Unique Geothermal Resources Turns Tengchong into Attractive Spot

Lying on the border between Southwest China and Myanmar, Teng-chong County of Yunnan Province has one of the country's most concentrated geothermal resources, second only to the Yangbajing area in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

In Tengchong, there are over 100 hot springs varying in scale and appearance, some boiling, some warm.

Ten kilometres from the county is Rehai, or the Hot Sea, which is a nationally famous scenic spot.

The springs here are the region's most concentrated. The best known is Big Boiling Pot, the water in which reaches 97 C. Visitors can taste stuffed buns and tea-simmered eggs that have been steamed by the spring's water.

Hot springs with interesting names clutter Tengchong's main road. Some of the names have interesting stories behind them.

The Pregnant Well is named because its water is believed to heal women's illnesses. The Drumming Spring has been a favourite of soldiers for centuries. The Pearl Spring, the shining of the water from which is like endless pearls, is a perfect place to cook dinner. Visitors who are tired after sight-seeing can visit the refreshing waters of the Beauty Pond.

Hot springs are found in every village in Tengchong. Thus the local people, most of whom are Lisu ethnic people, have formed a custom of bathing daily in the springs.

The second ideal stop for tourists is the volcanoes near the hot springs. There are 97 volcanoes in Tengchong, making it the fourth largest volcanic area in China.

Among the volcanos in Tengchong, the best place to observe volcano topography is Dakongshan, or the Mountain of the Big Hollow, which has a deep central crater left by an eruption.

Standing on this live volcano, which has been dormant for 380 years, visitors can easily understand the local saying, "On the Tengchong land, nine out of 10 mountains have no head."

In Tengchong, the study of lava terracing, volcano cones, rocks, column, barrier lakes, as well as volcano lakes, is easy. These abundant resources are valuable for tourism and scientific research.

There are a dozen volcano lakes in Tengchong. The most famous of them is Sister Lake. Coal-black volcano rocks around the lake seem to float on the water like lotus leaves.

Tengchong not only abounds in wonderful natural scenery, it is also rich in culture.

The Heshun Township is famous because almost every family has relatives overseas. People from Heshun have left their footprints in over 20 countries and regions of the world.

The alleys, lined with volcanic rocks, and the engravings on the alley entrances have a history of six centuries. Walking around the small Heshun Township, visitors will bump into ancient relics everywhere. Calligraphy, antithetical couplets, horizontal inscribed boards, all of which create a rich cultural atmosphere.

Tourists must visit the various folk houses in the quiet town of Heshun. Mostly built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) or in the early 20th century, the houses in Heshun sit harmoniously with the mountains and rivers. The architecture combines Chinese and Western styles.

Visitors will find cultural artifacts, such as pictures and pending bells, and the stories behind them, wherever they go. These century-old houses show the past glories of their inhabitants. Today's empty courtyards were once filled with the busy life of the family's ancestors.

For years, the God of Fortune, worshiped in the town's old temple, was a witness of the ups and downs of local families. The temple was built before the Qing Dynasty by some people who had made a fortune outside their hometown.

Whenever the Heshun people prepared for business trips to Myanmar or other areas they would come to this temple first and make sacrifices to the God of Fortune and pray for good luck.





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