The Charm of Luoping County

You might not have heard of Luoping， a small county in Yunnan. However， geographical experts are very interested in this county， since they can find massive karst landforms there for their study.

Luoping is also loved by tourists， who come here to see the amazing hills and valleys with typical karst features， the ex- otic customs of ethnic minorities and the breathtaking tracts of rape flower. All these turn Luoping into a great place for tourism.

In addition to its charm， luoping also takes an advantageous location， as it is in the intersected area of Yunnan， Guangxi and Guizhou. Even though it is a county under the governance of Yunnan provincial government， Luoping is so close to Guangxi and Guizhou that the crow in Luoping could wake up people of the three provinces. This location gives the tourists a wide access to Luoping， allowing them to enter this county from three provinces. In addition， this location also gives Luoping County the combined features of the three provinces.

The charm of Luoping was discovered and used in the ancient. Xu Xiake， a great traveler and geographer in the Ming Dynasty， visited Luoping in 1638 and spent half a month there. After that he wrote in his travel notes about the ten most wonderful scenes there. Nowadays， some of these scenes have been gone or replaced， but tourists could still find at least some tracks of the ancient beauty.

The Ten Most Wonderful Scenes of Luoping：

No. 1： Wax Mountain and Jade Belt Lake

The Wax Mountain lies in the west of Luoping， it is the highest spot in the area of Luoping. With the altitude of 2468 meters， the mountain towers over the entire county. In the sunny weather， the mountainside is surrounded by belt-shaped white mist， adding more mystery into the amazing scene.

The mountain is accompanied by two lakes. The Lake of Wax Mountain is belt-shaped waters at the foot of the main peak of Wax Mountain. It is surrounded by peaks of different height. There are a lot of pine trees around the lake， reflecting their lithe forms onto the crystal-like surface of the lake，

The other lake is more famous than its peer. It is also at the foot of Wax Mountain but four kilometers southeast of Luoping. The lake provides enough water and nutrition for the wildlife around it， resulting in the dense and ever-green forests and various birds and animals in the surrounding area. It is a pleasant journey to roam the lake with a boat， in which people can hear the whispers of birds and enjoy the fresh air with the moisture of clean water.

No. 2： Taiye Lake

The area of Luoping is known for the great number of lakes it has. Taiye Lake is one of them. A poet in the Qing Dynasty described that the lake is as clean as a mirror and is inhabited by speedy and agile fancy carp. Birds flock there to enjoy the “delicious food” in the lake and build their nests on the trees.

Taiye Lake used to be at the west of the county. However， as the county expanded in the area， the lake has been “surrounded” by modern buildings and almost became the center of the county.

The entire lake has been constructed and upgraded into a park. The entire park takes 120 mu with the total investment of 23 million yuan. Aside from the lake itself， the front-gate square， the island in the center of the lake and the children’s playground. The modern design and the natural， ancient beauty are combined together， protruding the garden arts and providing a great place for recreation.

No. 3： Nine-Dragon Shoal

The shoal is named after the river it is in the NineDragon River， also known as the Stream of Loving Past in the ancient time. Actually， the new name of the river came from the shoal since dragon sounds more powerful and the affinity to water of this legendary creature is more suitable for a river.

The shoal is located five kilometers north of the county. It is as slender as a dragon swimming in the water， which explains the origination of its name. In the old time， people in Luoping County drove boat to the shoal. However， the swift current between the shoal and the town made it a dangerous journey， but the dense reeds around the shoal provide enough food materials and other useful things for local people， making the entire journey worthwhile.

Nowadays， the shallows are connected by bridges， which is safer but less exciting. People no longer rely on the materials from the shoal to survive. And the shoal now serves as a place of entertainment and recreation with its natural beauty.

No. 4： the Nine-Dragon Waterfalls

As one of the most famous scenic spots in Luoping， the Nine-Dragon Waterfalls were called “suspending streams from three gorges” by Xu Xiake. Located 22 kilometers northeast of Luoping， this river flow falls abruptly for several times， forming the Nine-Dragon Waterfall that consists of ten smaller waterfalls appearing one by one in a four-kilometerlong part of the river.

Each of the small waterfalls has its own characteristics and people could easily find the difference between each other. Some of them are fierce and swift， creating astounding sound like the thunder； some are gentle and elegant with the water slowly falling down from high to low and creating an amazing and mild melody.

The largest waterfall of them is 56 meters high and 112 meters long. As the most impressive waterfall in this area， it is also called the “Waterfall of Immortal Dragon”. In the rainy season， the sound of this waterfall could be heard from miles away. The second largest one is called “Waterfall of Lovers”， which is known for the rainbow as a result of the reflection of sunshine by the waterfall and the deep and clean pond under it. In addition to the waterfall， the ponds， which are given different names based on their shape and functions， can offer beautiful views as well. A pavilion is built next to the highest point of the waterfall. The tourists can take a cable car to it to have a full vision of all features of Nine-Dragon Waterfalls

No. 5 Golden Rooster Hill

The Golden Rooster Hill is located in a village sharing the same name with it and stands 15 kilometers east of Luoping County. The hill is named after a rooster-shaped rock on the hillside. Both the hill and the rock are the results of the longtime corrosion of land by the water， as well as the representatives of the karst landforms in Luoping County.

People of ancient time thought the rock was originally an immortal creature from the heaven and considered it to be a sign of fortune. Therefore， this place contained some sacred significance in the past. In today’s society， the superstitious part has been weakened. But the weird shape of the rock， as well as the green trees surrounding it and the golden rape flower growing at the foot of the hill， are great appeals to visitors from all over places.

No. 6： Stone Tiger Leaping from Cliff

It is located in an old village 30 kilometers west of the county. It is a stone with the shape of a leaping tiger. According to the records， people of ancient time spotted real tigers there and even saw the tigers accompany or worship the “stone tiger”.

Nowadays， the village has been deserted and this stone， due to its long distance from the county and comparatively less convenient traffic， is rarely visited by tourists.

No. 7： Jade Hot Spring

The hot spring is located 30 kilometers from the county. The water is as clear as the jade and has a sweet taste. However， it is far from the county. The steep hills and deep streams that stand in the way stop most people from enjoying the hot water there.

No. 8： Golden Flower in Twisted Water

It is a cave located beside the road 15 kilometers south of the county. There are several ponds in the cave. Every march the sunshine can get into the cave and onto the crystal-like water. The reflections are like the golden flowers blossoming on the water， which is the origination of its name.

No. 9： Immortal Sickle on Steep Cliff

The steep cliff， which is of typical karst landform， is 25 kilometers from the county. The steepness and height of the cliff make it almost impossible to climb. There is a sickleshaped stone on the top of the cliff. In the fairy tale， this stone was originally a sickle used by the immortal to pick up the herbs.

No. 10： Sweet Spring from Stone Gap

This is the closest one among the ten scenic wonders recorded by Xu Xiake only 500 meters away from the county. There is a spring flowing out of the stone gap in a mountain. The water tastes like the sweet wine.

The Rape Flowers

The unique weather， which is a result of its closeness to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and abundance of water， leads to the special agribusiness in this county. One of the typical features is the rape flower that massively blossom in every February and March， filling over 3 thousand acres of land with gold color. The golden carpet spreads miles long and floods the entire county like a sea of golden water. It is one of the largest bases of rape flowers in China. The rape flowers are not only important sources of oil， honey and income of Luoping people， but also a large magnet for tourists from different places.

Therefore， February and March undoubtedly become the best time to visit Luoping. At that time， the Jade Belt Lake， Lake of Wax Mountain， as well as other lakes， are like pieces of a mirror scattering in the golden carpet. The reflection of sunshine from the lakes adds a new color to the endless and impressive yellow. The hills with typical features of karst landforms are like the islands dotted in the yellow sea.

Every year， there is a travel festival featuring rape flowers in this county. Tourists can watch flowers and have a taste of the fresh honey there. In addition， people can climb onto the top of the Golden Rooster Hill， where they can have a better seeing of the “yellow carpet” covering Luoping County.