An Uncanny Geographical World Inundated With Charming Ethnic Flavor

Geographical world is considered as an epitome of the earth, but also a window that people have an understanding of natural science and cultural customs in depth. In Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County, China’s Guangxi, there is a splendid area where extraordinary geographical landscapes work in harmony with folk customs, attracting large quantities of researchers and tourists to visit this uncanny “gift” created by nature. Let’s enter Guangxi Luocheng National Geopark, and it is unregretted for you to explore the secrets of geographical world.

Unveil a mysterious geographical world

Located in Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County, north Guangxi of China, Guangxi Luocheng National Geopark (hereinafter referred to as “the Park”) consists of two areas, namely Jianjiang Park and Wuyangjiang Park respectively. In October 2019, the Park was designated as a national geological park officially, exposing fascinated geographical landscapes in public.

The Park is a transition zone between the tropical monsoon climatic region of South Asia and the mid-subtropical valley climatic region, featuring a warm and humid climate with abundant rainfall, which becomes an external condition for the formation of karst landforms. This condition provides a large amount of unsaturated solvent, maintaining the fluidity and solubility of water to germinate the karst process. Rainwater is the solvent for the dissolution of carbonate, so the limestone slowly dissolves with the effect of surface water, forming certain surface karst morphologies, such as stone buds, stone troughs and stone forests, after a long and complicated variation.

The karst landform is the dominating geological landscape of the Park. Karst landform refers to the chemical and physical effects of surface water and groundwater on soluble rocks as well as the hydrogeological and geomorphological phenomena. In the Park, various phases and forms of karst landforms can be seen when visitors take a walk. The most distinctive national-level karst landforms are the natural bridge and travertine beach landscape.

Natural bridge is a unique geographical type that after the collapse of the ceiling of the karst cave and underground river, the residual top and two ends crossing the river valley connect to the ground with the middle part suspending in the air, shaping like a bridge. Situated in Jianjiang Park, Natural Bridge (Heavenly Gate) stretches across the canyon with steep cavity walls, clearly visible horizontal layers of rocks and collapsed debris under the bridge. From a distance, the bridge looks like a stage to open the curtain for welcoming tourists who are able to enjoy such a magnificent and engrossing karst scenery.

In the northeastern part of Wuyangjiang Park, the karst spring flows out of the surface, so the physical and chemical conditions of the spring water change rapidly accompanied by a travertine beach landscape shaped by the supersaturated deposition of carbonate. The travertine beach landscape is layered and in picturesque disorder with limpid water and lush forest, thus, the typical karst formation and peculiar vegetation community have a higher ornamental and scientific value.

Moreover, hydrological landform in the park is considered as a master of many beauties, especially the prospects of Jianjiang River, Wuyang River and Tianhe River.

Jianjiang River flows through the mountains around two towns, Huaiqun and Jian’ai. Here, abrupt peaks match with emerald waters, and the rocks with countless shapes appear in the both banks of the river, presenting the pulchritude of nature. Wuyang River originates from Jiuwan Mountain, which lies on the edge of Guizhou Plateau, flowing through Tianlong Mountain. Characterized by lucid water, the river allows reflections of verdant bamboo planting in both banks and dotted Mulao villages along the river, constituting an enchanting idyllic painting. 

The spectacular Tianhe River was the busiest golden waterway for Luocheng to the outside world in ancient times. Down the river, the water route was a direct access to Liuzhou City, China’s Guangxi. Therefore, it is a considerable channel for Luocheng people to have economic and cultural communications with other places. The Park is a vivid textbook of karst geomorphology, enabling visitors to understand the evolution process of the entire karst landform and truly touch the miraculous growth.

Experience simple and unsophisticated Mulao customs

Except for exploring the secrets of natural science, experiencing humanistic landscapes and local customs is also a present given by Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County to comers. 

Luocheng is the main settlement of Mulao ethnic group, but other ethnic minorities such as Zhuang, Miao, Dong and Yao, also reside here, bringing rich and interesting festivals, which cater to the modern people's exploration of other communities and also attract more researchers of national culture. Yifan Festival, Slope Hiking Festival and Ormosia Valentine's Day are distinct festivals showing charming Mulao ethnic flavor.

The annual Yifan Festival is a celebration of the harvest for Mulao people who also pray for the prosperity and well-being in the coming year. In the festival, Mulao people gather together to dance, sing folk songs and hold a cockfighting competition. As early as the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), Mulao people held a Slope Hiking Festival in the first month and the eighth month of every lunar year, ranging from three to five days. During the festival, Mulao people stay together on the hillside to sing classical songs, and many of pubers will find their mates by singing in antiphonal style. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, people assemble in the forest where they smell the aroma of ormosia and wish the lovers be together forever and their friendship be forever. That is called Ormosia Valentine's Day.

Geographical exploration is deemed as a gilded signboard of Luocheng, but time-honored history and individual folk customs are also the inner core of local culture and tourism industry. That allows tourists to acquire more amusing experience about indigenous scenery, history and culture while Luocheng people may be capable of living a better life.