Mount Qingcheng And The Dujiangyan Irrigation SystemThe scenic attractions of Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System are situated west of Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province.
Mount Qingcheng, the fifth most famous Taoist mountain in China, is one of the places where Taoism came into being. One of the most secluded mountains in China, it is here that Xhasng Daoling, the founder of Taoism had preached his doctrines and left behind numerous stories and relics. It is regarded as the ‘fifth dwelling of the immortals’ by Taoists.
Covering an area of more than 100 kilometers, the Qingcheng Mountain is surrounded by a number of peaks and covered in thick forests of tall ancient trees that seem to reach up to the sky. It is for this reason that it is called Mt. Qingcheng, meaning ‘Green Town’ in Chinese. The highest peak here is 1600 meters above sea level.
The mountain consists of two parts - the anterior and the posterior. The anterior portion of the mountain is well known for it intense greenery, beautiful sceneries and scores of cultural and historical sites. The posterior mountain is known for its primitive and almost paradisiacal beauty, mysteriously enchanting to any visitor.
Mt. Qingcheng boasts of roughly 36 peaks, 72 caves and over 108 scenic spots. The Damian Mountain is its most famous peak and among its most famous scenic sites are the Shangqing Palace, the Jianfu palace and the Tianshi (Master’s) Cave. Locals say the mountain has preserved hundreds of anecdotes and legends within its scenic beauty, that attract tourists like bees to honey.
While only two halls and three compounds of the Jianfu Palace now lie preserved on the mountain, the Tianshi cave is considered to be its major temple. It contains stone inscriptions of three kings of the Tang dynasty.
Built over 2200 years ago, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System is considered to be a jewel in the construction of waterworks in ancient China. Erected on the Minjiang River at the foot of the Yulei Mountain, situated northwest of Dujiangyan City in Sichuan Province, it continues to benefit people even today.
Considered by locals be a unique and scientific marvel, the irrigation system provides a vital passage that joins the mountain to the plain. The system consists of three main parts - a water-dividing dyke in the shape of a fish’s mouth, two spillways for discharging flood water and silt, and a channel that runs through Yulei Mountain as a water inlet. It is the interaction of all three parts and their dependence on each other that constitutes the perfect division of water that contributes to irrigation, flood control and shipping.
Surrounded by beatific landscape, the irrigation system also has numerous historic sites and cultural relics that have proved to be a great draw for domestic as well as foreign tourists. These include the Fulong Temple, the Erwang temple and the Trail Bridge.
Both the Qingcheng Mountain and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System were listed as one cultural heritage site by the United Nation’s heritage Commission in 2000.
