White Cloud Mountain
From ancient times, White Cloud Mountain has been one of the most famous spots of natural beauty in Guangzhou, and it's still known as the First Spectacular Scene of Guangzhou. Every time the sun shines after the rain, and through late spring, a wreath of airy clouds circles the mountains.
This is how White Cloud Mountain has won its name, and its reputation as a marvelous spectacle of nature. The fierce differentiation of rocks, and the different ways in which erosion has affected them, has caused White Cloud Mountain a crisscross network of gullies. So its relative height is now about 100 meters (109 yards). The quiet and secluded environment of the valley has made White Cloud Mountain a haven of peace from the big city.
People always describe the natural beauty of Guangzhou as being composed of white cloud and pearl sea, the white cloud referring to that of White Cloud Mountain, located about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Guangzhou. The total area of White Cloud Mountain is about 28 square kilometers (10 square miles), consisting of 30 peaks. Moxing Ridge (Star-Scraping Ridge), known as 'the first peak under the southern sky', is about 382 meters (417 yards) high. You can stand on the summit and look over the whole city and the beautiful Pearl River, the most famous river in Guangzhou.
White Cloud Mountain is an ideal place for people to relax. It has six areas that are popular with visitors, Bright Pearl Building Park, the San tailing Summit Park, the Bird Spring Valley Park (Mingchun Valley), the Santailing Park, the Luhu Park and the Fei'eling Park. Yuntai Garden, a bright pearl in the crown of White Cloud Mountain, is located in Santailing Park. Yuntai Garden is an enormous garden filled with all kinds of blooms and trees, which make Guangzhou, City of Flowers, worthy of the name. The Sculpture Park is located in Fei'eling, and covers an area of 46 hectares (113 acres).
It was built according to the fashion of the times, which was to use modern languages in sculpture. You will also find the biggest natural birdcage in China, perfect for enjoying all kinds of birds; Bird Spring Valley Park. Here you can stroll idly by the river and mountains, and mingle with the birds. Luhu Park is famous for Jinye Pond. The lake is so clear that the beautiful sights surrounding the lake are perfectly reflected in the water, like a brilliantly drawn picture.
Due to the recent rapid development of Guangzhou City, White Cloud Mountain is mostly surrounded by urban developments. A major beauty spot in a modern city with a population of 8,000,000 is really a most unusual occurrence. White Cloud Mountain is fairly known as a return to nature from the big city.