A Leisure Area with Wonderful Scenery
The Yandang Mountains are one of the ten famous mountain ranges in China, located in the coast northeast of Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is composed of North Yandang, Middle Yandang and South Yandang.
The mountains, the largest among the 44 key scenic resorts of the country, cover an area of 450 square kilometers. The mountain range was formed 120 million years ago, and belongs to a complete and typical rhyolitic palcovolcano dating from the Cretacceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, in the edge of the volcanic belt of Asia surrounding the Pacific Ocean. The belt is older than the Andes and the western part of the United States. From 1984 to 1986,almost 200 pieces of cultural relics of the New Stone Age were unearthed, including teeth, horns, and bones of ancient animals and polished stone implements, jade and bronze wares. As the result of textual research, they belong to the cultural type of “HeMu du-BaiXiang bin-Liangzhu”. In the 1930s , a German geologist brought this area to the world’s attention by describing the Yandang mountain as beautiful as the mountains of Switzerland.
The mountain range includes 500 scenic spots in seven major scenic areas, including Lingfeng, Lingyan, Dalingqiu, Yanhu, Xianshengshan, Xianqiao, and Yangjiao Cave. Of them, Lingfeng, Lingyan and Dalongqiu have the best scenery.
The first thing that attracts visitors’ attention is the curiously shaped peaks and rocks there. Lingfeng Peak is the east gate of the Yandang Mountains, occupying an area of 46 square kilometers. The night view of it is rich in hazy poetic flavor. Two curious caves, Guanyin Cave and Beidou Cave, are where people traveling must go. Guanling Cave is 113metres high, 14metres wide and 76metres deep. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. Within the cave is a nine-story structure.
Some 30roaring waterfalls and tinkling springs are other attractions of the area ,including Yongcui, Yanwei (swallow’s tail), Luodai, Xida and Sanzhe (three-step) waterfalls. Dalongqiu Waterfall with a sheer drop of 197 meters is the biggest. The water drops down directly like a dragon during spring and summer, and beads of water splash through the mist in autumn and winter.
The third attraction is the ancient karst caves . Most of them are located between two peaks or on cliff sides. There are said to be 66 awe-inspiring caves . Besides the Guanyin Cave, there are Xiangu Cave and Tianchuang (skylight) Cave, which is a cave seen from the bottom of it.
The fourth attraction is the 23 screen-like peaks in the mountain range. Some peaks guard narrow gorges; others overlap or stand face to face. Tourists can wander to the valley bottom to look up at the wonderful peaks and listen to the sound of waterfalls. There is a 200-metre-wide “gate” called Xianshengmen. Entering the gate is like entering the very heart of the mountains as you are surrounded by cliffs with waterfalls seemingly dropping down from the sky. There are also the Tiecheng, Lianyun and Pingxia rock cliffs.
The fifth attraction is the 18 ancient tempts. Lingyan Temple, which is located in the Lingyan Scenic Area, is the most famous. It was built in 979 in the Song Dynasty, whose emperors Taizong and Renzong visited it and left inscriptions. The temple also preserves 100 volumes of rare Buddhist scriptures. On both sides of the main gate of the temple are eight Chinese characters, reading “Famous mountains by the sea” and “The best scenery in the world,” carved in the Ming Dynasty.
So the Yandang Mountains can not only be ranked as part of the world’s natural heritage but also are of rich cultural history. It is historically called “the first mountains in the south-east” and favorably known as “the famous mountains out of the sea”.
Besides ,there are very famous dishes in Yandang Mountains: White Chicken Meat and Sweetfish, River Eel and Potatoes, Yandang Stone Frog, Stewed Hare, Meat and Potato, Beautiful Yellow Croaker, Bean-curd and Surf Clam Soup, and Green Spinach and Shelled Shrimps, and Steamed Sea Crabs. Most of the ingredients are local products.
White Chicken Meat and Sweetfish is colorful and rich in nutrition. River Eel and Potatoes is made from locally-caught potatoes, and red and white turnips. Yandang Stone Frog is fine, tender and delicious. Beautiful Yellow Croaker is made of yellow croaker and a variety of vegetables. Bean-curd and Surf Clam Soup is a rare delicacy.
Hotels:
Chaoyang Mountain Village is the three-star tourist hotel in the Yandang Mountains. It is located at 56 Chaoyang Road, Yandang Mountains, Wenzhou. Its standard guestrooms are 320 yuan per person, and the price of its luxury suites is 1500 yuan. For bookings, telephone:(0577)2243484 or (0577)2243483.Fax:(0577)2243463
Yandangshan Mountains Village is on Xiaoxia Road , in the center of the scenic area. It is a garden-like hotel. Its standard guestroom is 420 yuan per person ,and the price of its luxury suite is 2800 yuan. For bookings, telephone:(0577)2241666
Yinhe Mountains Villages on Jingming Road, Yandangshan Mountains, Wenzhou. Its standard guestrooms 228yuan per person and the price of a standard suite is 588 yuan. For bookings, telephone:(0577)2241800
Travel:
It is 80 kilometers from Wenzhou Airport to the Yandang Mountains. From the airport there are flights to all the major cities in the country. It is 70 kilometers from Wenzhou Railway Station to the mountains. Trains connect Wenzhou with all the major cities in China,and buses connect it with neighboring cities including Shanghai, Ningbo and Hangzhou. There are also long-distance buses which go directly from Beijing to Wenzhou.
Ships go from Wenzhou Harbor to coastal cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Hong Kong.
Agency
Yandangshan Mountains Travel Agency
It is managed by the Yandangshan Mountains Travel Bureau and it is the largest agency that can give service to the travelers at home and abroad .
Manager: Chenhongfang TEL: 0577-2243087 FAX: 0577-2243087
address: 6 the Lingtou Walk Street, Yandanshan