy world in the world. The Eight Immortals, which people are accustomed to calling, is a large regional concept, which includes the current two towns of Eight Immortals and Zhengyang. Eight immortals are located in the hinterland of the Daba Mountains, with an average altitude of more than 1,000 meters, the first peak in southern Shaanxi with an altitude of 2918 meters, the second highest peak of Daba Mountain, Hualongshan, there are currently the national AAAA scenic spot Tianshu Gorge, Hanxian Cave Wuzhenguan, Baxian Ancient Town, Liao Qianwu's former residence, Longdong River Waterfalls, Zhengyang Alpine Meadow and other cultural and natural landscapes, the vegetation coverage rate reaches more than 95%, the air is rich in oxygen ions, it is not an exaggeration to call it a natural oxygen bar. Because of the high altitude and good vegetation, the summer of the Eight Immortals is naturally cool and pleasant, and it is an ideal place to escape the heat.
Eight immortals and thousands of homes. Photo by Wang Tao
Along the Lan River, at the foot of Hualong Mountain, Qianjiaping, Lanzhen Highway is like a silver snake coiling, winding up on the wide flat land surrounded by mountains, and the distant shade of the mountains, the clouds and mist on the mountainside and the lion rock looking forward constitute a wonderful Bashan writing intention. Whether it is in the summer rain or the season of snow, it will attract many photography enthusiasts. It used to be an important post station on the Bashan Ancient Road, and it was prosperous for a while when thousands of families lived at the most. The lively scene of the past has slowly disappeared with the quiet stream, and now the pines and cypresses here are in full bloom. The nursery base of Qianjiaping Forest Farm was built here, and the "Chinese pigeon tree", known as the "living fossil" of the plant, whose scientific name is Dove Tree, was artificially cultivated here for the first time, successfully saving a rare species in the world. This shows that the Eight Immortals have the most suitable natural environment for animals and plants to survive since ancient times.
Tianshuxia Waterfall. Photo by Wang Tao
Geological movements, so that the Eight Immortals between the mountains and mountains produce many beautiful canyons, or shade the sky and the sun, or diving deep streams, all of which contain the coolness of relieving the heat. Legend has it that the Eight Immortals once cultivated here, gathered thousands of strange books in the sky, read all the worldly things, traveled all over the world after cultivating the positive fruit, and turned the ten thousand volumes of heavenly books into strange stones and piled them up in the valley. The canyon is 12 kilometers long, and there are abundant natural resources such as primeval forests, canyon waterfalls, stone forests, sinkholes, karst caves, wild animals, and endangered plants in the southern part of Hualong Mountain. Layers of forests, mountain streams murmuring, along the valley bottom of the stream upstream, the stream water sometimes slowly moves, like flat sand and falling geese, sometimes dance wildly and shocking, such as ten thousand horses galloping. The valley is quiet and cool, the breeze is slow, the fragrance of flowers is intoxicating, and the sound of birdsong echoes in the ears. Immersed in the natural oxygen bar, you will feel refreshed, and the heat and fatigue will disappear immediately, and you will be relaxed.
Zhengyang alpine meadow (drone shooting). Photo by Wang Tao
To the Eight Immortals, it is definitely worth the trip to Zhengyang Grassland. The grassland is located in Zhenping, Shaanxi Province, Pingli and Chongqing Chengkou on the top of Bashan Sunping, about 5 kilometers wide from north to south and about 50 kilometers long. It is a kind of meadow in a high-altitude area, the northern foothills are gentle, the southern foothills are steep, and the dividing line between Shaanxi and Chongqing is bounded by the southern edge of the grassland, and there are several cement boundary pile signs. It has been formed through the ups and downs of the sea and land, the uplift and collapse of mountains, and the reproduction and extinction of ancient creatures. At the same time, it has given birth to and protected countless new species of animals and plants. Walking on the grassland, the endless mountains are covered with green carpets, the ups and downs are like the surging waves of the sea, and the surging sky, making the grassland more mysterious and tempting. The most beautiful thing is the clouds in the sky, which gather and scatter in different forms, which really tests the imagination of tourists. Wildflowers are everywhere, and at dusk, visitors wander and frolic among the flowers. The sunset reflects the entire sky, and the curves divide the earth clearly, with different shades of color, distance and height. To play in the grassland, you must come to camping, so that you can feel the magnificence of the sunrise and sunset in the alpine meadows, and the romance of looking up at the starry sky in the quiet night.
Wangjiachang, Longmen Village, Baxian Town. Photo by Wang Tao
There are rivers, mountains, and dangerous gorges, and waterfalls are indispensable. The Longdong River waterfalls at a glance can be said to be countless in the world. A clear stream between the valleys, falling into the waterhole of tens of meters splashed with mist, enveloping the whole valley, dyed into a colorful rainbow by the rising sun, beautiful, this is the rainbow waterfall, it is the waterfall with the largest drop in the Longdong River waterfall group. Of course, the scenery is hidden deep in the mountains, and you have to climb over a few mountain beams to get a glimpse of it. If you can't climb the mountain, it's no problem, there are more than a dozen large and small waterfalls along the roadside not far along the roadside, such as Yangzidong Waterfall and Hanpo Waterfall. Among them, the Hanpo Waterfall is larger, and a wide water curtain is opened on the fault in the river valley, and there is a waterhole under the waterfall. Through the dappled sunlight between the leaves, the water surface is sparkling, and the mist on the shore is filled, gently caressing the skin, cool and comfortable. The water of the stream is crystal clear, lovely, hold a full palm, wash your face, if you are not afraid of the water temperature of only a few degrees, you can even go to the water, and slowly feel the pleasure of the cool into the body, at this time you will completely forget that it is in summer.
Longdong River Han Po Waterfall. Photo by Wang Tao
The green landscape of the Eight Immortals hides a dream of a cool summer, which is the same as the pure blue sky and white clouds here, long and long, pure and lovely, full of green fields, pleasing to the eyes and heart.
(This article was originally published in the 8th edition of Ankang Daily on July 10, 2019)
【About the Author】
Wang Tao, pen name Wangwufeng. Born in Pingli, Shaanxi Province in the late seventies, he is a national civil servant. He loves poetry and literature, photography, travel and outdoor sports, and his more than 1,000 literary, photographic and journalistic works have been scattered in various newspapers, magazines, albums and new media. He is a member of the China Folk Literature and Art Association, the Chinese Prose Literature Association, the Chinese Poetry Society, the China Press Photography Society, the China Folk Photography Association, the Shaanxi Poetry Society, and the Shaanxi Photographers Association. Contracted photographer of Xinhua News Agency, Guangming Pictures, and Visual China. Part-time vice chairman of Pingli County Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice chairman of Pingli County Writers Association, vice chairman of Ankang Folk Photographers Association, and executive director of Shaanxi Folk Photography Association. Member of the 10th CPPCC of Pingli County.
Text: Wang Tao|Editor: Yi Yue|Review: Xiantao
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