Marvelous Ice Mortars

Marvelous Ice Mortars

On January 6, 2005, Professor Han Tonglin from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences called to say that based on the materials and photos mailed by the author, he confirmed that these rare “pits” were remnants of Quaternary glacial movement, scientifically known as “ice mortars.”

In the valley area of Houkeng Village adjacent to Yueshan Village, there are uniquely shaped stone caves resembling stone mortars used for hulling rice—“small mouths, large bellies, and flat bottoms.” Some are as big and shaped like bathtubs, with one over 1 meter deep where villagers have even bathed; others have openings just over 40 centimeters wide but bellies much larger than their mouths; still others are about the width of a bowl but over 30 centimeters deep. Villagers say they’ve existed since ancient times, but they are definitely not man-made. Villagers also found many such caves near the river valley. Professor Han Tonglin, an authority on ice mortar research, asserted without doubt that they are indeed ice mortars.

According to Professor Han, these are valley ice mortars. Ice mortars are rare geological relics, dating back approximately 2 to 3 million years. They are direct products and important relics of Quaternary paleoglacial activity, as well as strong evidence of the existence of ancient glacial movements. They were formed by the erosive action of glacial meltwater along glacial fissures, which dripped downward like water wearing through stone, carving into the bedrock. Their shape resembles the stone mortars used in ancient China for hulling rice, hence the name. Due to their great age, their preservation is extremely rare. They hold high scientific research value for studying ancient climate, ancient environments, global warming, and human origins and skin color formation. At the same time, as unique natural landscapes, they also possess significant tourism development potential.

Phone

0476-5226464

Ticket Price

120 yuan

Opening Hours

May 1 – October 15

Location

Yueshan Village, Qingyuan County (Jushui Township), Lishui City