#我来唠家常#
▲ Jiuzhaigou in autumn. Photo/Visual China
-The Legend of the Gentleman of Things-
Three years after the earthquake
How is Jiuzhaigou?
On August 8, 2017, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan, causing serious damage to Jiuzhaigou, a world natural heritage site.
▲ The above two pictures on August 11, 2017, after the earthquake, Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, the sea of sparks bottomed out, photography / Liu Zhongjun. Picture / People's Vision
It took two years for this fairyland on earth to reappear in the eyes of the world. On September 27, 2019, Jiuzhaigou was partially opened, with a daily carrying capacity of 5,000 people, and it was difficult to find a ticket, but the good times did not last long, and then she was closed again due to the new crown epidemic.
▲ The Spark Sea View area before the earthquake was destroyed in the 2017 earthquake. Photography / Gao Tunzi
Fortunately, on March 31, 2020, Jiuzhaigou opened again, this time, the upper limit of Jiuzhaigou's daily load has been doubled, and it is still gradually increasing.
So, is she the same as she was in the past?
The answer is yes, according to the latest remote sensing monitoring and evaluation results of Jiuzhaigou post-disaster reconstruction released by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on August 7, after three years of efforts, the water environment in the core area of Jiuzhaigou is gradually recovering its former style.
The earthquake made us "rediscover" Jiuzhaigou
After the "8.8" Jiuzhaigou earthquake in 2017, many people lamented the partial collapse of Nuorilang Waterfall.
▲ Above: Norilang Waterfall before the earthquake. Photo by Li Guiyun Below: On October 21, 2017, it is clear that the waterfalls on the left were badly damaged by the earthquake. Photo by Zhang Xiaoping
Nuorilang Waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in China, surging water flows down through the top of the waterfall, such as the Milky Way falling, sonic shock valley. Many people recognize this place as the place where the four Tang monks walked at the end of the 86 version of Journey to the West, and thus gave the impression that Jiuzhaigou was a "fairyland on earth". (The actual filming location is Jiuzhaigou Pearl Beach Waterfall)
▲ Jiuzhaigou Pearl Beach Waterfall. Photography / Gao Tunzi
If you delve into the birth process of Nuorilang Waterfall, it is quite related to geological movements such as earthquakes. About 213,000 years ago to 189,000 years ago, the north and south mountains of Nuorilang collapsed a large number of earthquakes and other factors, causing steep bumps and water falls on the terrain, and finally formed a large travertine waterfall with a maximum width of more than 300 meters.
▲ Today's Norilang Waterfall. Photography / Jun Ziyu Picture / Picture Worm Creativity
Nuorilang Waterfall can be said to be the epitome of Jiuzhaigou landscape formation. Since 2008, there have been three earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 7 in Sichuan. Jiuzhaigou is located in the unruly western Sichuan Plateau. On August 16 and August 23, 1976, two 7.2-magnitude earthquakes (Songpan earthquake) occurred in the Minshan seismic zone (Songpan seismic zone), to which Jiuzhaigou belongs. These frequent earthquakes are the power source for the generation of this natural wonder of Jiuzhaigou.
From the perspective of hundreds of millions of years, earthquakes and gravity factors affect the landform - landslides, collapses and debris flows clog the river channel - to form dammed lakes and travertine deposits, which is a continuous cycle of process, Jiuzhaigou layers of seas, waterfalls and stepped lakes, all of which are destroyed and shaped by the great power of nature.
▲ Above: The Spark Sea Waterfall destroyed in the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. The picture records its last autumn. Photography / Master Huang of Zigong Below: Jiuzhaigou Shuzheng Waterfall. Photo by Zhang Xiaoping
The earthquake is a terrible disaster for human beings, and for Jiuzhaigou itself, it may just mean a rest and more new landscapes, such as after the earthquake, Shuanglonghai Waterfall has become more magnificent due to the change of terrain.
The Changhai Sea and the primeval forest are the two ends of the current development of Jiuzhaigou, but they are far more than the end of Jiuzhaigou, along the upper reaches of Chawagou, as well as the source sea, the Tibetan Sea and other undeveloped areas, in these places, there are more infinite vitality of Jiuzhaigou.
▲ The undeveloped Changhai area of Jiuzhaigou. Photography / Gao Tunzi
What really makes human beings stand in front of nature and time is the human spirit. In fact, the beauty of Jiuzhaigou can shock the world, and it is also due to the love of the people of Sichuan for the disaster relief soldiers in the face of disasters.
▲ How was Jiuzhaigou discovered?
In 1976, after the Songpan earthquake rescue work was basically over, the then Nanping County Government invited all the rescue team members to Jiuzhaigou to express their gratitude. People were shocked by the appearance of Jiuzhaigou outside the world, and her beauty was also recorded by the accompanying reporters of Emei Film Studio and Sichuan TV Station, and the reputation of Jiuzhaigou soon flew out of Aba Prefecture and Sichuan. It became the first nature reserve in China with the main purpose of protecting natural landscapes.
Jiuzhaigou, the "three-layer ladder" from people to immortals
The home of Jiuzhaigou is the sloping majestic "ladder" of the western Sichuan Plateau.
▲ Gongga Mountain in the morning light. Photo by Wen Yu
The majesty of the western Sichuan Plateau lies in the gathering of mountains, Gongga Mountain, the king of Shu Mountain, is the highest peak in Sichuan, and Siguniang Mountain has created the urban wonder of seeing the snow-capped mountains in Chengdu; and then from west to east, the plateau swamps distributed in the area of Ruoergai, Hongyuan and Aba constitute the largest swamp belt in the southern region of the mainland, and it is another beautiful face.
Western Sichuan is a collection of beautiful scenery in Sichuan, while Jiuzhaigou is a collection of two major customs of the western Sichuan Plateau - mountains and lakes. It is said that "Jiuzhai returns without looking at the water", but if it is not for the dangerous mountains around Jiuzhaigou, it is difficult to bring out the charm of the water.
▲ Above: A sea of flowers under the morning fog. Below: A sea of flowers at sunset. Photography / Master Huang of Zigong
Jiuzhaigou is surrounded by mountains, and the most important peaks are Zai Zhaga Mountain, Mountain, and Voloser Mountain. The Chawa ditch, the Rize ditch and the Shuzheng ditch constitute the Y-shaped valley distribution of Jiuzhaigou, and together with dozens of lakes in the ditch, they form a ladder of beautiful scenery.
▲ Schematic diagram of Jiuzhaigou topography, marking the main scenic spots. Cartography / Oyu
The topography ladder gives the scenery of Jiuzhaigou a sense of rhythm and layering. Dense faults caused by frequent geological movements divide the long and narrow valleys. The water flows through the riverbed, and there are steep ridges and waterfalls. Shuzheng Qunhai stretches for 13.8 kilometers before and after, and between dozens of sea (lake) stairs of different sizes, the flowing water flows into a waterfall, and the height difference between the top and bottom is only 100 meters, and the waterfall that should have flowed straight down has also become gentle.
▲ Above: Distant view of Shuzheng Waterfall. Photography / Gao Tunzi Below: Jiuzhaigou Shuanglong Haizi. Photo by Zhang Xiaoping
Let the water potential from rapid to slow, there is another layer of external force, that is, the travertine at the bottom of the various seas in Jiuzhaigou, in fact, they are the same as the scale composition on the kettle at home, but this hand carrying the kettle is the magic of nature.
One of the most beautiful moments of Jiuzhaigou is the turn of summer and autumn, from the red and yellow of autumn to the verdant of summer, the waves of the forest and the sea are reflected in the layers of the sea, which is really beautiful.
When the stairs suddenly slow down, the beauty of Jiuzhaigou will be like the condensation of time, such as the fairy tale of autumn: the sea of five flowers, she is located at the end of the upper reaches of the Peacock River in Rizegou, every time the weather is good, it will show yellow, green yellow, tender green, green, blue, blue and other colors gradually change.
▲ The sea of five flowers in summer and autumn. Picture / Picture Worm Creative
These colors fluctuate with the depth of the water, and the "Rayleigh scattering" brought by the clean sky of Jiuzhaigou, the algae and aquatic plants in the water, the deposited minerals, the dead trees interlaced underwater, the reflection around the lake and the sparkling waves of microwaves, are all the reasons for the colorful sea of flowers. Overlooking the sea of five flowers, the mountains and waterfalls are spread out in cascading, and the lake is quiet and beautiful. Such a scenic spot that does not look like the world makes Jiuzhaigou a spiritual habitat for tourists from all over the world.
▲ Jiuzhaigou overlooks. Photography / Master Huang of Zigong
If you jump out of the beautiful scenery of Jiuzhaigou, you can see the stairway between man and nature.
Although it is said that the original intention of people to protect Jiuzhaigou was to be shocked by the "beautiful natural scenery". But from the very beginning, the natural ecological significance of Jiuzhaigou cannot be underestimated. In Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, the forest coverage rate is more than 80%, and there are also 74 species of rare plants under national protection and 18 species of animals under national protection. The abundant paleontological fossils and ancient glacial landforms form a natural "geological museum".
▲ National treasure giant panda. Photo by Zhang Xiaoping
The "Panda Sea" in Jiuzhaigou is not groundless. A Baishui River connects Jiuzhaigou to the Giant Panda National Park, which was newly piloted in 2016. In addition to giant pandas, there are also golden monkeys, red pandas, and red-bellied golden pheasants...... It is a microcosm of the natural ecology of the southwest region.
▲ Red panda. Photography / Serious
The Tibetans living in Jiuzhaigou are deeply in love with nature, and in their legends, Mount Dagogo and Mount Voloser are a pair of lovers and gods, the primeval forest is the long hair of the goddess, and the strings of lakes are the basins of the goddess dressing up...... Tibetan, Han, Qiang, Hui and other ethnic groups live in harmony in this transition area from pastoral to agricultural areas, so the culture here is both mysterious and inclusive.
Around Jiuzhaigou
How many more "Jiuzhaigou"?
The natural, humanistic and ecological values of Jiuzhaigou can be called China's human treasures. In fact, if you take Jiuzhaigou as the center, pull up 10,000 meters high, look far away, the two major mountain systems of West Qinling and Minshan are faintly connected, and the three major terrains of Qinba Mountain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Loess Plateau converge here, with Jiuzhaigou as the base point, a chain of treasures full of natural scenery and ecological value is slowly unfolded.
It's just that these "treasure" landscapes like Jiuzhaigou, because of the steep mountains and inconvenient transportation, "no one knows in the deep boudoir for a long time", which is mostly the favorite of self-driving travelers.
▲ In the surrounding area of Jiuzhaigou, there are many similar landscapes. Cartography / Paprika
West Sichuan Plateau | There is a lost heavenly road on earth
National Highway 318 gallops between the mountains and valleys, passes through many Hengduan Mountains, and engraves the wonders of the world from Sichuan to Tibet, and the 317 National Highway of the Sichuan-Tibet North Line, although it is not as magnificent as the 318 National Highway, but because of Jiuzhaigou and her sisters, it is a little more gentle.
▲ National Highway 318. Photo/Visual China
Starting from Chengdu, in Wenchuan Sanjiang, feel the charm of the landform reborn after the earthquake, the second stop is the Huanglong National Geopark located in Songpan County, at the southern foot of Minshan Mountain. She and Jiuzhaigou are the same mountainous karst landscapes, but they have taken the accumulation of travertine to the extreme.
▲Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Scenic Area colorful pool vista. Photography / Gao Tunzi
Here, ice and snow meltwater and surface water are combined with a large amount of calcium carbonate material, forming a typical karst landform for a long time. Plant stumps and travertine form an embankment, and the terrain is undulating to form a staircase. The surface travertine is like a long yellow dragon winding through the snow-capped mountains and valleys. The pools scattered everywhere form the scales and texture of the dragon. Among them, the colorful pool at an altitude of 3,900 meters is the finishing touch of the Yellow Dragon, overlooking here, 693 calcium pools are like glass inlaid in the forest. Under the snow treasure top of the main peak of Minshan Mountain, the snow mountain color pool, the canyon forest, is like a fairyland.
▲ Close-up view of the calcified landscape on the surface of Huanglong Wucai Pond. Photography / Gao Tunzi
Along the Yellow Dragon, cross Jiuzhaigou, and then go north, the two corners of the southeast and southwest of Gansu - Longnan and Gannan are like "double winds through the ears", surrounding Jiuzhaigou.
In Gansu Longnan | "Jiuzhaigou" is just ordinary
The Longnan people who muttered "I knew that there was Longnan, why should I go to the south of the Yangtze River?", the mentality of Jiuzhaigou is more complicated. After all, the danger of Longnan's landform is not inferior to Jiuzhaigou. There has even been a rumor circulating in the market: Jiuzhaigou, which originally belonged to Gansu, had "ordinary scenery" and was not taken seriously, so it was assigned to Sichuan in exchange for the Bikou Hydropower Station......
▲ Close-up view of Tianchi in Wenxian County. Photo by Ran Chuangchang
The Bikou people of Wenxian County do speak Sichuan dialect and eat Sichuan flavor, which shows the complexity of Longnan's "Longshu culture". The pride of Longnan people in natural wonders has its own capital. Longnan is not different from the impression of Gansu general salty and hard water, but the mountains and rivers are majestic, and the layers are green. The Bailongjiang River, a first-class tributary of the upper reaches of the Jialing River, and more than 3,700 other tributaries at all levels, together support the grand scene of "Longshang Jiangnan".
▲ Panorama of Tianchi in Wenxian County. Photo by Ran Chuangchang
With a height difference of more than 2,000 meters, the Guan'e ditch in Danchang can be called the small "Jiuzhaigou" in Longnan, not to mention the lakes that grow between the alpine plains, there are more mountains and valleys that stretch for 18 kilometers and the Leigu Snow Mountain in the distance;
▲ Autumn colors of Guan'e Ditch. Photo by Ran Chuangchang
Gansu Gannan | Mountains and rivers with a capital letter
Gannan, the southwest corner of Gansu, is also loved by the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. The collision of the West Qinling Mountains and the Minshan Mountains is not enough, the convergence of the two major water systems of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River makes Gannan full of aura. The Yellow River goes from west to east, turns around and goes west, spanning Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces, leaving the "first bend of the Yellow River in the world" with a diameter of 100 kilometers from east to west.
▲ Gansu Gannan Maqu County "Jiuqu Yellow River First Bend" scenic spot. Photo by Yang Wenjie
The "Jiuzhaigou" in Gannan has a little less water aura and more mountain majesty. Zhuoni Dayugou National Forest Park, Lintan County Yeliguan National Forest Park, Lianhuashan Nature Reserve...... In these places, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau transitions to the Loess Plateau, with alpine grasslands, primeval forests, low-mountain meadows, shrubs, and fields unfolding one after another. They may not be as layered and extreme as Jiuzhaigou, but they are a whole set of grander ecosystems.
▲ Gannan Zagana. Photo by Li Wenbo
From the Longnan Mountains, the Gannan Plateau to the West Sichuan Plateau, where the second ladder intersects and transitions to the first ladder, there are more hidden secrets in the world like Jiuzhaigou. In addition to the beautiful scenery, they are often like Jiuzhaigou, facing complex and changeable geological conditions, and the threat of geological disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, and debris flows.
▲ Jiuzhaigou in autumn. Photography / Immortal Board Plate. Picture / Picture Worm Creative
How many Jiuzhaigou are there around Jiuzhaigou, and how many Jiuzhaigou are disappearing? Seeing the beauty and fragility of nature is equally important to us.