Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟)
The Shuzheng Valley (树正沟) is the main northern branch of Jiuzhaigou. It ends after 14.5km at the Y-shaped intersection of the three gullies. Going downhill from the intersection to the mouth of the valley, visitors encounter the following:
Maybe someone ran out of coins and tossed her umbrella in to make a wish...
The top of the waterfall is very flat. It was said that originally, there was no waterfall here, only a flat plateau. When passing by this plateau, a monk brought along a spinning wheel and taught a Tibetan girl how to spin. On her part, she taught her sisters how to spin too.
The story goes that in olden days, a lama came here on a rhinoceros. He was seriously ill and was on the verge of death. After he drank some water from the lake, he recovered completely. He did not want to leave and dwelled by the lake forever.
Rhinoceros Lake is said to be one of the most changeable lakes in Jiuzhaigou. Every morning the inverted images of clouds and mists are of such enchanting beauty the sky cannot be distinguished from the water of the lake.
Sichuan (四川), China (中国)
March 2013
Shuzheng Valley (树正沟)
The Shuzheng Valley (树正沟) is the main northern branch of Jiuzhaigou. It ends after 14.5km at the Y-shaped intersection of the three gullies. Going downhill from the intersection to the mouth of the valley, visitors encounter the following:
Bonsai Shoal (盆景滩)
The first stop after leaving the entrance, Bonsai Shoal is 2,167m above sea-level. The sloping tiers of rock were created by mineral deposition atop mud-flow deposits. The "bonsai" - the Japanese word for miniature tree - of willow, cypress, poplar, pine and rhododendron cluster on the edges of the shoal, and demonstrates the diversity of plant life growing on the water in the lime base.
The bus did not even stop here. It was just a glimpse of the browns and very little blue...
Reed Lake (熊猫海)
The next spot on the Y-shaped route of Jiuzhaigou, Reed Lake (芦苇海) is a 1375 m-long, reed-covered marsh 2,140m above the sea level with a clear turquoise brook (known as the "Jade Ribbon") zigzagging through it. In spring and summer, the blue of the water is contrasted with the brown of flourishing reeds, overflowing with vigour. In autumn and winter, golden reeds span the marsh.
How Reed Lake looks like from the bus - As it is between seasons, the dry reeds are pale in colour and crowd the water, nearly smothering the sliver of the blue brook...
Sparkling Lake (火花海)
Sparkling Lake (火花海) is located 2,187m above sea level with a length of 205m long. During wet summer months, slanting rays from the morning and evening sun reflect light creating flashes on the water which look like sparks of light. In drier months (like March-April), the water level drops to expose travertine limestone mounds akin to islands in the sea, giving it its other nickname - "Thousand Island Lake".
Don't be deceived by the clear waters. - At its deepest, the lake is all of 24m deep...
Maybe someone ran out of coins and tossed her umbrella in to make a wish...
Nuorilang Waterfall (诺日朗瀑布)
Spanning over a ridge at 320m wide and 20m tall, the Nuorilang Waterfall (诺日朗瀑布) is the widest waterfall in Jiuzhaigou. It is reportedly the widest highland waterfall in China, the widest travertine-topped waterfall in the world, and one of the symbols of Jiuzhaigou. It is so wide that even from the road, only half the waterfall was able to fit into Merlion Wayfarer's 18mm lens frame.
This is how it looks like from the road -
The highest and widest vantage point (short of climbing up the opposite slope)...
Nuorilang means "grand and magnificent" in Tibetan, and it is truly gorgeous...
The top of the waterfall is very flat. It was said that originally, there was no waterfall here, only a flat plateau. When passing by this plateau, a monk brought along a spinning wheel and taught a Tibetan girl how to spin. On her part, she taught her sisters how to spin too.
The cruel landlord thought that she was doing something evil and kicked her and the spinning wheel over the cliff. Out of nowhere, torrents appeared, washing the cruel landlord and his accomplices down the mountain. The water continued to gush non-stop, forming today's waterfall.
Ice blocks at the base of the waterfall. Yes, Jiuzhaigou is still very cold at this time of the year...
It is said that when the sun shines in the morning, flowery rainbows can be seen in the sky, which make the waterfall more charming and splendid. Well, Merlion Wayfarer was there in the morning, but there were no sign of any rainbows. Guess the light wasn't right for the seven colours this round but...
A magical misty look caused by the slanting rays of the morning sun...
See light spheres caused by the reflection of water? Sui!
Rhinoceros Lake (犀海)
Rhinoceros Lake (犀海) is located at 2,315m above sea level with a depth of 11.7m. With a length of 2km and a width of 195.6m, it is the second largest lake in Jiuzhaigou, after Long Lake. Formed from mud rock flows blocking the valley, within its depth lies a constant underground water supply, which keeps the volume of the lake constant.
The story goes that in olden days, a lama came here on a rhinoceros. He was seriously ill and was on the verge of death. After he drank some water from the lake, he recovered completely. He did not want to leave and dwelled by the lake forever.
Rhinoceros Lake is said to be one of the most changeable lakes in Jiuzhaigou. Every morning the inverted images of clouds and mists are of such enchanting beauty the sky cannot be distinguished from the water of the lake.
Tiger Lake (老虎海)
Tiger Lake (老虎海), located further up the Shuzheng Valley, is 2,298m above sea level. It is peaceful and tranquil like Rhinoceros Lake, a sharp contrast from the noise and splendour of the nearby Shuzheng Waterfall.
There are three sayings concerning the source of its name - One is that the sound of Shuzheng Waterfall is as loud as the roars of tigers; The second is that in late autumn, the reflections of the forests on the lake looks like the stripes of tigers; The third saying is that the tigers in the mountain were fond of this lake and used to come drink the water of the lake.
Shuzheng Waterfall (树正瀑布)
Formed by the water of Tiger Lake flowing over the steep cliff, Shuzheng Waterfall (树正瀑布) is 2,295m above sea level, 11m high and 62m wide. Due to its convex shape, the water falls down the travertine slopes over multiple levels creating an array of beautiful water landscapes.
Shuzheng Waterfall may not have the grace and elegance of its counterparts -
Nuorilang and Pearl Shoal. But what it lacked in beauty,
it made up in the magnificence and raw power of the thundering water...
Nuorilang and Pearl Shoal. But what it lacked in beauty,
it made up in the magnificence and raw power of the thundering water...
Shuzheng Waterfall was the most impressive waterfall that Merlion Wayfarer saw at Jiuzhaigou - The sheer power of the water (lots of spray!) was simply awesome!
Due to the layout of the walkway, sometimes it felt as if
the water was gushing towards Merlion Wayfarer...
the water was gushing towards Merlion Wayfarer...
Sometimes Merlion Wayfarer did not know where to aim her camera - There were too many beautiful focal points!
After the roar of the falls, there was a gully with gentle cascading flows. The silence was almost deafening. The flow was further slowed by bushes which grew on the water...
No stone was removed in the construction of the walkway - A shining example of eco-tourism...
A Tibetan-style house with a defunct water wheel lies in this quiet gully...
The Stone Mill is located 2,280 above sea level with a water wheel driven by the river water to grind barley or wheat to floor. The roof was made in the traditional method from slats.
Stones were placed on the slats to weigh them down.
A prayer wheel lies next to the cluster of wooden sheds...
