Weixian North Sky Grassland

Weixian North Sky Grassland

There are two sky grasslands in Hebei Province. One is the South Sky Grassland in Laiyuan County, and the other is the North Sky Grassland in Weixian County. The North Sky Grassland is located 13 kilometers south of Weixian County town and about 35 kilometers northwest of Laiyuan County town. It lies in the Hengshan Mountain Range at the junction of Laiyuan and Weixian counties, as well as the border area between Shanxi and Hebei provinces. There is a huge mountaintop plateau at an altitude of 2,159 meters. Surrounded by steep slopes, the flat mountaintop is so expansive that it could easily accommodate a city. This place is called Dianziliang and is now known as the “Sky Grassland,” famous for its alpine meadows, forests, and grassland scenery.

The scenic area features overlapping green peaks and crisscrossing ravines. The slopes and valleys are covered with lush natural secondary forests, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, providing habitats for more than ten species of wild animals. At elevations over 2,000 meters, numerous alpine meadows have formed, among which the “Sky Grassland” is the largest, covering an area of approximately 29 square kilometers. The Sky Grassland is divided into northern and southern sections, connected by a central mountain ridge. Visitors can explore the Sky Grassland on foot or by horseback, enjoying the flowers, having picnics, and taking photos. In the peak of summer, adventurous visitors may bring thick quilts and tents to camp overnight on the vast grassland, light bonfires, sing and dance, admire the night scenery, and have fun to their heart’s content.

In the southeastern corner of the North Grassland lies the “Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Cave.” The cave indents tens of meters underground and extends horizontally for another dozen meters. Even in the height of summer, the cave remains icy cold, with year-round ice that never melts. The existence of an ice cave at such latitude and altitude is generally considered impossible and remains a mystery to this day. The Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Cave also has a spectacular phenomenon known as the “Black Dragon Soaring.” In summer, if black vapor rises from the cave like a dragon shooting into the sky, it is often followed by hailstorms or floods, leading to reduced or failed harvests in surrounding farmlands.

To visit the “Sky Grassland,” you must pass through Feihuyu (Flying Fox Valley). This narrow gorge of sheer cliffs is one of the famous “Eight Passes of the Taihang Mountains.” Known historically as the “Throat of Shanxi and Hebei, Shield of Yan and Zhao,” it served as an important mountain pass and trade route in history, leaving behind countless moving stories and legends. The valley stretches over 40 li (about 20 kilometers), with perilous mountain terrain, steep peaks rising abruptly, cliffs towering thousands of feet high, and bizarre rocks jutting from the sky.