Shibaling Primeval Forest

　　During the Republican era, Xuwen County was still rich in natural forest resources. It is recorded that there was an extensive primeval forest spanning 50 kilometers across the northeastern part of the county. The dense, towering trees blocked out the sunlight, and South China tigers roamed the area, often attacking humans and livestock. Bandits also set up strongholds within the primeval forest, engaging in murder, robbery, and other crimes. At the time, people called it the “terrifying Xuwen Mountain.”

　　Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, with large-scale economic development, the area of primeval forest has sharply decreased. To date, only a small patch of primeval forest remains in the Shibaling area of Xiaqiao Town, though it is actually secondary shrubland. This forest covers approximately 100 acres, scattered sporadically across several villages in the Shibaling area and the nearby valleys.

　　The forest type is broad-leaved evergreen, with main tree species including Schima superba, Michelia macclurei, Cinnamomum camphora, Dendrocalamus membranaceus, and Styphnolobium japonicum. The canopy is quite dense. Within the forest, there is a particularly lush area of over 10 acres known as the “fengshui forest,” where a temple has been built.