Camel Bend The Haomen River flows eastward to Chumakou in Zhugù Township, where it breaks through a rocky mountain barrier, causing the river to sharply turn south. The upper part of this mountain resembles a camel’s hump, the middle...
The Wangfugou Tourist Area is renowned for its abundant karst cave clusters. It boasts beautiful natural scenery, with dozens of deep, massive caves spread across the mountains…
Ganglong Grottoes The Ganglong Grottoes, located in the Ganglong Valley east of Ketu in Menyuan County, are among the few well-preserved grottoes in Qinghai. Carved...
Xianmi Temple is the most famous Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Menyuan area, located over fifteen kilometers from Haomen Town. It stands majestically at the head of the mountain range of the Lenglongling…
The Immortal Cave (also known as "Eight Immortals Cave") is located in Changfeng Village, Baishuijiang Town, Lueyang County, at the border between Lueyang and Huixian counties, near the Jialing River...
Peach Blossom Valley Scenic Area is a major attraction within the Taihang Grand Canyon, stretching from Yifu Kou Village at the valley entrance to Peach Blossom Waterfall Pool at the valley floor, spanning a total length of 7 kilometers...
Xiangshuigou is located in Guanyintang Village, Hejiayan Town, approximately 16.4 kilometers southeast of Liangya County. The mouth of the gully is about…
The Power Corridor – As the largest tributary of the upper Yellow River, the Haomen River runs through the entire region for 178 kilometers, with a potential hydropower installed capacity of 380,000 kilowatts…
Dabanshan Have you heard the saying, "To go to Menyuan, pass through Dabanshan"? In the past, Dabanshan was the only route to Menyuan. Back then...
Yong’an Ancient City
Huangcheng Grassland Huangcheng Grassland, known as the "vast land of a thousand miles of brocade" in the Book of the Later Han, has been rated by contemporary tourism authorities as one of the six most beautiful grasslands in China...
Cold Dragon Ridge is located northeast of Menyuan County. Its summit features glaciers and year-round snow cover. When the sun sets in the west and the evening glow drifts softly across the sky, the snow-capped peak sparkles brilliantly, sometimes glowing crimson or faint purple, or shifting through hues of light blue and deep indigo. It resembles a jade dragon wandering amidst a floral tapestry, constantly changing form—hence the name “Cold Dragon Sunset.” The ridge itself is tall, massive, and characterized by undulating peaks. Towering prominently is the Gangshika Peak, the highest of Cold Dragon Ridge, standing at an elevation of 5,254.5 meters. Its sword-like summit pierces the sky, now gleaming with silver under blue skies and white clouds, now shrouded in violent storms that darken the heavens. Occasionally, avalanches roar down like dragons and tigers howling, with snow swirling wildly—a terrifying and awe-inspiring spectacle of ever-changing, mysterious grandeur. It combines the magnificence of modern glaciers with a complete range of vegetation zones, making it an ideal destination for scientific expeditions, mountaineering adventures, and sightseeing. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Western Ping Marquis Mu Ying and Western Expedition General Deng Yu once pursued the Qiang people to this region. Historical records also note that in 345 AD, Jiuquan Prefect Ma Ji told Zhang Jun of the Former Liang, “The southern mountain of Jiuquan is Kunlun. In ancient times, King Mu of Zhou campaigned westward to Kunlun and met the Queen Mother of the West on this mountain. The Queen Mother had the body of a tiger, the tail of a leopard, a human face with tiger’s teeth, and was entirely white. She lived in a cave within the snow mountains. This mountain is an ancient branch of Kunlun, and it is fitting to establish a shrine to the Queen Mother of the West here to pray for boundless blessings for the imperial court.” Zhang Jun agreed, and thus a Queen Mother Shrine was established on Gangshika Mountain and named “Kunlun.” During the Changqing era (807–821 AD) of Emperor Muzong of the Tang Dynasty, envoy Liu Yuanding climbed this mountain while on a diplomatic mission to Tibet. The snow on the mountain reflects sunlight, and the mists often take on a purple hue, earning it another name: “Purple Mountain.” Below the mountain lies dense shrubbery colored a bluish-black, and in the ancient Qiang language, it was called “Menmo Li Mountain.” Among the thirteen great mountain deities revered across the vast Huare area, it is honored as the foremost deity, enjoying the prestigious title of “A-mi Gangshika” (meaning “Lord Snow Mountain”). The local Tibetan people regard white as an auspicious color and hold it in reverence. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month each year, ceremonies are held to worship the Gangshika Mountain deity. The event is grand in scale, featuring not only Buddhist scripture recitations but also horse racing, wrestling, shooting competitions, and more. One particularly unique ritual involves crafting a large bird, 1.5 meters high and 3 meters long, from paper each year. Known in Tibetan as “Xiajiecuiqiong” (meaning “King of All Birds”), it is flown high into the sky in commemoration of the Queen Mother of the West and her bluebird messenger. According to the *Classic of Mountains and Seas – The Great Wilderness: The West* (“山海经·大荒西经”), “To the west lies the Queen Mother’s Mountain… where three blue birds reside, with red heads and black eyes.” Guo Pu explained, “These three blue birds are all messengers of the Queen Mother.” Later generations came to refer to messengers as “blue birds,” and the allusion in Li Shangyin’s poem “No far to go to Penglai Mountain, blue birds come busy to bring word of you” originates from this legend.
The Thousand Buddha Caves of Toyuk Valley, Turpan Located approximately 55 kilometers southeast of Turpan in Xinjiang, within Toyuk Township, Shanshan County. Originally, there were 94 caves...
Introduction
Xianmi National Forest Park Xianmi Forest Park is the largest forested area in Qinghai Province. The park spans three towns in Menyuan County: Dongchuan, Xianmi, and Zhugu...
Tuyoq Valley is located in Shanshan County, approximately 55 kilometers east of Turpan City. It was once a sacred site for both Buddhism and Islam. Tuyoq…
The Hall of Boundless Treasures is located atop Hongshiliang, 7 kilometers south of Yanchi County. It currently belongs to Tongjiquan Village on the outskirts of the county…
Gangshika Snow Mountain Gangshika rises prominently over the Longshan Mountain Range, and is the highest peak of Longshan, with an elevation of 5,254.5 meters. The snow-capped peak…
Introduction …
Swan Lake in the Flower Sea Swan Lake in the Flower Sea, also known as Luanhuzi, is referred to as the "Flower Sea" by literati and poets, while local herders call it "Luanhuzi." If you can immerse yourself in the landscape and quietly read this page of nature, you will understand the meanings behind their respective names.