Huanglong Scenic Area



Huanglong is well known as “Bath of Fairy Mother Goddess” in China, which indicates that it is the place
where the Fairy Mother Goddess used to take her bath. Such fascinating scenery is rarely to find on the
earth. Huanglong Scenic Area is included in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1992.

Covering about 700 sq. km in the northwest section of Sichuan Province, the Huanglong Valley is situated in
Songpan County, at the south section of the Minshan Mountain Range in Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and
Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. This mountainous landscape is famed for its colorful pools, snow-capped
mountains, deep forests, waterfalls and diversified cultures. In addition to its mountain landscape, diverse
forest ecosystems can be found, as well as spectacular limestone formations, waterfalls and hot springs.

The area is also home to many endangered animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.

The 7.5-km Huanglong Valley is located at the foot of snow-capped mountains, near the source of the Fujiang River. At the end of the valley, near
the foot of Green Jade Peak, water from melting snow mixes with limestone water from underground, flowing down the mountain terraces,
depositing calcium carbonate from the limestone water on the rocks, stones and fallen branches in its path. The calcium carbonate, in turn, reacts
chemically with organic and inorganic substances, resulting in various kinds of calcareous deposits that shine golden in the sunlight, just like a
huge yellow dragon flying down from the snow-capped mountain, hence the name of the place.

When the water flows into two separate streams, it turns into more colorful ponds and waterfalls. At the end
of the gold-reflecting river is the Bathing Cave Waterfall, plunging 7 m down a cliff to turn into a water curtain.
Nearby, the Brilliant Flying Waterfall, fed by the ponds on the upper reaches, cascades 10 m downward, with
a width of 60 m. The jigsaw-like cliffs at the top of the waterfall split the water into small streams or curtains
of water, creating a most fantastic sight. Of all the colorful pools, eight are most famous, i.e. the Flower-
washing Pool, Bonsai Pool, Mirror Pool, Rhododendron Pool, Jade Plants Pool, Riot of Color Pool in the
south, the Stone Pagoda Village Sea Pool and the Turning Flower Pool in the north.