Near the Pagodas 108 -- the ideal place for shooting Chinese martial arts films like Shaolin Temple, is the Bird Island with hundreds of species like the white and black cranes, swans, gray storks, and Chinese wild ducks, as well as the precious black swan. In spring, large flocks of migratory birds fly here to breed, with eggs of various colors strewn everywhere.

 Liupan Mountains

The Liupan Mountains tower in southern Guyuan County in the intersection of Ningxia, Gansu and Shaanxi, extending over 200 kilometers with an altitude of about 3,000 meters. Being the important watershed in North China, the mountains are the sources of the Jing, Qingshui and Hulu rivers.

The area is the Green Island on the Loess Plateau for its lush vegetation and beautiful scenery. There is said to be no summer time, with high forest covering 26,000 hectares. Famed as a huge "gene bank," the mountains boast 788 species of higher plants, of which 155 species have higher economic value, and 206 species of wild animals including 158 species of birds, 39 species of mammals, 5 species of amphibians, and 4 species of reptiles.

The area is also a "must-pass" in the east section of the ancient Silk Road and a stronghold of contention in past dynasties. Genghis Khan stationed his troops here when attacking the Western Xia Kingdom and later died here. In 1935 when the Red Army of Workers and Peasants reached here, Chairman Mao Zedong wrote a poem "Liupan Mountains." Today, a pavilion has been built here in memory of the Long March. The rich historical legacy makes the area the first choice for chronicle plays and biography films, reproducing the footmarks of the giants of history.

This area is densely inhabited by the Hui minority group with numerous Islamic mosques. Unique customs of the Hui people, including Muslim food, traditional costumes, houses, wedding ceremonies and festivals, and language and arts, are all sources for films depicting western folk customs.

 Source Area of Jinghe River

The source area of the Jinghe River, lying 40-odd kilometers south of Guyuan County in southern Ningxia, is surrounded by verdant mountains and blue water; hence it is famed as "miniature Guilin " whose scenery has been called "the finest under heaven."

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