Xishan Primeval Forest

Xishan Primeval Forest

Xishan Primeval Forest

The Bama Xishan Primeval Forest Scenic Area is situated in Nongyou Village, north of the county town, around 20 kilometers from the town center. The area covers 30 square kilometers, with the core forest region spanning about 30,000 mu. It is a classic karst landscape primeval forest. Experts from the autonomous region’s forestry, tourism, and geology departments, who conducted on-site surveys, have concluded that the area holds significant potential for tourism development.

The forest within the scenic area has a canopy closure of over 90%, and is home to 471 species of plants. This includes several Class I and II nationally protected tree species such as the sky-piercing tree, golden-leaved plum, and wingnut. The sky-piercing tree stands 70 meters tall with a girth of 6 meters, making it the tallest in Guangxi. It has been hailed as a “living fossil” by forestry experts and is considered extremely precious. There is also a massive tree whose canopy covers an area of two mu, which is another major highlight of the forest.

The scenic area is home to over a hundred species of wild animals, including those under national key protection such as monkeys, masked palm civets, flying squirrels, serows, and silver pheasants.

The eastern part of the scenic area features the picturesque farmlands of the Zhuang people. The upper reaches of the Longhong River flow through five underground caves, creating a unique landscape of five entries and exits where mountains, water, and caves are organically integrated. After emerging from the Shuidong Tun cave, the river winds through the center of Nongchang in an S-shape. Viewed from above, the meandering river resembles a naturally formed yin-yang taiji diagram. Lush bamboo groves line both banks, and the fields look like embroidered silk, evoking a rustic countryside charm enhanced by the sights of shepherds and fishermen’s songs — a scene full of poetic and picturesque beauty.