Mang River

Water gushes out from a cave at the source of the Mang River. Clear as jasper, the current surges forward just like a giant python, winding along the mountain strata without cease all year round. The water is crystal clear and transparent. The cave is no more than two metres deep and three metres wide, with a water discharge ranging from 0.3 to 0.8 cubic metres per second.

The upper stratum at the river outlet consists of thick-bedded dolomite of the Ordovician System. After long-term groundwater erosion over geological ages, this stratum has become water-rich yet unevenly permeable. Even the muddy limestone within the Ordovician strata has water permeability. To make it easier to understand, the formation works like a filter in a water dispenser — only far more complex. The water seeps down through thousands upon thousands of rock layers until it is blocked by quartz sandstone of the Middle Proterozoic Group, interbedded rock and shale of the Cambrian System. The downward infiltration is halted, and the rainwater filtered through the Ordovician layers is trapped. The collected water flows toward low-lying terrain and finally converges into the perennial Mang River source. Having undergone countless layers of natural filtration, the spring water is rich in trace elements beneficial to human health. Visitors may taste the pure natural mineral spring water free of charge. Although seasonal changes bring minor fluctuations in water volume, the spring has never dried up since ancient times.

Formerly the Mang River Nature Reserve of Shanxi Province, this protected area was founded in 1983. With the approval of the State Council in 1998, it was upgraded to a national nature reserve. It is a forest and wildlife reserve focusing on the protection of rhesus macaques and subtropical vegetation.

The reserve sits 30 kilometres southeast of Yangcheng County right on the border between Shanxi and Henan Provinces. Geographic coordinates: Longitude 112°22′10″–112°31′35″ East, Latitude 35°12′50″–35°17′20″ North. It stretches to Sanpan Mountain in the east, Huayuan Ridge in the north and the provincial boundary in the south, covering a total area of 5,573 hectares, including 4,594 hectares of forest land with a vegetation coverage rate exceeding 82%.

The terrain here is rugged with crisscross gullies. The highest peak, Zhizhu Mountain, stands at 1,572.6 metres above sea level, while the lowest point in Guaizhuang Valley is only 300 metres, creating a relative elevation difference of 1,272.6 metres. Surrounded by mountains, the central area forms a valley with four major ravines: Houda River Valley, Yangzhuang River Valley, Nanhe River Valley and the Mang River Valley of Guaizhuang.

Located on the fringe of the Southeast Asian monsoon zone, the reserve enjoys four distinct seasons and abundant sunlight and heat resources. The annual average temperature is 14℃, the frost-free period lasts 180 to 240 days, and annual precipitation ranges from 600 to 800 millimetres. Two major rivers, the Houda River and the Hongshui River, converge at Huanglong Temple to form the Mang River. The river runs 30 kilometres and flows into the Yellow River through Henan Province. The water cave at the source of the Houda River yields 9.33 million cubic metres of water each year. The pure spring water contains trace elements such as silicon and strontium, ranking it among top-grade natural mineral water.

Known as "Shanxi’s treasure trove of plant resources", the reserve is home to 882 species of seed plants, including 8 species under national Class I and Class II protection such as southern Chinese yew and Katsura tree. There are 285 species of wild animals: 214 bird species, 43 mammal species and 28 amphibian and reptile species. Three species fall under national Class I key protection, and another 28 are listed as Class II protected wildlife. The rhesus macaque, the flagship protected species, lives at the northernmost natural geographical boundary of its distribution in China, with 8 troops totalling more than 680 individuals.

The reserve is divided into three functional zones: the core zone (3,397.5 hectares, accounting for 61.0% of the total area), the buffer zone (419.2 hectares, 7.5%) and the experimental zone (1,756.3 hectares, 31.5%).

Within the reserve lie 2 towns, 5 village committees and 27 natural villages with a permanent population of 2,087. The cultivated land covers 2,070 mu. The labour force totals nearly 1,000 people. Major crops include wheat, millet, corn and tubers, with an annual grain output of 120,000 to 130,000 jin. Local income mainly comes from grain cultivation, fresh and dried fruits and dogwood, with a per capita annual income exceeding 3,000 yuan.

The Administration Bureau has 16 on-the-job staff members, with four offices and four management stations plus a police station: General Office, Research Office, Resources Office, Finance Office; Four ranger stations: Mang River, Dongshan, Shupigou and Suolong; Mang River Reserve Police Station.

Phase I and Phase II infrastructure projects for the national nature reserve have been completed with fully equipped facilities, steadily improving working and living conditions for all staff.

A full-coverage video fire monitoring system and joint prevention network have been established across the whole reserve, alongside 25 sets of management regulations. The GPS patrol system for rangers and monthly inspection protocols have been fully implemented. No fire alarms or wildfires have broken out since the bureau was founded.

Scientists have finished baseline resource surveys and built two ecological monitoring stations, publishing more than 20 academic papers. Thanks to supplementary artificial feeding and protection, the macaque population has risen from 150 to over 680.

For eco-tourism development, the bureau has entered substantial cooperation with Mang River Eco-tourism Development Co., Ltd. under the model of government guidance, joint development and market-oriented operation. Phase I projects including tourist highway, parking lots, hiking trails, reception centre and environmental renovation have been completed, and the scenic area is officially open to visitors.

For six consecutive years, the Mang River Reserve has been awarded the title of "Municipal Civilized Unit" by Jincheng Civilization Committee. It has also been honoured as an "Advanced Unit for Juvenile Ecological Ethics Education" by China Wildlife Conservation Association and a "Provincial Patriotic Education Base" designated by the CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee and the Shanxi Provincial People’s Government.

Today the reserve has become an important base for bioscience research and sustainable natural resource exploration, as well as an ideal venue for field teaching, scientific research and sightseeing