Dapingzhang Forest Park

Dapingzhang Forest Park

Dapingzhang Forest Park is located in the southeastern part of Dongguan City, covering a total area of 26.7 square kilometers with a forest coverage rate of over 96%. Its geographical coordinates are between 113°59′7″–114°1′11″ east longitude and 20°45′44″–22°49′25″ north latitude. The park's circular mountain ranges and mid-to-high hills resemble a natural barrier, with the main peak reaching an elevation of approximately 348.3 meters—hence the name "Dapingzhang" (literally “Great Screen”). Two entrance plazas have been built, covering a total area of 125,000 square meters, along with 27.8 kilometers of mountain-looping roads and 40 kilometers of hiking trails.

The park is divided into seven functional areas: forest bathing zone, hiking and sightseeing zone, botanical landscape zone, leisure agriculture zone, forest ecological conservation zone, water recreation zone, and administrative service zone. There are five distinctive major attractions: Guanyin Mountain, Dapingzhang secondary forest, Cuiding Mountain Bamboo Path fitness trail, Leigong Mountain hiking trail, as well as five golf courses of the Mission Hills Golf Club—the world’s largest. The park boasts a beautiful ecological environment with numerous valleys and streams, diverse plant species, and ancient trees such as the century-old Castanopsis fabri, highlighting the serene and age-old aura of the mountains.

Topography and Geomorphology

The park's terrain consists of low mountains and high hills. The western Dapingzhang Mountain Range, which resembles a screen when viewed from afar, forms the boundary between Dongguan and Bao’an. Its highest peak, Shuitou Ridge, stands at 348.3 meters. The northern Guanyin Mountain has an elevation of 278.0 meters, while the eastern part features broad plains and the Xiarongyan Reservoir and Qidong Reservoir. The maximum relative elevation difference of the forested land is 290 meters, generally ranging between 100 to 200 meters.

The soil is mainly lateritic red soil developed from sandstone and shale, predominantly medium and thin layers, accounting for 62.2% and 24.7% respectively.

Climate Characteristics

The park has a South Asian tropical monsoon climate. Influenced by monsoons and seasonal weather patterns, it features high temperatures and abundant rainfall. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,500 to 2,400 mm, concentrated between April and August. Annual evaporation is 1,600 to 1,700 mm, characterized by more rain in summer and autumn, and dryness in spring and winter. Based on long-term observations, the average annual temperature is 21.8°C, with extreme lows of 3.1°C from December to February and extreme highs of 37.5°C from July to August. The frost-free period lasts over 350 days.

Forest Vegetation

The vegetation in the park is primarily composed of planted broadleaf and coniferous forests. Main forest types include Acacia mangium, Masson pine, slash pine, Chinese fir, lychee, citrus, as well as small remnants of secondary zonal vegetation—South Asian tropical monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest—preserved on shaded slopes in valleys and gullies.

Water Bodies

There are two reservoirs bordering the park (located in Tangxia Town): Xiarongyan Reservoir and Qidong Reservoir, which can be used as scenic backdrops. Within the park, there are four small reservoirs and ponds, and five mountain streams: Partridge Pit, Big and Small Pits, Tiger Rock Pit, Oxbow Bend Pit, and Jiupit Stream, all of which are perennially flowing and drain into the Xiarongyan Reservoir.

General Introduction

As an ecological park integrating research, science education, and recreation, Dapingzhang Forest Park’s greatest feature is its abundant forest resources and well-preserved primary secondary forests, with a forest coverage rate of over 96%. Its unique natural resource landscapes, nestled against mountains and water, feature overlapping ridges and unified mountain-water scenery, highlighting a theme of ecological and leisure experiences based on the harmonious blend of forests and landscapes.

Dapingzhang Forest Park is divided into seven functional areas: forest bathing zone, hiking and sightseeing zone, botanical landscape zone, leisure agriculture zone, forest ecological conservation zone, water recreation zone, and administrative service zone. Currently, the park has five established distinctive attractions: 1) Guanyin Mountain Scenic Area; 2) Dapingzhang Secondary Forest Nature Zone; 3) Cuiding Mountain Bamboo Path Fitness Trail Scenic Area; 4) Leigong Mountain Natural Landscape Scenic Area; 5) Golf Sports Activity Zone. The park’s cultural resources mainly include air-raid shelters and the revolutionary stronghold site of Dapingzhang.

Address: No. 10, Forest Park Road, Tangxia Town, Dongguan City

Type: Forested Mountain

Recommended Visit Duration: About 2 hours

Phone: 0769-87721452

Official Website: http://www.dpzpark.com/

Opening Hours:

6:00-19:00

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Tangxia Town: Located in the southeastern part of Dongguan City, Tangxia Town borders Qingxi Town to the east, Huangjiang Town to the west, Zhangmutou Town to the north, and Fenggang Town and Guanlan Subdistrict of Shenzhen to the south. It is traversed by the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway, Longlin Expressway, and Dongshen Highway, making it a transportation hub in southeastern Dongguan. The town covers a total area of 128 square kilometers, governs 20 communities, has a registered population of 42,000, and a migrant population of nearly 500,000. In 2008, the town achieved a GDP of 14.5 billion yuan, total exports of 3.94 billion US dollars, total tax revenue of 2.49 billion yuan, and a town-level fiscal revenue of 910 million yuan. The bank... More details about Tangxia Town++