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01-13-2006 17:19

The Chishui River flows through Southwestern China’s Guizhou Province. The town of Zunyi sits on its banks, surrounded by lush forests and breathtaking scenery. In yesterday’s episode, we examined the spinulose tree ferns in the primeval forest of the river valley. In part two of our three part series, we look at the landscape of the area. Millions of years ago, the region was lifted up and then carved into spectacular ravines by the forces of nature. It is a typical example of Danxia topography, named after Danxia Mountain in Guangdong Province. The striking red peaks mirror the area’s importance to China’s revolutionary history.

The Danxia landscape along the Chishui River is a breathtaking sight and is further enhanced by the grottoes carved into the cliffs. The fine red stone is easy to carve. But this does not explain why so many religious grottoes were created in similar landscapes. In Chinese tradition, the colour red represents happiness, making it a suitable place to carve religious figures.

People live in harmony with the Danxia landscape along the banks of the Chishui River. For generations the local people have protected the environment that they rely upon for their livelihoods. Today, it is one of China’s most unspoilt regions. The soft red stone has been carved by artists and nature into a living work of art. Tomorrow, we will visit some of the area’s best kept secrets. The primeval forest retains enormous amounts of water. When it is released the water cascades through the red rock and forms a series of spectacular waterfalls hidden in the ancient forest.

 

Editor:Wang Ping