Northeast News Network, June 10 (Sun Zhiming, Reporter Li Qian) At 9:58 am on the 10th, accompanied by the deafening sound of ceremonial cannons and the release of dazzling, colorful smoke, the "Charming Summer in Harbin" Cultural Tourism Series and the First China・Harbin Golden Dragon Mountain Forest Wellness Culture Festival grandly kicked off at the Golden Dragon Mountain Scenic Area in Acheng District.
Themed "Let Forests Transform Urban Life," this Forest Wellness Festival, held across the Golden Dragon Mountain Scenic Area, Diaoshuihu Scenic Area, and Songfengshan Scenic Area, featured a series of activities under the three major segments of "sports, culture, and leisure." These included a mountain bike rally, a thousand-person mountain treasure hunt, forest yoga, a Dragon Boat Festival hiking festival, a Taoist wellness culture forum, a wild delicacies food festival, a forest concert, a royal carriage wedding, and a forest camping festival.
It is reported that in recent years, Acheng District has placed high importance on the development of forest culture and eco-tourism. Adhering to the philosophy that "ecological culture is an advanced culture reflecting the harmonious development between humans and nature," and driven by the "grand tourism" strategy, the district's eco-tourism industry has shown strong momentum. To date, the district’s forest coverage rate has reached 50%, with over 327 days per year achieving or exceeding national second-class air quality standards, earning it recognition as a National Ecological Demonstration Zone. Since 2007, a number of well-known scenic areas such as Golden Dragon Mountain and Diaoshuihu have been developed, centered around "forest ecology as the source, historical culture as the soul, and leisure vacation as the body." This has led to the formation of multiple outstanding tourism brands, including national-level forest parks, geological parks, water conservancy scenic areas, as well as provincial-level historical and cultural cities, famous tourist towns, and scenic spots. It has become the best destination for suburban, leisure, and vacation tourism within Harbin’s one-hour metropolitan economic circle, and is hailed as Harbin’s "Shangri-La."
Xu Hongjiang, Deputy Secretary of the Acheng District Committee and District Chief, presided over the opening ceremony. Wang Wenli, Secretary of the District Committee, delivered a welcome speech. Jiang Ming, Chairman of the Harbin Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, announced the official opening of the "Charming Summer in Harbin" Cultural Tourism Series and the First China・Harbin Golden Dragon Mountain Forest Wellness Culture Festival. Wang Xiaoxi, Standing Committee Member of the Harbin Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, declared the official start of the "Mountain Bike Rally Launch Ceremony." Zhang Xianyou, Vice Mayor of Harbin (Weibo), fired the starting gun for the "Thousand-Person Mountain Treasure Hunt." Over 2,000 people attended the opening ceremony, including key leaders of the four major leadership groups of Acheng District, heads of relevant departments and units, as well as friends and tourists from all walks of life.
Related Background:
Golden Dragon Mountain National Forest Park encompasses four major scenic areas: Golden Dragon Mountain, Diaoshuihu, Songfengshan, and Wushuling. It features four major cultural elements—"Jin Yuan (Golden Origins), forests, geology, and red leaves"—three major advantages—"resources, environment, and location"—and ten major attractions—"red leaves, azaleas, ancient trees, peculiar rocks, streams, cultural relics, sea of clouds, sunrise, pine waves, and snow and ice." After years of development and construction, Golden Dragon Mountain Forest Park has now been designated as a National Forest Park, Provincial Geological Park, and National AAA-level Tourist Attraction. In 2009, it was listed among the twelve key tourism towns and scenic areas prioritized for development in the province. In recent years, it has been selected by the Provincial Tourism Bureau as one of the 100 most worthwhile places to visit in Heilongjiang. The park’s six major scenic areas operate under a "one-ticket pass" system. Within the park, there are 21 kilometers of cement roads, as well as the "Eighteen Bends of Mountain Paths" wooden boardwalk and the "Eight Li River Adventure" trail. The area boasts abundant wild medicinal herbs, flowers, shrubs, and other plant resources. The park offers a fresh and elegant environment, unique natural landscapes, and ever-changing scenery throughout the day. Spring brings clear mountains and waters, lakes reflecting the hills; summer offers shaded greenery and vibrant blooms; autumn displays the colorful foliage of the "Five-Colored Mountains" and the fragrance of wild fruits; winter is blanketed in silver and crowned with snow-laden pines. Visiting Golden Dragon Mountain gives one a sense of simplicity, mystery, and returning to nature. Wandering through the forest sea feels like stepping into a fairyland on earth. Here, peaks are layered, forests vast, and rocks oddly shaped. Must-see sights when visiting Hengtoushan include:
Jin Dynasty Ruins: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. There are four Jin Dynasty ancestral mausoleum ruins: Shangleimu, Jixing, Xiangshui, and Huapi.
Wushi Mountain: (also known as RenTouLaZi) A natural stone sculpture located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. The steep cliffs feature numerous human-faced images. One rock peak resembles a "warrior" holding a sword with both hands, gazing southeast—hence the name. Legend says it marks where Jin Wushu indicated hidden treasure. Local villagers say that in ancient times, this area was once an ocean, and the reef stones, after being eroded by seawater and then weathered by wind and rain upon becoming land, formed naturally. It holds geological research value and is unique both domestically and internationally.
Sword-Testing Stone: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. Legend says Jin Wushu obtained a powerful sword and, to test its sharpness, chose this massive rock. After centuries of wind and rain, the stone remains mysterious and spectacular.
Five Tigers Cave: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. During the Jin Dynasty, there was a cave on the mountain inhabited by five spiritually endowed tigers. Once, when Jin Wushu went hunting on the mountain and failed to catch any game, he admired the tigers’ might. Over time, he became friends with them and would always meet them when he visited the mountain. In one battle, when Jin Wushu struggled to win, the tigers helped by roaring so fiercely that the enemy’s horses fled without fighting, leading to his victory.
Buddha-Gazing Stone: On the A-Song Highway en route to Lingyin Mountain, you’ll see a "Buddha-Gazing Stone." Standing beside it and looking west, you’ll see a "sleeping living Buddha" on the horizon—lying on its side facing west during the day, and on its back at night, half-hidden by the mountains.
One-Line Sky: Located on the eastern side of the viewing peak along the Eighteen Bends wooden boardwalk in the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, there is a dark crevice stretching toward the distant horizon, forming the breathtaking "One-Line Sky" wonder.
Eighteen Bends Wooden Boardwalk: A beautiful highlight of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, it spirals from the foot of Lingyin Mountain up to the summit along a 7-li-long wooden path. Walking on it, you feel as if your feet are about to lift off, you’re swift as a swallow, and reaching the top feels like becoming immortal. Along the way, you can admire sights such as stone forests, alpine azaleas, fox fairy caves, viewing peaks, and the "King of Potted Plants."
Frog-Chirping Stream: Located on the western side of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, it features a walking boardwalk. In early spring, when northern spring arrives, the snow melts and the stream flows gently with the chirping of frogs. By the stream, you can look up to see the peaks shrouded in ever-changing mist, or look down to see lush green grass, frog sounds in your ears, and birds singing all around...
Red Leaf Valley: Located in the middle section of the Red Leaf Valley Scenic Avenue in Lingyin Mountain. From September 25 to October 5, the leaves of trees such as white cow maple, laceleaf maple, Qingkai maple, and tea-leaved maple turn from green to yellow to red. Accented by Korean pines, the forest becomes a vibrant tapestry of colors, with red leaves reflecting the sky.
Millennium Dragon-Phoenix Trees: Located in a valley on the northern side of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, there are two ancient poplar trees, each five people can hug, over a thousand years old. The phoenix tree has a girth of 7 meters, a hollow big enough for four people, and a crown spanning over 400 square meters. The dragon tree’s lateral branches resemble multiple "dragons" clinging to its trunk—hence the name. The dragon tree is also one of the sources of the Ashi River.
Author: Sun Zhiming, Li Qian
Themed "Let Forests Transform Urban Life," this Forest Wellness Festival, held across the Golden Dragon Mountain Scenic Area, Diaoshuihu Scenic Area, and Songfengshan Scenic Area, featured a series of activities under the three major segments of "sports, culture, and leisure." These included a mountain bike rally, a thousand-person mountain treasure hunt, forest yoga, a Dragon Boat Festival hiking festival, a Taoist wellness culture forum, a wild delicacies food festival, a forest concert, a royal carriage wedding, and a forest camping festival.
It is reported that in recent years, Acheng District has placed high importance on the development of forest culture and eco-tourism. Adhering to the philosophy that "ecological culture is an advanced culture reflecting the harmonious development between humans and nature," and driven by the "grand tourism" strategy, the district's eco-tourism industry has shown strong momentum. To date, the district’s forest coverage rate has reached 50%, with over 327 days per year achieving or exceeding national second-class air quality standards, earning it recognition as a National Ecological Demonstration Zone. Since 2007, a number of well-known scenic areas such as Golden Dragon Mountain and Diaoshuihu have been developed, centered around "forest ecology as the source, historical culture as the soul, and leisure vacation as the body." This has led to the formation of multiple outstanding tourism brands, including national-level forest parks, geological parks, water conservancy scenic areas, as well as provincial-level historical and cultural cities, famous tourist towns, and scenic spots. It has become the best destination for suburban, leisure, and vacation tourism within Harbin’s one-hour metropolitan economic circle, and is hailed as Harbin’s "Shangri-La."
Xu Hongjiang, Deputy Secretary of the Acheng District Committee and District Chief, presided over the opening ceremony. Wang Wenli, Secretary of the District Committee, delivered a welcome speech. Jiang Ming, Chairman of the Harbin Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, announced the official opening of the "Charming Summer in Harbin" Cultural Tourism Series and the First China・Harbin Golden Dragon Mountain Forest Wellness Culture Festival. Wang Xiaoxi, Standing Committee Member of the Harbin Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, declared the official start of the "Mountain Bike Rally Launch Ceremony." Zhang Xianyou, Vice Mayor of Harbin (Weibo), fired the starting gun for the "Thousand-Person Mountain Treasure Hunt." Over 2,000 people attended the opening ceremony, including key leaders of the four major leadership groups of Acheng District, heads of relevant departments and units, as well as friends and tourists from all walks of life.
Related Background:
Golden Dragon Mountain National Forest Park encompasses four major scenic areas: Golden Dragon Mountain, Diaoshuihu, Songfengshan, and Wushuling. It features four major cultural elements—"Jin Yuan (Golden Origins), forests, geology, and red leaves"—three major advantages—"resources, environment, and location"—and ten major attractions—"red leaves, azaleas, ancient trees, peculiar rocks, streams, cultural relics, sea of clouds, sunrise, pine waves, and snow and ice." After years of development and construction, Golden Dragon Mountain Forest Park has now been designated as a National Forest Park, Provincial Geological Park, and National AAA-level Tourist Attraction. In 2009, it was listed among the twelve key tourism towns and scenic areas prioritized for development in the province. In recent years, it has been selected by the Provincial Tourism Bureau as one of the 100 most worthwhile places to visit in Heilongjiang. The park’s six major scenic areas operate under a "one-ticket pass" system. Within the park, there are 21 kilometers of cement roads, as well as the "Eighteen Bends of Mountain Paths" wooden boardwalk and the "Eight Li River Adventure" trail. The area boasts abundant wild medicinal herbs, flowers, shrubs, and other plant resources. The park offers a fresh and elegant environment, unique natural landscapes, and ever-changing scenery throughout the day. Spring brings clear mountains and waters, lakes reflecting the hills; summer offers shaded greenery and vibrant blooms; autumn displays the colorful foliage of the "Five-Colored Mountains" and the fragrance of wild fruits; winter is blanketed in silver and crowned with snow-laden pines. Visiting Golden Dragon Mountain gives one a sense of simplicity, mystery, and returning to nature. Wandering through the forest sea feels like stepping into a fairyland on earth. Here, peaks are layered, forests vast, and rocks oddly shaped. Must-see sights when visiting Hengtoushan include:
Jin Dynasty Ruins: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. There are four Jin Dynasty ancestral mausoleum ruins: Shangleimu, Jixing, Xiangshui, and Huapi.
Wushi Mountain: (also known as RenTouLaZi) A natural stone sculpture located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. The steep cliffs feature numerous human-faced images. One rock peak resembles a "warrior" holding a sword with both hands, gazing southeast—hence the name. Legend says it marks where Jin Wushu indicated hidden treasure. Local villagers say that in ancient times, this area was once an ocean, and the reef stones, after being eroded by seawater and then weathered by wind and rain upon becoming land, formed naturally. It holds geological research value and is unique both domestically and internationally.
Sword-Testing Stone: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. Legend says Jin Wushu obtained a powerful sword and, to test its sharpness, chose this massive rock. After centuries of wind and rain, the stone remains mysterious and spectacular.
Five Tigers Cave: Located in the Jiulong Mountain Scenic Area. During the Jin Dynasty, there was a cave on the mountain inhabited by five spiritually endowed tigers. Once, when Jin Wushu went hunting on the mountain and failed to catch any game, he admired the tigers’ might. Over time, he became friends with them and would always meet them when he visited the mountain. In one battle, when Jin Wushu struggled to win, the tigers helped by roaring so fiercely that the enemy’s horses fled without fighting, leading to his victory.
Buddha-Gazing Stone: On the A-Song Highway en route to Lingyin Mountain, you’ll see a "Buddha-Gazing Stone." Standing beside it and looking west, you’ll see a "sleeping living Buddha" on the horizon—lying on its side facing west during the day, and on its back at night, half-hidden by the mountains.
One-Line Sky: Located on the eastern side of the viewing peak along the Eighteen Bends wooden boardwalk in the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, there is a dark crevice stretching toward the distant horizon, forming the breathtaking "One-Line Sky" wonder.
Eighteen Bends Wooden Boardwalk: A beautiful highlight of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, it spirals from the foot of Lingyin Mountain up to the summit along a 7-li-long wooden path. Walking on it, you feel as if your feet are about to lift off, you’re swift as a swallow, and reaching the top feels like becoming immortal. Along the way, you can admire sights such as stone forests, alpine azaleas, fox fairy caves, viewing peaks, and the "King of Potted Plants."
Frog-Chirping Stream: Located on the western side of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, it features a walking boardwalk. In early spring, when northern spring arrives, the snow melts and the stream flows gently with the chirping of frogs. By the stream, you can look up to see the peaks shrouded in ever-changing mist, or look down to see lush green grass, frog sounds in your ears, and birds singing all around...
Red Leaf Valley: Located in the middle section of the Red Leaf Valley Scenic Avenue in Lingyin Mountain. From September 25 to October 5, the leaves of trees such as white cow maple, laceleaf maple, Qingkai maple, and tea-leaved maple turn from green to yellow to red. Accented by Korean pines, the forest becomes a vibrant tapestry of colors, with red leaves reflecting the sky.
Millennium Dragon-Phoenix Trees: Located in a valley on the northern side of the Lingyin Mountain Scenic Area, there are two ancient poplar trees, each five people can hug, over a thousand years old. The phoenix tree has a girth of 7 meters, a hollow big enough for four people, and a crown spanning over 400 square meters. The dragon tree’s lateral branches resemble multiple "dragons" clinging to its trunk—hence the name. The dragon tree is also one of the sources of the Ashi River.
Author: Sun Zhiming, Li Qian