At the southern section of the Minshan Mountain Range on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, there lies a secret realm favored by nature — Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area. Situated in Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, it covers a total area of 700 square kilometers, with an altitude ranging from 1700 meters to 5588 meters, the highest peak of the Minshan Mountains — Xuebaoding. As the only well-preserved plateau wetland in China, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992, known as the “Fairyland on Earth” and “Natural Travertine Museum”.
The soul of Huanglong lies in its unique travertine landscapes. After tens of thousands of years of geological evolution, under the combined action of glacial meltwater, carbonate rocks and unique climate, this area has formed a complete and large-scale travertine landform, including travertine pools, travertine beaches, travertine waterfalls, travertine caves and other forms, which can be called a “living epic of travertine”. Among them, the core scenic spot — Huanglong Valley is 3.6 kilometers long, with more than 3400 travertine pools scattered in terraced layers. Overlooking from a high place, it is like a golden dragon winding through the snow-capped mountains and forests, hence the name Huanglong (Yellow Dragon).
As the iconic landscape of Huanglong, the Five-Colored Pools push the beauty of nature to the extreme. Located at the top of Huanglong Valley, at an altitude of 3576 meters, it is the largest and highest-altitude open-air travertine pool group in the world, covering a total area of 21,000 square meters and consisting of 693 pools of varying sizes. Due to the differences in travertine deposition, mineral content and light refraction, the pool water presents unpredictable colors such as blue-green, golden yellow, milky white and crimson. On sunny days, the water is crystal clear, reflecting the shadows of snow-capped mountains and forests. When the breeze blows, the water shimmers, as if God knocked over the palette, which is breathtakingly beautiful. In addition to the Five-Colored Pools, other landscapes in Huanglong Valley also have their own characteristics: Jinsha Pudi (Golden Sand Paving the Ground) is the longest travertine beach in the world, 1.3 kilometers long. The milky yellow travertine surface undulates like dragon scales, shining brightly in the sun; Feipu Liuhui (Waterfall Shining) is composed of a travertine waterfall tens of meters high. The water pours down, reflecting brilliant rays of light under the sun, like colorful clouds falling on the earth.
The unique geographical environment makes Huanglong a paradise for rare animals and plants. Here, the ecosystem is complex and diverse. The altitude span brings a complete vertical vegetation spectrum from subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests to alpine shrub meadows, with a forest coverage rate of 88.9%. It is home to many national protected plants such as Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Tetracentron sinense and Taxus chinensis, as well as more than 69 species of wild orchid plants, including rare species such as Cypripedium tibeticum. The animal resources are also rich. It is one of the important habitats for giant pandas in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River, and also inhabits 23 national first and second-class protected animals such as Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys, takins and clouded leopards, which can be called the “biological gene pool of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau”. Walking along the forest paths in Huanglong, you can often see squirrels shuttling through the woods, and occasionally catch a glimpse of golden snub-nosed monkeys, showing a beautiful picture of harmony between man and nature.
The beauty of Huanglong lies not only in the magnificent and beautiful Natural Scenery, but also in its profound cultural heritage. Huanglong Middle Temple and Huanglong Back Temple in the scenic area, built in the Ming Dynasty, integrate Tibetan Buddhism and Taoism, with incense lingering for hundreds of years. Every June of the lunar calendar, a grand temple fair is held here, gathering people of Tibetan, Qiang, Han and other ethnic groups to carry out song and dance performances, sacrificial prayers and other activities, showing a strong ethnic customs. In addition, as an important node of the ancient Silk Road, Huanglong carries diverse cultural memories. The living customs and traditional skills of the Tibetan and Qiang people are deeply integrated with this landscape, adding a unique humanistic charm to Huanglong.
As a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction and a world man and biosphere reserve, Huanglong has always adhered to the principle of “protection first, rational utilization”. While guarding the natural wonders, it provides tourists with a good travel experience. The perfect tourist facilities and clear sign guidance in the scenic area allow tourists to easily appreciate the charm of this secret realm. Whether it is the blooming flowers in spring, the cool summer resort, the colorful forests in autumn, or the snow-covered winter, Huanglong has a different charm, attracting tourists from home and abroad to come and experience the magical gift of nature and the unique charm of the plateau wetland.
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