The empress of Shu Mountains, Mount Sigong

by langrentoh1 on 2012-02-13 13:16:47

Mount Siguniang, the Queen of Shu Mountains

The Mount Siguniang Scenic Area is located in Xiaojin County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is only about a 6-hour drive from Chengdu. The main peak of Mount Siguniang has an altitude of 6250 meters. Various travel guides like to refer to Mount Siguniang as "China's Alps," but in my view, this title seems somewhat inappropriate. Mount Siguniang is Mount Siguniang—she is a paradise for mountaineers, a haven for hikers, a dreamland for photographers, and also a pure land in the hearts of ordinary tourists. Snow-capped mountains, alpine lakes (called 'hai zi' in Chinese), grasslands, forests, and streams—all the beautiful elements you can imagine converge here. We are accustomed to calling Minya Konka the "King of Shu Mountains." If that’s the case, then Mount Siguniang is undoubtedly the "Queen of Shu Mountains." She is not only the second-highest peak in Sichuan Province but her unique and inclusive charm is enough to leave one in awe.

The Mount Siguniang Scenic Area mainly consists of four connected peaks and three tourist valleys: Shuangqiao Gou (Double Bridge Valley), Changping Gou (Longping Valley), and Haizi Gou (Alpine Lake Valley). Each valley has different scenery, and among the three valleys, only Changping Gou and Haizi Gou offer panoramic views of the four peaks.

Basic Information

The transit hub for touring Mount Siguniang is Rilong Town. There are direct buses from Chengdu to Rilong. The best season to visit Mount Siguniang is autumn. During the peak season, the ticket prices are: Shuangqiao Gou entrance fee 80 yuan, vehicle fee 80 yuan; Changping Gou entrance fee 80 yuan, vehicle fee 20 yuan; Haizi Gou entrance fee 60 yuan.

Horseback riding in Changping Gou varies in price depending on the route. The cheapest option to Xiagan Hai Zi is 50 yuan, while a trip to Mulu Zi costs 250 yuan, both round-trip prices. One ticket per person per horse, with assigned numbers for mounting, it is very formalized.

The canyon between two mountains suddenly opens up into a broad meadow here, making the visitors seem out of place amidst the vastness.

Shuangqiao Gou – Ren Shen Guo Ping (Ginseng Fruit Plain)

Taking the sightseeing bus through Yin-Yang Gou into Shuangqiao Gou, the road twists and turns. Famous mountains like Ri Yue Bao Jing and Hunter Peak pass by quickly, leaving behind only the guide's rote explanation. Our eyes, however, are captivated by the ever-changing scenery outside the window. Initially, we would occasionally exclaim or marvel, but after some time, the bus became eerily quiet. Everyone realized that if we kept exclaiming, there would be no end to it. Ren Shen Guo Ping is the first scenic spot where the bus stops. Initially, the canyon squeezed between two mountains, here suddenly widens into an open meadow. Time seems to freeze at this moment. In the distance lies snow-capped mountains, and the jade-like stream divides the meadow into two parts, crystal clear and endearing. Yaks and goats roam freely on the meadow, becoming an eternal part of this landscape painting.

Shuangqiao Gou – Ku Shu Tan (Dead Tree Beach)

There are two dead tree beaches within the Mount Siguniang Scenic Area, this being one of them, the other located in Changping Gou. However, compared to each other, I prefer the one in Shuangqiao Gou. I've forgotten the cause of the dead trees, but I am still moved by the beauty of this entire forest, which has become abandoned yet remains beautifully integrated with nature. Although their lives have ceased, they remain harmoniously part of the whole natural environment.

Shuangqiao Gou – Red Fir Forest, Cold Fir Forest, and Glacier

This is the end of the sightseeing bus route and also the end of Shuangqiao Gou. As soon as we get off the bus, our vision is immediately drawn to the golden expanse of these forests. When we look up at the fir forest, we see towering trees, snow-covered mountains, and a transparent blue sky. Not far away is the only glacier tongue of Mount Siguniang, so close yet untouchable.

Changping Gou – Mu Lü Zi

Visitors who love hiking and adventure tend to favor Changping Gou. Since no vehicles can enter, we must either walk or ride horses, similar to the Maldives. After nearly three hours of bumpy riding on horseback, I reached Mu Lü Zi, a place where one can clearly see the panoramic view of Mount Siguniang, and I still felt it was worth it. The man leading my horse was a local Tibetan woman, small in stature, yet she walked confidently at the front of the horse team throughout the journey. She said that during the off-season, her horse could only take a turn every one or two weeks, but even so, her horse was the most familiar with the path among all the horses. The one-way horse trail spans over 20 kilometers, mostly through primeval forests, muddy roads, frequent uphill and downhill rides, and occasional crossings of streams where the horses stop to drink water before continuing forward.

Thus, the lamasery, Gan Hai Zi, Ku Shu Tan, and Hong Shi Zhen appear before us and soon disappear from our sight. Before reaching Mu Lü Zi, there is a short section of road crossing rubble. Then the lead horseman runs ahead, creaks open a wooden gate, crosses the gate, climbs another slope, and suddenly, an endless high-altitude grassland unfolds before our eyes. Almost everyone cannot wait to dismount to experience this transcendent scenery. I got off the horse and took out two apples from my backpack to give to the horseman because it is said that horses here love eating apples. Not far away lie the four continuous peaks. Dagu Niang Shan is the shortest, with a flat summit. Ergu Niang to Siguniang Shan increase in height sequentially, and their summits are all pointed. Among the four peaks, only Siguniang Shan is covered with snow all year round.

Mao Bi Liang

Mao Bi Liang is not within the three gorges and does not charge admission fees, yet no tourist visiting Mount Siguniang would miss this place. Coming down from the Balang Mountain Pass, shortly after being awed by the enchanting sea of clouds, we reach an observation platform by the mountain road. Especially during sunset, countless photography enthusiasts set up their "cannon arrays" here to capture the famous "Golden Mountain under Sunlight." Yes, this is Mao Bi Liang, the best spot to view the panoramic view of Mount Siguniang.

Haizi Gou – Guo Zhuang Ping

Haizi Gou truly has alpine lakes ('hai zi'), but unfortunately, few general tourists venture deep into Haizi Gou to witness the charm of these lakes. So, go to Guo Zhuang Ping instead. Not far from the entrance of Haizi Gou, the emerald green meadow surrounded by dense forests is Guo Zhuang Ping. Here, one can not only see Mount Siguniang but also experience a showcase of Tibetan culture. Every year on the third day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, Tibetans spontaneously gather here to worship the mountain gods. They burn incense, climb the mountain, recite scriptures, plant prayer flags, dry Thangkas, devoutly dance with the mountain gods, and finally form a circle to perform lively Guo Zhuang dances.