Dian Ding Mountain

Dian Ding Mountain

About 48 kilometers from Guangling County, on the southern side of Liuling Mountain, lies a vast alpine meadow covering a total area of 66 square kilometers. This area boasts a rich diversity of plant species and lush flowers. At its core stands a unique mountain called Dian Ding Mountain. Along the winding road at the foot of the mountain, golden fields of rapeseed flowers stretch out in patches, their colors dazzling under the brilliant sunlight; clusters of wild fruits and vegetables such as wild apricots, wild peaches, wild daylilies, bracken, and oil apples dot the valleys and gullies, adding vibrant life to the landscape. The pine forests, natural birch woods, and sea buckthorn forests halfway up the mountain are lush and dense, forming an impenetrable green canopy.

Dian Ding Mountain sits at an elevation of 2,008 meters, bordered to the north by Huangyangjian, the highest peak in the Datong region, and to the west by the vast Cetian Reservoir. The mountaintop is covered with a green carpet, where endless stretches of green grass and blooming flowers fill the air with subtle fragrance. Cool breezes ripple through the sea of colorful blooms, while white clouds drift past visitors.

A kind of abstract, primal art unfolds across this green expanse. Flowers bloom year-round across the meadow, making it a true paradise and ocean of blossoms. In early spring, when the cold lingers, blue pasqueflowers, purple kalimeris, and yellow dwarf larkspur bloom in competition. By midsummer, the grass grows tall and the flowers flourish, transforming the meadow into a sea of emerald velvet. White edelweiss, yellow poppies, and pale blue delphiniums vie for attention. In autumn, fragrant grasses, bright flowers, fluttering butterflies, chirping birds, and abundant fruit create a scene of plenty. In the depths of winter, the sea buckthorn stands out vividly against the snow, painting the white landscape red and igniting the blue sky, crafting a quintessential snowy northern panorama.

Dian Ding Mountain is home to a wide variety of wild plants, such as Allium mongolicum, wild leeks, ferns, lilies, platycodon, ixeris, wild daylilies, and mushrooms. Most of these wild vegetables grow in unpolluted natural meadows and hold great potential for development as green food products. Among the treasures of Dian Ding Mountain are edelweiss and morel mushrooms.

Edelweiss mostly grows in the Alps and is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It grows no taller than 10 centimeters, and even when its pure white petals are fully open, they span only about 2 centimeters. The flower’s stamens are covered with fine fuzz, sometimes gray, sometimes a faint yellow—hardly what one would call showy or delicate. However, because it grows only on rare rocky surfaces, it is extremely scarce. Austrians say that edelweiss is tough and independent, unafraid of harsh conditions and solitude, symbolizing bravery and resilience. This resilient life that blooms defiantly in the ice and snow, without flamboyant colors or graceful forms, has become Austria’s national flower due to its unique charm. In some Western European countries, it is also considered a “flower for honored guests.” In 1878, governments of Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany enacted regulations to protect edelweiss. It remains classified as an endangered plant. Foreign studies suggest that edelweiss can block free radicals in ultraviolet rays, prevent cell membrane damage, slow aging, and inhibit melanin formation. The edelweiss on Dian Ding Mountain in Guangling covers an astonishing 6 square kilometers, widespread and of exceptional quality—an extremely rare sight in China.

After the rain clears, those who take a stroll across the meadow may notice wild mushrooms of various colors and shapes pushing through the soil. Some are as large as silver platters, others as small as grains of rice, but the most precious among them is the morel mushroom. Morels are large edible fungi, with only 20 species discovered worldwide, eight of which are recorded in the *Chinese Fungi Compendium*. As a rare wild mushroom, morels are mainly found in the highland regions of Sikkim and Kashmir in India. In India, they are exported at a price of $136 per kilogram. Morels are highly nutritious—tests show that just 100 grams of dried morels contain 24.5 grams of protein, earning them the nickname “the vegetarian’s abalone.” A famous wild edible mushroom, morels resemble the shape of a sheep’s stomach, hence their name. They are not only rich in nutrients and delicious in taste, but also believed to quickly alleviate pain in patients and inhibit the spread of tumor cells. Researchers suggest that extracts from morels could be used in cancer chemotherapy. After a rainfall on Dian Ding Mountain in Guangling County, morels begin to sprout. Every summer and autumn, especially after rain, people often venture into the mountains in small groups, carrying baskets and food. Laughing and chatting along the winding mountain paths, they embrace the mountain breeze and bask in the sunshine, feeling as though they are in a paradise untouched by the world.

Source: Information Network Center of Guangling County People's Government