It is generally believed that the continental red bed landform with steep cliffs is called Danxia landform. Danxia landform is mainly distributed in China, the western United States, Central Europe and Australia, among which China is the most widely distributed. 1928, Feng Jinglan and others discovered Danxia landform in Renhua County, northern Guangdong Province, and named the red gravel stratum that formed Danxia landform as Danxia stratum. Since then, many people have expounded its concept.
1928, Feng Jinglan, a mineral deposit scientist with a master's degree in geology from Columbia University, noticed the Tertiary red gravel stratum (65 million to 1.65 million years ago) in Renhua County, northern Guangdong, China. In the Danxia Mountain area, the rock strata with a thickness of 300-500 meters are weathered by flowing water and wind, forming fortress-like peaks, various strange stones, stone bridges and caves. [1] Realizing that this is a unique landscape, Feng Jinglan named the red gravel stratum that formed Danxia landform as Danxia stratum. [2] The word "Danxia" comes from Cao Pi's Poems on the Lotus Pond, and "Danxia gathers the bright moon and Huaxing comes out of the clouds" refers to the rosy clouds in the sky. [3]
Definition of Danxia landform
1938, structural geologist Chen called the landform developed on this red rock stratum "Danxia landform", and used this landform as a sign to judge Danxia stratum. [ 1]
It was not until 1977 that geomorphologists first used "Danxia landform" as a geomorphological term. [ 1]
1982, Li Jianxian (Qin Huang), a geographer known as "Danxia Madness", published "Basic Ways of Danxia Landform Slope Development", which is the first paper on Danxia Landform in China. This period is the initial stage of the large-scale development of tourism in China. As an important tourism resource, Danxia landform has attracted more and more attention from all walks of life. [ 1]
1983 Geological Dictionary puts forward the definition of Danxia landform for the first time. Danxia landform refers to castle-like, pagoda-like, needle-like, column-like, rod-like, square-mountain-like or peak-forest-like landform formed by differential weathering, gravity collapse, erosion and dissolution. This is the first definition of Danxia landform in academic circles. [ 1]
Since then, there have been more than 20 definitions of Danxia landform by different dictionaries and experts, and even the definition of Danxia landform by the same expert will change greatly in a few years. However, the differences between these definitions are principled from the perspective of rock geomorphology, and various definitions cannot reasonably exist with each other. The key factor of rock landform is the rock type that constitutes the landform. For the rocks that constitute Danxia landform, most people advocate conglomerate and sandstone in clastic rocks, while others think that pyroclastic rocks, red carbonate rocks and shallow metamorphic rocks should also be included. Some people even think that as long as the Hongyan series can form Ya Dan Group in Chibi, it will do. In addition, there is no unified understanding of the diagenetic environment of the rocks that constitute Danxia landform. Most people advocate that rocks should be deposited in continental facies (that is, rivers or lakes at that time), while others think that rocks should be deposited in marine facies (that is, marine environment at that time). Others suggested: "Any red clastic rock, whether terrestrial, marine or volcanic (that is, rocks generated by volcanic activity), as long as it forms Ya Dan Chibi, is called Danxia landform."
Stratigraphic age that constitutes Danxia landform
visual angle
Scholars hold diametrically opposite views on the formation age of Danxia landform and strata. Some people think that rock landforms are only related to the age of strata that make them up, and they are only limited to specific horizons, so they have comparative significance. Some people think that they should not be limited by age. Some people even think that deleting the stratigraphic age in their original definition represents progress, and that as long as the red strata forming Chibi Chibi can be taken into account. However, in rock geomorphology, the age of rocks is one of the necessary conditions for the comparative study of the evolution of the earth. Rock landforms without age limit will greatly reduce the reference order value that geological research can provide. In terms of landforms, most people emphasize that Ya Dan Cliff in Chibi is considered as Danxia landform, but some people classify arches, huge hills, stone eggs, shigu, barren land and soil pillar forests as Danxia landform, and this issue is still inconclusive. Finally, the discussion about the color of rocks also went wrong. All definitions of Danxia landform admit that rocks are red, but there is no quantitative standard for hue. Some people even think that the cliffs formed by some gray-white rock formations are Danxia landforms, because it may have degenerated from red to gray. [ 1]
China scholar
Almost all the Danxia landforms discovered by Chinese scientists were developed on strata not earlier than Mesozoic (more than 200 million years ago), and the rock composition was mainly continental deposits (rocks were formed by river or lake sediments at that time, not the marine environment at that time). However, with the expansion of the research scope to the whole world, scholars have found that Danxia landforms in other countries are also developed in older strata or marine sedimentary rocks. Therefore, some scholars suggest relaxing the time and composition restrictions on red rock formations, so as to extend the concept of Danxia landform to the whole world. In the early definition of Danxia landform, we often took pains to describe the landform form, which fully showed that Danxia landform has many beautiful and graceful forms, which are not universal, so it can be classified as one landform. However, with more and more people studying Danxia, Danxia landform has been investigated all over the country. On the basis of a large number of investigations, the definition of Danxia landform has become more and more concise and general, and the specific landform forms are no longer listed, but these forms are attributed to "Chibi is a landform characterized by red cliffs" (that is, the land red bed landform with steep cliffs [2]). Scholars stipulate that the height of "Danya" should be greater than 10 m, and the slope of "Danya" should meet the conditions of cliff slope: 55 ~ 90. Ya Dan, whose height and slope are lower than the above standards, can't be regarded as Danxia landform, but should be classified as red bed hilly and mountainous area, which is the dividing line between Danxia landform and red bed landform. [ 1]
In 2009, the National Geographic Magazine of China and the Chinese Geographical Society jointly launched the "Centennial Discovery of Chinese Geography", among which the discovery of Danxia landform was among them. [4]
On the evening of August 1 August, 2065438, the 34th World Heritage Conference in Brasilia reviewed and approved the "China's Danxia Landform" jointly declared by Langshan Mountain in Hunan, China, Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, Taining Mountain in Fujian, Chishui Mountain in Guizhou, Longhushan Mountain in Jiangxi and Jianglang Mountain in Zhejiang as a World Natural Heritage List. This is China's 40th project on the World Heritage List.
Edit this paragraph
Distribution area
Danxia landform is mainly distributed in China, the western United States, Central Europe and Australia, among which China is the most widely distributed. The distribution of Danxia landforms in China ended at 5438+ 10/0 in June 2008, and 790 Danxia landforms have been discovered in China, distributed in 26 provinces and regions. Danxia Mountain in the northeast of Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province is characterized by red Danxia and consists of red sandy continental sedimentary rocks. It is the world's "Danxia landform" named place, and the research on stratum, structure, landform, development and environmental evolution is the most detailed and in-depth in the Danxia landform area of the world. The "Danxia Mountain World Geopark" established here has a total area of 3 19 square kilometers, and was approved by UNESCO as one of the first world geoparks in China in 2004 [2].
Danxia landform in China is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical humid areas, temperate humid-semi-humid areas, semi-arid arid areas and alpine areas of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Fujian Taining, Wuyishan, Liancheng and Yong 'an; Zhangye, Gansu (Linze County and Sunan Yugu Autonomous County, Zhangye City), Wanfoshan in the northeast of Huaihua Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, Hunan Province, and Langshan in Xinning County, Shaoyang (located in the southwest of Hunan Province, where Danxia landform develops in the youth, Zhuang and old age); Laojun Mountain in Lijiang, Yunnan; Chishui, Guizhou (about 1300 square kilometers); Jiangxi Longhushan, yingtan, Yiyang, Shangrao, Ruijin and Ningdu; Cambra, Qinghai; Danxia Mountain in Renhua, Guangdong, Jinjiling in Shiping Town, Cang Shi Village in Nanxiong County, Nantaishi and Wuzhishi in Pingyuan County; Zhejiang Yongkang and Xinchang; Baishishan in Guiping, Guangxi and Jiaodu Mountain in Rongxian; Dou Mine in Jiangyou, Sichuan, Qingcheng Mountain in Dujiangyan, Chengdu; Chongqing Qijiang Laoying Mountain; Chilongshan in Fengxian County, Shaanxi Province and Chengde in Hebei Province are typical geological landforms of Danxia landform in China.
Edit this paragraph
cause
The so-called "red bed" in the red bed landform refers to the red rock series deposited from Mesozoic Jurassic to Cenozoic Tertiary, which is generally called "red glutenite". Horizontal tectonic landform refers to the flat highland dominated by tertiary thick red glutenite with horizontal or nearly horizontal occurrence. Due to the comprehensive action of strong erosion, dissolution and gravity collapse, it forms a flat-topped, steep-faced, isolated and prominent tower landform.
The development of Danxia landform began with the Himalayan movement in the Late Tertiary. This movement makes some red strata tilt and relax folds, raises the red basin and forms the outflow area. The flowing water is concentrated in the low-lying place in the middle of the basin and erodes along the vertical joints of the rock strata, forming a deep ditch with two vertical walls, which is called a lane valley. When the flowing water can't be completely removed, the colluvium at the foot of the alley and valley cliff forms a gently sloping colluvium cone. With the collapse and retreat of the ditch wall, the colluvial cone keeps growing upward, and the coverage of bedrock surface also keeps expanding. The bedrock under the colluvial cone forms a gentle slope consistent with the inclination direction of the colluvial cone. After the cliff surface collapsed, the range of the top of the mountain gradually narrowed, forming fortress-like residual peaks, stone walls or columns. With further erosion, the remaining peaks, stone walls and columns will also disappear, forming gently sloping hills. The red gravel layer contains a lot of limestone gravel and calcium carbonate cement. After calcium carbonate is dissolved by water, it often forms some gullies, stone buds and caves, or forms a thin layer of calcified deposits, and even develops stalactites. Funnels also develop along joints.
In sandstone, the magnificent terrain formed by cross bedding is called brocade. The rock stratum deep in the river can form a square mountain with a flat top and steep walls, and can also be cut into various strange peaks: vertical, fortress, pagoda, etc. In areas with large dip angle, monoclinic ridges are formed by erosion. Multiple monoclinic ridges are adjacent, which is called monoclinic peak group. Large-scale collapse of rock strata along vertical joints will form a tall and spectacular steep slope; The steep cliff slope develops along a group of main joints, forming a tall stone wall; The erosion of the stone wall formed a stone window; The stone window was further expanded and turned into a stone bridge. Narrow and steep alleys and valleys are often formed between rocks. The rock wall is named "Chibi" because of its red color, and caves along the plane are often developed on the wall.
Edit this paragraph
Declaration on World Natural Heritage
Lang Pinyin: [Lang]
China's Danxia application for World Heritage began in 2006. This project was initiated by Langshan, Hunan Province, with the Hunan Provincial Construction Department as the lead unit.
In June 2006, Yu Jinbiao, a professor at Nanjing University, put forward in a special lecture at the learning meeting of the Central Group of Xinning County Committee of Hunan Province that "the declaration of world heritage should be linked with other Danxia sites"
The proposal of bundling Danxia landform (Langshan Mountain, Hunan Province) (20 scenic spots) has been highly valued by Xinning County Party Committee and county government.
On July 24th, 2006, at the 10th National Danxia Landform Tourism Development Seminar held in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, Langshan Scenic Area issued an initiative to bind China's Danxia Landform to declare the World Natural Heritage to the participating experts and national Danxia Scenic Area. The initiative of setting an example has received positive responses from all Danxia scenic spots and attracted great attention from the Ministry of Construction. The meeting adopted the Proposal for China's Danxia Landform Joint Declaration of World Natural Heritage, which was put forward by Hunan Langshan Scenic Area Management Office and drafted by Professor Peng Hua of Sun Yat-sen University, as the meeting document.
In June 2006, 1 1 entrusted by the Hunan Provincial Construction Department, the Xinning County Party Committee and the county government formed a consultation group to visit the Danxia Geomorphological Tourism Academic Research Association in China, Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, Taining Mountain in Fujian and Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi, respectively, and mobilized to hold the "China Danxia Geomorphological Declaration World Natural Heritage Seminar". From June 5 to February, 2006, the Urban Construction Department of the Ministry of Construction hosted a seminar on "China's Danxia landform declared as a world natural heritage" in Changsha. At the meeting, Hunan Langshan, Guangdong Danxia Mountain, Fujian Taining, Jiangxi Longhushan and other scenic spots signed a binding declaration cooperation agreement.
On June 26, 2007, the Ministry of Construction issued the Summary of the Symposium on China's Danxia Landform Application for World Heritage, which made it clear that the Hunan Provincial Construction Department was the lead unit for China's Danxia application for world natural heritage, and officially kicked off China's Danxia application for world natural heritage.
In March 2009, the application materials of "China Danxia" passed the examination of UNESCO World Heritage Center, and officially became the nomination project of "World Heritage Application". 20 10 was submitted to the 34th World Heritage Conference for voting in July, and 10 was officially listed in the World Heritage List with the approval of UNESCO World Heritage Committee in August. Up to now, the number of world heritage sites in China has increased to 40.
Six nomination sites for binding applications for World Heritage.
Chishui, Guizhou (early youth)
Fujian Taining (adolescence)
Langshan Mountain in Hunan Province (Danxia landform developed in the early prime of life and the later years of youth and Zhuang nationality)
Guangdong Danxia Mountain (prime of life)
Longhushan, Jiangxi (early old age)
Jianglangshan, Zhejiang (aged)
Edit this paragraph
The naming source of "Chinese Danxia"
The biggest difficulty in applying for Danxia landform: "Landform is a concept of geography and geology, but Danxia landform is only named by China scholars, and Danxia landform (Taining, Fujian) has not been recognized by international geosciences." The stratum where Danxia landform is located has been determined by international geosciences and is called "red stratum". Taking a noun that foreign scholars have never seen before to apply for a legacy is tantamount to asking for directions. Danxia landscape has a unique aesthetic value, so some experts suggest that "Danxia landscape" be used instead of "Danxia landform" to apply for world heritage. However, this proposal was opposed by Professor Peng Hua, an expert in Danxia landform. In his view, "landscape" has lost the significance of geography and geology, and belittled the academic achievements of China scholars in the past century. "If a pile of red stone landscapes can be applied for, the value of the world's natural heritage is too low!"
Promoting learning by applying for heritage is one of the achievements that China scholars hope to achieve. If Danxia landform can successfully apply for world heritage, it means that this concept has been recognized by the international geoscience community, which is a way for Danxia landform to go abroad. However, foreign experts believe that there is no shortcut to science, and it is only natural to establish the international academic status of Danxia landform by publishing papers in international authoritative journals, and then apply for world heritage with Danxia landform.
After discussion at the meeting, a compromise scheme was finally adopted, and the name of "Danxia Landform" in the application name was changed to "Danxia, China".
Edit this paragraph
Nomination types of world natural heritage series
According to paragraph 137 of the World Heritage Operation Guide, China's Danxia series nominated six places: Danxia landform (Longhushan) b) the same type of heritage with geographical characteristics; The nomination place of Danxia in China is the representative of Danxia in the humid area of southern China, which is a similar natural heritage with the same geographical characteristics. All the nominated places are located in the south and southeast of China, which can fully represent the Danxia landscape in China.
C) The same geological and geomorphological structure, the same biogeographic region or the same ecosystem type; Danxia, China, is located in the Mesozoic active tectonic belt of South China Plate, with the same or similar geological evolution history and geological tectonic background. They are all developed on Cretaceous red continental coarse clastic sedimentary rocks, and they are all in subtropical humid monsoon climate, forming a rich and colorful Danxia landscape and developing a typical subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest terrestrial ecosystem.
Therefore, Danxia in China meets the requirements of b) and c), and has outstanding universal value in earth science, bio-ecology and landscape aesthetics, so it was nominated as a "series heritage". [5]
Edit this paragraph
Danxia in China and World Heritage Standards
According to paragraph 137 of the Operation Guide, the serial heritage must have outstanding universal value as a whole. As indicated in part II, paragraph 77. Operation Guide D, Danxia in China meets the following outstanding universal value standards: Danxia landform (Dabaiyan, Chishui, Guizhou) (7) areas with wonderful natural phenomena or unique natural beauty and aesthetic importance: towering peaks, steep cliffs and deep valleys, together with beautiful waterfalls, rivers, lakes and widely covered vegetation, constitute the magnificent landscape of Danxia in China. These six nominated scenic spots can best show the most beautiful Danxia landscape in southern China. They have outstanding landscape and aesthetic universal value.
(8) It is an outstanding example of an important stage in the history of earth evolution, including the obvious geological or geomorphological features in the process of geological development or life records and geomorphological evolution: Danxia is a sign that the regional continental crust has developed to a specific stage. The basin evolution in the nominated area clearly records the regional crustal evolution history since Cretaceous. Danxia in China is also a model reflecting the long-term geomorphological evolution history of uplifted and strongly fractured sedimentary basins, including past and present geomorphological processes. The research history of more than 80 years proves that Danxia landform is a special earth science phenomenon with regional and global value.
(9) The ecological and physiological processes that prominently represent the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and flora and fauna communities: "China Subtropical Forest Biogeography Province" and "China Southern Rainforest Biogeography Province", which are named in the Palaearctic and Indo-Malaysian boundaries of the global biogeography system, prominently and completely represent the biological community structure and succession physiological and ecological process of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest driven by the southeast monsoon. It also represents the post-glacial ecological succession under the biogeographic background.
(X) It is the most important natural habitat for in-situ conservation of biodiversity and the habitat of endangered species with outstanding universal value: the nominated place is an outstanding representative of biodiversity in two biological provinces ("China Subtropical Forest" and "South China Tropical Rainforest") in the world biogeographic system, including 5,772 species of higher plants, 836 species of vertebrates and 3,073 species of insects. Located in WWF's Global 200 Biozone, the "Southeast China-Hainan Wet Forest Ecological Zone" has an ancient flora and primitive community, which is home to nearly 400 rare and endangered species at all levels, among which more than 40 species are unique to this area and have outstanding protection value.
In addition, each nomination of Danxia in China independently meets at least two criteria. [5]
Edit this paragraph
Selection of Nomination Sites for China's Danxia Series
brief introduction
China's Danxia series nominations include the region that best represents China's Danxia landform, showing the comprehensive characteristics of China's Danxia landform and the main natural prices of Danxia landform (Jiang Lang). All the nominated sites are located in red sediments from Mesozoic to Cenozoic, which can best represent the earth science value of Danxia in China. In addition, they also include the significant differences in latitude, climate and ecosystem of Danxia in China. The nominated places of this series also include the most beautiful Danxia landscape in China, whose scientific value and aesthetic value are unmatched by any similar landform area in the world.
Reasons for choosing the nomination place
The six nominated locations of China's Danxia series are located in the subtropical humid area of China. The main reasons for choosing them are as follows:
(1) The Danxia landform in the humid areas of China (especially the Danxia landform in the southeast peak cluster-peak forest) closely combines Danshan, green forest and clear water, forming the most spectacular, charming and colorful Danxia landscape in China and even in the world. Although Chishui is located in the southwest of China, it is located in the Danxia landform area from northern Guizhou to southern Sichuan, with the largest continuous distribution area of Danxia in China. It can also represent the plateau-canyon-waterfall-forest combination of Danxia landform.
(2) The series of nominations represent the different development stages of Danxia landform evolution, and each nomination has a typical and distinct landform type in the evolution stage. These nominated sites show a comprehensive, complete and reasonable series of Danxia landforms in southeastern China.
(3) The nominated sites are all located in the nature reserve, which is the most in-depth study area of Danxia landform in China. The good conservation tradition and solid academic foundation make these nominated places an ideal area for promoting the development of science, education and tourism, and promoting the sustainable protection and utilization of natural resources.
What are its main features?
What are its main types?