The Songshan Forest Tourist Area is a part of the Songshan Natural Protection Area. It is situated to the northwest of Yanqing District, Beijing, in the middle of Mountain Jundu region. It is more than 90 kilometers from the city. The tourist area is a specially administered region. It has an exceptional natural environment with rich plant and animal resources. In 1986 the area was designated as a National Nature Protection Area by the State Council. In 2000 it was designated as a Municipal Tourist Attraction.
The total area of the protection area is 4,660 hectares. The core area is 1,819 hectares. The experimental area is 1,578 hectares and the tourist area is 1,263 hectares. There is a lot of wildlife within the park. The forest is lush and dense, and there are more than 180 types of vertebrate animals and 700 types of plants in the area. There are more than 50 hectares of Chinese pines that have been well preserved. Stele inscriptions from the reign of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty recorded this area as “Green pines and cypresses showing beautiful dark green”. In spring and autumn, Hundreds of wild flowers are in full bloom and the birds are tuning their songs here. The area thrives with natural vitality.
The Haituo Mountain Peak within the beautiful park has an elevation of 2199.6 meters, and is the second highest peak in the Beijing area. There are also more than 30 scenic spots such as the Natural Chinese Pines, One-hundred Waterfalls Spring, Eight Immortals Cave, Flying Dragon Cliff and other natural splendors, each of which have their own special characteristics.
Songshan Tourist Area enjoys a classical mountain climate. Because of the high elevation and its geographic features, the climate is beneficial to people. It is one of the parts of Beijing with a lower temperature. The average annual temperature here is 7℃, 4 degrees lower than Beijing and 2.9 degrees lower than Chengde.
The hot springs of Mountain Songshan have been famous at all ages, and the area has been a destination for medical pilgrimages for a long time. The temperature of the hot springs is 45℃. Every day more than 2,000 cubic meters of water pours from the springs. The water contains 37 different natural elements such as kalium, magnesium, sulfur, iron and others. The fluorin content in the water is as high as 12mg/liter, making the spring particularly effective for the treatment of skin diseases, arthritis, rheumatoid and neuralgia. It has attracted a great many visitors to the baths over the ages.
The Songshan Natural Protection Zone is the ideal place for scientific research or educational practice. It is also a great place to pass a vacation, seek medical treatment, write poetry or paint, or enjoy the splendor of the wilderness. The facilities here are already quite complete after a few years of development. |
Asia Travel 
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