Kangding Love Song (Mugecuo) Scenic Area

Kangding Love Song (Mugecuo) Scenic Area

The Kangding Love Song (Mugecuo) Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Kangding Mugecuo Scenic Area is located in the northern part of Kangding County, the capital of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and is part of the Gongga Mountain Scenic Zone. It consists of attractions such as Muge Valley and Mugecuo Lake, and is 26 kilometers from Kangding City.

Mugecuo

Mugecuo is a multifunctional scenic area offering views of natural landscapes such as lakes, forests, grasslands, cascading waterfalls, and flowers, as well as opportunities for water recreation and hot spring bathing. The scenic area stretches approximately 25 kilometers and covers a total area of 300 square kilometers. With its enchanting scenery, Mugecuo features hot springs, lakes, virgin forests, azalea woods, the peculiar peaks and rocks of Guanmen Stone, and an 8-kilometer-long cascade of waterfalls that form a breathtaking landscape. There are four hot spring sources in the valley, among which the "Medicine Pool" has a water temperature as high as 80 degrees Celsius and is effective in treating skin diseases and neurological disorders. The Diao Hai Zi (lake) is surrounded by virgin forests and lawns, and at one end, hot springs gush from the lakebed and mix with the lake water, providing a place for visitors to bathe.

Mugecuo Lake is a large alpine lake with a surface area of about 3 square kilometers and a maximum depth of over 70 meters. It is embraced on three sides by pine, fir, alpine willow, and azalea trees, and borders the vast and open Tagong Grassland on the other. In summer and autumn, blooming azaleas and flocks of wild ducks on the lake create a picturesque scene with an ancient, elegant ambiance. The surrounding forests and mountains are home to abundant wildlife, including argali, bears, musk deer, wolves, Lady Amherst's pheasants, and hazel grouse. The ecological environment here is excellent, with unpolluted water quality and dense forest vegetation.

The scenic area is an important part of the Gongga Mountain National Scenic Zone, located in Yala Township, 17 kilometers north of Kangding County, Garzê Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is 17 kilometers from Kangding County, 30 kilometers from Kangding Airport, and 322 kilometers from Chengdu, at an altitude of 2600–3780 meters. Situated at the northern foot of the Hengduan Mountains and belonging to the Daxue Mountain Range, the scenic area spans a total of 350 square kilometers. It includes attractions such as Fangcao Grassland, Qise Sea, Azalea Gorge, Yaoku Boiling Springs, Mugecuo (Wildman Sea), Honghai, and Heihai. The area features alpine lakes, virgin forests, hot springs, snow-capped peaks, peculiar mountains and rocks, and an 8-kilometer chain of cascading waterfalls, creating a stunning and colorful landscape. The layout of the attractions is exquisitely crafted, making it an ideal destination for sightseeing, entertainment, appreciation, relaxation, convalescence, fitness, summer retreat, and scientific research.

Mugecuo, known in Chinese as Wildman Sea and also called Dahai Zi, is one of the largest alpine lakes in northwestern Sichuan. With a water surface area of nearly 4 square kilometers and a depth of over 70 meters, it sits at an altitude of 3700 meters. Since most of its water comes from the melting snow of the Nuwa Snow Mountain behind it, the visibility is very high, generally around 6–10 meters. Mugecuo is surrounded by mountains, forests, and grasslands, with dozens of small lakes such as Honghai, Heihai, and Baihai encircling it like stars surrounding the moon. To the left of Mugecuo’s outlet is a peak called Rhino Peak. On nights when the moon is bright and stars are sparse, the moonlight spills like water onto the peak, and the upward-facing rhino horn emits a silvery gleam. To the right of the outlet, there is a mountain scene known as “Crouching Tiger Watching the Moon,” which truly resembles a tiger lying in wait, staring intently at Rhino Peak. Mugecuo presents different scenes in the four seasons and even between morning and evening. In the early morning, mist shrouds the lake surface, with silver-dragon-like clouds rolling over the water, creating the moving spectacle of “Twin Mists Descending Upon the Sea.” When the morning sun shines on the lake, the sparkling waves and ever-changing reflections are dazzling. In the afternoon, with a gentle breeze, the lake shows “Waves Without Wind, Rolling Like Snow,” and standing on the beach, gazing at the misty distance feels like arriving at the ends of the earth. At sunset, the golden glow spreads across the lake, blending water and sky in radiant hues, while the surrounding mountains lie silent and the sea serene.

The golden sandy beach to the left of Mugecuo is known as Love Beach and is one of its highlights. Its fine, soft sand is naturally golden, which is rare for areas naturally formed around lakes on the western Sichuan plateau. Love Beach is over 110 meters long and more than 80 meters wide, covering a total area of 8,800 square meters. From a distance, it exudes the grandeur of “Dreaming of Chu’s Golden Sand Shores.” It also changes with the seasons, with water rising to cover the sand or receding to reveal it. Winter at Mugecuo transforms into a pure, crystalline fairyland. The vast lake surface freezes into a thick layer of ice, like a giant silver mirror reflecting the blue sky, turning the surface into a natural venue for ice-skating and sledding. The surrounding forests and trees are adorned with frost-covered branches, pristine and spotless, appearing magical and noble.

Fangcao Grassland

Fangcao Grassland covers an area of about 500 square meters, resembling a vibrant carpet spread among the mountains and dense forests. With lush grass and wildflowers everywhere, the fragrant blossoms can captivate visitors traveling from afar. Fangcao Grassland is also a natural paradise for horse riding and outdoor festivities.

Qise Sea, at an altitude of 2600 meters, is an alpine lake where lake water and hot springs merge. The lake is crescent-shaped, covering an area of about 20 hectares with a depth of over 20 meters. Surrounded by forests and meadows, it offers a serene and elegant atmosphere. The lake water is crystal clear and changes hues in seven colors depending on the sunlight and weather, hence its name.

In the early morning, the lake surface is as smooth and transparent as a mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, high mountains, and snow. When the evening sun sets, the shimmering lake sparkles like gold. Different seasons offer sights such as “Twin Mists Descending Upon the Sea,” “Muge Sunset,” “Lotus Veiled in Mist,” and “Camel Peak Reflection.” Qise Sea is a symbiotic lake where cold and hot springs merge. On the right side of the lake, underwater springs bubble and steam rises, with water temperatures reaching up to 67°C, making it an ideal spot for bathing and therapy. In the dense woods southeast of Qise Sea lies a smaller satellite lake called “Qinghai” (Love Sea). Surrounded by charming woods and delicate trees, the quaint and dainty Qinghai quietly hides within the emerald forest and floral clusters. By the lakeside, birds chirp softly, and the mountain breeze gently blows, creating a secluded paradise for couples to cuddle and whisper sweet nothings. The mountain opposite Qise Sea is called Camel Peak. Legend has it that long ago, a divine camel, exhausted from the arid suffering of the Gobi Desert, escaped alone and passed through this area. Enchanted by the shimmering Qise Sea, it bowed its head to drink deeply. To this day, the camel’s head remains submerged, with only its towering hump standing upright under the sky. The mountain to the left of Qise Sea features snow-capped peaks piercing the blue sky, their silvery glow exuding sanctity and mystery. Their shape resembles the lotus pedestal beneath the feet of Guanyin Bodhisattva, hence the name Lotus Mountain. Legend says that when Tang Sanzang journeyed to the West to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, he passed by the vast Dahai Zi. Guanyin Bodhisattva ordered a turtle spirit to carry Tang and his disciples across the sea. Midway, the turtle spirit, overcome by malice, flipped them off its back in an attempt to block their journey. Fortunately, the powerful Sun Wukong summoned Guanyin from the West, who subdued the turtle spirit. Only then could Tang and his disciples continue westward. Guanyin instructed the turtle spirit to reform and tasked it with guarding Dahai Zi. Fearing the turtle might relapse, Guanyin left its lotus pedestal as a talisman. Upon entering the scenic area, visitors can see the spectacle of the “Turtle Guarding the Sea,” where the turtle’s submerged head bows toward Lotus Mountain, while the snowy peaks in the northern sky resemble “Tang Sanzang’s Journey West,” vividly lifelike.

Azalea Gorge

Azalea Gorge is a vibrant sash stretching across the Kangding Love Song (Mugecuo) Scenic Area. Connecting Qise Sea to the east and Wildman Sea to the west, the gorge is 8 kilometers long. Within the gorge, streams alternate between rushing and meandering, splashing water droplets like pearls and jade. Lush forests line both banks, especially notable for their primeval azalea woods. The azaleas here are diverse and vibrant. Some trees tower several stories high, like celestial maidens scattering flowers; others are shorter than a foot, resembling unfurled skirts. Some grow atop cliffs, swaying in the wind to greet visitors, while others stand upright in the valley, shyly bowing to guests. Some blooms are as large as bowls, others as small as buttons. In reds, yellows, blues, whites, and purples, they resemble coral and rival pearls, forming seas of flowers across the mountains and valleys. The gorge gathers 68 varieties of azaleas, which bloom successively from late April to July, extending the flowering season to four months. Azalea Gorge links together hot springs, lakes, grasslands, peculiar peaks and rocks, and rushing waterfalls, presenting a rich tapestry of pristine natural scenery. Walking through it is a refreshing experience. Yaoku Boiling Springs

The Four Wonders of Hot Springs in the Kangding Love Song (Mugecuo) Scenic Area—Yaoku Boiling Springs. Located 3 kilometers from Qise Sea at an altitude of 3500 meters, Yaoku Boiling Springs features over 20 high-temperature springs, with the hottest reaching 90°C. The heat source comes from a geothermal reservoir 200 meters deep in the Earth’s crust. The mineral-rich water contains various beneficial trace elements and is classified as a high-quality natural concentrated mineral spring with lithium, strontium, metasilicic acid, and carbonic acid. Different springs offer unique therapeutic effects for ailments such as eye diseases, stomach issues, and rheumatism.

As early as the Qing Dynasty, the Mingzheng Tusi of Kangding frequently sent servants here to collect water for treating illnesses and promoting longevity. One spring at Yaoku flows from the rocks at a scalding 90°C, is crystal clear and tasteless, and can be used to brew tea on the spot. Locals call it the “Stomach-Tonifying Spring,” believed to strengthen digestion and health—an extraordinary feature. Boiling eggs in the Stomach-Tonifying Spring is the second wonder. Placing eggs in a small pool for about ten minutes and then cracking them slightly reveals fully cooked yolks, while the egg whites, though turned opaque white, remain un-solidified in a tofu-like state. These are the famous hot spring tofu eggs. To eat them, one must first pierce a small hole to sip the egg white, then remove the shell to eat the yolk. Next to the Stomach-Tonifying Spring is the “Eye-Brightening Spring,” with extremely high water temperatures. The spring water emerges from a fist-sized orifice, neither overflowing nor sinking, remaining fixed in place—the third wonder. If scooped with a vessel, the water rises to replace what was taken, seemingly inexhaustible. It is said to cure eye conditions such as watery eyes, red eyes, and trachoma with repeated washing. The fourth wonder is a pool of hot spring water at 50°C that gushes from underground near the Eye-Brightening Spring. It is said to treat athlete’s foot and foot odor when used for foot soaking. Most visitors take the opportunity to soak their feet here. Even in snowy autumn weather, it provides a comforting sweat.

All access within the Mugecuo Scenic Area is via sightseeing buses. The bus ticket costs 100 yuan per person. The bus first takes you to Mugecuo Sacred Lake, after which visitors can choose to walk down via the trail. Buses can be flagged down along the way for easy boarding and disembarking. On clear days, walking down from Mugecuo Sacred Lake takes approximately 2–5 hours. The route is picturesque, with countless scenes worthy of admiration.

Qise Sea

Yaoku Boiling Springs