The World Heritage Tentative List(2017) of Shanxi Province -Luya Mountain Scenic Area

Luya Mountain Scenic Area, located in Dongzhai Town, Ningwu County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, is a dazzling gem on the World Heritage Tentative List of Shanxi. As the second highest mountain in Shanxi, Luya Mountain boasts not only magnificent natural landscapes but also profound human history and culture.

Within the scenic area, towering peaks rise one after another, and vast forests stretch as far as the eye can see, with a vertical height difference of 1,300 meters, forming a unique mountain ecosystem. It brings together ten major landscapes including mountains, rocks, forests, grasslands, caves, lakes, springs, valleys, temples, and passes. Among them, attractions such as the Ten Thousand-Year Ice Cave, Malun Grassland, Lover's Valley, Cliff Plank Road, Headwaters of the Fen River, and Prince Temple are particularly famous, attracting countless tourists to explore.

The Luya Mountain Scenic Area has a continental climate of the northern temperate zone, characterized by distinct seasons, a long winter, a short frost-free period, and large diurnal temperature variations. Such climatic conditions have nurtured abundant animal and plant resources. The scenic area boasts about 820,000 mu (about 54,667 hectares) of primitive secondary forests and 660,000 mu (about 44,000 hectares) of grasslands, making it one of the largest subalpine meadows in North China and a rare ecological gene pool in the world.

In addition to its natural landscapes, Luya Mountain also carries a profound human history and culture. It was once the preferred destination for leisure and entertainment for emperors, generals, and scholars of various dynasties. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty visited here multiple times to escape the summer heat and go hunting. The scenic area also boasts cultural landscapes such as Leiming Temple, Xiaozu Pagoda, Stone Gate Hanging Coffins, and Hanging Village Residences, adding to the charm and richness of Luya Mountain.

With its unique geographical location, abundant natural resources, diverse landscape types, and profound human history and culture, Luya Mountain Scenic Area has become an important tourist destination in Shanxi and even nationwide, and is also an indispensable part of the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.

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Source: Comprehensive collation by sx.china.com