Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.