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Much to see and feel in Mentougou
China Daily
Updated: 2008-09-16 09:47
Located in western Beijing's mountainous area, Mentougou district is a treasure trove of natural resources, including coal, limestone, and granite. It also supplies Beijing with agricultural produce such as wild jujubes, mushrooms, and Beijing white pears.
Some of its must-see sights include Lingshan Mountains, known as "the No 1 peak in Beijing" with its highest peak soaring 2,303 m; Baihua Mountains with its famed botanical garden; the forest park of Xiaolongmen Mountains that has 844 species of wild plants; Huangcaoliang with a vast grassland and scenic vistas of the Great Wall; Miaofeng Mountains with ancient pines, and a sea of roses in the summer.
Visitors can also take a walk by the Yongding River, which winds deep through the mountain valleys of dense foliage, forming a "long corridor of pleasant scenery" in western Beijing. The Pearl Lake, waterfalls at Shuanglong Gorge and many other fine scenes are all excellent opportunities for camera buffs.
Besides beautiful landscapes, Mentougou also has 370 historical sites and cultural ruins for visitors interested in history. Among them: 1,700-year-old Tanzhe Temple and Cuandixia village and Juren village built in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
More than 20 city bus routes operate between downtown Beijing and Mentougou. The Pingguoyuan Subway Station is where buses to every village of Mentougou start. In addition, there are national highways, railways and eight tourism bus lines.