Chechanggou

　　Chechanggou is situated at the southern foothills of the Guanshan Mountain range in the southwestern part of Maxia Town, Huating County, about 16 kilometers from the county seat. Historical records suggest that Chechanggou got its name during the Qin and Han periods as a site for chariot production. The area is rich in historical remains, including the 50-acre "Ancient Chariot Yard" site, the "Watering Horse Pond" where Jiao Zan and Meng Liang watered their horses, and the former site of "Wutai Mountain." Temples and pavilions in the area include the Temple of Taibai, Linggong Palace, Guanyin Hall, Temple of the Great Sage, and Medicine King Cave. Natural scenic spots feature "Phoenix Hugging the Egg Hollow," "Wutai Mountain Wind Cave," and "Wutai Mountain Thunderstorm Bell."

　　Chechanggou has a temperate, semi-humid continental climate typical of eastern Gansu, with hot summers but not scorching, and cold winters. The region features crisscrossing mountains and valleys. To the west lie Niuxin Mountain, the Temple of Emperor Qin the Great, and Huangdong Valley; to the south is Wutai Mountain; and to the north stands Chaoyang Mountain, with majestic peaks and beautiful scenery. The area is covered with dense forests and grasslands, and crisscrossed by water systems. Timber trees include Cyclobalanopsis glauca, Betula albosinensis, Tilia, and pine. Shrubs include hazelnuts, Lespedeza bicolor, and sea buckthorn. Among natural forests, bamboo is especially famous for its high quality. There is a wide variety of wild vegetables, such as wood ear mushrooms, Chinese toon shoots, bracken, black paw vegetables, Chinese toon sprouts, wild amaranth, and wild garlic. Among them, bracken is highly nutritious and can be eaten after pickling, and was once exported to South Korea and Japan, where foreigners called it "dragon claws." The area is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including first- and second-class nationally protected animals such as leopards, sika deer, musk deer, and lynxes. Chechanggou also boasts abundant medicinal herb resources, with approximately 208 species of wild herbs. Common ones include Pinellia ternata, Bupleurum, and calamus. Cultivated medicinal herbs number more than 50 species, among which rhubarb is especially renowned. Other herbs such as Angelica pubescens, costus root, Gentiana macrophylla, Angelica dahurica, Ligusticum chuanxiong, and Astragalus membranaceus are also sold throughout the country.

　　Today, the local government is leveraging the reservoir and the surrounding abundant natural resources to attract investment and develop Chechanggou’s tourism potential, fostering a "sunrise industry" for the benefit of the local people. We look forward to the day when these plans become a reality.