Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou is a narrow strip of lowland, four hundred kilometers long, in the Minshan Mountain Range in Nanping County, northeast Sichuan. It got its name because there are nine Tibetan villages in the valley. As it is a remote place with unusually charming scenery and few inhabitants, it is often called the "wonderland on earth." The valley, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, is covered with luxuriant primitive forests and dotted by more than a hundred lakes and ponds of various sizes. At the bottom of the clear blue lakes, stones and waterweeds twinkle in the sun, producing a rainbow of colors. As the valley is of a terraced topography, waterfalls are created between lakes on different levels, the biggest drop being over twenty meters. The roaring sound of the falls echoes through the valley.

The valley is home to a great variety of plants and rare animals, such as the giant panda, lesser panda, golden monkey, and antelope.

It is said that the Jiuzhaigou Valley( Jiuzhai means nine villages)was named after the nine villages contained in the vast nature reserve. Lots of rare species inhabit the area including Pandas and Golden monkeys. The three main gullies-Shuzheng, Rize and Zechawa form a Y shape, with 108 mysterious lakes scattered around and a plethora of connecting waterfalls and brooks.

Legend has it that long long ago, a beautiful Goddess received a mirror from her lover. The goddess was so excited that she dropped the mirror, smashing it into 108 small pieces. Over the centuries those pieces gave birth to 108 wonderful lakes.

Jiuzhaigou's spirit is its pure, crystal clear water.

Five-Coloured Lake
There is a fairy tale in ancient China that the princess of heaven has a five-colored lake called Yaochi in her palace. In Jiuzhaigou Valley you can see that lake of legend. Through forest clearings and the briefest of glimpses between needle clad branches you may catch a glimpse of the water which sparkles in a kalaidescope of sky blues, light greens, yellows, greys, pinks and blues.

Five Flower Sea
Rize Gully Five Flower Sea is even more magnificent. Surrounded by mountains, the sea looks like a huge calabash infusing colorful water continuously into the foot of the mountain. The strange part is that on the belly of the calabash, there is a ten-meter long light blue design which looks like the leg of a deer. Legend has it that it is the residing spirit of a spotted deer which slipped and fell down the cliff.

Waterfalls
Waterfalls make attractive views. Jiuzhaigou Valley is a paradise surrounded by mountains, with tranquil lakes like pearls. But the quietness is sometimes broken by the waterfalls, which take you to another world. The waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou are like green looms weaving different silks. Varying in shape some are like dragons, some like snow and some like pearls. The sun often casts rainbows across their fronts.

The Nuorilang Waterfall is a perfect case in point. At the top of the great waterfall, which is about one hundred meters in width, are a line of willows which form a monumental green wall. Like the teeth of a comb their trunks seem to be running constantly through the water, untangling it. Jiuzhaigou Valley feels like a dream. Beautiful scenery greets you wherever you look. Nature is all around, quiet and still yet more alive, more vibrant than the busiest of cities.