Mt.xiling with its ice and snow skiing, Chinese: 西岭雪山
Picture of Mt.xiling
Xiling Snow Mountain is a nationally distinguished scenic resort, which lies in Dayi county, Sichuan province. The resort is 95km away from Chengdu and covers an area of 482.8 km². Its peak, Daxuetang, 5364 meters high and covered with snow all year round, is the highest in Chengdu. The magnificent peaks are white and sparkling, like diamonds, under the warm sunshine. Dufu, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, once wrote:
"Through my window come the ancient snows on Xiling; and near my door anchor the ships from distant Wu Kingdom". It is after this oem that Xiling (the western peak) gets its name.
Picture of Mt.xiling
Xiling is really a magical place. Here you find primeval forests, sheer precipices and overhanging rocks. Here you encounter varieties of flowers, rare birds and other animals. Here you also witness such alpine natural sights as rapids, waterfalls, sea of clouds, the sun rising, the forest Buddha Halo and Yinyang Boundary (a dividing line between the the dead and living, originally a contrast between darkness and light).
Picture of Mt.xiling
Xiling Mountain is in the cubic meteorological zone, allowing visitors to come during all seasons. In spring flowers blossom and alpine azalea woods bloom; in summer waterfalls show up here and there; in autumn red leaves light you eyes; and in winter lovely snow attracts visitors from thousands of mile away. Xiling is really an ideal place for entertainment, taking holidays, summer touring, and snow amusement in South China.
Picture of Mt.xiling
Azalea in Xiling
In spring, once entering the Xiling Mountain, you are in a colorful land. Miles of azaleas will dazzle you eye: impossible to take the beauty all in. From March to August a year, the azaleas come into bloom sequentially from low altitude to high in Mountains. They gather in clusters; some are flaming red and others snow white. Particularly, a type of azalea possesses incomparable beauty. Many color are in one bunch. Bigger trees even reach 10 meters high and over 100 centimeters in perimeter. Twisted branches spiral upward. Some are crossed, some leaning against each other and some crept by canes. No one knows how long they have spent here.