Ma Zongling

Ma Zongling

The Ma Zongling Nature Reserve is located in the southwestern part of Jinzhai County, in the heart of the Dabie Mountains. It was established in June 1982. The area features high elevation, with most parts around 1,000 meters above sea level, and the highest peak, Moon Hollow, reaching 1,671 meters. The reserve covers a total area of 52,400 mu, with the core protected zone spanning 20,700 mu, and has a forest coverage rate of 93%. The area boasts diverse forest types, with a well-preserved natural ecosystem that represents the characteristic vegetation of the northern subtropical zone on the northern slope of the Dabie Mountains. The reserve is rich in rare and ancient trees, including nationally protected species such as Emmenopterys henryi, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Euptelea pleiosperma, Dabieshan five-needle pine, wild pecan, Cephalotaxus sinensis, Pseudotaxus chienii, Cyclocarya paliurus, Tetracentron sinense, and Magnolia cylindrica. There are 58 species of birds and 18 species of mammals. Nationally protected animals include the Reeves’s pheasant, small Indian civet, leopard, Chinese forest musk deer, and Chinese giant salamander (baby fish). The Huangfu Mountain Nature Reserve is located in the western part of Chuzhou City. It was established in June 1982. The reserve spans a total area of 53,800 mu, with the core protected zone covering 26,300 mu. The “Northern General Peak” within the reserve is the highest peak in eastern Anhui, standing at 399 meters above sea level. The forest vegetation here consists of secondary broadleaf deciduous forests with a small amount of evergreen trees typical of the northern subtropical zone, and the forest coverage rate is 72%. There are over 140 species of woody plants, and nearly 10,000 mu of Phellodendron amurense forests with neat and vibrant growth, which is quite rare.

The reserve is home to precious wild animals such as the river deer and small Indian civet. There are 126 species of birds, accounting for about 40% of the total bird species in the province. Every April, over 100,000 egrets migrate here from the south to feed, nest, and breed, earning the area the nickname “Egret Isle.” In 1983, the National Bird Banding Center set up a bird banding station at the Huangfu Mountain Reserve. In June 1954, 192 egrets were banded and released for the first time. Guanyin Cave is located in the Ma Zongling Nature Reserve in Jinzhai County. The cave is 20 square meters in size, and the cliff outside the cave bears an inscription reading “Temple Established in the Gui-Chou Year of Qianlong.” To the left front of the cave is a lotus-shaped rock, beneath which lies a natural spring. Legend has it that Guanyin rode a lotus flower to deliver this sacred spring here to save all living beings. A statue of Guanyin is enshrined inside the cave, which attracts a steady stream of worshippers.

Source: People's Government of Jinzhai County