Yaoren Mountain National Forest Park

Yaoren Mountain National Forest Park

Yaoren Mountain National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Yaoren Mountain is located about 10 kilometers southeast of Sandu Shui Autonomous County in Guizhou Province. It remains relatively unknown to outsiders, yet it is revered as a deity by the local people of Sandu, symbolizing strength and grandeur — a vast, mysterious place.

In the local Shui language, Yaoren Mountain is referred to as "Nu Yao," and its primeval forest is called “Longtai Lan.” It is said that long ago, a Yao ethnic village once existed on Yaoren Mountain. The Yao people relied on the mountain’s dense forests and high terrain, making a living through hunting and gathering medicinal herbs. Later, due to an abundance of fierce wildlife that often harmed them, they were forced to relocate elsewhere. Yao folk songs frequently reference the name of Yaoren Mountain to imply mystery and unattainability.

Viewed from the valley plains, Yaoren Mountain appears steep and towering, exuding a majestic presence. On overcast days, its summit completely disappears into the clouds, and even on clear days, the mountainside remains shrouded in mist well into the morning. The entire mountainous region features continuous peaks, overlapping valleys, deep gorges, and cliffs everywhere. Crystal-clear streams flow year-round, with numerous cascading waterfalls. Among them, the Longtang Waterfall in Wujian Gully is the most spectacular: with a drop of over 80 meters and a width of about 40 meters, the creek has eroded the rock into a massive natural stone basin, almost as if carved by human hands. Each spring when the stream swells, the waterfall plunges down like a white silk ribbon hanging from the cliff, producing a thunderous roar. Lush trees on both sides of the falls create a captivating scene, and three additional smaller waterfalls can be found along the stream upstream from Longtang Waterfall.

Near Chaozhai Village lies a “Fairy-Planted Rock,” approximately 6 meters tall, with two barrel-sized stones at its base and an open middle, seemingly poised to topple over on the sloping grassland — a sight comparable to Huangshan’s “Flying Rock.” At the summit of Little Yaoren Mountain, at an elevation of 1,150 meters, there is a pond nestled among three peaks, locally called the “Triangular Pond.” The pond’s water is emerald green, about 2 meters deep, surrounded by verdant trees and alive with birdsong and cicadas, reflecting the beauty of both mountain and water. The existence of Triangular Pond adds a touch of poetic charm to Yaoren Mountain, and nearby villagers often regard it as a geomantic treasure land. Several gravestones in front of Yadao Village on the mountain’s western slope still bear inscriptions about Triangular Pond. Among them, the couplet “Triangular Pond waters bathe the ancients; Yaoren Mountain scenery enlightens the descendants” is particularly apt and thought-provoking. On a flat area at an elevation of 1,180 meters on the northern side of the main peak, remnants of the Yaoren Village site can still be found, with well-preserved stone house foundations now overgrown by dense woods.

On the northern side of Gugan Village in Xiangzhai, there is a cliff formed by a geological fault — a uniquely spectacular and fascinating sight. The cliff stands about 80 meters high and stretches over 100 meters wide, shaped as if chiseled by gods, rising perpendicularly and steeply. Occasional mountain trees grow on the cliff face, their trunks twisted like miniature potted plants. Following the base of this cliff down the gully to the vicinity of Gushang Village reveals another extraordinary natural feature — the Egg-Laying Cliff, which consists of two cliff faces. The one near the creek has egg-shaped rocks lying about 1 meter above the water surface. These smooth, hard stones, 30–50 centimeters in diameter, are irregularly embedded in the rock face and fall off roughly every 30 years. Over the years, villagers have collected around ten fallen stone eggs to use as stools, and currently, three more are on the verge of dropping. This phenomenon was featured in a September 9, 1995, advertisement in China Scissors Daily titled “Guizhou Offers Big Rewards for Solving the Mysteries of Six Natural Wonders,” listed as one of the wonders — yet to this day, no one has uncovered its secret. Additionally, the Dujiang section of the mountainous area’s northern side, stretching from Xiaoxi to Paige, features rapid currents and numerous rapids, offering rafting adventures that rival the renowned Wuyang River.

According to incomplete statistics, the Yaoren Mountain region is home to 431 species of woody plants, including national first- and second-class protected tree species such as ginkgo, liriodendron, Fujian cypress, southern yew, torreya, and rosewood. There are also valuable timber species such as manglietia, camphor, nanmu, rosewood, yew, cherry, castanopsis, and hemlock. Furthermore, the area boasts a rich diversity of medicinal plants, encompassing 52 varieties. Midway up the mountain, thick-trunked azalea trees are often seen, with their main stems covered in dense clusters of smaller trees — forming a unique “tree canopy forest” spectacle. Along the inner edges of mountain streams, patches of lush August bamboo thrive, their shoots being a prized ingredient in gourmet dishes. Banyan trees also develop buttress roots and aerial roots. Thick vines twist around tree trunks like octopus tentacles — some tightly coiled, others loosely draped. Larger branches are often covered with dense mosses and climbing plants, creating a scene reminiscent of a “rainforest.”

Scenic Spot Location

Lalang Township, Sandu Shui Autonomous County, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province