Longqing Gorge is located to the north of Yanqing County, about 80 kilometers from the downtown. Opened in 1987, it now receives about 800,000 tourists annually.
The scenic spot stretches for seven kilometers, with the water surface 30 to 50 meters in width. As one of the three grand gorges in the suburbs of Beijing, it is reputed as “small Three-Gorges” and “small Li River”. There are steep cliffs on both sides of it, and the mouth is blocked by a dam, which is a reinforced steel double-arc dam 72 meters in height and 90 meters in length. The dam can hold 8.5 million cubic meters of water and the surface covers an area of 340,000 square meters. When the reservoir is full, the water will flow out of the spillways on the side holes, dive down and form the grandiose falls. On both ends of the dam, there is a tunnel. The south tunnel is about 300 meters long, leading to the outside of the mountains. The north tunnel is about 100 meters long, leading to the north slipway. Built on the steep cliffs and at a length of 258 meters, Tenglong elevator is the channel to enter the interior sights of Longqing Gorge. It is the largest outdoor rolling elevator in the shape of dragon in Asia. By taking the elevator, the tourists can reach the yacht dock where one can go by water to enter Longqing Gorge. The sceneries in the gorge are beautiful, with clear water, steep cliffs, strange stones, and numerous peaks, stone pricks, stone swords, stone pillars and caves, etc. Longqing Gorge is both spectacular like mountains in the north, and gorgeous like sceneries in the south. The main sceneries include more than 40 views such as Smoky Trees in Ancient City, Grandiose Dam, Statue of Buddha, Niche of Thousand Buddha Statues, Celestial Beings Playing Chess, Ancient Tree, Ancient Temple of Vajra, Phoenix Coronet Island, Heaven Emperor's Roof, Celestial Being's Courtyard, Hundred Flower Cave, etc. Longqing Gorge is cool in summer, and the temperature is about six degrees lower than that of the downtown of Beijing, 0.8 degrees lower than Chengde Mountain Resort. It is cold in winter, with a long period of freezing. Since 1987, the Ice Lamp Festival is held during the period from January to the end of February. Till now altogether 20 festivals have been successfully held. It is one of the earliest and largest ice lamp artistic exhibitions in our country, at the lowest latitude compared to other places where ice lamp festivals are held. There are near 200 yachts, among which 35 are environment friendly gas yachts, and more than 150 small boats. It receives 180,000 tourists every day. There are also complete sets of board and lodging facilities.
The main attractions including:
Mountain Cockscomb: It is also called Peak of Unique Beauty, or Phoenix Coronet Island. The mountain is surrounded by water in three directions. The height drop from the top of the mountain to the water surface is about 70 meters, looking like a lying cock. It is a symbolic view of Longqing Gorge.
Celestial Beings' Courtyard: It is on the highest peak in the scenic spot, about 200 meters away from the surface. There is an ancient pine tree in the courtyard, at a height of 24.7 meters, and with a breast diameter of 0.6 meters, and an age of about 300 years. The celestial beings' courtyard is divided into the upper and lower yards, namely Heaven Emperor's House and Deity Tea House.
Hundred Flower Cave: It is 320 meters long. The exhibition area covers 3,000 square meters. There are 1,650 types of planted flowers, grasses, and trees, with birds and other animals living in it. It includes the sceneries of Garden of Flowers, Tropical Rainforests, Natural Sceneries in the North, landscape of the south of the Yangtze River, Flowers Praying to the Phoenix, etc. |
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