Fengming Valley

Fengming Valley

Fengming Valley Forest Park is located within Suiping County, on the eastern foothills of the Funiu Mountain Range. Covering a total area of 25 square kilometers, it is a comprehensive scenic area that features unique natural landscapes, profound historical culture, and distinctive folk customs. It integrates leisure, exploration, adventure, and scientific research.

Fengming Valley Forest Park lies in the transitional zone from subtropical to warm temperate climates and at the convergence of flora and fauna from both the north and south. It boasts extremely rich animal and plant resources, with a forest coverage rate of over 95%. The valley enjoys abundant rainfall year-round and is filled with flowing streams, creating an ideal environment for the growth of wildlife. Towering ancient trees with twisted roots, exotic flowers and fragrant plants thrive here in all seasons. There are nearly a thousand species of trees and wood, over 120 types of medicinal herbs, and more than 50 kinds of wild animals. The area offers a complete range of forests, fruits, flowers, and grasses, along with birds, beasts, butterflies, and fish. Waterfalls, springs, streams, and lakes dot the landscape, making it a pristine natural forest park. Within the lush green expanse, several remarkable forest wonders stand out.

Wingnut, also known as Catalpa or Quillai Willow, belongs to the Juglandaceae family. It is monoecious, with male catkins growing in leaf axils and female catkins at the tips of branches. Its fruits hang down, with nuts that are nearly spherical and feature round wing-like extensions on both sides. Wingnuts thrive in warm temperate and subtropical climates with moderate temperatures and ample rainfall. Unlike willows or poplars, this unique tree species has dense timber and long fibers. Situated at the intersection of warm temperate and subtropical zones, Fengming Valley Park is especially suitable for wingnut growth. From the Zhangtai Township government along the Shitou River to inside the valley, rows of wingnut trees form a picturesque 5-kilometer-long green corridor, with 40,000 to 50,000 trees creating a stunning landscape within the valley. Wingnuts have a wide range of uses—they can be used for house rafters, firewood, cutting boards, furniture, and more, serving as a key source of income to help locals escape poverty.

Red-leaf Willow, also called Red Willow, is a rare tree species in the forest park, belonging to the Salicaceae family. This deciduous tree features red leaves and a red core. Around 287 naturally grown red-leaf willows are distributed across the 1.5-square-kilometer highland wetlands of Baiquan Temple.

Red Willows grow near water or in wetlands, are pest-resistant, and possess dense timber with long fibers. Their leaves are thick, upright, and resemble peach leaves—wider, larger, and thicker than other willow leaves—with the upper part red and the lower part green, creating a striking red-and-green contrast. The branches are dense, slender, and shrub-like. Red Willows grow extremely slowly and are a rare and unique species. Currently, no identical tree species have been found in China according to *China's Major Tree Species*. These trees hold high ornamental value and are ideal for sightseeing, climbing, photography, species exploration, and botanical research.

Oaks, belonging to the Quercus genus of the Fagaceae family and also known as Cork Oaks, are deciduous trees. The large oak tree in Liyao Village, Zhangtai Township, stands 24 meters tall with a circumference of 8.07 meters—so wide that it takes five adults holding hands to encircle it. It casts a shadow 18 meters east-west and 22 meters north-south, covering an area of 396 square meters. Some exposed tree roots are as thick as buckets. Over time, the tree’s exterior has become rough and weathered, with a hollow trunk in the middle. It survives mainly by drawing nutrients through its bark. Three cavities near the roots connect to the heart of the tree, allowing people to climb inside and experience the grandeur of the ancient trunk. Though hollow inside, the main trunk remains lush with branches and leaves. Its leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, and the fruit is an ovoid short-cylindrical nut. The wood is classified as second-grade hardwood, while dead branches can be used to cultivate shiitake mushrooms. The leaves can feed silkworms, and the cupules are an important raw material for cork production. Planted over 1,400 years ago during the late Sui Dynasty by Dou Jiande, a rebel leader, in memory of two generals who died in battle here, this oak is known as General Oak. On quiet nights when the wind blows slightly, it swirls inside the hollow trunk, producing a continuous humming sound much like an old person crying—thus earning it the nickname “Crying Tree.”

During the 1950s, due to the mountain’s inaccessibility and transportation difficulties, this ancient oak was spared from being cut down for steel production. In the 1970s, some villagers believed the crying tree brought bad luck and attempted to chop it down, but were stopped by the county party secretary who happened to be inspecting the area at the time. After the development of the forest park, General Oak gained even greater significance, becoming a popular destination for paying tribute to heroes, enjoying shade, and leisurely sightseeing.

The Alpine Wetland is located at the northwest end of Fengming Valley, at the junction of Suiping, Biyang, and Wugang counties (cities), at an elevation of 745 meters. The stratum belongs to the Lower Sinian System’s Xiong’er Group volcanic rocks, formed 1.28 billion years ago. Ancient volcanic eruptions created extensive lava flows and volcanic sedimentary basins. The wetland borders Wangmaoduo to the north, Dading Mountain to the south, Dahu Mountain to the west, and Daguan Mountain to the east, stretching northwest to southeast. It is 2.5 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide, covering an area of about 5 square kilometers, with over 200 acres of wetland area year-round. The wetland contains over 100 alpine springs and a temple, hence the name Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Temple. Year-round streams flow through the area, giving it a marsh-like atmosphere. After prolonged drought, thick mist rises, reducing visibility to less than 10 meters. Among the area’s highlights are over 200 rare Red-heart Willow trees, swaying gracefully in various shapes. A hundred types of grasses and plants grow here, including heartleaf houttuynia, bupleurum, plantain, honeysuckle, lycopus, summer cypress, vitex, mimosa, lobelia, hedyotis, apocynum, black-spotted plant, polygonum multiflorum, dragonfly herb, clematis, oxheart grass, and “gold that doesn’t change”—a variety of aquatic plants and medicinal herbs. The area is also home to wildlife such as rabbits, civets, masked palm civets, wild boars, and hedgehogs. Countless colorful butterflies and birds abound. Flowers bloom incessantly in spring and summer, while red foliage spreads throughout autumn and winter.

Amid the vast expanses of lush forests and bamboo groves, numerous unique rock formations are scattered. According to incomplete statistics, there are over 100 natural landscapes, including notable ones such as Sow Gorge, Immortal Cave, Thousand Peaks Temple, Madonna Rock, Sky Bridge Gully, Dahu Mountain, Baiquan Temple, General Peak, Five Mound Mountains, Ma’an Mountain, Pingmo Mound, Stone Man Mountain, Ten-Thousand-People Cave, Stone Sheep Mountain, Drum-Beating Rock, Gaotian Temple, Flower-Watching Terrace, Dragon Water Spring, and Flowing Stone Horse. These features are arranged harmoniously, complementing each other in a naturally spectacular display.

Fengming Valley boasts a long history and profound cultural heritage. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wang Mang pursued Liu Xiu to this very place, and the two later engaged in fierce battles within Fengming Valley. Liu Xiu, unable to defeat Wang Mang, narrowly escaped through the natural stronghold of Sow Gorge. During the late Sui Dynasty, Dou Jiande, leader of the peasant rebellion, fought a decisive battle against Qin Shubao, general of Prince Li Shimin (later Emperor Taizong of Tang), at Longtian Fortress. Outnumbered, Dou Jiande was defeated and died in Sow Gorge. (Superstitious tales claim it was because “the pig ate Dou.”) Despite the passage of time, Dou Jiande’s tomb remains. After ascending the throne, Emperor Taizong held a special fondness for Fengming Valley—the birthplace of his victories—and often visited with his generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong for sightseeing and leisure. Today, remnants such as the Tiger-Fighting Pit (where Yuchi Gong eliminated a man-eating tiger for the people) and the stacked rocks from Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong’s friendly martial contests serve as historical testimonies of Emperor Taizong’s time in Fengming Valley. During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era, a wise recluse inscribed an 8-meter-tall message on a cliff between Shiyang Mountain and Leigutai: “Stone Sheep face Stone Drum, eighty-eight thousand five. Whoever solves this mystery may buy land all the way to Runing Prefecture.” To this day, no one knows who wrote it—or how to solve the riddle—otherwise, someone might have claimed farmland all the way to Runing Prefecture.

Fengming Valley’s dense primeval forests, numerous unique rock formations, and rich cultural heritage attract more and more visitors who find themselves enchanted and reluctant to leave. Being here feels like stepping into a fairyland—an ideal paradise for sightseeing, adventure, leisure, spiritual cultivation, exploring ancient sites, and experiencing the boundless charm of nature.