| Geological park combines natural and cultural features |
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With its rich geological resources, everlasting history and culture, convenient transportation and abundant biodiversity, Taishan Geological Park will contribute to the further development of the geological sciences, local experts and officials say.
Located in areas belonging to Tai`an City in mid-western Shandong Province, Taishan Geological Park features the region`s most impressive geological characteristics.
The heart of the park is Taishan Mountain, known for its varying topographies, multiple physiognomies and clear delineation.
The erosive physiognomies in Taishan have been fully developed, consisting of erosive middle-height mountains, erosive low mountains, erosive knaps and erosive table lands at the mountains` foot. At 1,545 metres above sea level, Yuhuang Peak the park`s highest summit is Shandong Province`s highest peak.
The topography of Taishan Mountain is high in the north and west and low in the south and east.
The south of Yuhuang Peak is steeper while the north is gentler.
Caused by three fault lines ranging from northeast to east, Taishan has formed three major sidestep-like physiognomies Nantianmen (South Heaven Gate), Zhongtianmen (Central Heaven Gate) and Toutianmen (First Heaven Gate) which have become famous sightseeing sites. The three sidestep-like physiognomies further increase the majesty and vigour of Taishan.
Because of its unique geological resources, Taishan has been attracting people for much of Chinese history. This has contributed to the area`s deep cultural essence.
Its geological resources are also contributing to scientific understanding, which has necessitated the establishment of a geological park in the area.
Taishan possesses the most Komatite in China a unique, primitive rock formed by volcanic eruptions in the Archaean Eon some 2.5 billion years ago.
The large-scale intrusive rocks in Taishan offer invaluable insight into the formation of large quantities of granite in the Archaean Eon.
The intrusive rocks have been transformed from time to time during later tectonic movements, just 2 or 3 million years ago. In Taishan, the unique "bucket form" of intrusive rocks are of great scientific and scenic value.
All the historical movements and geological forces have made Taishan a natural geological museum.
The Taishan Geological Park was established to better protect the geological and historical sites as well as the area`s natural environment.
The area has been divided into two parts: central Taishan Park and the outskirt geological parks. The total area of the Taishan Geological Park is 177.6 square kilometres.
Among various geological heritage sites in the central Taishan Park, Hongmen (Red Gate) area is one of the best.
With Hongmen Temple as its centre, the site contains a total area of 15.5 square kilometres.
It features Triassic waterfalls, a two-layer valley physiognomy and polar node-like rocks all of which have been beautifully described by poets and writers throughout Chinese history.
Here, people can also view the rare basket form structure of the diabase-porphyrite rocks, and the mutual interaction between quartz-diopside-diorite and felsic veins.
The Zhongtianmen (Central Heaven Gate) site, with a total area of 30.02 square kilometres, is located mid-mountainside.
It is famous for its various ruptures and waterfalls and the mutual interaction of different litho structures. Here, Zhongtianmen Rupture and Yunbuqiao Rupture are two of the three major ruptures of Taishan.
The three ruptures were caused by three major uplifting geological movements of the past.
Nantianmen (South Heaven Gate) heritage is located on Yuhuang Peak, which is the end point for historical rites held by ancient emperors. As long as 2,000 years ago, emperors came to Taishan one by one to pray for peace and prosperity for their nations.
Nantianmen heritage site is the central site of Taishan Geological Park.
Among various geological sites, Xianrenqiao (Gods` Bridge), Zhanlutai (Stage to View Shandong) and Shibapan (18 Steepest Stairs) are the result of a perfect combination of geological formations and human imagination.
Besides the above famous geological sites, Taishan Geological Park also includes outskirt heritages that are no less remarkable in terms of geology.
They include geological heritage sites in Taohuayu, Houshiwu and Culaishan.
These sites include ruptures created the Mesozoic Era (between 65 million and 248 million years ago), intrusive granites created during the Archaean Eon (2.5 billion years ago) and the interaction of diorites and granites in the late Archaeozoic Era (2.5 billion years ago) and early Proterozoic Era (between 800 million and 2.5 billion years ago).
Like central Taishan Park, these outskirt geological sites have also been portrayed in ancient Chinese literature.(SD News) |
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| Date:2006-11-2 15:15:10 From:sdnews |
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