Bamianshan Nature Reserve

　　Bamianshan Nature Reserve is situated in the central-southern section of the Luoxiao Mountain Range, connecting to the Hunan-Jiangxi border, WanYang Mountain, and Zhuguang Mountain to the east, and extending to Hongshui Mountain to the south. Its geographical coordinates are between 113°48′–113°51′ east longitude and 25°57′–26°03′ north latitude. The total area spans 64,466 mu, located in the northwestern part of Guidong County, Hunan Province. It borders Zixing to the west, connects to Sidu Township of Guidong to the east, and adjoins Qingshan Township of Guidong to the south. The forested area covers 43,233 mu, including the slopes and valleys at elevations between 900–1,500 meters within the state-owned Songping Forest Farm’s Bamianshan Branch and areas such as Taoliao.

　　Bamianshan features a mid-mountain landscape dominated by longitudinal valleys and ridgelines. Its lowest elevation is 860 meters, while the highest main peak reaches 2,043 meters. Towering high mountains present a majestic and layered appearance, shrouded in vast clouds, and are famed for the saying “Three feet from heaven — humans bow their heads, horses dismount.” A poem by Hong Zhong, the Qing Dynasty magistrate of Guidong, titled “Passing Bamianshan,” describes it: “Cliffs a thousand zhang high, cleaved by the divine hand; bird paths hang precariously, less than a foot wide. Driving away bizarre rocks to open primordial chaos, wondrous forms stand naturally against the azure sky. One peak passes, another blocks the way; ascending to heaven or descending into an abyss fills one with dread. Hungry eagles swoop by day with fierce cries, grieving monkeys howl in the deep night. In all my travels, I’ve never seen such a place, as if you’ve split open the chaos itself. The Five Sacred Mountains rise majestically in my heart — how can I boast of wonders here? A hundred li of thunderous peaks and jade-like mountains, green steeds and yellow tassels amid white clouds. May the customs of the Five Districts remain noble, may human hearts not rival the rugged pride of these mountains.” The awe-inspiring, perilous, and extraordinary nature of Bamianshan becomes evident.

　　The current landform of Bamianshan Nature Reserve is the result of a long geological history shaped by the combined effects of internal and external forces. It is profoundly influenced and governed by the crustal movements, geological structures, rock properties, and external forces of the region. During the geological period, it lay in an area of mutual interference, intersection, and overlap between the Nanling East-West structural belt and the Luoxiao Mountain Range North-South structural belt. It was mainly affected by the Indosinian, Yanshanian, and other tectonic movements such as the Indosinian, Yanshan, and new tectonic movements. From the Sinian to the Silurian periods — spanning four geological eras — this area was once part of an ocean, situated at the edge of the paleo-trench sedimentary zone of the “Cathaysia Ancient Land” in central and southeastern Hunan. By the end of the Silurian, the Caledonian orogeny caused the sea to recede and the land to rise. This was marked by large-scale uplift movements. The Indosinian movement at the end of the Middle Triassic was characterized by intense compression, resulting in an S-shaped rotational structure stretching approximately 45 kilometers around the Shuikou–Bamianshan area. The Yanshan movement at the end of the Middle Jurassic featured significant block faulting, forming near north-south trending folded mountains. After the Yanshan movement, tectonic activity continued with intermittent uplift, erosion, and planation, creating the five levels of erosion surfaces above 1,000 meters in elevation that we see today, forming the prototype of Bamianshan’s “H”-shaped landform. The new tectonic movements beginning in the Late Tertiary inherited the characteristics of the Yanshan movement, continuing with block uplifts and displaying distinct intermittence and differentiation. These movements elevated the five erosion surfaces above 1,000 meters to their current heights, giving rise to the fundamental outline of the present landscape. Influenced by external forces such as surface runoff, weathering, and gravity, the modern landforms of Bamianshan feature crisscrossing ridges and valleys, deeply cut “U”- and “H”-shaped gorges.

　　Bamianshan Nature Reserve has a humid mountain climate of the South Asian tropical zone, with no severe cold in winter, no extreme heat in summer, and autumn temperatures higher than in spring. The annual average temperature is 15.8°C, with a frost-free period of 240–280 days. The area enjoys ample sunlight and diverse microclimates, often referred to as a “natural air conditioner.”

　　Due to intense geological activity, Bamianshan’s main peak features towering cliffs, precipitous rocks, and crisscrossing valleys, forming naturally stunning landscapes such as Chicken Heart Stone, Golden Rooster Crowing at Heaven’s Gate, Heavenly Seal, Immortal Ox Soaring through Clouds, Bronze Gong Ring, and Mini Stone Forest. The area boasts a pleasant climate, a serene and elegant ecological environment, and abundant flora and fauna. Various ancient trees, rare animals, precious birds, and exotic plants thrive here. In spring, azaleas bloom across the mountains, accompanied by the affectionate songs of lovebirds. In summer, the bamboo-leaf-like grass at the mountaintop remains lush and green, soft as a green carpet. In autumn, red leaves blaze like flames, showcasing the beautiful scenery of “layered forests dyed in color.” In winter, the trees are adorned with frost and snow, resembling countless pear blossoms, presenting a world dressed in pink and jade. Winding through the peaks and valleys, vast blue waters connect with trickling streams. Streams follow the mountains, and the mountains curve with the streams. Each terrain is unique, each spring distinct — some whisper like a jade zither, others play in unison like a drum, or drift like silk ribbons. “Mountains come alive with water, and water turns deeper with mountains.” The diverse waters bestow life and vitality upon Bamianshan. Strolling through it, one experiences the wonderful sensation of “no mountain without green, no water without clarity, fragrant in all seasons, birds singing in every valley.”

　　Historical sites on Bamianshan include the ruins of Nantian Ancient Temple, Bamianshan steles, the legendary Fire Mountain where Guo Fozhu subdued demons, and the divine farming grounds of the Lily Immortals — all evoking a deep sense of nostalgia. Between 1934 and 1949, revolutionary struggles continued unabated in Bamianshan (the Western Mountain area), and the site of the Red Army’s 359th Brigade’s southern and northern expedition camps still remains. Taoliao Village within Bamianshan is known as the “Red Army Village.” In 1928, out of 17 households and over 60 residents, 17 young men joined the Red Army, and 46 villagers sacrificed their lives for the revolution. In 1934, Hunan’s first Soviet government after the Long March was established here. Veteran proletarian revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Peng Dehuai, Chen Yi, and others also conducted revolutionary activities in Bamianshan. During the Anti-Japanese War, a U.S. Flying Tigers aircraft crashed in Taoliao, Bamianshan, during combat with enemy planes, adding a layer of legendary lore and making it a base for patriotic and traditional education.

　　The main peak of Bamianshan, Shiniuxian, stands at 2,043 meters. Scenic spots such as Shiniuxian and Immortal Ox Soaring through Clouds have inspired many beautiful legends in Guidong, the most widespread being the tale of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl of Guidong and Shiniuxian. Legend says the grey ox immortal, who was banished from heaven for violating celestial rules, was subdued here. Shiniuxian is the legendary ox found by the Cowherd. Because Bamianshan is only “three feet from heaven,” its climate is cool. Legend has it that when heavenly immortals suffered from the summer heat, they descended to this mountain to escape the heat each year. They bathed in the Ou River to cool off or swam and played in the water. The immortals played chess on the mountaintop, while the fairies bathed in the river — a true earthly paradise. When the heat in heaven became unbearable, the Weaver Girl and other fairies also descended to cool off, leading to the Cowherd finally reuniting with the Weaver Girl with the help of the immortal ox, thus forming a blissful marriage and leaving behind a timeless love story.

　　Shiniuxian is also a renowned Buddhist sacred site in both Guidong and Zixing counties. Before liberation, it flourished with incense and was a fairly large temple. It was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, but a small temple still houses two Buddha statues whose heads were broken off. Additionally, Bamianshan preserves historical sites such as the ruins of Nantian Old Warehouse and Bamianshan steles, along with beautiful legends like “Guo Fozhu Subduing Demons and Burning the Mountain” and “Lily Immortals Farming the Land.”

　　Within Bamianshan Nature Reserve lie three ancient trails — upper, middle, and lower — dating back a thousand years. These trails run from Sidu through Jinyinpu, Xiaowuxi, and Jiangnaoli to Chizhuyuan and Qingshi in Zixing, spanning a total of 40 kilometers. Before roads were built in Guidong, these were the main official routes connecting Guidong to Chenzhou. Lined with towering ancient trees, rugged rocks, and steep, perilous paths, travelers considered them dangerous routes. Legend has it that in ancient times, several scholars traveling this road to the provincial capital for exams, to ease their fatigue, agreed to compose a line of poetry every ten li: “At ten li, Gaolongxian; at twenty li, Niushimao exhales blue smoke; at thirty li, through the valley in the trough; at forty li, Qinggang disappears from view; at fifty li, Longzha waters surge; at sixty li, Miaogong ascends to heaven…” The scenes described in the poem depict the conditions along this ancient path. Though the poets have long passed, the folk rhyme continues to be passed down orally. After National Highway 106 was completed in October 1957, this road was mostly buried by weeds and wilderness, gradually fading from memory and now difficult to verify. Guidong’s Bamianshan boasts beautiful scenery and vast forests, making it an excellent destination for scientific research, tourism, and summer camp activities.