Fanjingshan

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Fanjingshan: A Unique Island of Metamorphic Rock in Southwestern China

Fanjingshan, meaning "Mountain of the Golden Summit," is a significant geographical feature located within the Wuling mountain range in Guizhou Province, southwest China. This mountain range spans across multiple provinces, but Fanjingshan stands out due to its unique characteristics and rich biodiversity. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, Fanjingshan offers a fascinating blend of natural beauty, cultural significance, and exceptional biological diversity.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Located within the Wuling mountain range in Guizhou Province (south-west China), Fanjingshan ranges in altitude between 500 metres and 2,570 metres above sea level, favouring highly diverse types of vegetation and relief. It is an island of metamorphic rock in a sea of karst, home to many plant and animal species that originated in the Tertiary period, between 65 million and 2 million years ago. The property’s isolation has led to a high degree of biodiversity with endemic species, such as the Fanjingshan Fir (Abies fanjingshanensis) and the Guizhou Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus brelichi), and endangered species, such as the Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus), the Forest Musk Deer (Moschus berezovskii) and Reeve’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii). Fanjingshan has the largest and most contiguous primeval beech forest in the subtropical region.

Encyclopedia Record: Fanjingshan

The Fanjingshan or Mount Fanjing, located in Tongren, Guizhou province, is the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains in southeastern China, at an elevation of 2,570 m (8,430 ft). The Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve was established in 1978 and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. Fanjingshan is a sacred mountain in Chinese Buddhism, considered to be the bodhimaṇḍa of the Maitreya Buddha. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.

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