|
 Tengchong is a town surrounded by volcanoes.
Starting from Baoshan city, and climbing over the Gaoligong
Mountain, the China to India highway, built half a century ago,
leads you to Tengchong Basin. In the distance you can see dozens
of volcanoes, large and small, with dense trees growing around
them. Located on the border of the Europe-Asia continental plate,
Tengchong has witnessed many activities of the earth's crust.
Since 1500, there have been over 70 earthquakes in the area
measuring 5 and over on the Ri chter scale. The Daying Mountain
volcano has erupted many times. Ma'an Mountain consists of three
volcanoes, some of which have formed lakes. Tengchong has the best
well-preserved volcano groups from the Cenozoic Era in China.
Over 80 vapor springs and hot springs are scattered
around the volcanoes, making this the second largest vapor field
in China. The famous Yihong Hot Lake is one of the biggest hot
spring lakes in China, covering a total area of10 square
kilometers. The most magnificent Dagunguo (boiling pan) Hot
Spring, 6.12 meters in diameter and 1.5 meters deep, has a water
temperature of 96.6 degrees centig rade, and resembles a pan of
boiling water, sending steam high into the sky. The Hamazui
Fountain, with a water temperature of 95.5 degrees centigrade,
looks like two frogs spraying out hot spring water. Pearl Spring
is a pool of water with hundreds of spray holes in the bottom
sending out pearl-like strings of hot bubbling water.
Other spectacular sights include Huaitaijing,
Gumingquan, Xiaogunguo and Yanjingquan springs and waterfalls. Hot
springs in the adjacent Longling County are also popular with
visitors because of their medicinal effects on the human body.
 Tengchong County has been an important connecting
link between southwest China and both India and Myanmar since
ancient times. Business is brisk here. The Heshun Township is the
well-known hometown of many overseas Chinese. In1944, an
anti-Japanese-invasion war broke out here. A martyry was built
near the county town where the soldier who died in the war were
buried. Tengchong is famous for producing traditional Chinese
herbal medicines, Xuan paper (high quality paper for traditional
Chinese painting) and rattan work, which are famous throughout
Southeast Asia. The jade processing industry has been centered
here in Tengchong for over 500 years. Local people work jadeite
into bracelets, ear-rings and many other decorations. The local
Duanjia, Wangjia, Qiluo and Zhengkun jade works (jade works named
after the makers) are all well known at home and abroad.
|
