Laotudingzi National Nature Reserve

Laotudingzi National Nature Reserve

Laotudingzi National Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve and a national defense education base.

Situated in Huanren County, Liaoning Province, the mountain earned the name Laotudingzi (Old Bald Top) due to its high altitude, cold weather, exposed summit, and absence of plant life. As part of the Changbai Mountain Range, it is hailed as the “Roof of Liaoning.” Its main peak rises 1,367 meters above sea level, second only to Liaoning’s highest peak, Huabizi Mountain, and spans around 72,000 mu. The mountaintop resembles a soaring ridge reaching into the clouds—lofty and majestic—thus earning the title "Roof of Liaoning." From the mountain’s base to its mid-slopes, dense and lush forests thrive, including both primeval and planted woods. The trees grow tall and thick, forming a sea of green. Among the woods, mountain streams trickle with a pleasant tinkling sound, enhancing the serene atmosphere of “quiet mountains and noisy waters.” Higher up, the trees become shorter with branches growing in unusual directions. This area, remote and hard to access, is home to a relatively intact natural ecosystem and was designated as a provincial forest nature reserve in 1981.

The soil in Laotudingzi Nature Reserve is fertile and the area enjoys abundant rainfall, with annual precipitation exceeding 880 millimeters. Forest coverage surpasses 80%. The secondary forests are rich in tree species such as oak, birch, catalpa, pine, maple, scholar tree, and Amur cork tree, with a total timber reserve of about 100,000 cubic meters. Within the rugged forests, one can find wild animals such as wild boar, fox, roe deer, badger, black bear, and the rare hoopoe. The mountain slopes and wooded areas also yield various precious medicinal herbs, including ginseng, codonopsis, asarum, and schisandra. When spring arrives and flowers bloom, the hillsides are covered with fragrant blossoms. In golden autumn, ripe mountain fruits hang heavy and blush red, seemingly smiling at visitors. The area has been designated as a base for research on forestry, biology, botany, and meteorology in the province, and is regarded by experts as a natural museum.

In 1935, the First Army led by General Yang Jingyu of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army established a base and secret camp here. Using the mountain as a natural stronghold, they fought the enemy effectively. The ruins of the anti-Japanese guerrilla camp can still be identified today.