Two lions stand majestically

Two lions stand majestically

Introduction: Take a speedboat from Shapotou across the Yellow River to reach the "Q"-shaped island on the opposite bank. Cross Dawan Village and head south along the winding path. Climb up a small hilltop with a pavilion, and look westward—you’ll see, about 500 meters away, a cluster of reddish-brown hills that stand in stark contrast to the surrounding sand dunes and grayish-brown mountains.

On the southern side of this cluster of reddish-brown hills, near the river, there are two prominent peaks. Gazing into the distance, a pair of male and female lions suddenly comes into view: the protruding rock at the front distinctly forms the large, round nose of the male lion; above it are the sharply defined eye sockets and a pair of eyes that seem just awakened and slightly open; further up to the top of the hill, it resembles a flat forehead and curly, flowing mane. Looking along the ridge of the hill, you can see the spine extending diagonally downward to the right, curving back at the base of another hill, naturally and smoothly outlining the contours of the back, hind legs, and front paws. In the middle of the hill is a triangular fold that perfectly highlights the lion’s head, neck, ears, and whiskers, adding a sense of three-dimensionality to the lion shape.

What’s peculiar is that on the right side of the “male lion,” there is another hill that closely resembles a female lion standing faithfully beside the male, like a devoted couple. The way the male and female lions lean on each other, silently guarding, gazing majestically over the great river, and standing firmly in place, achieves an almost perfect blend of form and spirit—making one marvel time and again at nature’s extraordinary craftsmanship.

Zhongwei, Ningxia