Zixi Mountain, Chuxiong
Chinese Name:楚雄紫溪山
English Name: Zixi Mountain, Chuxiong
Chuxiong Zixi Mountain in Chuxiong City travel guide introduces the main attractions, entrance tickets booking, The best time to visit, How to Get there, the highlights, facts, history, photos, weather, accommodation, visiting routes, travel tips, tour maps of Zixi Mountain in Chuxiong(楚雄紫溪山).
Located 15 kilometers west from the Deer City in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Zixi Mountain, a provincial class scenic spot in Chuxiong includes Zixi Mountain and the Town of Deer, with an area of 850 km2.
Zixi Mountain is famed as “the first mountain in the central part of Yunnan” since ancient times. Contemporary specialists call it “the natural park”. within 160 square kilometers, there are thousands kind of plants, many kinds of animals and Buddhist buildings.
The park is a picturesque resort making tourists linger about. The green pine forest is stretching to heaven and the limpid streamlets are running through the mountain.
It is a nature protection area consisting of semi-humid evergreen broadleaf forest and Yunnan Pine forest mainly. It is the main water source for Chuxiong city for its forest coverage reaches 91%. There are more than 202 species of higher plants in 65 genus and over 107 species of animals. Actually, it’s a kingdom of plants and animals.
What’s more, it was once a gathering place for Buddhists. Lots of temples had been built so as to attract the bonzes to come and cultivate here. The Zixi Mountain also abounds with camellias. According to researches, the camellias were cultivated even 1000 years ago in the mountain. The camellias are the second to none in Yunnan in the varieties of the species and colors. Camellia in Yunnan exceeds all in China, and camellia in Zixi exceeds all in Yunnan as a saying goes.
With the altitude of 2000 meters, Zixi Mountain is considered as “the first mountain in the central part of Yunnan” since ancient times. It is considered to be the holy land for Buddhism even when it was in the Song Dynasty. There are thousands kind of plants, many kinds of animals and Buddhist buildings. Records say many famous historical hierarches had been cultivated them here. In the Ming and Qing Dynasty, Zixi became a famous Buddhism place. Today, there are 68 relics of Buddhism temples and 21 Buddhism towers remained here. The environment is quiet and the scenery picturesque too, with the green pine forest stretch to horizon, and red azalea decorated in it, limpid streamlets running through the mountain.
Plant
There are more than 202 species of higher plants in 65 genus and over 107 species of animals. Actually, it’s a world of plants and animals.
Camellia:
The Zixi Mountain also abounds with camellia. According to the research, there were more than 60 camellia plants in the area which are believed to be cultivated 200 years ago in the mountain. The history of the cultivation, the variety of the species and the enrichment of the color of the camellia here are the second to none in Yunnan. There’s a saying: Camellia in Yunnan exceeds all in China, and camellia in Zixi exceeds all in Yunnan.
Torch Festival
There is a saying here says that if you don’t dance during the torch festival, it will remain a great pity in your life. From here we can figure out the importance of the local torch festival. Besides the open fire party, an activity name “carry bride” is also very interesting. 10 girls are chosen from the crowd to be the brides and covered with traditional red head shawls. 10 young men are also chosen from the crowds to be the bridegrooms. Then the brides and the grooms are asked to dance together for some time. Then, the brides are placed in a different order and the grooms are asked to find their original brides. Those who find out the correct one may carry her away. And those who fail to find the right one will be fined to make performance in public with their face covering with inks.
Origin of famous flowers in Yunnan province£ºOf the eight most famous flowers in Yunnan Province (namely camellia, orchid, azalea, yulan, gentian, yingchun and green plush fungus), seven can find their origin here in Zixi Mountain.
How to get there:
Minibuses go form Chuxiong to Zixi every 30 minutes at the Hongqi Hotel and it is very convenient for the visitors. Tourist facilities are well developed in the Zixi Mountain area. You can spend about RMB 80 staying here for a day and a night. Communication will not be a problem since the telecom signals cover all the mountain areas here.
Tips:
1.One of the wonders in Zixi Mountain is the camellia cultivated more than 1000 years ago, which is believed to be the oldest one in China. It is called Tongzhimian, meaning “face of the child”, as two colors of flowers will bloom, first red, then white 2.Recommended time for a visit£ºA day and a night to enjoy the wild life 1.One of the wonders in Zixi Mountain is the camellia cultivated more than 1000 years ago, which is believed to be the oldest one in China. It is called Tongzhimian, meaning “face of the child”, as two colors of flowers will bloom, first red, then white 2.Recommended time for a visit£ºA day and a night to enjoy the wild life
