Buddhist Traces & Immortal Footprints Mangyu Canyon Scenic Area

Buddhist Traces & Immortal Footprints Mangyu Canyon Scenic Area

Buddhist Traces & Immortal Footprints Mangyu Canyon Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

The forests on both sides are home to a variety of flowers, plants, and massive rocks resembling turtle shells, while the riverbed is scattered with countless "stone jars" as well as waterfalls and platforms of various sizes...

Hidden in the clouds

Mangyu Canyon belongs to the Wuliang Mountain range and features typical Danxia landform, sharing the same geological structure as the Himalayan fault zone. It is located in Lianhe Village, Zhongshan Township, about 18 kilometers north of Jinggu County, a drive of just over 30 minutes. This area was once a key route for horse caravans along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Above Mangyu Canyon lies an old stone bridge from the late Qing Dynasty—the Mangyu Ancient Tea Horse Bridge—and the surrounding area also boasts many ancient tea trees.

Even in winter, the surroundings of Mangyu Canyon remain lush and green. Standing at noon on the main peak, Mangyu Dajianshan, at an elevation of 1,492 meters on the eastern side of the canyon, you can see clouds flowing beneath your feet and hear the sound of water echoing from below, while the canyon is embraced tightly by thick fog. The main river of the canyon is the Jinggu River, with the Haizi River tributary flowing into the valley, stretching a total length of 7 kilometers. Due to abundant groundwater, it seeps out onto the surface, forming surface runoff that flows year-round. There are more than ten waterfalls of varying heights in the valley, and on the western bank, two massive waterfalls cascade down, reaching heights of about 100 meters.

One mountain, four seasons

The downhill path is about 1 meter wide, paved with stones, and equipped with guardrails in steep sections. Around elevations of 1,200 meters, the most common trees are Masson pines. As the altitude descends, they give way to banyan trees, mango trees, and a variety of shrubs, camellias, azaleas, and orchids...

The trail is mostly downhill, with vegetation constantly changing, giving the feeling of “one mountain, four seasons; ten miles, different skies.” Many oddly shaped rocks catch our attention—some have surfaces resembling turtle shells; some appear split in half, allowing people to walk through; others are entwined with wild vines, with tree-covered rocks and rock-covered trees seen everywhere.

Halfway up the mountain, many olive trees come into view, with clusters of olives hanging from the branches. Picking one and taking a bite feels refreshing. It’s said that from the mountaintop to the valley floor, there are wild fruits such as wild grapes, olives, spiny fruits, and yellow pod fruits. In addition, animals like rock goats, muntjacs, snakes, pheasants, sunbirds, and hill mynas can also be found.

Buddhist Traces

When news media reported on Jinggu’s "Bada," they referred to it as "immortal traces." However, after on-site investigation of "Bada" and research into related legends, it is more accurate to say that the Dai language term "Bada" should be translated as "Buddhist traces," not "immortal traces." "Immortal" refers to celestial beings, within the realm of human religion, specifically those imagined by ancient Taoists and alchemists as beings who transcend the mortal world and achieve immortality. Since Jinggu has over 150,000 Han Chinese residents, their belief in Taoism has inevitably influenced the surrounding Dai people. But the full meaning of the Dai term "Bada" refers to the footprints or imprints left by Sakyamuni during his preaching or travels, as perceived by Dai Buddhist followers (the Dai people universally practice Theravāda Buddhism). The Dai people revere these imprints as a form of worship toward the Buddha, unrelated to Taoist idol worship or other deities.

One county in Jinggu has 26 "Buddhist traces," a rarity nationwide. The *Jinggu County Annals* state that around the basins within Jinggu County, in caves in the valleys or on large rocks in the mountains, there are hand and foot imprints. These imprints were believed by the Dai ancestors to be caves where the Buddha stayed or traces he left during his travels across regions. These imprints are distributed in areas such as Diaojiao Slope, Manghong, Mangxu, Tongchang, Xungang, and Xiangyan in Zhongshan Township; Dazhai in Weiyuan Town; Daxianrenjiao and Xiaoxianrenjiao, Qiangang, and Qiannuo in Yongping Town; Baita, Fumeng, Mengliang, Yonghai, Mangnai in Mengban Township; and Mangluo Immortal Cave in Banpo Township, as well as Mengnai Immortal Cave in Zhengxing Township.