CHINA

ZHANGYE DANXIA LANDFORM

GANSU PROVINCE, CHINA

The Danxia Landform refers to various landscapes found in southeast and southwest China that consist of a red bed characterized by steep cliffs. It is unique type of petrographic geomorphology found in China. Danxia Landform is formed from red coloured sandstones and conglomerates of largely Cretaceous age. The landform look very much like karst topography that forms in areas underlain by limestones, but since the rocks that form danxia are sandstones and conglomerates, they have been called "pseudo-karst" landforms.

The first studies were conducted on what are now referred to as Danxia landforms were conducted at Mt. Danxiashan, located near Shaoguan, China. In the 20s and 30s, Chinese geologists made an effort to learn more about these interesting geomorphic structures. Similar in looks to karst topography, danxia landforms are made up uplifted continental crust that has been faulted and eroded, exposing large scarps of layered rock, red in color.

Danxia landforms cover several provinces in southeast China. Taining County, Fujian Province, has very good examples of "young" danxia landforms wherein deep, narrow valleys have been formed. As the landform get older, valleys widen and one gets isolated towers and ridges. The danxia landform is named after Mount Danxia, one of the most famous examples of danxia landform. A very peculiar feature of danxia landscape is the development of numerous caves of various sizes and shapes. The caves tend to be shallow and isolated, unlike true karst terrain where caves tend to form deep, interconnecting networks. In 2010, several danxia landscapes in southern China, with a general name of " China Danxia", were inscribed as a World Heritage Site. The six inscribed danxia landform areas are Mount Langshan and Mount Wanfoshan, Mount Danxia, Taining and Guanzhishan, Mount Longhu and Guifeng, Fangyan, Mount Jjanglang and Mount Chishui. The total core area of 6 region above is 73945 ha, and the total buffer area is 65446 ha.

ACTIVITIES AT DANXIA LANDFORM

HIKING

Hiking in the Danxia Landform areas, and made visits to nearby temples, caves and grottoes, and the Han Dynasty Great Wall in Jiayuguan.