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Zhangjiakou, Great Wall Website, June 16
(Li Hong, correspondents Chen Hao, Wang Wenbin, Liu Zhifei, Li Haixia) Today, the 2012 China Huailai Huanglong Mountain Villa Cup Tourism & Hiking Festival, themed “Enjoy Natural Scenery and Experience the Charm of Huailai,” hosted by the People’s Government of Huailai County and organized by the Xinbao’an Town Government among other entities, was grandly opened at the Huanglong Mountain Villa tourist area in the county. After the opening ceremony, over 200 hiking contestants from inside and outside the county jointly climbed a mountain peak with an altitude of 1,800 meters.
It is understood that the first China Huailai Huanglong Mountain Villa Cup Tourism & Hiking Festival will continue until the end of June. During this period, events such as cultural performances, Huanglong Mountain Villa landscape photo exhibitions, and bonfire parties will be held. On weekends, additional activities like fun character collection tours in the villa will also take place.
This hiking festival aims to showcase the spirit of continuous climbing, progress, and exploration, actively promote the concept of physical fitness and a low-carbon, environmentally friendly lifestyle, create an optimistic and uplifting humanistic atmosphere, and encourage more people to participate, understand, and love the sport of hiking.
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Huanglong Mountain Villa – The Perfect Blend of Sports and Sightseeing
One of the biggest highlights of the Huailai Hiking Festival is that its venue is set in the beautiful Huanglong Mountain Villa, achieving the perfect integration of hiking and sightseeing.
The Huailai Huanglong Mountain Villa Tourist Area is located in the Longfeng Mountain area in the northwest of Huailai County. It was built in 2000 and officially opened in May 2004. Covering a total area of 8 square kilometers, the resort spans over 8,000 acres and is a comprehensive tourist destination integrating dining, accommodation, entertainment, shopping, leisure, summer retreats, hiking, and exploration.
The tourist area is within 120 kilometers from Beijing, with a driving time of less than two and a half hours; it is 20 kilometers from Huailai County Town. A dedicated tourist road leads south from the resort to the Longfeng Mountain intersection. From there, follow National Highway 110 east for 8 kilometers to reach the Shacheng exit of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Expressway. There is a dedicated road to the scenic area, making transportation very convenient.
The scenic area has been awarded several honors including a city-level comprehensive management compliant unit, an advanced collective in the Zhangjiakou tourism industry, a Zhangjiakou Star Enterprise, and an advanced tax-paying collective in Zhangjiakou. In 2007, it was rated as a National AAAA-level tourist attraction. In 2009, it was designated as a provincial-level forest park.
Stepping outdoors, the scenery in the resort is pleasant, the air is fresh, the surrounding mountains feel close at hand, and the green fields stretch as far as the eye can see. With a sweeping view and a sense of serenity looking over the land, it is an ideal place for leisure and summer retreat.
Traveling northward along the valley from south to north, visitors can successively admire landscapes such as Xian Gui Shan (Fairy Cabinet Mountain), Bao Shi Men (Treasure Key Gate), Hu Shen Dong (Hu God Cave), Shui Xian Dong (Water Immortal Cave), Chang Shou Ting (Longevity Pavilion), Lei Pi Shi (Thunderstruck Rock), Du Xian Qiao (Immortal Crossing Bridge), Huang Long Tan (Huanglong Pool), Fei Lai Shi (Flying Rock), Qin Hu Tai (Tiger-Capturing Platform), Bi Yu Shi (Rain-Sheltering Rock), Yun Zhong Cao Yuan (Cloud Grassland), and Luo Ying Yan (Falling Eagle Cliff). After experiencing the enchanting scenery of Huanglong Mountain, visitors often exclaim, “This trip was truly worthwhile.”
In spring, Huanglong Mountain Villa is covered in lush greenery, blooming fragrances, clear and moist air, serene valleys, and sweet warmth permeating the hills; in summer, it features dense forests, birds chirping, rich floral scents, thick shades, streams echoing nature’s call, and occasional showers washing away restlessness and dust; in autumn, the resort transforms into a naturally painted canvas, with golden yellow, bright brown, deep red, and rich green foliage adorning the trees and slopes, blending solemnity with freshness and romance with dignity; in winter, the streams freeze into crystal-clear icefalls, the sky is an expansive blue, and the pine waves rustle while birds sing. Snowshoe hiking during this season offers an exceptionally poetic experience.
In addition to its breathtaking natural landscapes and thoughtfully designed cultural attractions, the resort offers many fun recreational activities: the resort’s real-life CS arena features a large battlefield where visitors can enjoy the thrill of various combat games such as assault battles, position capture battles, defense battles, and treasure hunts; the cable car between the mountains can transport visitors from the foot of the mountain to the Cloud Grassland in just 15 minutes, offering a new perspective to admire the resort’s scenery and overlook the shimmering Guanting Lake and the lands of Huailai; in the resort’s Mongolian yurts, visitors can listen to the melodious singing of Mongolian performers, taste authentic Mongolian food, and fully immerse themselves in the charm of the grasslands; stepping into the resort’s farmhouse courtyards, visitors can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, experience simple folk customs, feel the refreshing comfort of spring breezes and summer rains, escape the hustle and bustle of the secular world, and return to the tranquility and ease of nature.
Attraction Highlights
Cloud Grassland: Located in the northern part of Huanglong Mountain Villa, Cloud Grassland gets its name from being situated atop the mountain range, often surrounded by drifting clouds. Here, the vast grassland resembles a giant silk carpet. With gentle mountain breezes, scattered wildflowers, fragrant blooms, birds chirping softly, visitors can fully enjoy horseback riding, experience the charm of Mongolian yurts, gaze at the mirror-like surface of Guanting Lake in the distance, and observe the nearby mountains and green fields all around. In July and August, the highest temperature in the mountains does not exceed 24 degrees Celsius, with an annual average of 19.1 degrees Celsius, making it a natural oxygen bar for summer retreats and health, as well as an excellent destination for vacationing and leisure.
Huanglong Pool: Legend has it that the original site of Huanglong Pool was located north of the Longevity Pavilion, halfway up the northern peak, where there once stood a Dragon King Temple. At the bottom of the valley was a pool of water, crystal clear and sweet to the taste. On rainy days, one could see the shadow of a little yellow dragon swimming in the pool. Today’s Huanglong Pool features continuously gushing springs that never dry up. The water is cool, sweet, and rich in minerals, making it a natural green beverage for cooling off in summer and promoting health and beauty. The silvery-clear and silky-smooth Huanglong Pool, formed by mountain spring water, has long been a cool haven for summer tourism. The mountain spring-fed baths help relieve fatigue, invigorate the body, and soothe the spirit, making them a top choice for leisure vacations.
Maitreya Buddha: “A broad belly that embraces all the unbearable things under heaven; a smiling face that laughs at all the laughable beings in the world.” Legend says that Maitreya Buddha once rested on Huanglong Mountain during his travels. He drank water from Huanglong Pool and took a nap in the woods. Upon waking, he felt refreshed and light on his feet. Delighted, Maitreya Buddha began visiting the Huanglong Mountain woods whenever summer heat became unbearable.
Tiger-Capturing Platform: This platform tells the story of the tiger-fighting hero Zhang Yusheng. One day in May 1966, Zhang Yusheng, who had returned from military service and served as a production team leader, was herding over ten oxen near Flying Rock when he suddenly encountered a fierce tiger. To protect the team’s cattle, he fought the tiger fiercely and eventually subdued it, earning him the title “Living Wu Song.”
Hu Shen Dong (Hu God Cave): On the southeastern cliffs of Huanglong Mountain Villa lies a cave housing a statue of Hu God, known as Hu Shen Dong. Legend has it that Hu God was originally a man from Shanxi during the Ming Dynasty surnamed Hu. Though born into poverty, he was intelligent and diligent, eventually achieving scholarly success and rising to the rank of provincial governor. Governor Hu was upright, incorruptible, diligent, and dedicated to benefiting the people. The locals, grateful for his kindness, often burned incense in his honor and even knelt by the roadside as his entourage passed by to express their gratitude. This angered several celestial beings who deemed the mortals’ actions arrogant and decided to punish him. Overnight, they hurled Governor Hu thousands of miles away to an ice gourd on the cliff of Huanglong Mountain Villa. After ten years of ascetic practice surviving on wild fruits and dew, Hu attained enlightenment, emerged from the cave to bring rain and bless the people, assisted the Ming Dynasty in suppressing cults, and was bestowed the title “Protectorate Dragon King Buddha.” He then became the deity governing rainfall in the region, revered by the people as “Hu God.”
Fairy Crossing Bridge: Legend says that long ago, a woodcutter from the mountains crossed this suspension bridge and happened upon Lü Dongbin and Han Zhongli playing chess. After watching the game for too long, he was granted immortality. Since then, the bridge has been called “Fairy Crossing Bridge,” and anyone who crosses it is said to live a fairy-like life. Female award winners showcase their charm.