A View of Huanglong

　　One of Sichuan's finest scenic spots is Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) , which lies in Songpan County just beneath Xuebao, the main peals of the Minshan Mountains. Its lush green forests, filled with fragrant flowers, bubbling streams, and songbirds, are rich in historical interest as well as natural beauty.

　　Legend has it that sane 4, 000 years ago, when great floods threatened the people of central China, Yu the Great resolved to tame the mighty rivers. He journeyed inland in a boat, but was soon stopped by the torrential current. Fortunately, a yellow dragon appeared and bore the boat upstream as far as it could go. Yu succeeded in controlling the flood and went on to found the 500-year Xia Dynasty, but the exhausted dragon could not return to the sea, and died at the foot of Xuebao Peak.

　　Viewing Huanglong from a distance, one might imagine that the noble serpent for which the area was named is still lying on the hillside. Actually, this "yellow dragon' is a geological formation unique to this karst region; its yellow color is due to a layer of calcium carbonate, and the tiny, clear pools that line its back took like scales. The dragon is surrounded try, spruce trees and assorted rare flowering plants in blue, white, red, and purple.

　　黄龙奇观

　　在四川西部，有一美妙的去处。它背倚峨山宇峰雪宝顶，树木苍翠，花香袭人，鸟声婉转，流水潺潺。这就是松潘县的黄龙。

　　相传在中国古代气洪水肆虐，人民苦不堪言。大禹决心治水，但船不能行气有黄龙来为他负舟，于是导水成功。黄龙疲惫，未及回归大海，死于眠山之下，因而其地就称为黄龙。

　　黄龙风景，自海拔近3600米处，沿山谷而下，逶迤3.5公里，地上覆盖着一层淡黄色碳酸钙沉积，形成大大小小的众多水池，状如梯田。池水澄清，呈淡蓝、淡绿各色。远看宛如黄龙俯卧，粼光闪闪。两旁森林，全是高大云杉。林间地上，多奇花异草，或蓝或白，或红或紫，灿烂如缤纷。

　　山谷顶端，残留着一座道教建筑，名“黄龙古寺”。据松潘县志记载，该建于明代(公元1368一1644年)。寺前有一溶洞，深邃莫测。寺后有一石碑，除碑檐外，几乎全被碳酸钙沉积淹没，碑文已不可辨认。看来，这400来年的沉积速度是相当可观的。每年农历六月为黄龙寺庙会期，方圆几百里及至青海、甘肃的藏、羌、回、汉各族人民也前来赶会。届时，帐篷连营，人马喧腾，歌舞相杂，十分热闹。