Tiger Pond Gorge

　　      Tiger Pond is situated at the end of a mysterious and seldom-visited grand canyon within the offshoots of the Dayaoshan Mountain Range in Jinxiu, Guangxi. The Dripping Water River, originating from Shengtang Mountain — the main peak of the Dayaoshan — cuts through rocky mountains, traverses dense forests, and flows beyond the barrier of the Dayaoshan Range towards the central plains of Guangxi. Deep within this mysterious canyon lies Tiger Pond. The water in Tiger Pond is crystal clear, azure, and unfathomably deep. The stone walls on both sides of the pond rise almost vertically, hundreds of meters high, and when you look up, you can only see a dazzling “white line.” The entire length of Tiger Pond Gorge spans 16 kilometers, with an average gradient of ten percent. The narrowest point of the river channel within the gorge is just a few meters wide, while the widest stretches to 20 meters. There are no mosquitoes or wild beasts in the gorge. Century-old dead trees lie on the riverbanks, making them ideal fuel for campfire gatherings. Tiger Pond is enclosed on all sides and remains eerily silent. The sound of droplets falling from the rock walls and splashing into the water can be heard distinctly. It is said that if you shout loudly in Tiger Pond, massive rocks will immediately collapse from above, crashing down like thunder and causing the pond to boil violently. While this sounds far-fetched, it’s worth noting that the cliffs on either side of the pond are extremely steep. After thousands of years of pressure and weathering, the rocks have become quite fragile. When someone shouts, sound waves reverberate and amplify within the canyon, shaking loose rocks that may fall and trigger sudden disasters.

　　      At the heart of Tiger Pond Gorge, the noisy river seems reluctant to disturb the sleeping tiger in the pond and quietly flows through a stone archway. Drifting slowly in a bamboo raft, gently pushing with a pole, you enter the stone gate. The light suddenly dims, and it takes a while before the surroundings gradually come into view. Looking up, the sky has narrowed into a thin white line, giving the illusion of being deep inside a fissure in the earth. The long pond, stretching hundreds of meters, holds still water. In some sections, there is not a sound, creating an extremely tranquil atmosphere as if everything around has ceased to exist. In other spots, trickles of water fall, and depending on the height and distance of the drop, the sound — whether high-pitched, deep, crisp, or mellow — mingles with echoes to form a delightful melody that is mesmerizing. Several mountain vines, as thick as bowls, hang down from the cliffs not far above the water. When the mountain breeze blows, the vines sway, resembling a dragon nodding and wagging its tail. The reflections in the sparkling water dance gracefully around the bamboo raft — sometimes gathering, sometimes scattering — as if welcoming visitors from afar.

　　      After passing through the labyrinthine Tiger Pond, what lies ahead resembles a paradise on earth. The area is teeming with flora and fauna. Solid bamboo densely lines the riverbanks, and various species such as cottonwood, stoneboard wood, white bean fir, fragrant wood, podocarpus, Fujian cypress, and a wide range of azaleas cover the cliffs. Unknown wildflowers bloom in rotation throughout the seasons, sprouting in bundles and clumps among the rocky crevices.