Sun and Moon Mountain


The Sun and Moon Mountain is located in the Huangyuan Prefecture of east of Qinghai
Province, the northeast of the Qinghai Lake and it belongs to the offshoot of the Qilian Mountain
chains. It is the boundary of the central agricultural area and the Qinghai-Tibet pastoral area.
The landscapes in the east and west sides of the mountain are totally different.

In the past, it was a vital communications center between Central China and the southwest
frontiers as well as the west regions. In 420, the first year of the Shengui reign under Emperor
Mingdi in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), the monk Song Yun left Luoyang City for India to
learn about Buddhism via Sun and Moon Mountain.  

From ancient times many mythology stories were spread by the people, most legends are
concerned with Wencheng Princess who married the Tibetan king in Tang Dynasty. It is said
that when Wencheng Princess passed here, she broke the lovely the sun and the moon mirror,
the succeeding named the mountain "Sun and Moon mountain" from "Chi Ling" in order to miss
and thank Wencheng Princess.

Also called Chi Ling before, the Sun and Moon Mountain has vast and green big grassland at the foot of the mountain, full of green trees on the
mountain and the cloud and mist on the top and the sun and the moon river flowing from east to west. This combination forms a very beautiful
picture.

Sun and Moon Mountain divides Qinghai into agricultural area and pastoral area. To the east is the Huangshui Valley; to the northwest is the
Qinghai Lake; to the southwest are continuous rolling mountains, vast grassland and scattering tents; 40 km from Sun and Moon Mountain, at the
foot of the West Hill, is the famous Daotang River, it flows from east to west, what's more, it is quiet and clear like a precious mirror.

Whoever has gone to the Sun and Moon Mountain will say that many scenic spots on the
mountain are like Utopia places far from the hubbub and it is a good place which can let the
city people forget the troubles of jobs completely.