Live Your Best Lives
I'd long heard of the renowned Fuxi Mountain in Xinmi, Zhengzhou, Henan. In the summer, it attracts visitors from all corners of the world, earning it the nickname "Summer Resort." With the gradually cooling weather and the recurring pandemic, many people, while slowing down their travels, yearn to experience the charm of nature during this season. I wondered if Fuxi Mountain's winter beauty would offer a unique experience. A friend and I hit it off, hoping to encounter the enchanting Fuxi Mountain amidst the mountains and rivers, experiencing the same beauty in different seasons.
Day 1: Cloud Ranch - Red Stone Forest Scenic Area
Day 2: Sanquan Lake Scenic Area - Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon
The Fuxi Mountain Scenic Area is divided into several scenic spots. The ones I will discuss below all belong to this scenic area. Basically, you can experience them all in 2 days. Each of the scenic spots inside explains the charm of Fuxi Mountain to you. Follow my footsteps and start from the most attractive Yunshang Ranch. I believe that the girls who like taking pictures will definitely like this place.
The Yunshang Ranch in Fuxi Mountain is known as the "best place for checking in and taking photos". It is also the best choice for couples and family trips. There are several areas here where you can play freely and enjoy the fun of taking photos.
Just as you enter the scenic area, you'll find a candy alley filled with pink macarons, brown chocolates, and white cakes. Perhaps this is every little girl's dream paradise. The rich color palette adds a touch of warmth to this bleak winter day.
After walking through the colorful Candy Lane, you'll find the Deer Park. Like forest elves, the deer shyly gaze at passersby from afar, fleeing in terror at the slightest noise, only to stop and gaze back. This ancient species inhabited the Central Plains in ancient times, as evidenced by the presence of the character for "deer" in oracle bone inscriptions. It's only now that they've returned to this land.
Before entering the deer park, you can collect deer biscuits, and then you can lure them to appear and find you. Remember not to make too big movements, as they are very timid and easily frightened.
Further inside, you'll find the winter-only "Frozen" attraction. Southerners will find it both novel and delightful. The view is a magnificent expanse of royal blue. Though man-made, the scenery captivates you with its endearing charm. Walking through the corridor, you'll find a giant crystal ball housing a charming elk. Atop the slide stands a sculpture resembling a bear and a rabbit. Each of these moments will be a source of joy.
From a distance you can also see the dreamy hot air balloon-shaped colorful Stonehenge in the valley, which looks like a mysterious formation in an Arab country. Many people also enjoy the fun of taking photos here. The five colorful stones stand there.
Walking down the cobblestone path, you'll find a "Sky Ladder" reaching the sky, where you can achieve those popular online photo poses. As you ascend this "Sky Ladder," each step feels like a new year, offering a chance to reflect on and look forward, and perhaps even reflect on life while enjoying yourself.
Every girl must love taking photos, so you must take your bestie or boyfriend to the "Sky Realm", a large glass platform where you can put your phone on the platform to take portraits, reflections, and blue sky and white clouds. Just walk freely on the glass platform and a great photo will appear.
Our last stop at Yunshang Ranch was the Starry Sky Art Museum.
The space is divided into three areas. The first is the colorful lantern area, where, reflected by the mirrored walls, you'll feel like you've stepped into a world of chandeliers, breathing in the colors. The second is the dream corridor, draped with LED curtains, where light and shadow flicker, making walking through it feel like stepping into a dream. The third area is a large hall, where all the walls are covered with AI projections. Walking through a dreamy sea of flowers, flowers bloom and sway. A wave of the hand brings flowers to life wherever you go. Taking photos here requires skill, as the lighting is quite dim. If you find yourself struggling to capture good photos, you might want to record a video to capture the beautiful moment.
Having said all that, I think Yunshang Ranch is more like a huge photography base, allowing those who love photography to fully demonstrate their photography skills, as if it were a friendly competition - "Look, are the photos I took good-looking?"
The Red Stone Forest Scenic Area is another attraction on Fuxi Mountain, a 10-minute drive from the Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon. Covering approximately 5 square kilometers, it offers a comprehensive range of accommodations, dining, and recreational facilities. Its most distinctive feature is the meticulously arranged, brick-red stones dotted with green trees, creating a spectacular sight.
The scenic area is awash with unusual peaks and rocks, towering like a forest. Walking through this rocky forest of countless peaks, pillars, stalagmites, and buds, the undulating and staggered arrangement creates a myriad of spectacular stone forests. Standing atop the mountain, the ancestral stone of the Chinese people and the statues of Fuxi and Nuwa bear witness to the vicissitudes of Chinese civilization over five thousand years, as well as the customs of the Qin and Wei regions.
Two major recreational activities offer a glimpse into the Danxia landform and the wonders of the Stone Forest. "If you love her, take her to the Fuxi Mountain Red Stone Forest Scenic Area and walk hand in hand through the glass corridor. She'll be so thrilled she'll throw herself into your arms." This was a fleeting thought as I stepped onto the glass bridge.
The Red Stone Forest Glass Corridor, built in 2018, should be the most proud project in the Red Stone Forest Scenic Area.
It is paved with 150 pieces of triple-layer tempered laminated glass, 360 meters above the canyon floor, with the corridor extending 30 meters out of the cliff. It is nearly 9 meters longer than the glass corridor of the famous Grand Canyon in the United States, known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The bridge adopts a cable-free design, and the overall steel consumption of the project exceeds 3,000 tons. It is known as "the longest glass corridor in the world" and is also one of the classic camera positions for viewing the panoramic view of the valley.
If you are a brave person, you may as well go up and give it a try. From a high vantage point, you will have a real feeling of "looking down on all the mountains" and experience the thrill of "walking in the sky".
If you like this kind of thrilling things, there is a high-altitude swing that is ready. The seat at a height of more than 360 meters has been raised, and it is ready to be ejected in the next second. Then you can hear screams echoing through the valley. Every onlooker feels its excitement and feels the passionate challenge of "life hanging by a thread"!
Next, we came to the Sanquan Lake Scenic Area, the largest area in the entire Fuxi Mountain Resort, covering an area of about 10 square kilometers. It consists of Meigui Ridge, Phoenix Sky Bridge, Qifeng Valley, Sanquan Lake and Panlong Ancient Town Leisure Area, as well as glass slides, tube slides and other amusement projects.
Rose Ridge, built on the site of the ancient Jiajiazhai stronghold, covers an area of 2 square kilometers and is named for the vibrant roses that cover the hillside. Climb up to Rose Ridge and admire the sunrise, the sea of clouds, and the breathtaking beauty of the Red Stone Forest.
Phoenix Sky Bridge is the first cable-stayed glass suspension bridge in the Central Plains. It is 210 meters long and the bridge deck is paved with high-strength tempered glass. It is the only way to connect Meiguiling and Qifengyu.
Another special place is the Sanquan Lake glass slide. It adopts a double-row design for two people, with a total length of 280 meters and a drop of 108 meters. It winds around natural attractions and trees. The bottom and both sides are made of transparent glass. The whole sliding process takes about 6 minutes. It is one of the projects for tourists to enjoy in the scenic area, and you can enjoy the exciting screams.
Qifengyu, named for its mountain shape, which resembles a phoenix spreading its wings, is a 4-kilometer-long canyon surrounded by mountains and steep ravines. Within, the canyon is shaded by greenery, craggy rocks, cascading waterfalls, and the chirping of rare birds. The vibrant red rocks and green trees complement each other, creating a vibrant and picturesque painting.
Sanquan Lake also boasts two spectacular and rare attractions: One is the internet-famous Buddha's Hand, a newly built check-in spot within the Sanquan Lake Scenic Area. This massive hand, considered the tallest in the Central Plains, stands five meters tall, nearly a thousand meters above the ground. Perched high on a sheer cliff face, this massive hand is a real deterrent for those afraid of heights. Climb to the palm for breathtaking views of Sanquan Lake. Standing beneath its hand, I was truly stunned!
The second one is a 2,800-meter-long jungle roller coaster, also known as a "flying" tube slide. You can choose to ride the car alone or with friends. With a "pop", you can fly through the jungle and between natural landscapes. There is a sense of reality of going straight into the sky, and you can experience the real version of 4D dynamic effects, with speed and passion performed at the same time.
While winter doesn't see as many tourists as summer, the Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon is a perfect place to unwind and relax. Every step you take here is a true respite. Take a leisurely stroll through the mountains, listen to the gurgling stream, and experience the canyon's natural beauty and the wonders of nature.
Legend has it that after the rise of the Emperor Tribe, Fuxi led some ancestors from Gansu along the Yellow River to the Central Plains, settled in the mountains between Gongyi and Zhengzhou Xinmi City, spread silk technology and created the Eight Trigrams. This is how Fuxi Mountain became famous.
The Fuxi Grand Canyon belongs to the core area of Fuxi Mountain. It is a canyon scenic area dominated by the typical red rock ravine group geological landscape. Water flows in the canyon all year round, and waterfalls and streams flow between the rocks in the canyon. There are ten waterfalls cascading on top of each other, and there are pools on the waterfalls, which flow into waterfalls, which is very spectacular.
Walking into the Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon, the road in the valley is winding. This place is cool in summer and sheltered from the wind in winter. There are abundant mountain streams, birds singing and flowers blooming. This is definitely an ideal habitat for the ancients.
The Grand Canyon is mainly characterized by Fuxi culture and Red Stone Grand Canyon, and is divided into two parts: the upper part is mainly composed of Wolong Terrace, Cultural Tunnel, Wangxiang Terrace, Nuwa's Sky-Mending Place, Divine Turtle Broken Foot, Five-Colored Stone and other attractions, which fully reflect the formation, development, spread of Fuxi culture and its influence on later generations.
Speaking of this Wangxiangtai, there is an origin: because it is located at the junction of Gongyi and Xingyang, there were many villagers coming and going in the past. Whenever they came here, because of the wide view, they would look back at their hometown, and this stone slab got its name from this.
The lower section features scenic spots such as Huanglong Pond, Huanglong Temple, Boqi Pond, Bafen Pond, Turtle Paying Homage to His Birthday, Jiulong Pond, Totem Pole, Horse-Tiger Ditch, and Muyun Ladder, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the canyon's scenery and natural beauty. Near the Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon stands a 4,000-5,000-year-old oak tree. Respected locally as the "Chestnut Immortal," it is the king of mountain chestnut trees. Despite millennia of vicissitudes, it remains lush and flourishing. To commemorate it, villagers built the "Chestnut Immortal Shrine" nearby.
Fuxi Grand Canyon is the closest red rock canyon to Zhengzhou and boasts the largest drop in elevation. Climbing the steps along the canyon entrance, the 5-kilometer route features interconnected waterfalls and cascading pools. Strolling beneath cliff corridors, you'll wander through the mountains and waters, its winding path transforming with every step.
Because of its abundant water resources, the Grand Canyon boasts numerous waterfalls, large and small, forming pools of varying depths. Looking around, you'll discover that Gen represents mountain, Dui represents marshland, Xun represents wind, and Kan represents water, corresponding to each of the eight trigrams. Imagine Fuxi, once upon a time, standing on this mountaintop, a towering figure, majestic and imposing, gazing up at the heavens, casting his gaze around, and surveying the earth.
Based on his experience, he knew to chop wood in the south, cut grass in the north, gather fire in the east, get water in the west, catch fish in the northeast, hunt in the southwest, thunder in the southeast, and wind in the northwest, so he marked the eight directions in order. Later generations would use this map to know which direction to hunt, which direction to pick fruit, which direction was dangerous, and which direction to return empty-handed.
I suspect it was originally carved into the stone, perhaps intending to pass on his wisdom and experience in this way. The entire canyon walk took just over two hours, which isn't too far, so it wasn't too tiring. And so, my trip to Fuxi Mountain came to a perfect end. Looking back at this majestic mountain, I thought: No matter the season, every corner holds its own unique beauty. I guess that's the charm of nature.
After exiting the Fuxi Mountain Grand Canyon, we arrived at our hotel: the Fuxi Mountain Cliff Hotel. The hotel isn't officially open to the public yet, but I've heard about it since 2018, when it was still in the early stages of construction. I didn't expect it to be completed so quickly and enter the final testing phase. After all, the manpower and resources required for this are enormous, so I'm hoping I can experience it soon.
The hotel is located in the Red Stone Forest Scenic Area, where you can enjoy high-quality room service. The rooms are divided into 2-meter king-size bed rooms, one-size parent-child rooms and 1.5-meter twin rooms. There is 24-hour hot water. The rooms are spacious and the beautiful Red Stone Forest is outside the window. The mattresses are soft and comfortable. The overall style has a bit of Chinese feel but is also distinctive.
While you can't stay here yet, you can dine here. A visit to Fuxi Mountain is a must-try for the local cuisine. I initially thought the local cuisine in this mountainous region would be mostly farm-style, but after serving, I discovered there are many creative dishes. The chef's skills are excellent, and the local specialties, such as iron stick yam and sesame leaf tofu soup, are both visually appealing and delicious, making you savor the taste.
From the exterior design to the first bite, the experience is truly remarkable. Even unexpected dishes appear on the table. Each dish is fresh, fragrant, and beautifully presented, a delicacy that will delight your palate.
If you're still unsure where to go this winter, Fuxi Mountain is a must-see. While winter may not be as vibrant as summer, it's a rare and tranquil destination. Embrace the world of ice and snow at Yunshang Ranch, interact with animals, witness the majesty of the red stone forest, listen to the serene sounds of Sanquan Lake, and step into the embrace of the Grand Canyon. In the evening, combine all the wonders with a sumptuous meal—what a treat!
