Marvellous Geographic Spectacle----Natural Taiji Symbol

To the north of Yunlong county, there’s a river named Bijiang River, whose riverbed forms a shape of Taiji symbol. Because in Han Dynasty, Yulong county was called “Bisu ” county, the Bijiang River, in fact, means “a river in Bisu”. With a whole length of 173 km, the river curves into a big “S” shape when passing here, forming a natural spectacle of Taiji symbol. In this natural spectacle, the Zhuangping dam in the north and Lian-jing-ping dam in the south constitute the two fish-like patterns representing “yin” and “yang” respectively in Taiji symbol, making it more vivid. What is called “Taiji Symbol” is a symbol used by ancient Chinese to explain natural phenomena in the universe, showing the the law of unity of opposites between yin and yang. Normally, there are also Eight Trigrams arranged in octagon around the symbol. And it is always a symbol of Taoism.

In fact, this natural Taiji symbol is a special land form formed by deep incised meander for more than three million years since the new tectonic movement in the quaternary era of geologic time. This land is 880m wide from east to west and 1000m from south to east, is a round basin in the north suburb of Yunlong county. To the northeast and south of the symbol, there are groups of taoist constructions, and to the northwest, there lying the famous “Pearl of the West Yunnan Plateau ” ----Tian Pond. Nuodeng river pours into Bijiang river through the very middle part. Therefore, this pattern is also called “Taiji locks up water”. What’s more, the hill on northern Zhuangping dam is like a lion’s head, and the hill on southern Lian-jing-ping dam is like a trunk of elephant, thus people called this “Lion and elephant guard the gate” for Nuodeng village, which is a Bai village with a history of more than a thousand year, lying 4km away from the Taiji symbol.

The mountain to the west of Taiji symbol is called Chicken Tail Mountain, where you can find a observing platform---a perfect point to enjoy the sight of Taiji symbol. On the right of the ovserving platform is a highway leading you to the beautiful Tian Pond, 14km from here.