Summer Waters and Deep Valleys

Beautiful clouds and their reflections in Dajiu Lake(Photo by Liu Qingjun)

Some people say that the air conditioning fee in the city for one summer is enough for you to buy a ticket to go to Shennongjia and enjoy a cool summer vacation. For Zhan Yahua, professor at the Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, this is an easy decision. "In the summer, staying in an air-conditioned room is definitely not good for your health. Shennongjia is a better place to go to."

There are five reasons to go to Shennongjia in the summer season.

First, Shennongjia is cool in the summer, especially when it rains. "Beer will soon become cold if you put it into the spring water. After the sunset, the water is chilly, and becomes too cold to even hold some in your palm for more than three seconds!" This is the summer in Shennongjia. Walking in the streets here is like walking in an air conditioned room. If you want to get up early to watch the sunrise in the morning, a jacket is necessary when climbing, in case the temperature on the top of the mountain is too low.

The second reason is the leisurely life here. Guo Ruitang, a 66-year-old man from Wuhan, has stayed in Muyu Town every summer for many years. "Here, my lifestyle is a lot healthier." He said, "In the morning, I practice Taiqi in the yard. I usually go for a hike every morning. I meet folks who speak the Wuhan dialect along the way, and I feel as if I were living in a small Wuhan."

The third reason is the mountains, rivers, and the beautiful scenery here. The summer at Dajiu Lake, where the average temperature is about 20℃, brings you an ocean of flowers; at Banbiyan, you can see the ever-changing rays of sunshine, the pure and quiet clouds, the deep blue sky, and the arrow bamboos scattering all over the mountains. You can stroll in the jungle, lingering on both sides, exploring thousands of strange rock formations, looking for the legendary places, and enjoying the coolness of this paradise"

The fourth reason is the natural wonders, which frequently appear when it rains. Wonders such as "Foggy Rain in Stone Forest," "Shennong Cloud Sea," "Canyon Flying Rainbow," "June Flying Snow," and" Fokuang Shinning" make the place a land of fairytales.

And the last reason is camping. At sunset, you can sit at a scenic viewing location cross-legged, and watch the afterglow of the sunset disappear bit by bit, coloring the dusk clouds and everything around you.

Xiangxiyuan (literally Fragrance River), Jiadao River, and Wushan Lake are all good places to visit in summer.