Scientific Expedition Routes

Scientific Expedition Routes

 

According to the characteristics and distribution of geoheritage landscapes in the geopark, Jiuhuashan Global Geopark has planned 6 scientific expedition and tourist routes.

 

Table 1 Science popularization and expedition routes of Jiuhuashan Global Geopark

 

1 Geological science popularization expedition routes

 

Jiuhuashan Global Geopark is a typical "peak-hill-basin" geomorphological structure. The main body of its geoheritages represents the crustal magmatic activity of the continent-continent collision of the China plate in East Asia, an outstanding example of a large fault-block granite landform, and a model site of the typical fluid-rich acidic magma crystallization structural landform (miarolite). It also features debated heritages of Quaternary glacial relics in eastern China. The geological and geomorphological structure of the towering granite mountains and hilly basins has created the unique natural beauty of granite peaks, rich biodiversity, and water resources, which are the source and carrier of Jiuhuashan civilization.

 

Jiuhuashan has 71 large and small peaks. Shiwang Peak is the highest peak with an altitude of 1344.4m. Lotus Peak, Shizi Peak, and others are all over a thousand meters high, spreading out sequentially from north to south. They mostly appear in forms such as conical (Tianzhu Peak), columnar (Candle Peak), ridged (Shiwang Peak), dome-shaped (Tianhua Peak), and box-shaped (Shamao Peak), constituting the essence of the geological and geomorphological heritages of Jiuhuashan.

 

The shapes of granite peaks in Jiuhuashan are peculiar and diverse, and highly ornamental. Behind the beautiful landscapes lies the geological process of the mechanism of natural landscape occurrence. The granite peaks of Jiuhuashan perfectly demonstrate this mechanism: based on the unique bimodal magmatic rocks, the Jiuhuashan Fault developed to form a large fault-block landform, while the small joint swarms associated with the fault cut the rock body to develop small stone peaks. Running water, freeze-thaw cycles, and weathering and denudation have shaped the wondrous granite pictographic stones with myriad postures, such as the Huatai pictographic stone group, the Tiantai pictographic stone group, Huatai, and Tiantai.

 

Route 1: Huatai Scenic Area

 

Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the peak-hill-basin geomorphological structure of Jiuhuashan

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate the "peak-hill-basin" geomorphological structure of Jiuhuashan.

2. Investigate the differential characteristics of geomorphological landscapes on both sides of Jiuhuashan.

3. Investigate the characteristics of the Jiuhuashan Fault and its impact and significance on the landscaping of the Jiuhuashan area.

4. Investigate the characteristics of joints controlled by the Jiuhuashan Fault and their impact and significance on the landscaping of the Jiuhuashan area.

5. Investigate the characteristics, genesis, and distribution rules of pictographic stone landscapes.

6. Investigate the granite miarolitic structure in the Jiuhuashan rock body.

7. Investigate the formation of granite platforms and their relationship with temple architecture.

8. Investigate the characteristics and distribution of plant communities in the Jiuhuashan area.

Figure 3 Banded miarolitic granite

 

Route 2: Tiantai Scenic Area

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate the landforms and mechanisms of granite peak shapes, focusing on the characteristics, genesis, and distribution rules of pictographic stone landscapes.

2. Investigate the dynamic basis of the shaping and landscaping of granite landscapes in Jiuhuashan.

3. Investigate the characteristics and distribution of plant communities in the Jiuhuashan area.

 

Route 3: Miaoqian Town - Huayang Village - Yangchong Reservoir

Figure 4 Scientific expedition route map of Yangchong Reservoir

Figure 5 Geological profile of Yangchong Reservoir

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate Huizhou-style culture and community culture.

2. Investigate the characteristics of the Jiuhuashan complex rock body and its peripheral surrounding rocks, including the granodiorite and monzogranite of the Qingyang rock body, and the syenogranite and syenogranite porphyry of the Jiuhuashan rock body.

3. Investigate the contact relationship between the Jiuhuashan complex rock body and the surrounding rocks.

4. Investigate the batholith profile of the intracontinental plate collision in Jiuhuashan.

 

Route 4: Ke Village - Shuxi - Heihusong Kuaizi Bridge

Figure 6 Scientific expedition route map of Heihusong

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate the Qingyang rock body (granodiorite) and its enclaves.

2. Investigate the magma mixing and crust-mantle material interaction in the Jiuhuashan area.

Figure 7 Dark enclaves developed in granodiorite

 

2 Natural and cultural landscape expedition routes

 

The profound Buddhist culture of Jiuhuashan Global Geopark permeates the majestic and beautiful natural landscapes. It is a museum of Buddhist culture and an important part of Jiuhuashan Global Geopark.

 

        The characteristics of "towering, fresh, moist, and lush" possessed by the topography, geomorphology, and ecological landscapes of Jiuhuashan were important principles for Buddhist site selection. For more than a thousand years since Buddhism was introduced to Jiuhuashan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China, up to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Buddhist circles established the theory that Kim Gyo-gak was the manifestation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. This made Jiuhuashan the bodhimanda of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the holy land of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva belief in Han Buddhism, acting as one of the important Buddhist communication centers in China. Jiuhuashan Buddhist culture today was formed by accepting and absorbing Confucian culture, Taoist culture, overseas culture, and secular culture. Therefore, Jiuhuashan Buddhist culture is a cultural landscape with its own characteristics formed in the collision and integration of cultures from the north and south, east and west of China. Jiuhuashan is world-renowned for its unique Buddhist culture, is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, and is also the only Buddhist bodhimanda holy land with real people, real events, and real records among the four major Buddhist holy lands in China.

 

Jiuhuashan Buddhist culture has a long history and has accumulated rich historical remains over the years. Currently, there are 78 ancient temples in Jiuhuashan, including 9 national key protected temples and 30 provincial key protected temples; more than 1,500 Buddha statues, and more than 100 cliff inscriptions. In addition, there are more than 1,300 cultural relics such as Palm-leaf manuscripts, Tripitaka, Blood Buddhist Scripture,jade seals, dharma instruments, the imperial edict of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, and the original handwriting of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, which are important materials for studying Chinese Buddhist culture and have important Buddhist historical value.

 

Route: Jiuhua Town - Baisui Palace - Huacheng Temple - Shengguang Ridge - Small Tiantai

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate the Jiuhua Street cirque, U-shape Valley, and other glacial relic sites.

2. Investigate the impact of the Jiuhua cirque and its beaded valleys on the architectural layout of Jiuhua Town, and the formation mechanism of Jiuhuashan regional culture.

3. Investigate the cultural landscapes in the geopark and learn about the local historical and folk culture.

4. Investigate the temples in Jiuhuashan and understand the long-standing Buddhist culture of Jiuhuashan.

5. Investigate the close relationship between the temple site selection in Jiuhuashan and the geological and geomorphological features of Jiuhuashan, taking Baisui Palace as an example.

6.Investigate the vertical distribution of vegetation in Jiuhuashan.

Figure 8 Qiao'an U-shape Valley in Jiuhuashan

Figure 9 Jiuhua Street cirque

Figure 10 Huacheng Temple

Figure 11 Taibai Study community

 

3 Ecological landscape expedition routes

 

Jiuhuashan is located near 30° north latitude, with a mild climate and abundant rainfall, making regional ecological resources rich. The vegetation coverage of Jiuhuashan is high, featuring a vertical mosaic structure of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests, deciduous broad-leaved forests, and coniferous forests.

 

There are numerous ancient and famous trees in Jiuhuashan Global Geopark, totaling 449 trees. They are mainly distributed in the Jiuhua Street cirque and belong to 7 communities, namely the Ganlu Temple community, Zhiyuan Temple community, Taibai Study community, Moon Bay community, Pipa-shape community, Flesh Palace community, and Minyuan community, which have become a key area for ecological science popularization and education. Among them, the famous Phoenix Pine (scientific name Huangshan pine, Pinus taiwanensis), which was recorded in history during the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China, has a history of 1,400 years. The pine is 7.68m high and 1m in DBH. Its peculiar shape looks just like a phoenix spreading its wings, and it is praised by the famous contemporary Chinese painter Li Keran as "the number one pine in the world".

 

Route: Piedmont basin cultivated plant touring area (altitude 50m) — Flesh Palace Quercus shennongii community (altitude 500m) — Minyuan bamboo forest community (altitude 200m) — Baijingtai coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest community (altitude 1000m) — Tiantai Pinus hwangshanensis forest community (altitude 1200m) — Xiaohuatai azalea shrub community (altitude 800m)

 

Main expedition contents:

 

1. Investigate plant diversity in the Jiuhuashan area.

2. Investigate the characteristics and distribution of plant communities in the Jiuhuashan area.

3. Investigate the growth environment (soil, water quality, etc.) of bamboo forests, azaleas, Huangshan pines, and other communities in Jiuhuashan.

4. Strengthen the development of agricultural products in Jiuhuashan (including special local products such as sealwort, bamboo shoots, and handicrafts like bamboo weaving).

5. Vigorously carry out agricultural production and agricultural tourism.

Figure 12 Agricultural products of Jiuhuashan Global Geopark