Jiuzhaigou
| Jiuzhaigou | |
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UNESCO world heritage 
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Rhinoceros Lake in the Jiuzhaigou Valley |
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| National territory: |
 People's Republic of China
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| Type: | nature |
| Criteria : | vii |
| Reference No .: | 637 |
| UNESCO region : | Asia and Pacific |
| History of enrollment | |
| Enrollment: | 1992 (session 16) |
Jiǔzhàigōu ( Chinese 九寨溝 / 九寨沟 - "Valley of the nine villages"; Tib . : གཟི་ རྩ་ སྡེ་ དགུ །, Siza Dêgu / gzi rtsa sde dgu) is a nature reserve in the Chinese province of Sichuan and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 .
The name Jiuzhaigou is derived from the nine Tibetan villages that are located in the valleys of the area. Jiuzhaigou is best known for its unique mountain landscape with a multitude of lakes and waterfalls, in which numerous species of birds and rare mammals such as the giant panda , the little panda and the golden snub-nosed monkey can be found.
location
The reserve is located in the northwest of the Sichuan Province, more precisely in the southern center of the Jiuzhaigou County of the Ngawa Autonomous District of the Tibetans and Qiang . It is about 300 km as the crow flies from the provincial capital Chengdu . The area extends to around 50 km in length and 20 km in width and comprises a total area of 72,000 hectares and a buffer zone of around 60,000 hectares. The average height above sea level is 2500 m, with the maximum height of the limiting mountains being up to 4,800 m. The region can be reached by bus via the adjacent mountain passes of the Min Shan Mountains . In the meantime there are also domestic Chinese flight connections (e.g. from Chengdu) to the newly created airport in Sungqu , Chinese Songpan , located at an altitude of 3,448 meters . This is followed by a one and a half hour bus transfer into the lower valley past the source of the Minjiang River.
History of the reserve
Due to the increasing damage from forestry between 1972 and 1979, the Chinese government declared Jiuzhaigou a protected area in 1982. In 1984 the park's administrative office opened. In 1992 the area was included in the UNESCO list of world natural heritage. In 1997 Jiuzhaigou was declared a World Biosphere Reserve . Since 2001 the park has been a member of the global organization "21st Green Century World Wide". In 2004 the area was named a " National Geographic Garden".
Natural features
climate
The annual average of the air temperature is about 7.2 degrees Celsius , in January, the average is at -1 degrees Celsius, in July, the temperatures rise to an average value of 17 degrees Celsius. The annual rainfall between spring and autumn is around 660 mm. Due to the humid and cool climate in the mountains, the region has a rich vegetation despite its altitude , in the valleys the climate is rather dry and cool.
geology
Jiuzhaigou is located in the area of the two diverging plateaus Qinghai-Tibet high plateau and Yangze high plateau , earthquakes are therefore not uncommon and affect the landscape. Dolomitic and carbonate rock , tufa , slate and sandstone characterize the area. Karst forms that have been created by hydrological , tectonic and glacial activities predominate .
Hydrology
The Jiuzhaigou area comprises a water system that is embedded in a mountain landscape, the rugged peaks of the Min Shan Mountains and forested slopes. The highest lake (Biyaogonggaihai) is located at an altitude of 4020 m , the highest point is Mount Ganzigonggai, the highest point of which is 4558 m . Two rivers meet after about 20 km and then form a common course. The karst-shaped landscapes within the area change constantly over the approx. 50 km total length and are very diverse.
A total of 114 individual lakes , 47 springs, waterfalls and eleven rapids characterize the river system. The lakes are mainly formed by glaciers and naturally dammed. Individual lakes such as those of Shusheng or Nourilang are dammed by the sedimentation of lime from dams and terraces.
Natural barrages have contributed to the formation of spectacular waterfalls:
- The Panda Lake Fall (Xionguashai) falls 78 meters over three steps into the Panda Lake.
- The Pearl Cluster Falls (Zhengzhutan) have a maximum drop height of 28 meters and extend to a width of 310 meters. Lime deposits and numerous rocks overgrown with trees above the barrage give the waterfall its characteristic appearance.
Due to the calcareous water and the occurrence of certain algae , some of the lakes have a strong turquoise blue color in addition to their extreme clarity (for example the bubbling lake or the crouching dragon lake ). The colorful pond and the colorful lake show almost the entire color spectrum due to their composition . In addition, the nutrient-poor water ensures that organic material is not decomposed. In many of the lakes, therefore, the wood residues, which the locals call "millennial trees", can be found. Another special feature is the lower seasonal lake , which is the only one of the lakes within the river system to have a fluctuating level .
Flora and fauna
The rivers are lined with natural, dense mountain forests, which alternate with steppe terrain, mountain meadows, bamboo forests or reeds. Around 500 seed plants are detectable in the area. In Jiuzhaigou there are 92 plant species that are either endemic , rare or medicinally useful. 15 species of rhododendrons grow between 2000 and 4000 meters in height, two types of bamboo such as Fargesia denudata and Fargesia chinensis can be found in the valley. Of the total area, around 30,000 hectares are primeval forest , the so-called natural forest is developed for tourism .
Ten species of mammals can be found in the park, including:
- The giant panda , Ailuropoda melanoleuca , is referred to by the panda lake with the adjacent bamboo forest. About 17 specimens are said to be in the park, but due to the fact that it is isolated from other panda areas, the population is extremely endangered.
- The little panda , Ailurus fulgens
- The snub nose monkey , Rhinopithecus roxellana
- The serau , Capricornis sumatraensis
- The Goral , Nemorhaedus goral
- The white-lipped deer Przewalskium albirostris
- The water deer , Hydropotes inermis
Around 160 species of birds can be detected in Jiuzhaigou, including:
- The glossy green- tailed pheasant , Lophophorus lhuysii
- The cow-sewer , Garrulax sukachevi
- The owl subspecies Aegolius funereus beickianus
tourism
The park is touristic with a road system on which numerous buses commute the sights every day, as well as a system of wooden plank hiking trails. In the park there is a large tourist center with numerous souvenir stands.
The nine villages
The nine villages of the nature reserve are inhabited by members of the Qiang minority. While the towns of Zezhawa, Shuzheng and Heye are open to tourists, the villages of Yana, Panya, Jianpan, Guodu, Zharu and Heijiao cannot be visited. The accessible villages are developed with numerous souvenir shops, restaurants with local cuisine as well as typical accommodation options. In addition to tourism, the livestock and dairy farming represents the largest source of income for the approximately 1000 inhabitants of the valley. The approximately 1200 year old Buddhist Zharu temple with adjoining monastery is located near the park exit.
Others
- In the film Hero by Yimou Zhang , the arrow bamboo lake (箭竹海 JiànXíong Hǎi) served as one of the unique sets.
- A Chinese proverb says: "If you 've been to Zhangjiajie , you don't want to see any other mountains, if you've been to Jiuzhaigou, you never want to see other water again." (张家界 的 山 ， 九寨沟 的 水)
- There are numerous legends about the lakes and their "inhabitants". The locals say that a dragon lives on the bottom of the lake of the same name, which stimulates the viewer's imagination with its mirror-smooth surface and deep blue center. In addition, should the Dragon Lake (Chinese Longsee, Lóng , the Pfeilbambussee = dragon) and under the waterfall Nouri long monsters live. However, these stories are only told to tourists and are not part of the local heritage.
- If you visit Jiuzhaigou in autumn, you will encounter a grandiose panorama: snow-covered peaks, green conifers, autumn leaves in red and yellow tones as well as the blue-green lakes create an incomparable scenery.
photos
Mirror lake
Pearlescent Falls
Five Flower Lake (五花海, Wǔhuā Hǎi)
Five Flower Lake
literature
- Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reservation . Forestry Department of Sichuan Province, University of British Columbia, 1996.
Web links
- jiuzhai.com , Chinese website
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (English / French)
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS) of the FAO (English)
- World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC)
- Description of nature
- Jiuzhaigou Valley
- Kenneth So: Photos
- Philipp Mattheis: Chinese National Park: Jiuzhaigou Blue Lagoon . Spiegel Online , February 15, 2012
Individual evidence
- ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center: Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area. Retrieved August 13, 2017 .
Heritage: Great Wall of China (1987) | Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing ( Forbidden City ) and Shenyang (1987) | Mogao Grottoes (1987) | Qin Shihuangdis Mausoleum (1987) | Peking man's site in Zhoukoudian (1987) | Summer Residence and Eight Outer Temples near Chengde (1994) | Confucius Temple, Cemetery and Residence of the Kong Family in Qufu (1994) | Daoist shrines in the mountains of Wudang (1994) | Potala Palace (1994), Jokhang Temple (2000) and Norbulingka Palace (2001) | Lu Shan National Park (1996) | Lijiang Old Town (1997) | Old City of Pingyao (1997) | Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997) | Yiheyuan Summer Palace (1998) | Temple of Heaven with imperial sacrificial altar in Beijing (1998) | Rock sculptures by Also (1999) | Mount Qingcheng Mountains and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000) | Xidi and Hongcun Villages (2000) | Longmen Grottoes (2000) | Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000) | Yungang Grottoes (2001) | Capitals and Tombs of the Ancient Kingdom of Koguryo (2004) | Historic Center of Macau (2005) | Yinxu (2006) | Diaolou towers and villages in Kaiping (2007) | Tulou loam buildings in Fujian (2008) | Wutai Shan (2009) | Historical Monuments of Dengfeng (2010) | Cultural Landscape West Lake near Hangzhou (2011) | Xanadu Site (2012) | Hani rice terraces in Yunnan (2013) | Silk Roads: The Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor Road Network (2014) | Kaiserkanal (2014) | Tusi sites (2015) | Petroglyphs at Huashan and the Zuo Jiang River (2016) | Kulangsu: a Historic International Settlement (2017) | Liangzhu City Archaeological Ruins (2019)
Natural heritage: Jiuzhaigou Valley Landscape Park (1992) | Lime sinter terrace landscape Huanglong (1992) | Wulingyuan Landscape Park (1992) | Protection zones of the three parallel rivers of Yunnan (2003) | Sichuan Panda Nature Reserve (2006) | Karst landscapes in southern China (2007, 2014) | Sanqing Shan National Park (2008) | Danxia Shan at Shaoguan (2010) | Chengjiang Fossil Site (2012) | Tian Shan Mountains in Xinjiang (2013) | Shennongjia Forest Area (2016) | Qinghai Hoh Xil (2017) | Migratory bird sanctuaries along the coast of the Yellow Sea - Gulf of Bohai (Phase I) (2019)
Cultural / Natural Heritage: Tai Shan Mountain Region (1987) | Huang Shan Mountains (1990) | Mountain landscape of Emei Shan and Leshan Big Buddha (1996) | Wuyi Mountains (1999) | Fanjingshan (2018)
Coordinates: 33 ° 5 ′ 0 ″ N , 103 ° 55 ′ 0 ″ E