Exploring stories

Exploring of the Canyon of Daduhe River5

 

Be Suited for the nature and necessity for special environment

LI Mingsen, YANG Yichou 

 

The mysterious scenery in Dadu River Canyon is the results of special natural complex, also a common inevitable phenomenon of natural transition regions.

Firstly, it is located in the transition, compound and interaction area of the Eurasian Plate, Indian plate and Pacific Plate, where multi-kinds of directions of fault structure zones are developed with strong folds and more metamorphic rocks. The unique environment of the mountains and rivers in the Dadu River canyon area is formed by fierce volcano movement in the geological history as well as uplifting movement in crust since Cenozoic Era.

 

Secondly, it is at the topography area where the primary step of topography of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Hengduan Mountains Region transform to the secondary step of topography of Sichuan Basin here. As a result, the inherent characteristic of this kind of marginal mountains will inevitably appear in the alpine gorge areas. The developments of rivers are mostly suit for active fault structure. The mountains show fault block fluctuation, thus the unique landscape of the wonderful Grand Canyon and the basalt table mountain are superlatively formed.

 

Thirdly, it is a transition area where southwest monsoon of Indian Ocean interacts with southeast monsoon over Pacific Ocean. The complex changeable condition of water and heat in this area is determined by the influence of the monsoonal circulations and the monsoon variations. Exogenesis’ forces function and nature have mixing characteristics of complex and transition, plenty of biological resources and complex diversity characteristics in this region are finally formed. Thus, the magnificent, unique and mysterious outline of the mountains and rivers irreplaceable.

 

In short, many outstanding advantages of nature and humane tourist recourses such as the peculiar and colorful natural landscapes of mountains and water in the Dadu River canyon area, the various artificial landscape in special environment of mountains (e.g. road, railway as well as plantations, farmlands and medicinal gardens) and the traditional feature of culture and folk customs of Yi people who inhabit here, all of those make this area as a blossoming flower in all numerous geological parks in China, and it is becoming another famous scenic spot which has endless fascination and have great attraction for both tourism and exploration.