Yaizi Gully Scenic Area

Yaizi Gully Scenic Area

The Yaizi Gully Scenic Area is located 53 kilometers from Xining City. It is a natural distribution area of Qinghai spruce, boasting beautiful scenery and designated as a national AA-level tourist attraction. Covering an area of 1,633 hectares, it faces Guanghui Temple across the river and receives over 100,000 visitors annually, making it a primary leisure destination for Xining residents during holidays.

The Yaizi Gully Scenic Area resembles a long, winding green dragon, meandering and curling opposite Guanghui Temple in Dongxia Town, Datong County. It lies along the banks of the Dongxia River, where the waters are clear and emerald-green like a jade ribbon. With a total area of 1,633 hectares, it is a mixed secondary forest primarily of spruce, accompanied by birch and mountain poplar. There are two theories about the origin of the name "Yaizi Gully": one suggests that the area was named after the numerous falcons (yaizi) that inhabit the vast forest, freely nesting and thriving here as if it were their paradise. The other theory posits that a central ridge within the gully divides it into two valleys, with dense spruce forests covering the ridges and valleys, creating a rolling landscape. From a distance, it looks like a giant falcon spreading its wings, leading to the name Yaizi Gully. Regardless of which legend is true, this is indeed a beautiful natural ecological haven.

The vast and profound Yaizi Gully features pristine spruce and larch forests and grasslands as its main landscapes. Its serene ecological environment makes it an ideal holiday destination for hiking, mountain recreation, forest therapy, forest entertainment, scientific research, and leisure activities. Here, visitors can also enjoy traditional Tibetan-style tug-of-war and archery, experiencing the charm of rustic mountain life and immersing themselves in the leisurely elegance of connecting with nature and appreciating ethnic culture.

About a hundred meters from the entrance of Yaizi Gully, the mountain path forks into two directions—one heading straight east and the other turning south. This is the confluence of Yaizi Gully and Gasi Gully, locally referred to as the "Golden Triangle." The area has sparse trees and delicate grass, forming a unique sparse-tree grassland landscape. One instantly feels surrounded by fragrant flowers, lush pines, pine needles, wild blooms, and the rustling of pine waves. Accompanied by the faint fragrance of mountain flowers underfoot, the heart feels boundlessly carefree, and one can even faintly breathe in the fresh scent of the forest.

The path that turns southward is the main road of the Yaizi Gully Scenic Area. Along both sides of this road are dense and tall sea buckthorn thickets. These lush and vibrant sea buckthorns resemble potted plants scattered throughout the area. Locals call this unique landscape the "Sea Buckthorn Bonsai Garden." In winter and spring, when covered in snow, the branches are laden with golden-yellow fruits that sway among the green pines and cypresses under the white sun, forming quaint and peculiar sea buckthorn shapes, giving the impression of stepping into an artistic sea buckthorn bonsai garden.

Wandering through the ever-changing forests of Yaizi Gully, the towering, dense pines stand like naturally formed umbrellas, blocking out the sky and casting inky shadows. On the winding forest paths, glimmers of light shimmer, reflecting off the lush green grasses and vines, sparkling like silver dots—like myriad blooming flowers trembling gently, adding layers of mystery. Occasionally, a strip of blue sky appears overhead, where intense shade intertwines with milky-white clouds and mist. Just a few steps apart, one side of the meadow basks in golden sunlight, while the other remains shaded by dense foliage. Below the mountains, the weather is sunny and bright, yet the forest is shrouded in rain and fog. When sudden rainstorms strike, accompanied by thunder and lightning, the rumbling sounds make it feel as though a vast army has arrived all at once. At such times, if you take shelter under the overarching pines and cypresses, their outstretched branches act like meticulously woven, giant rain shelters, keeping you completely dry. Once the rain clears and sunlight streams in, the forest trails and lush mountain grasses suddenly become dappled and refreshed.

The wildflowers and fruits in the shrubs, like scattered stars, add liveliness and charm to the vast and tranquil Yaizi Gully. Bottle-shaped sour calabashes, white-flowered and red-seeded ground calabashes, as well as plums that bloom in May and ripen in July, along with other mountain delicacies like "flour balls" and "falcon beaks," come in a riot of colors and flavors. Clusters of chicken crest grass, deer horn vegetables, hair vegetable, and bracken densely cover the forest floor and grasslands, abundant and easy to find. Chicken crest vegetables and pigeon beaks are unique and rare specialties of the Yaizi Gully Scenic Area. Chicken crest vegetables are a type of fungus that grows in moss—finding one often leads to discovering a whole cluster. They are mostly beige in color and delicious in taste. Pigeon beaks resemble the shape and size of a pigeon’s beak, complete with two nostril-like holes, and have a sweet and fragrant flavor. Especially delightful are the mushrooms, which vary in appearance—some white with yellow hues, tender and plump, and uniquely shaped. These mushrooms come in over ten varieties, including nail mushrooms, green cap mushrooms, and white mushrooms, all rich in nutrients and delicious in taste. While exploring, bending down to gather a handful from the grass gives a fulfilling sense of a fruitful and rewarding trip.

When tired from walking, one can rest on the soft grass by the roadside. Quietly listen to the murmuring streams in the forest, the rustling breeze mingling with the whooshing pine waves, and the tinkling sounds of gushing springs. These natural sounds harmoniously blend into a serene melody, accompanying your drifting thoughts and lulling you into a blissfully intoxicated dreamlike state. This magical natural symphony also resonates with the birds playing in the forest. Some perch on branches to sing melodiously, while others flutter between the blue sky and white clouds, their calls enchanting. Truly, “The falcons may have gone, but this place is a paradise for birds.”

Every peak summer, the vast and majestic Yaizi Gully is adorned with emerald-green mountains, trickling streams, murmuring springs, and glistening droplets. Towering pines in the forest block out the sun, their verdant branches stretching out. Poplars and willows are interspersed with varying densities. Shallow streams meander in and out of sight. Exotic flowers and plants in full bloom fill the air with fragrance. Mist swirls around, and the mountain air is crisp. Cicadas chirp in the tall trees, and birds sing in the quiet valleys. Being in such a wonderful setting naturally lifts the spirits and makes one linger without wanting to leave.

Standing atop the high observation tower of Yaizi Gully and looking into the distance, the Qilian Mountain snow range stretches endlessly along the northern horizon, with floating morning mists and radiant light. To the south, the Huzhu Valley spreads out, with fertile plains and fields crisscrossed by farmland and villages, vibrant with colorful blossoms. The Nangmenxia Reservoir, seen from afar, resembles an emerald gem embedded amid fields of yellow flowers. Turning back toward Datong County, the majestic Nainai Mountain peaks rise prominently to the west, with surrounding peaks of varying heights clearly visible. Looking down at the nearby Dongxia Gorge, a river winds like a jade belt around the mountains toward the west. Layers of wheat fields and rapeseed flowers shimmer brilliantly. The peaks of Yaizi Gully compete in beauty, with lush pines stacking in layers of green. The snow-capped Dabanshan Mountain reflects on the Dongxia Valley. Leaning on the railing, one watches the clouds swirling and shifting above the mountains, with distant and nearby peaks emerging and disappearing. It feels like floating above the fairy islands of Yinghai or Penglai, as if in a heavenly realm. The autumn sun is bright and pure, the sky vast. As the sun sets, beams of rosy light bathe the majestic peaks in a golden glow.

Looking down at the lush forest sea of Yaizi Gully, the variations in tree species and ages create differences in color intensity—some areas deep and dark, others light and bright. In the distance, the rolling mountains feature some with striking peaks, others with crisscrossing ravines, some like towering barriers suddenly pulled open, and others like cliffs carved by knives, rugged and oddly shaped. These mountains and ridges vary in clarity—some distinct, some hazy, some faint and elusive—each layer painted with its own hue and tone, vividly depicting the landscape of Yaizi Gully where “spruce meets the white clouds without end, and forests connect peaks that surge like green waves.”

Deep within the dense woods of Daquanwo lies a crystal-clear spring, its water cool, rich, and as pure as jade. Locals call it the Dew Spring. If you fill a cup to the brim and drop in a few coins, the water rises above the rim without spilling—a sight that amazes all who see it. There is also a secluded pool here, surrounded by ancient trees reflecting in the clear water, with exotic flowers and grasses competing in vibrant bloom. The pool’s surface and the grassy areas around it gather thousands of colorful butterflies. These vibrant, dazzling butterflies bring liveliness and vitality to the tranquil pine forest.