Wuzhai Luya Mountain Scenic Area

Wuzhai Luya Mountain Scenic Area

The Luya Mountain Scenic Area is situated at the northern end of the Lüliang Mountains, in the heart of northwestern Shanxi. It includes national-level designations such as Guancen Mountain National Forest Park, Luya Mountain National Nature Reserve, Wan Nian Bing Dong (Ten Thousand Year Ice Cave) National Geological Park, Fen River Source National Water Conservancy Scenic Area, and China Folk Cultural Heritage Tourism Demonstration Zone. As the source area for five rivers—the Fen River, Sanggan River, Yangwu River, Lanyi River, and Zhujiachuan—it forms a “northern primitive plateau-style landscape tourism destination” that integrates ten major natural features: mountains, rocks, forests, grasslands, caves, lakes, springs, valleys, temples, and passes.

The average elevation of the scenic area exceeds 2,000 meters, boasting 99 perilous peaks, 888 unique springs, over a million mu of forest, and 660,000 mu of grassland.

Currently developed and open to the public, the scenic area’s attractions include: Wan Nian Bing Dong (Ten Thousand Year Ice Cave), Shimen Xuanguan (Stone Gate Suspended Coffins), Cliffside Plank Walkways, Fen River Source, Lovers’ Valley, Alpine Sky Lake, Luya Mountain, and Malun Grassland.

The main section of the Luya Mountain Scenic Area lies within Ningwu County and also covers parts of Wuzhai, Shenchi, Kelan, and Jingyue counties. It is the source region for the Fen River, Sanggan River, Yangwu River, Lanyi River, and Zhujiachuan. This expansive destination is a large-scale “northern primitive plateau-style landscape tourism area.” The scenic area mainly consists of the Guancen Mountain National Forest Park, Luya Mountain National Nature Reserve, Wan Nian Bing Dong National Geological Park, the Shanxi Province-Hai Forest Park, and Ningwu Pass. It features 99 perilous peaks, 888 unique springs, over one million mu of forest, and 660,000 mu of grassland. Among the top ten tourist regions in Shanxi Province, it is the only one renowned primarily for its natural scenery. Based on geographical location and landscape characteristics, it can be divided into five major sections: Ningwu Heroic Pass, Tianchi Lake Cluster, Wan Nian Bing Dong, Ninghua Song City, and Luya Mountain.

The Luya Mountain Scenic Area is pristine, mystical, elegant, and ancient—renowned across North China and unmatched in beauty within Shanxi. Often called the “Five Hundred Li of Exquisite Beauty – Luya Mountain,” it has been hailed by Hong Kong’s Ta Kung Pao as the “Green Pearl of the Loess Plateau.” It is the most ecologically intact and primitive region in all of North China and is considered “a miracle in the history of global ecological preservation.” With an average elevation above 2,000 meters, its highest peak, Heyeping, stands at 2,784 meters, making it the tallest in northwestern Shanxi. Its lowest point, Yangfangkou Hexicun, is just 1,260 meters above sea level, resulting in an elevation difference of up to 1,500 meters. Due to its high terrain and dramatic undulations, the area enjoys a unique microclimate that is cool and rainy, with an annual average temperature of 2–6°C and even the hottest month of July averaging no more than 20°C. The landscape changes beautifully with the seasons—apricot blossoms in spring, drifting clouds over the mountains in summer, colorful foliage in autumn, and snow-covered peaks in winter—making it an exceptional destination for sightseeing, leisure, and summer retreats. The characteristics of the Luya Mountain Scenic Area can be summarized in four words: “Vast, Ancient, Green, and Mysterious.”

The first is its all-encompassing “Vastness”: The ten major landscape series—mountains, rocks, forests, grasslands, caves, lakes, springs, valleys, temples, and passes—together form the grandeur of Luya Mountain. Mr. Wei Xiao’an, a renowned Chinese tourism economics expert, commented: “Luya Mountain contains nearly all types listed in China’s ‘Classification and Evaluation of Tourism Resources,’ making it a concentrated showcase of China’s diverse landscapes.” Professor Zhu Weimian from the Central Academy of Fine Arts remarked: “Luya Mountain embodies the majesty of Mount Tai, the peril of Mount Hua, the wonder of Mount Huang, and the elegance of Mount Emei. It is a microcosm of China’s great mountains, offering breathtaking beauty in grandeur, peril, wonder, and grace.” The Institute of Geology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences described it as “embracing the infinite beauty of nature and condensing the essence of the natural world.”

The second is its time-traveling “Ancientness”: Legends and relics of the water-controlling deity of the Fen River, Taizi (the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor, progenitor of the Zhang surname, and cultural originator of Shanxi), seem both mythical and real. Records of the Fen River Source and Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) date back to the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the Commentary on the Water Classic. The ancient Zhao State Great Wall from the Warring States period—the oldest section of China’s Great Wall—is here, along with the unique Eastern Wei Sizhou Great Wall, Sui Dynasty Great Wall, Song Dynasty Great Wall, and the best-preserved Northern Qi Great Wall in China. The Ming Dynasty Great Wall, winding like a dragon, adds to the strong frontier culture. Sixteen emperors, including King Wuling of Zhao, came here to escape the heat and hunt. Palaces, cities, passes, roads, caves, and temples from the Sui, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are scattered throughout the region. As early as the Ming Dynasty, the Eight Ancient Scenic Spots of Ningwu were formed—including Sunset at the Zen Room, Shrimp in Ranyu Valley, Subterranean Flow of the Huai River, Colorful Fish in Tianchi, Misty Rainbow over Luqiao Bridge, Spiritual Pool at Fen River Source, Unique Rock under the Tripod, and Verdant Luya Drops—making it an ancient imperial retreat for leisure and hunting.

The third is its nature-infused “Greenery”: Green is the symbol of Luya Mountain. Known as the “Green Pearl of the Loess Plateau” and a “miracle in the history of global ecological preservation,” its 830,000 mu of pristine secondary forests paint the 500-li mountain range in a sea of green. Places with crystal-clear names like Heyeping, Huichun Valley, Flower Viewing Platform, Shuiyu Mouth, Lovers’ Valley, and Meidong… bring a rare touch of watery charm to the otherwise arid and monotonous Loess Plateau.

The fourth is its eternal “Mystery”: “Enjoy millennia of scenery, explore mysteries of the ages.” The mysteries of the ice cave, plank walkways, suspended coffins, Tianchi, and ecology—these five famous wonders—along with the puzzling enigmas of tigers, the Fenyang Palace, the Tripod Rock, subterranean flows, the Crown Prince, and numerous ancient myths, cast a mystical aura over every blade of grass and tree in Luya Mountain.

Phone: 0350-4333731

Address: Wuzhai County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province