Wulong Karst, an important part of South
China Karst, is situated
at the lower reaches of the Wujiang River southeast of Chongqing. It was named
as a world natural heritage by UNESCO in 2007. Wulong Karst features spectacular
karst landscapes, including the three main parts of Furong Cave, Three Natural
Bridges and Houping Tiankeng (Houping Giant Doline).
Wulong Karst is a valuable
treasure that nature created. It is a cluster of several karst
landscapes, consisting of gorges, natural bridges, caves, eroded
dolines, shafts and underground streams. These karst landforms
developed in the carbonate rocks, vividly recording the development
and evolution of karst terrain in the Three Gorges area since Pleistocene
Era. Furong Cave, Three Natural Bridges and Houping Tiankeng are
the three representative karst landforms, developing under the
condition of intermittent uplifting movement of the earth.
Each of the three
karst systems standing alone forms a spectacular landscape. The
Furong Cave abounds with various karren sediments forming many
splendid natural wonders. The limestone sediments are also of great
significance in scientific study. The three natural bridges constitute
the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia, and the natural karst
bridges are quite high and grand, a sight rarely seen anywhere
in the world. Houping Giant Doline is the prime example and the
largest tiankeng cluster formed by erosion in the world, and the
longest underground cavern system in Asia.
Compared with Shilin
Karst and Libo
Karst,
Wulong Karst is located in a relatively remote area away from the
impact of human activity. Therefore, Wulong Karst retains its
original features of karst landforms that have been despoiled
elsewhere, hence its outstanding universal value.
Sightseeing
List:
Furong
Cave
Three
Natural Bridges
Houping
Tiankeng (Houping Giant Doline)
Related
Link: China
World Cultural and Natural Heritage List