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The eastern Riyue Mountain is with crisscross footpaths between fields, which is as beautiful as south of Yangtz River and create a harmonious living environment for human and the nature. On the west side, there's broad prairies that stretch out as far as your eyes can see. The local people could make what was a barren country, all of the same dark hue, bright and variegated with corn and cattle that scattered over the grassland. It's a northern-frontier scene! The so large contrast between both sides of the Riyue Mountain is rare in China. Apart from that, the consummate combination of the fields and prairie is a fantastic article excelling nature, and its steepness and serene are unparalleled in the world. A series of purple sandstone beds may crop out in one area.
Because of the red grassless russet mountaintop is what could properly call Chiling Range. The story is going about that when Princess Wencheng from Tang Dynasty left for Tubo for her marriage and passed through the Chiling Range. Princess Wencheng was regarded as the incarnation of the Goddess of Heaven in the eyes of Songzan Ganbu. At the bare thought that she would enter into Tibet, she took out the a large Sun-and-Moon precious mirror given by her mother at parting, and saw the magnificent scenery of Chang'an and her relatives.
The memory of the parting had the power to bring tears to her eyes. The nostalgic tears flowed into a river called as Daotang River. But when she thought of the great responsibilities of the unity of the two nationalities, she determinedly dashed the Sun-and-Moon precious mirror and threw the mirror onto the mountain. Then the mountain was renamed the Sun-and-Moon Mountain in remembrance of Princess Wencheng.
Before the Tang Dynasty, Riyue Mountain was known as Chiling Range. From nearby, it was like spitting fire, from afar it was like being stained with blood. The first thing you saw when you came into the scenic area is the famous Princess Spring. As the story goes, when the princess go through the Riyue Mountain, she casted her eyes to her homeland to the east, she found that the line of sight was broken by the mountains from view. She could not but sorrowed to tears. Her tears transformed into one tiny spring. The spring is called Princess Spring.
The frescos with scenes from the remote past in the Riyue Pavilion are world-famous. Here you could see a large number of beautifully preserved frescoes with the peculiar styles of different ages. Many other scenic spots are worth visiting within the famous key scenic attraction of Riyue Mountain!