NHK World Heritage 100 Series

Narration Text

The altitude can reach around 3,000 meters here. This local farmer’s family has been in this area close to the beautiful Huanglong (or Yellow Dragon) for many generations. The mountains are the Minshau Mountain Range with an altitude of around 5,000 meters.

A yellow dragon is lying along the gully. This dragon has many scales. Each scale has different colours and pile up like rice terraces. Locals have always believed that this is where God lives. Dragon "scales" was created by over 10,000 years of deposit from calcite-rich water running from the mountains. Calcite banks are being created here. Fallen leaves and small branches are being solidified with the calcite deposit from the water. Over time, calcite banks are created and become a part of Dragon scales. These seemingly all-finished banks are growing at a rate of 2 to 3 millimetres a year. These ponds are known as Five Coloured ponds. Although they are all connected, they are in different colours; green, yellow and blue. This pond is partially white. And there is even a black pond.

The whole family joins celebrations on the Huanglong God Festival day. This is Huanglong temple at the foot of Five Coloured ponds. A Taoist temple that was built 400 years ago and enshrines Huanglong God. The King of Huanglong is enshrined at the centre of the temple. The King has humanized the God of Huanglong which has been worshipped in this region for a long time. Water in Huanglong cave located just below the temple helps with many different kinds of sickness; from eye-disease to for heart disease. It is seen as a blessing. After the celebration, there are songs as the water runs from Huanglong pools.