Jiuzhaigou Zechawa Valley
Zechawa Valley, 18
kilometers (about 11 miles) in length, is the longest and highest
route in Jiuzhaigou.
Magic Mirror Cliff (Baojing Cliff):
Magic Mirror Cliff, 400 meters (about 1,312 feet) in height, lies at
the mouth of Zharu Valley and stands facing the lakes. The surface
of the cliff is rather even and it looks like a great mirror when
seen from distance. It is said that the precious mirror was founded
by the master of the mountain to suppress a devil who killed people
cruelly. Therefore the cliff is also named Devil Cliff.
Seasonal Lakes:
There are Lower Seasonal Lake and Upper Seasonal Lake
in Zechawa Valley. Lower Seasonal Lake is near Zechawa Village and
has a grove of birches at the lakeside. Strawberries and other wild
fruits can be found in the grove. The upper Seasonal Lake is next to
Five-Colored Pond surrounded by cliffs. All the lakes have plenty of
blue water due to the ample rainfall in autumn and are at a low
level of green color water in spring and winter. While in the early
summer, the water dries up and turns into grassland as lots of
grasses grow in the riverbeds.
Five-Colored Pond (Wucai Pond):
The old Chinese legend said that there was a colorful
lake, Jasper Lake, in the palace of the Queen Mother of the West.
However, nobody has seen it with his own eyes. In Jiuzhaigou Valley
you can truly appreciate the colorful lake, which is the small but
exquisite Five-Colored Pond in Zechawa Valley. The lake is 6.6
meters (about 21.7 feet) deep, 2,995 meters (about 9,826 feet) above
the sea level and occupies an area of 5,645 square meters (about
6,751 square yards). On sunny days, the lake present various colors
when the lake ripples, shining with red, orange, yellow, green,
cyan, blue and purple light, as if you are in a dreamland.
Long Lake (Chang Lake):
The largest lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley, Long Lake, is
located at the end of Zechawa Valley, covering an area of 930,000
square meters (about 230 acres). The source of Long Lake is melted
snow from the mountains. Cedars all over the mountain encircle the
lake. When looked at from afar, the lake is bathed in the sunshine,
like the jade palace in the heaven. At the side of the lake there is
an old tree, which is said to be the guardian of the lake. In
winter, the lake is frozen 60 centimeters (about 24 inches) on the
surface and is an ideal place for skating.
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