Tianya Rainforest Museum

　　Tianya Rainforest Museum is currently the largest root carving and root art exhibition hall in Asia, featuring a range of rare and colossal root carvings and artworks. It was established in July 2003 by Mr. Luo Deshan, an Indonesian returned overseas Chinese. These massive root carvings and artworks were excavated from the silt of the Sun River’s riverbed. Due to geological changes and shifts in the river's course, towering trees that had stood for hundreds, thousands, or even ancient times were buried deep under mud and sand. Over time, through prolonged physical and chemical processes, they transformed into incredibly hard, uniquely shaped, giant and mystical works of art. These pieces not only display the beauty of nature but also reveal the original appearance, forms, and traces of the tropical rainforests that once thrived on both sides of the Sun River. They tell the touching stories of the rainforests along the riverbanks. In the 1950s, the areas on both sides of the Sun River were covered with dense primeval forests. The river had abundant, crystal-clear water year-round, and stepping out of one’s house meant being greeted by lush woodlands, with giant trees so large it took several people to encircle their trunks. Back then, the Sun River had a wide surface and deep waters. Returned overseas Chinese in Xinglong fished and shrimped in the river, rowed boats for fun, washed rice, vegetables, and clothes — countless beautiful stories unfolded along the Sun River. However, as a result of overdevelopment, these precious forests were heavily logged, leading to significant soil erosion. Today, that idyllic scenery has vanished. The Sun River has been reduced to a small stream, and those enormous trees that once required several people to hug are nowhere to be seen. All that remains are the tree trunks unearthed from the Sun River’s silt. What a poignant lesson this is! The establishment of Tianya Rainforest Museum aims precisely to awaken people’s awareness of forest conservation, environmental protection, and the preservation of nature! At present, Tianya Rainforest Museum covers an area of 80 acres and includes three main components: ① A root carving and root art exhibition hall spanning over 4,000 square meters. ② A cultural corridor, performance hall, and craft workshops. ③ Gardens and landscaping. The main exhibition hall of Tianya Rainforest Museum covers approximately 3,000 square meters and is designed and decorated to mimic the original appearance of a tropical rainforest. Upon entering the main hall, you feel as if you’ve stepped into a primeval forest — with dense, towering trees, flowing springs and cascading waterfalls, rugged cliffs and rocks, ancient trees like dragons, small bridges over flowing streams, fish leaping and birds chirping. Even more prominent are the massive root carvings and artworks. Some of these weigh from several tons to dozens of tons, with some reaching heights of nine meters. There are thousands of pieces of various sizes. Their shapes are peculiar and diverse, and most of the works are made from tree species that are endangered or even extinct in the tropical rainforest, such as Hopea hainanensis, Vatica astrotricha, Shorea roxburghii, Pterocarpus indicus, and Xylia xylocarpa, among dozens of other extremely rare species. A significant number of them have been appraised by experts as “priceless treasures.” Being inside the main exhibition hall is like standing in a vast, natural art sanctuary — it stirs the imagination and inspires awe. The cultural corridor primarily showcases the development history and culture of Xinglong. Xinglong is the largest overseas Chinese farm in China, home to 25,000 returned overseas Chinese from 21 countries and regions around the world. The past fifty years of development in Xinglong represent the fifty years of struggle by its returned overseas Chinese. From what was once a remote and impoverished village fifty years ago, Xinglong has grown into a thriving and famous tourist city, thanks to the tireless efforts, hard work, and perseverance of these patriotic returnees, as well as the care and support from three generations of the Party and state leaders (such as -, Zhou Enlai, -, -, -, etc.), and assistance from international friends. Although they have been back in China for fifty years, these elder returned overseas Chinese still retain the languages, cultures, lifestyles, dietary customs, clothing, and handicraft traditions of their former homelands. As a result, Xinglong retains a distinctive exotic charm that attracts countless domestic and foreign tourists. The gardens and landscaping of Tianya Rainforest Museum occupy a sizable area, filled with flowers and plants everywhere, and uniquely shaped rocks scattered throughout. Highlights include the "Gold Can't Be Exchanged" plantation, the Fragrant Wood Mountain, Fishing Terrace, and a beautiful “Bagua (Eight Trigrams) Formation” created using flowers and plants — all of which leave visitors lingering and deeply impressed.