<C> Fairyland on Earth

Five Wonders of China's Magestic Park

Being endowed with such magnificent titles as “A Fairyland on Earth”, “The Wonderland” and “Paradise on Earth”; Jiuzhaigou does not disappoint. Situated at the southern point of the Minshan Mountains, in Northwestern Sichuan, Jiuzhaigou lies within the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Its name is attributed to the nine villages that lay within its gully, hence its name, literally “Nine Villages Gully.”

The Tibetan and Qiang ethnic minorities have inhabited Jiuzhaigou for centuries. In fact, the Chinese government didn’t officially discover the park until 1972, at which point extensive logging took place. Luckily the government put a stop to this, and the park was designated a national park in 1982. It was subsequently granted world heritage status in 1992.

After hearing numerous stories from friends about China’s “Fairyland”, my husband and I decided to see the park for ourselves. We planned on a trip in the autumn, when it would be alive with color. Autumn is one of the best times to visit Jiuzhaigou because it’s not too cold yet; the colors are the most amazing array of hues; and the pools are at their highest levels of the year due. (80% of its annual rainfall is between May and October.)

Since we live in Chengdu, getting to Jiuzhaigou couldn’t have been easier. The 10-12 hour long bus goes directly from Chengdu to the park’s entrance. Since we were traveling during Golden Week, the bus ride lasted the full 12 hours, which was OK with us since the scenery along the way was quite breathtaking. However, be forewarned that traveling during Golden Week is not for the faint of heart and shouldn’t be taken lightly! Even if you’re a trooper and riding on crowded, dingy buses doesn’t faze you, the constant bathroom breaks might! Not to mention the forced stops at tourist traps set up specifically for the holiday; camel and yak rides included!

All in all, getting there is a breeze: it's a straightforward shot, and once you arrive in the town of Zhangzha you’ll have PLENTY of choices of accommodation. Also helpful to know is that at one time tourists were allowed to stay within the park. Alas, this option is not technically possible anymore and even some of the park’s residents have been moved out in order to preserve the park. However, if you’re up for an adventure, it might be possible to pack in and arrange for accommodation at one of the Tibetan monasteries.

A Legendary Beginning

Like many ancient Chinese relics and sites, Jiuzhaigou’s history is infused with legend and myth. According to a traditional legend, the park’s magically colored pools are the result of a fiery exchange between an evil devil and a beautiful goddess. The warlord god, Dage, presented his lover, the goddess Wunosemo, with a magic mirror. Shortly after, and to her dismay, an evil devil caused her to drop the mirror to the earth, where it shattered into 118 enchanted lakes. It is because of this divine tragedy that we are blessed with the majestic scenery of Jiuzhaigou.

Now, if you’re like me, you’ll stick to the more entertaining account, indulging your childish curiosity in anything magical. However, Jiuzhaigou’s numerous shimmering lakes do have a more scientific explanation. Jiuzhaigou’s stunning scenery was formed by millions of years of natural phenomenon. Between glacial activity, rock falls damming certain bodies of water and earthquakes, there was no reason for Jiuzhaigou NOT to possess some of the world’s most diverse and interesting geography.

When these pooled bodies of water were solidified through a process of carbonate deposition, some of the lakes were endowed with such high levels of calcium carbonate that their water was made unusually clear, making visibility possible at even great depths.

Most visitors agree that one of the most fascinating aspects of the lakes are their ghostly, fallen trees. Not only do they crisscross the lakes, making for stunning views and photos, but there are also trees that can be seen protruding from the depths of the lakes as well. These are the result of fertile pockets of calcium existing in the mist of the waterways, which allow trees to grow in the middle of some lakes and waterfalls. Both add to the allure of the lakes, making Jiuzhaigou a visual wonderland.

Although it's necessary to take the shuttle to some sites, as the main gully alone covers 720 km, a boardwalk runs along the eastern edge of the main river. This walkway is a great escape from the crowded buses and drop-offs along the main road, and is very well maintained. The trail starts just north of Sparkling Lake and runs all the way to Shuzheng Stockade.

Being the impatient Americans that we are, we immediately got sick of standing in line at the entrance of the park, which needless to say was VERY crowded because of the holiday! Even though had shuttle tickets we decided to skip out of line and to walk into the park instead. This turned out to be one of the better decisions we made all day! There were virtually no people on the trail, and it was a beautiful walk. It’s said that Jiuzhaigou has five wonders: high mountains, colorful forests, multilevel waterfalls, snow covered peaks and Tibetan customs. Walking along the boardwalk is a great way to escape the crowds and to truly understand these wonders.



Attractions

Coming from the hustle and bustle of Chengdu Jiuzhaigou is a refuge, although a crowded one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s peaceful and idyllic, but just realize you’ll be taking in the scenery with many other tourists. Even with, what I thought to be, astronomical entrance fees (220 Yuan per person plus 90 Yuan for the shuttle!), the park was well worth the headaches. Simply being able to be in China and to breathe fresh mountain air was reason enough for me to fork over a wad of cash! Plus, the park contains numerous sites, so if you’re an early riser then you should have time to see most of the best sites.

One of the more often overlooked sites, just within the park’s entrance, is the Zaru Temple. It’s hard to miss, as it’s situated just off the left hand side of the highway and is lined with a row of large white stupas. Having heard rave reviews about it from friends we expected it to be annoyingly crowded, with shuttle buses and tour groups in throngs. Needless to say we were very surprised to find it empty! There was literally not a single person except for a solitary monk just inside the temple grounds. He warmly welcomed us in to the temple, and allowed us to walk around freely, taking as many pictures as we desired. We were thrilled! If you keep walking along the path from here, you’ll reach a small Tibetan village on the right hand side of the road. Also rarely visited, the Lotus Valley is an interesting place to wander through.

Jiuzhaigou Valley consists of three gullies, which are often referred to as valleys because of their large sizes. One of these three is the source of the Jiulingjian River, which is part of the Yangtze River system. Once inside the park, one can trace the eastern route or the western route. However, before this split in the road, many of the park’s most famous attractions can be found along the way.

One of the more famous lakes along this road is the stunning Arrow Bamboo Lake , which was featured in the Chinese film, Hero. Another gem is the Five Flower Lake . This is just one of the many examples of the crisscrossed fallen trees that Jiuzhaigou’s lakes are renowned for.

Most tourists, including us, opted for the eastern route. As you can only buy a one-day pass for the park, it’s almost necessary to choose one route or the other. There are so many lakes, waterfalls and rivers to visit that it’d be near impossible to view them all in a single day. In fact, it probably would be humanly impossible unless you drove through the park without stopping to take a single picture!

The eastern route allows you to see the majority of the most famous attractions, including Long Lake (not to be missed!), Five Color Lake (equally amazing) and Lower Seasonal Lake. There are many more along the way if you find you have extra time on your hands. Must-sees also include Mirror Lake and Nuorilang Falls. Both can be easily visited once you’re making your way toward the entrance of the park again.

If you’re looking for an escape from city life and would like to visit the home of the Tibetan and Qiang nationalities, not to mention the endangered Sichuan takins and giant pandas, then Jiuzhaigou should not be missed!