Gejia Forest Park in Gejiu City, Honghe
Overview
Gejia Forest Park (戈贾森林公园, Gējiǎ Sēnlín Gōngyuán) is located on the west side of Laoyang Mountain (老阳山, Lǎoyáng Shān) in Gejiu City (个旧市, Gèjiù Shì), Honghe Prefecture (红河州, Hónghé Zhōu), and is a true natural oxygen bar. This diverse botanical forest park is a sea of trees, bamboo, and flowers. When visiting Gejia Forest Park, you’ll be enchanted not only by its natural beauty but also by the rich Yi ethnic culture, known for its warm hospitality, singing, and dancing. The Yi people celebrate with traditional dances like the Sanbu Xian (三步弦) and engage in mountain song exchanges.
- Location: Western part of Gejiu City, Yunnan Province (云南省, Yúnnán Shěng)
- Area: 25,000 acres
- Climate Zone: Temperate climate
- Management Unit: Gejia Village Committee (戈贾村委会, Gējiǎ Cūn Wěiyuánhuì)
- English Name: Gejia Forest Park
- Altitude: 2020 meters
- Average Annual Temperature: 15℃ to 16℃
- Annual Precipitation: 1300 mm
- Opening Hours: Open year-round: Monday to Sunday, 00:00 – 24:00
Location and Surroundings
Gejia Forest Park is situated in Gejiu City, specifically in Gejia Village (戈贾村, Gējiǎ Cūn), which features a variety of plant species. This forest park is indeed a sea of trees, bamboo, and flowers. Inside the park, you can find lush golden bamboo forests, bright red rhododendrons (杜鹃花, Dùjuān Huā), towering fir trees (杉树林, Shān Shùlín), pine forests (松树林, Sōng Shùlín), and various fruit orchards. Gejia Forest Park is divided into areas based on different types of vegetation: bamboo forest area, pine forest area, grassland area, and rhododendron mountain area, truly embodying a natural oxygen bar.
Geographic Environment
The park is located in the western part of Gejiu City. It is bordered to the east by Gejiu City, to the west by Jiasha Township (贾沙乡, Jiǎshā Xiāng), to the south by Xicheng New Village (锡城新寨村, Xīchéng Xīnzhuāng), and to the north by Jijie Town (鸡街镇, Jījiē Zhèn). The distance to Gejiu City is approximately 4.1 kilometers, and the road to the village committee is a 6-meter-wide cement road, taking about 20 minutes by car or roughly 1 hour on foot.
Resources
Gejia Forest Park covers nearly 25,000 acres, but only a small part of it has been developed into a park. This forest is a habitat for a variety of plant species, featuring tall firs, pines, winter melons (冬瓜林, Dōngguā Lín), and various fruit trees. Notably, the expansive golden bamboo forest has become a major attraction. The park is complemented by three main reservoirs: Ximatang (洗马塘, Xǐmǎtáng), Huaguo Mountain (花果山, Huāguǒ Shān), and Baiyun (白云, Báiyún), creating a rich ecological environment.
At an altitude of 2020 meters, with an average annual temperature of 15–16℃ and annual precipitation of 1300 mm, the area is suitable for cultivating various crops such as grains, vegetables, and fruits. Due to the favorable climate, local residents have long grown a variety of economic fruit trees like peaches (桃, Táo), plums (李, Lǐ), apples (苹, Píng), pears (梨, Lí), and cherries (樱, Yīng), most of which are thriving. Recently, a local youth named Pan (潘, Pān) has experimented with planting over 600 cherry trees, which have produced large, sweet fruits, showing great potential for promotion.
Main Attractions
As early as the early 1990s, the Gejia Village Committee, under the economic goals set by the Xicheng Town Party Committee, aimed to transform resource advantages into economic benefits. Village leaders mobilized Yi ethnic community members to voluntarily contribute labor to develop a well-preserved natural ecological tourism area within the continuous forest.
The park features a soccer field-sized grassland for large events and several wooden houses with ethnic styles in the forest. Traditional entertainment facilities such as a millstone for grinding grain, seesaws, swings, and climbing bamboo poles have been installed based on local customs. Over the years, Gejia Forest Park has become a popular leisure destination for residents of Gejiu City and surrounding areas.
In 2003, with the support of the higher government, facilities such as Yi-style teahouses and a performance plaza were established in Gejia Forest Park. The park encourages villagers to liberate their thoughts and develop the social service industry, including creating Yi-style family guesthouses for dining and entertainment, promoting local economic development and increasing villagers’ income. Notable family-run restaurants like Yi Brothers Restaurant (彝族兄弟饭庄, Yízú Xiōngdì Fànzhuāng), Xinyinzai Mountain Villa (新民寨山庄, Xīnmínzhài Shānzhuāng), and Xinyinzai Barbecue (新民寨烧烤, Xīnmínzhài Shāokǎo) have gained considerable popularity in Gejiu and surrounding regions.
Development and Construction
A preliminary development has been established around Gejia Yang Mountain (戈贾阳山, Gējiǎ Yángshān), integrating agricultural development, sightseeing tourism, fruit picking, leisure vacationing, and science popularization into a “Gejia Forest Park – Yangshan Ecological Industry” demonstration area. This initiative aims to boost other related industries and accelerate regional economic development. During the spring blossom season, the colorful blooms of peaches, plums, pears, and cherries attract many city dwellers seeking to enjoy the scenery.
How to Get There
- From Kunming (昆明, Kūnmíng): Travel through Honghe (红河, Hónghé) to Gejiu (个旧, Gèjiù) and then to Xicheng Gejia Village (锡城戈贾村, Xīchéng Gējiǎ Cūn).
Travel Tips
- Best Time to Visit: Spring (March to May) is ideal for enjoying the blooming flowers and pleasant weather.
- Recommended Activities: Participate in local cultural performances and enjoy the natural scenery.
- Dining Options: Sample local dishes at family-run guesthouses for an authentic Yi dining experience.
- Photography: Bring a camera to capture the stunning landscapes and colorful flora.
- Dress Code: Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for walking in the forest.
- Respect Local Culture: Engage respectfully with the Yi community and their traditions.
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