Tengchong Travel Sights And Attractions

The Cluster Of Volcanoes Of Tengchong

Tengchong is a county with volcanoes surrounded. The well-known and well preserved clustered volcanoes at Tengchong belonging to the Cenozoic era, look most magnificent. They cover an area of 750 square kilometres, accounting for 13.2% of the county's total. Ranking the first, Mount Dayingshan sits in the middle part of the county, only 10 kilometres away from the county town, 2,614 metres above sea level. It has erupted many time. As the tallest conical volcano, it is surrounded by over 70 volcanoes of different sizes. About 1O kilometres away in the north, there stand Mount Dakongshan, Mount Xiaokongshan, Mount Heikongshan and Mount Chengzilou. The area of eruption is about 30 square kilometres. The volcanoes in Tengchong show diversified types, and magnificent scenes such as volcanic barrier lakes, crater lakes, lava cascades and giant lava springs are extensively found in the area. All those consist the biggest natural museum of dormant volcanoes in China.

Clusters Of Hot Spring

Tengchong is famous not only for its clustered volcanoes, but also for "the sea of hot water". The county is located on the lava derived lands of Leifeng Mountain. There are 81 hot springs over the county. The most magnificent view can be seen at Liuhuangtang (the sulphuric pool), 11 kilometres away from the county seat. Within an area of 8.7 square kilometres, there are 19 large geysers with temperature at the jets being over 94 Centigrade. Smaller ones are much more numberous. The amount of heat ejected annually in this area is estimated to be equivalent to the fuel value of 20,000 tons of standard coal, making up 70% of the county's total geothermal resources. Dagunguo (Big Boiling Bowl) Hot Spring is the biggest of its kind, with a diametre of 6.12 metres and a depth of 1.5 metres, the temperature remaining above 90 C. Hot water is ejected in bounding streams intermittently with a thunderous roar. The B.B.B. Hot Spring is situated in a valley with hot springs, hot field, hot streams, hot plots and hot vapour scattered all around. It is a world of heat.

Hot springs opened to tourist include the Big Boiling Bowl, Frog Mouth, Lion Head, Pearl Spring, Drum-beat Spring, Pregnancy-inducing Fountain, the Immortals' Bath Tub, the Pond of Beauties and the Water Fall on Zaotang River. Water erupted from the hot springs of Tengchong area carries with it mineral-rich gases which have evident curing effects on many illnesses. Therefore, the hot springs in Tengchong are ideal sites for therapeutic rehabilitation and holiday-making activities in Yunnan Province.

Laifeng Monastery

The monastery stands on Laifeng Hill, a kilometre away from the county town in the southeast. In the period of Nanzhao Kingdom, a monastery was established here. The son of Du Guangting was buried in its vicinity. A structure of the Ming or Qing Dynasty secluded in a forest of tall, ancient trees, the monastery has now been made a place of popular resort named Laifeng Park, consisting of a hall of historical figures, an epitome of the ancient Tengchong, and an exhibition of photos of the historic relics and scenic spots of Tengchong. The architectural style is simple and elegant.

Waterfall Of Dieshuihe And Taijiqiao Bridge

The waterfall leaps down over a 46-meter-high precipice at the outlet of the Dayinjiang River, 1.5 kilometres away in the west of the county town, diffusing vapour all around. In sunshine, a rainbow rises from among the steaming vapour. There is an inscription of four Chinese characters - Jian Sao Feng Yan, carved on a cliff beside the waterfall, in which the calligrapher compared the waterfall to "a sword that sweeps away the dense miasma". Arching the river before it leaps down is the famous Taijiqiao Bridge constructed by Zhang Wenguang, the leader of the Tengyue uprising in 1911 responding to Dr. Sun Yat-sen's call.

Longguangtai Pavilion

The pavilion is situated at the foot of Laifeng Mountain beside the Dieshuihe River. It was first built by Deng Zilong, a military officer in Yongchang, during the Wanli era (1573-1620) in the Ming Dynasty. The pavilion, exquisitely constructed, stands on a precipitous cliff. There are many inscriptions in it and the most famous of them are a long couplet containing 206 characters composed by Cun Kaitai, a "jinshi" (title for a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations.

Yunfeng Mountain

The mountain stands in Ruidian District, about 50 kilometres away in the northwest of the county seat. The bamboo-shoot-shaped mountain reaches about 3,000 metres above sea level, and shows typical granite geomorphology of Yunnan Province. Xu Xiake, the famous traveller and geographer in the Ming Dynasty praised it in his travelogue for "it resembles the dragon's back (mountain ridge) of Taihua Mountain". A group of ancient structures loom in the forests on the mountain. On the top of the mountain, there stands the Jade Emperor's Pavilion (Yuhuang Pavilion), the Supreme Master Laozi's Hall, Avalokitesvara's Hall and Master Luzu's Hall. Cloud-veiled, those temples just resemble the palaces in the heaven, and the mountain thus become a well-known historical relics.

Hou Jin Bell

Houjin, a successful candidate of the imperial exam during the Xuande era (1426-1435) of the Ming Dynasty, was given an important position in the troops led by Wang Ji, Minister of War, during his three expeditions to Luchuan and rendered meritorious service. He was promoted to the minister of war and governor of Yunnan. When the city wall of Tengchong was completed, a bronze bell, weighing over 1 ton, was cast and named the Hon Jin Bell in his honour. The bell is now preserved in the county cultural centre.

Shenwei Cannon (Shenweipao)

Shenwei Cannon (cannon with great martial prowess) is preserved in the county cultural centre. The cannon, made of bronze and weighing about 3,000 jin, is historic relic of the Qianlong era (1736-1795) on active service in borderland waffare. It was also used by the uprising Hui people.

Graveyard Of The National Heroes

The graveyard constructed to honour the martyrs at the battle of recovering Tengchong lies in the west of the county seat at about 1 kilometre's distance. The construction was started in 1944 and completed on the 7th of July, 1945. Covering over 10,000 square meters, the main structures are the memorial tower, the martyrs' tombs, the memorial hall and the gate. The pine and cypress trees densely planted on the mountain slope add to the solemn tranquility of the site. At the completion of the cemetery, Chiang Kaishek penned an inscription meaning "The just cause for which they shed their blood lasts forever and ever." Yu Youren wrote the title of the cemetery. Li Genynan praised the martyrs as "National Heroes." Other high-ranking military officers of the Kuomin tang, such as He Yingqin, Wei Lihang, Huo Kwizhang, Zhou Fucheng, Qiu Hanqian and Gu Baoyu, all wrote inscriptions for the martyrs. The cemetery is placed under the province's protection.