Mengyuan Valley

Mengyuan Valley

Mengyuan Valley is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Mengyuan Valley Tourist Scenic Area is located in Zhengquan Village, Juexi Town, Yibin County, Sichuan Province. It lies at the foot of Tiangong Mountain and on the southern bank of the Minjiang River, approximately 62 kilometers from downtown Yibin. In recent years, transportation to Mengyuan Valley has significantly improved: you can come from the east via Baxi District of Yibin through Pingshan County, from the north via the NY Expressway’s Nixi exit over the Minjiang River, from the west via Jianban Town in Muchuan County, Leshan, or from the south by crossing the Jinsha River, passing through Longhua in Pingshan, then ascending over Tiangong Mountain via Shangzhou Town. Currently, the southern road is not very smooth, but as Tiangong Mountain is further developed, access from the south will also be unimpeded.

The Mengyuan Valley scenic area covers a total area of 6 square kilometers, nearly 10,000 acres. The currently developed core scenic zone spans 1.37 square kilometers and was invested in and developed by Yibin Tengyang Forestry Technology Development Co., Ltd. Starting in 2012, it took four years and an accumulated investment of 86 million yuan to complete, officially opening in 2016. By the end of 2017, it successfully obtained its national AAA-level tourist attraction status. The entire scenic area mainly consists of tens of thousands of acres of Phoebe zhennan forests, eight themed flower seas, and numerous unique natural landscapes.

Every detail of the service facilities in the scenic area reflects ecological and environmental consciousness. The villa hotel, eco-restaurant, viewing platforms, five tea house platforms, and eight leisure pavilions are all constructed from solid wood, harmoniously blending with the surrounding environment and exuding a sense of luxury and grandeur. The five-tier Flower Stream wild fish fishing area is an excellent choice for relaxation and enjoyment. There are also activity areas such as the Hand-in-Hand Suspension Bridge, Wild Squirrel Paradise, Archery Range, and Bonfire Square Dance Grounds—all highlighting nature and wild charm.

Mengyuan Valley has three fragrances: the fragrance of wood, the fragrance of fruit, and the fragrance of flowers.

Let’s first explore the first fragrance — “the fragrance of wood.” This refers to the Phoebe zhennan tree. Its timber is aromatic and extremely rare, classified as a second-class nationally protected plant, making it especially precious. Nowadays, if an old wooden beam made of Phoebe zhennan is discovered during the demolition of rural houses, it’s considered a windfall — a single beam can sell for at least 200,000 RMB, and an old stool made of Phoebe zhennan timber can be worth over a thousand RMB. That’s why, in previous years, some people illegally logged Phoebe zhennan trees in this area, and many were even sentenced to prison. Because Phoebe zhennan wood resists waterlogging and does not attract ants, ancient people used it for coffins, plaques, palaces, and key beams in important buildings. Moreover, due to its fragrant aroma, fine grain, and resistance to deformation and cracking, furniture made from Phoebe zhennan—such as boxes and cabinets—are considered top-tier and treasured pieces. The fragrance emitted by Phoebe zhennan forests has high therapeutic value for the human body. The *Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica* mentions that it can dispel cold, resolve turbidity, promote urination and reduce swelling, and treat conditions like otitis media and athlete’s foot. Breathing in this fragrance while in the Phoebe zhennan forest can invigorate the spleen, eliminate dampness, strengthen the kidneys, fortify vitality, and prolong life. Just spending a day here will result in remarkably restful sleep, and elderly visitors may even experience a natural drop in blood pressure after just one night.

The second fragrance is “the fragrance of fruit.” This refers to the local Yibin-native Amomum villosum fruit, also called Chuan Sha Ren fruit, a uniquely flavorful condiment abundant in the area. Within the Mengyuan Valley scenic area, thousands of acres of Amomum villosum are planted under the forest canopy. Urban dwellers can’t have hot pot without it—it’s used as a substitute for poppy capsule. In the past, opium poppy husks were indispensable in hot pot and cooking, but they were banned. Later, culinary experts discovered through practice and research that Chuan Sha Ren was better suited for hot pot and stir-frying, leading to its development and use as a primary spice. A few years ago, it was quite expensive—fresh Amomum villosum fruit sold for over 10 RMB per jin, but this year it’s cheaper, going for only about 2 RMB per jin. However, fewer people are growing it now, so prices might rise again.

The third fragrance is “the fragrance of flowers.” The flowers in Mengyuan Valley are primarily woody blooms, with herbaceous flowers in the minority. The owner has spared no expense in creating these flower seas—many flowers were transported here from Chengdu, Kunming, Anhui, and even abroad, with transportation costs alone amounting to several million RMB. Let’s take a look at these themed flower seas. First, check out the Four Seasons Begonia Garden around the hotel: it’s gentle and enchanting. We often say “begonias have no fragrance.” Why? Because they’re associated with unrequited love—they’re afraid someone will detect their feelings, so they give up their scent. Going up a platform and onward, the whole bay is the Rose Valley, the valley of love, featuring all kinds of colors, each with its own personality. Some are thorny, so be careful—the roses by the roadside are not for picking (Picking them is pointless? That friend is right, yes, indeed—“a hundred RMB” per pot. There are five-color roses being sold on the upper platform for 100 RMB each, which some people buy and then sell in the city for 500 RMB each). These roses bloom all year round, not only offering high ornamental value but also considerable economic worth. Their petals can be used to extract rose essential oil, flavor tea, brew wine, make medicine, produce sauces, and even the ripe fruits are edible, serving as an important ingredient for extracting vitamin C.

Next, there’s our 800-meter Lantern Flower Corridor. The symbolic meaning of lantern flowers is closely related to their appearance. Their blossoms are not only neatly symmetrical but also resemble hanging bells or strings of lanterns from a distance, creating a highly romantic and festive atmosphere. Walking beneath them gives a feeling of luck and peace. What is the symbolic meaning of lantern flowers? Which friend would like to answer? The first person to answer correctly can ride the sightseeing bus back for free. (The symbolic meaning of lantern flowers is “gratitude.”)

Then there are various other woody-themed flower seas: Cherry Blossom Garden, Peach & Plum Garden, Elm & Plum Garden, Crape Myrtle Garden, Cosmos Garden, Lavender Garden, and more. The first person to name the flower’s meaning gets a free ride back on the sightseeing bus.

The area below features the Hundred Chrysanthemum Garden, home to hundreds of varieties of herbaceous flowers dominated by chrysanthemums. From autumn to early winter, flowers of different colors bloom here.

There are blooming flowers here all year round. Visiting Mengyuan Valley immerses you in a world of floral fragrance.

The unique sights of Mengyuan Valley include Three Reds: Red Firethorn, Red Stone Forest, and Red Lantern Flowers.

Red symbolizes luck and celebration—as seen in the lantern flowers we just admired. Now, reaching the mountaintop, let’s look at the Red Firethorn and Red Stone Forest. What names can you come up with for these small red fruits? (Firethorn, Emergency Rations, Soldier Rations, --Rice, Water Sand Puffs, Torch Fruit, Red Sun Fruit, etc.)

Many friends may not be familiar with it, but the Red Firethorn is a very beautiful ornamental plant. Its leaves do not fall all year round. In early summer, the Firethorn tree blooms with white flowers, bears fruit in summer, turns red in autumn, and remains so through winter—like clusters of torches. It thrives in the rocky crevices atop mountains where water and soil are scarce, making it an excellent greening tree for soil and water conservation. The path ahead is lined with Firethorn fruits, seemingly lining up to welcome visitors. This path is called the Red Fire Avenue. Walking along it this year will surely bring you good fortune. One visitor summarized it like this: “Want good luck? Run along the Red Fire Avenue. Want to get rich? Walk down the Red Fire Avenue. Want a promotion? Walk the Red Fire Avenue for a day.”

You might ask: what are the uses of Firethorn fruit? Let me tell you—the fruit, leaves, and roots of the Firethorn can all be used medicinally. The fruit helps relieve indigestion and dysentery, promotes blood circulation and stops bleeding, and can be used for symptoms like indigestion, enteritis, dysentery, and postpartum abdominal pain. Firethorn is also great for skin beauty—it acts like a broom, clearing waste from the body, improving circulation, and promoting metabolism. Firethorn fruit is rich in protein, fat, sugar, vitamins, minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, as well as dietary fiber, and is highly effective for diabetes, high blood lipids, arteriosclerosis, and constipation. You can also use Firethorn fruit to make wine. Its bright red color results in richly hued, aromatic wine. Firethorn contains an amino acid called “Arginine,” which stimulates the secretion of sex hormones, so this wine not only tastes good but also nourishes blood, strengthens bones and tendons, and enhances vitality—offering multiple benefits. Its leaves are also great for making tea and are believed to prolong life, hence the folk saying: “Take one sip of Firethorn tea, live to ninety-nine.” Eating raw Firethorn fruit tastes both sour and sweet, similar to hawthorn. It’s said that in times of food scarcity, farmers would dry and grind Firethorn fruit into powder to cook porridge and survive famine years. That’s why it’s also called “Soldier Rations” or “Life-Saving Rations.”

In ancient times, using Firethorn fruit was a beauty secret of the nobility. Yang Guifei used it for whitening, and now Kanebo’s red whitening product line includes Firethorn as an ingredient to effectively inhibit melanin production, brightening the skin from within.

The second red is the Red Stone Forest. The scenic area and its surroundings feature danxia landforms, with red rocks and the vast red stone forest in the Rose Valley being unique wonders. Experts offer varying explanations for the formation of this red stone forest—some say it’s from meteorites, others from volcanic eruptions or earthquakes—it remains a mystery. Nature’s craftsmanship has created countless unique sights among the red stones, along with magical hidden realms still being discovered. Look: that’s the magical camel hump between Tiangong Mountains. Can you see the sleeping beauty? And there’s Ox Mouth Rock, Divine Ox Emerging from the Mountain, Tang Monk’s Journey to the West, Snake and Frog Playing in Water, Ants Moving Home, and Rocks Blooming. The most magical is the human head profile on the rock face ahead, known as the “Master of Invisibility.” Who does it look like to you? A sage? A great leader? Or an artist? Tell me who you think it resembles, and I’ll reveal each figure’s identity and personality—I guarantee accuracy. (If you see Lu Xun, you must be a literary type. See Engels? You’re likely a philosopher. Spot Mao Zedong? You’re probably a leader. Recognize Einstein? You’re definitely a scientist.)

Let’s briefly introduce the leisure and entertainment facilities in the scenic area: The Mengyuan Villa Hotel is entirely wooden, with not a single nail used. The eight viewing platform areas all have wooden floors, keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer. The Xiangxi River fishing area—if you catch a softshell turtle, you must release it immediately. Take a photo and the scenic area will reward you with a complimentary lodging gold card. The children’s playground has a nearby forestry science exhibition that adults can also enjoy. The water park is open only in summer, where visitors can catch wild fish in the river. There’s also an archery range and bonfire playground—we won’t go into detail on those.

The main cultural elements of Mengyuan Valley include four aspects: geological culture, ecological culture, ancient path culture, and historical culture.

We’ve already discussed the geological culture. Now, let’s talk about ecological culture. The previously mentioned Phoebe zhennan trees and Firethorn fruits are all rare species that protect the environment. Additionally, the owner placed great emphasis on environmental protection during development: all walking paths are made from locally sourced red stone materials—no cement or mechanically cut stone slabs were used. Natural and unspoiled, walking on them feels like returning to nature, offering exceptional comfort. The flower seas are also diverse and highlight wild charm. That’s why many painters and photographers love coming here for inspiration—any photo taken here looks like a painting. The lush bamboo and mixed woods on the mountain opposite are particularly natural, the river water is crystal clear with schools of wild fish and shrimp. The once-extinct “Dry Fish” species can still be found here in abundance. Wild softshell turtles are sometimes spotted sunbathing on the rocks.

Ancient Path Culture. Near the scenic area, at Qiaoban Tuo, there stands a merit stele erected in the early years of the Republic of China. It holds two values: first, it documents the historical importance of this ancient path that connected Shangzhou and Longhua, leading to Xichang, and extended downward to Juexi and Xuzhou Prefecture (Yibin County is planned to be restructured as “Xuzhou District”—note the character “Xuzhou” here). It shows that the Tiangong Mountain region has long had a commercial route from Liangshan to the Minjiang River, passing through Mengyuan Valley, with numerous stone tablets, ancient architecture, and remnants of the old path still present—offering high research value. Second, the author of the inscription on this stele is mysterious, signed “Written and Prefaced by Zhang Zuocheng of Yiyi Normal School.” Some researchers believe “Zhang Zuocheng” was a teacher or administrator at today’s Yibin No. 2 Middle School (then called Yibin Girls’ Middle School), while others suggest he might have been Zhao Yiman’s teacher.

Historical Culture. The two cliff tombs at Jiaodingyan and Panhe Temple consist of three caves, commonly referred to by locals as “Barbarian Caves.” Whether they were used to hide from bandits or were originally built as residences by ethnic minorities remains unknown. Inside are several rooms with all-stone tables and stools. How did people access the high cliffs? That’s still under investigation. Some who have been there say they climbed down via ropes from the mountaintop, while others claim ladders were built.

Traces of Nian Gengyao: Nian Gengyao was a prominent official of the Qing Dynasty who held military power in Sichuan, Qinghai, and later became a powerful court official second only to the emperor. The reasons for his execution by Emperor Yongzheng are widely debated. In a valley within Mengyuan Valley, at a place called Nianziping, remnants of Nian Gengyao’s training ground, ancestral tomb pit (dried grave), and treasure-hiding cave can still be found. Locals all know legends of Nian Gengyao training troops here in an attempted rebellion, having his ancestral tomb’s feng shui destroyed, and his descendants going into hiding and changing their surname to Liu. In previous years, outsiders often came here searching for Nian Gengyao’s hidden treasure. There’s even a local treasure-hunting rhyme: “Gold Stone, Silver Stone, to find gold and silver seek the square stone. Upper square, lower square, find three jars of gold and silver.” If any of you can decipher these lines, you might uncover where Nian Gengyao hid his treasure—that would be quite the contribution.

The tourist goods of Mengyuan Valley are distinctive:

Leveraging local farmers and the unique natural advantages of the Tiangong Mountain region, the scenic area recommends a selection of high-altitude, eco-friendly green foods. This is at the foot of Tiangong Mountain, and we’ll mainly introduce the Five Treasures of Tiangong Mountain: one leaf, one flower, one fruit, one stem, and one root (like a tree, every part is precious). Specifically, these are: the tea from the top of Tiangong Mountain, the honeysuckle from its mid-slopes, the native Amomum villosum fruit at its base, the bamboo shoots (stem) from its mid-slopes, and the fern root powder from its mid-slopes. Other local specialties are also incredibly valuable—true “mountain delicacies”: Dingxian Dam high-mountain rice, Longguanzi high-mountain rice beans, Luoyuandong free-range chicken, Heidanzi farm chicken eggs, high-mountain cured meat, wild fish and dried loach, wild duck, herbal flower honey, Yellow Orchid floral water, and more. Everyone can choose according to preference.

Coming to Mengyuan Valley, you’ll truly enjoy the tranquility brought by the mountains—so wonderful. Visitors have thus dubbed the Mengyuan Valley scenic area “a place where dreams come true,” coming here because of dreams. Welcome back to pursue your dreams of health, love, and a beautiful life in Mengyuan Valley.

Source: Yibin Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism

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