Beautiful scenery of Ningwu, northern China's Shanxi Province

Ningwu, a county in Xinzhou, a city in northern China's Shanxi Province, has a history of nearly 2,000 years. Ningwu is surrounded by mountains; in fact, more than 95 percent of the county's terrain is mountainous. Guancen Mountain National Forest Park, situated in Dongzhai, a town in Ningwu, is a famous scenic spot. It is known for its breathtaking scenery, including its vast alpine meadow, beautiful alpine lakes and fantastic ice cave. Ningwu is also famous for its historical sites, including ancient hanging coffins and the cliff path. The beautiful scenery and historical sites have attracted many travelers, from China and abroad, to Ningwu.

Ice cave in the Guancen Mountains

The weirdest, yet most amazing, attraction in the Guancen Mountains is the ice cave. The cave is situated in a mountain with an elevation of 2,300 meters above sea level. It was formed during the fourth ice age, in the Cenozoic Period, which dates back nearly three million years. So, it is also called "10,000-year ice cave" by the locals. It is the biggest ice cave in China. It is rare to see such a big ice cave outside the permafrost on earth, which is a land permanently frozen to a great depth. Ningwu has four distinct seasons. Theoretically, the ice cave cannot be formed and well-preserved in the mountain. However, the ice hardly melts, even during the hot summer months. The cave is a magnificent crystalline world.
The ice cave has five layers, connected by icy stairs, holes and bridges. Each level of the cave is able to hold dozens of people. The cave has a great variety of ice creations, such as icy pillars, curtains, waterfalls, flowers, Buddhas and beds.
Curiously, nearly 200 meters away is a place the locals call "millennium volcano." The "volcano" and the ice cave are separated by a mountain. The volcano is not a real volcano; it is only the spontaneous combustion of a deep, underground coal seam. It is rare to see an ice cave and "volcano" are "neighbors" in the world.
Guancenshan Tianchi (Heaven Lake) is one of the three tianchi lakes in China. Guancenshan Tianchi refers to Maying Lake, the largest lake on the Guancen Mountains. Broadly speaking, it refers to the 15 lakes on the mountains. Alpine lakes are rarely seen in North China. Guancenshan Tianchi is lesser known than the two other lakes — Changbaishan Tianchi (in northeastern China's Jilin Province) and Tianshan Tanchi (in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). Yet, it was a famous place in ancient times. The area of Guancen Mountains was an important imperial studfarm during the Tang Dynasty (618-903). The horses kept on the Guancen Mountains were called Loufan Horse, a world-renowned horse at that time. In ancient times, 16 emperors, from different dynasties, went hunting, sightseeing and avoided the summer heat in the area. Now, travelers can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the lakes, and also watch the white swans and black cranes that inhabit near the lakes.
The ancient cliff path is situated on Xiangfeng Mountain, to the west of Zhangjiaya, a village in Ningwu. The cliff path was built during the Tang Dynasty. In the past, the total length of the path was nearly 20 kilometers. However, most parts of the path have been ruined throughout the centuries; now, only one kilometer (repaired to attract tourists) remains.
The repaired path consists of caves, a hanging bridge and pathway paved with wood or stone. When travelers walk along the path, they can also visit ancient temples and hanging coffins, an unsolved mystery of cliff burial.
Ningwu is a place that has mysterious natural and cultural landscapes. Travelers will be amazed by the wisdom of our ancestors, and by the uncanny workmanship of nature.