Tai’an Mountain Nature Reserve

Tai’an Mountain Nature Reserve

Tai’an Mountain Nature Reserve is situated in the northern mountainous region of Jiuxian Town, Yanqing County. To the west lies Longqing Gorge, to the east it borders Baihe Fort, and to the north it meets Chicheng County of Hebei Province, with a total area of 3,470 hectares. As a county-level nature reserve, the area features sun-oriented mountainous terrain that is higher in the north and lower in the south. The vegetation primarily includes drought-tolerant sparse forests and shrubs such as wild apricot, oak, vitex, and jujube. Along the valleys, there are planted stands of Chinese pine. The terrain around Chicken Crag Mountain and Half-Cake Tofu Mountain is relatively flat with lush vegetation, where various medicinal herbs and flowers grow, including codonopsis, astragalus, platycodon, bupleurum, eleutherococcus, monkshood, roses, peonies, and lilacs.

The reserve is home to a rich diversity of wildlife. Class I protected animals include the serow and leopard. Among birds of prey, there are golden eagles and various species of falcons and hawks. Other animals in the area include wolves, wild boars, badgers, foxes, roe deer, hares, squirrels, and leopard cats. There are also hundreds of bird species such as black drongos, shrikes, willow warblers, blue-tailed blue robins, white-collared yuhinas, crows, magpies, and azure-winged magpies. Due to its connection with the vast mountainous areas of Hebei Province and its overall sun-facing orientation, the area enjoys a relatively warm winter, making it an excellent seasonal habitat for wildlife. Establishing the Tai’an Mountain Nature Reserve is of great significance for the protection and development of plant and animal resources in the transitional zone between north and south, as well as for conducting scientific research.

[Location] Northern mountainous area of Jiuxian Town, Yanqing County [Transportation] Take the express bus 919 to Yanqing County, then transfer to bus 920 to Jiuxian, and finally take a local minibus heading toward Tai’an Mountain.

Jiuxian Town: Jiuxian Town is located 15 kilometers northeast of Yanqing County and 90 kilometers from downtown Beijing (Deshengmen). It neighbors Xiangying Township to the east, borders Shenjiaying Town to the south, connects with Zhangshanying Town to the west, and adjoins Chicheng County of Hebei Province to the north. The town covers an irregular triangular area of 109.7 square kilometers and governs 22 administrative villages and 29 grassroots Party organizations, with a total population of 23,000. The elevation of all village sites in the town ranges between 500 and 865 meters. The terrain slopes from north to south, consisting of mountains, cultivated land, slopes, and flatlands, each accounting for about one-third of the total area. It is commonly described as “mountains to the north, plains to the south, five…” More detailed information on Jiuxian Town++