Jingangtai Geological Park

Jingangtai Geological Park

Jingangtai Geological Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Jingangtai National Geological Park is part of the Dabie Mountain range located within Shangcheng County. It was officially approved as a national geological park on September 28, 2005, following an expert evaluation organized by the Ministry of Land and Resources, and is the only national-level geological park in Xinyang City.

Jingangtai National Geological Park features a general terrain that slopes from southwest to northeast, with landscapes consisting of mid-to-low mountains and hills. Jingangtai Mountain dominates the southeastern part of the park and is named for its resemblance to a diamond. It is the main peak of the Dabie Mountains within Henan Province, with an elevation of 1,584 meters. The total area of Jingangtai National Geological Park is 276 square kilometers, divided into two areas: Jingangtai and Tangquan Pool. It includes seven scenic zones: Xihe, Ma’ershi, Jingangtai, Donghe, Tangquan Pool, Shigu Fort, and Yinjiangou.

The park’s tectonic setting lies in the eastern section of the Qinling–Dabie orogenic belt. The rich geological information contained within its strata provides an ideal location for reconstructing the formation and evolution of the orogenic belt, as well as showcasing spectacular volcanic eruptions and magma intrusions. The park’s geological heritage landscapes can be categorized into six major types and 20 subtypes, including typical geological sections, geomorphological landscapes, water body landscapes, geological disaster sites, geological engineering structures, and notable ore deposits and mining remains. These mainly consist of volcanic rocks, volcanic structures and volcanic landforms, granite landforms, the geothermal hot springs and Tangquan Lake waterscapes of Tangquan Pool. Cultural attractions primarily include revolutionary heritage sites.

The mighty Huai River has nurtured countless beautiful historical tales, while the towering Dabie Mountains have created a host of magical geological wonders. Known as the “geological park where grotesque pines and strange rocks seem carved by divine tools, and clouds and mists drift down from the heavens,” Jingangtai Geological Park is nestled within the Dabie Mountain range, famed for its grandeur and natural beauty.

Located southeast of Shangcheng County, Xinyang City, Henan Province, at the border between Henan and Anhui, Jingangtai Geological Park boasts over ten peaks exceeding 1,000 meters in elevation. Its main peak, Jingangtai, stands at 1,584 meters above sea level and is named for its jagged rocks and diamond-like appearance. It is the highest peak of the Dabie Mountains within Henan. The park consists of the Jingangtai Scenic Area and the Tangquan Pool Scenic Area, covering a vast area of 470 square kilometers. A seamless blend of mountains, hills, valleys, and lakes creates a diverse landscape. The area is rich in cultural landmarks, revolutionary heritage sites, geological formations, biodiversity, and human history—all noted for their uniqueness, rarity, aesthetic appeal, scientific value, and health benefits. Particularly noteworthy are the rare volcanic landforms, typical magma evolution patterns, Dabie five-needle pines, and Shangcheng giant salamanders, which are unique to the province and seldom seen elsewhere in China, offering exceptional value for sightseeing and conservation.

From north to south, the park’s overall terrain transitions through hills and ridges, low mountains and hills, and mid-to-high mountains. These varied landforms complement one another, forming a magical landscape where verdant mountains meet crystal-clear waters, and peculiar pines grow alongside strange rocks. Geologically, the area showcases a mix of volcanic and granite landforms, scattered with remnants of both ancient and recent tectonic movements. Standing atop the main peak, visitors can gaze across Henan and Anhui provinces, taking in the undulating mountain ranges, steep cliffs, serene valleys and streams, and the diverse shapes of grotesque pines and rocks. They can also listen to the rustling of pine winds and the murmuring of springs. As the saying goes, the benevolent enjoy mountains, the wise enjoy water, and the brave enjoy peril. The extraordinary peaks and misty ridges of Jingangtai, the pristine streams and emerald pools, the wondrous craftsmanship of nature, the vibrant diversity of life, and the thrilling adventures sought by explorers all come together seamlessly, creating a place where every mountain has a legend and every scene holds a story.

Of course, what truly stirs the soul in Jingangtai Geological Park are the interlocking volcanic rocks, flow structures representing past volcanic activity, uniquely eroded landforms, oddly shaped peaks and stones, and the undulating, layered mountain ranges. These vividly reflect the region’s geological development and the evolution of its landforms, almost allowing visitors to feel the earth breathing and hear its heartbeat.

Situated in the central Dabie Mountains, Jingangtai Geological Park lies at the junction of the Yangtze and North China plates and within the eastern section of the Qinling–Dabie orogenic belt. It hosts a rich, systematic, and comprehensive set of continental dynamics research systems, making it an ideal site for studying the processes of orogenic belt collision, accretion, volcanism, and intrusion. Here, scientists have unraveled numerous geological mysteries—the scenes of volcanic activity and magma intrusions from hundreds of millions of years ago, the evolutionary processes of the Earth, and the formation of its lofty mountain ranges are all vividly illustrated here.

The Dabie Mountains form a natural barrier in southeastern Henan, created by multiple tectonic collisions. Around 2.5 billion years ago, this area was an immense ocean where frequent submarine volcanic eruptions occurred. Over hundreds of millions of years, these eruptions and subsequent sedimentation gave rise to the ancient Dabie continental core.

During the Mesoproterozoic era, approximately 1.4 to 0.8 billion years ago, another episode of crustal subsidence led to the formation of the primitive foundation of the Dabie Mountains.

Around 430 million years ago, during the late Caledonian period, the North China and Yangtze plates collided, causing the uplift of the Dabie Mountains. A series of thrust faults formed, resulting in the absence of Silurian strata in the region and establishing the area’s predominant northeast-trending tectonic framework.

Approximately 154 million years ago, during the Late Jurassic, the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath eastern China triggered intense volcanic activity in the region. Towering, majestic peaks were formed, creating unique volcanic landforms. Following the volcanic eruptions, large-scale magma intrusions occurred, giving rise to the Shangcheng granite massif—an exemplary case of homologous magma evolution in China.

Around 65 million years ago, during the Himalayan movement, crustal activity in the area was primarily vertical, leading to rapid uplift of the Dabie Mountains and an intense phase of erosion. Under the combined effects of physical weathering, flood scouring, river erosion, and gravitational collapse, unique erosional landforms, sheer cliffs, peak clusters, gorges, and bizarre peaks and stones became widespread, ultimately shaping today’s distinctive Jingangtai landforms.

Throughout the long process of geological evolution, the Jingangtai region has preserved a wealth of geological heritage—sheer cliffs, “peak-like when viewed from above, ridge-like from below, and wall-like from the side” cliff wall landforms, valley landforms and low mountain–hill regions, hill-front erosional landforms underlain by granite, as well as a myriad of uniquely shaped rock formations. It can be said that the powerful forces of tectonic movements and the persistent, enduring action of water erosion have served as the finest sculptors of the diverse and magnificent landforms of Jingangtai.

Address: Shangcheng County, Xinyang City

Type: Geological Landform

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 day

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:30

Ticket Information:

Gate Price: 40.0 RMB