Feihu Valley

Feihu Valley

Feihu Valley is located at the junction of the Hengshan Mountain Range and the Taihang Mountain Range, with an average elevation between 1,500 and 2,500 meters. Multiple periods of orogenic movements in history have created its diverse mountain forms and spectacular natural scenery. A local folk song goes: “Speak of Yu Prefecture, talk of Yu Prefecture, Yu Prefecture is truly unique. … To the south lies Cui Ping Mountain, Cui Ping Mountain. Within Feihu Valley, there’s Arrow Eye. One Incense Pillar, Eight Immortals Cave, Yanwang’s Nose — the Gate of Ghosts…”

Hidden deep in the mountains, it begins to reveal its grandeur. Feihu Valley is famed for its perilous paths and breathtaking landscapes. The danger lies in its steep cliffs, the wonder in its bizarre rocks. Locals say: “Forty li of Feihu, seventy-two bends, each bend holds a hidden world, every spot boasts scenic beauty.” Far from the hustle and bustle, with little traffic or crowds, Feihu Valley offers only green fields, gentle breezes, blue skies, and white clouds — a naturally formed paradise with a unique charm. The valley features deep gorges, strange peaks, winding and rugged terrain; Horse Hoof Ridge is crisscrossed with ravines, majestic and grand; Sky Grassland is lofty and expansive, like a slice of heaven. Together, the gorges, high mountains, and grasslands compose the magnificent northern scenery that is a feast for the eyes and leaves one lingering with no desire to leave.

With the Sky Grassland Ecotourism Area, the ancient Feihu Trail was once called “a tourist destination of Hebei Province” by Bai Kemin, the Secretary of the Hebei Provincial Committee. Feihu Valley, commonly known as Forty Li of Black Wind Cave, is one of the famous Eight Passes of the Taihang Mountains. This ancient trail, now referred to by modern people as the Green Grand Canyon of Western Beijing, was once a vital trade route leading south to the North China Plain and north to the deserts beyond the Great Wall. At the same time, it has always been a strategic military location, a battlefield for centuries. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Xiangzi passed through Feihu Valley to conquer the Dai State; during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu marched eastward to Jizhou and took control of this strategic pass of Feihu Valley, stationing troops to guard it; in the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao sent his son Cao Zhang to fight the Wuhuan here; during the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, battles were frequent along the Feihu Trail — Jin Dynasty's Liu Kun, Later Yan’s Murong Chong, and Northern Wei’s Tuoba Gui all fought over Feihu Valley; in the Song Dynasty, the Yang Family Generals and Yelü Xiuzhen waged bloody battles here; one of the three Beijing Defense Battles in the Ming Dynasty was caused by the loss of Feihu Pass; during the Anti-Japanese War, the “Mingpu Battle” greatly weakened the morale of the Japanese invaders, preventing them from daring to step foot in Feihu Valley again… Today, those scenes of waving flags and clamorous battles in Feihu Valley have become history, leaving behind thrilling stories, countless wondrous legends, and legendary scenic spots that spark endless imagination. Er Lang Shen’s Eye, One Incense Pillar, One Line Sky, Six Lang’s Arrow Eye, Heavenly Bridge Mirror, Gourd Valley, Eight Immortals Cave, Black Stone Ridge… every scenic spot is a masterpiece of nature, poetic and picturesque, magical and awe-inspiring, stirring boundless reverie.

Feihu — the most perilous place under heaven. Yang Sichang, Grand Secretary and Minister of War in the Ming Dynasty, described the mountain form of Feihu Pass in “Record of Feihu Pass” as: “Like a thousand men drawing swords, standing barefoot under a sky studded with stars.” The highest and most dangerous part of Feihu Valley is Black Stone Ridge. A Ming Dynasty provincial governor passing through wrote “Autumn Rain, Lodging at Black Stone Ridge” to express his feelings: “The treacherous ridge, vines obscure the path; the high mountain, stones form a wall. Where does that lone cloud bring rain? At this moment, the lonely traveler’s heart is heavy. A few straw huts remain, autumn wind rises at midnight. The traveler’s soul is utterly despaired, not to mention the sound of war drums.” Black Stone Ridge is not only perilous but also home to the most magnificent scenery in the valley — the “Autumn Clouds over Stone Ridge,” renowned as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Yu Prefecture.” Standing atop Black Stone Ridge, over 2,000 meters above sea level, and looking into the distance, you see the sky high and clouds cold, dreamlike and surreal, giving you the sensation of the sky hanging overhead, clouds brushing your sides, mountains standing beneath your feet, and you wandering within a painting — inspiring deep thoughts and boundless musings. Every autumn, especially around the Double Ninth Festival, the air is crisp and the colors vivid. Climbing high and looking into the distance, the scenery is delightful. Watch the red leaves on the mountains blaze passionately, forests dyed layer upon layer, dancing joyfully in the embrace of the autumn wind; see the mountain thorns at the slope tips blush deeply, densely clustered, sweet and tangy when plucked and tasted; gaze at the jagged black rocks among the ridges, wreathed in white clouds, where ridges and clouds meet, tranquil and cool; cup the misty rain in the valley, drifting gently, refreshing the spirit as if in a fairyland.

Standing in Feihu Valley and looking into the distance, you’ll see a white mass slowly moving across the green carpet of the hillside — those are the leisurely sheep herded by the valley folk. Along the long stretches of the ancient Feihu Trail, amid wisps of rising cooking smoke, generations of farmers who have lived here for ages, surrounded daily by picturesque scenery, breathe in the fresh air of the towering green mountains, work from dawn under the narrow blue sky dotted with drifting white clouds, and sleep as the gentle, serene moonlight drapes over the hills — a timeless way of life.