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Top 7 Danxia Landform in China w. Google Earth Links

Mar 15, 2010

[image sources]: 1. cctcct.com| 2. ly321.com | 3. fuzhoutour | 4, 5. cncn.com | 6. jiazi | 7. nipic

Danxia Landform refers to “landform consists of red bed characterized by steep cliffs”, it’s a unique type of petrographic geomorphology and was named in China. — wikipedia

Danxia landform is unique here because it’s a landform defined in China by Chinese scholars. Although there are some Danxia landform areas in western United States, central Europe and Australia, they are most widely distributed in China.

In 1928, Columbia University graduated Chinese mineralogist Jinglan Feng found this unique landform in Renhua County of northern Guangdong province.

Till Jan 2008, there are 790 Danxia Landform areas identified in China. They are distributed in 26 provinces.

March 2009, “Danxia Landform of China” was accepted as “UNESCO World Heritage” candidate. It will be voted in July 2010. Here, let me wish her good luck!

You can view all top 7 Danxia Landform here in Google Earth

1. Mount Danxia 丹霞山: Redstone National Park of China
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Shaoguan, Guangdong

This is the place where “Danxia Landform” firstly identified and named. It’s a “world famous UNESCO geopark of China”.

Particularly famous are two formations: a stone pillar called the Yangyuan (“male/father stone”) that bears a remarkable resemblance to a phallus and the Yinyuan hole, which (especially to people who visited the Yangyuan pillar before) somewhat resembles labia.

2. Wuyi Mountains 武夷山: Green river & red mountain, best of Southeast
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Jiangxi & Fujian

World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural. It is the most outstanding biodiversity conservation zone of Southeast China. It also has many historical places of interest, including the city ruins of ancient Mingyue Kingdom and the cradle of Neo-Confucianism.

3. Lake Dajin 大金湖: Wonders of Danxia above water
Google Earth | UNESCO | Location: Taining, Fujian

The highest and oldest Danxia Landform in southeast China. Lake Dajin was originally a section of Dajin Creek. Its 36 km2 water was formed after a dam was built in 1980. Since then, the perfect combination of deep & vast green water and strange red mountains makes it the “World’s No. 1 Lake Mountain”.

4. Mount Longhu 龙虎山: Red cliffs where Taoist alchemists make medicines
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Yingtan, Jiangxi

It is famous for being one of the birthplaces of Taoism, with many Taoist temples built upon the mountainside. It is particularly important to the Zhengyi Dao as it the Shangqing Temple and the Mansion of the Taoist Master are located here.

Mount Longhu also has cultural significance has a historical burial site of the ancient Guyue people, who placed their dead in hanging coffins on the mountains cliff faces.

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5. Zi River – Bajiao Mountain Fortress – Langshan Mountains Danxia Landform 资江-八角寨-崀山丹霞: Green peaks & red cliffs, soul of Danxia
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Ziyuan, Guangxi

Bajiaozhai-Langshan region has very rich formation of different types and different stages of Danxia landform. So it is known as the “Soul of Danxia landform.”

At the top, there is a platform about 3000+ square meters in area. Tianxin Temple was built here since Song Dynasty. For 1000+ years since then, it has been a popular Buddhism place.

6. Zhangye Danxia Landform 张掖丹霞: Palace-like Danxia made by nature
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Zhangye, Gansu

“Five Color City”. Unlike those Danxia landform in south China that have only red cliffs and green trees, Zhangye Danxia landform is truly colorful. In less than 10 square kilometers you can find red, yellow, orange, green, white, schungite, dark gray, gray and white and other bright colors everywhere.

7. Chishui Danxia Landform 赤水丹霞: Red Cliffs reflected on Silver Waterfalls
Google Earth | Wiki | Location: Chishui, Guizhou

China’s Jurassic park. As the largest Danxia landform region, it covers more than 1000+ km2.

[Scenic Splendor of China Series]
This is one post of the Scenic Splendor of China Series. In 2005.10, Chinese National Geography (CNG) selected 114 “most beautiful places” covering 17 different types of scenic patterns. The complete list is here. In Chinese. These scenic places will be covered individually in future.

[Chinese Keywords]
中国最美的地方 丹霞



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