National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | National Park of China (fourth batch) |
| Province | Sichuan |
| Location | Outskirts of Xichang, Sichuan |
| Latitude, longitude | 27.8, 102.3 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Relics of ancient glaciers |
| Top sights | Glacial grooves, horns and arêtes |
| Wildlife | Laughing thrushes, pheasants, rhododendrons |
| Elevation | Qionghai 1,510 m |
| Nearby cities | Chongqing, Chengdu, Guiyang |
| Nearby sites | Mount Gongga (Minya Konka), Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang, Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha, Stone Forest of Lunan, Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan |
| Themes | Lakes, Mountains, Glacial landforms, Cities |
About
The Qionghai–Luoji scenic area lies on the outskirts of Xichang, Sichuan, seat of the Liangshan prefecture and home of the Xichang satellite launch centre, the “space city”.
It is in the fourth batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 2002.
Travel tips
Getting there: Lake Qiong lies on the southern edge of Xichang, the seat of Liangshan Prefecture, about 7 km from the city centre, with buses and taxis. Xichang Qingshan Airport and Xichang station on the Chengdu-Kunming railway are the main points of arrival, with direct trains and flights from both Chengdu and Kunming.
Lake Qiong: a road runs round the lake and can be walked or cycled, with wetland parks and bird-watching spots along the shore. Mount Lu on the far side has temples and viewpoints, reached from the lake shore.
Mount Luoji: about 30 km south-west of Xichang, with a summit of 4,359 m. The scenic area is on the mountainside, with glacial relics and glacial lakes. The routes are long, so start early.
Altitude: the altitude on Luoji is high, and a few people feel mild discomfort at the lakes. Ascend slowly.
Time: Lake Qiong and Mount Lu can be seen in a day. Luoji needs a day of its own, so allow two to three days for both.
Season: winters in Xichang are sunny and warm, and many people come to escape the cold. Summer is the rainy season, and landslides can affect roads.
Where to stay: most people stay in Xichang city or by the lake, and there are some guesthouses at the foot of Luoji.
Nearby: the Xichang Satellite Launch Center is close to the city and provides some background to the region.
Qionghai Lake
Qionghai lies south of the city at the foot of Lushan and Luoji, hills on three sides and the city on the fourth, 7 km from the centre, 31 km², the second largest freshwater lake in Sichuan.
Mount Luoji
Mount Luoji, 30 km south-west of the city, spans Xichang, Dechang and Puge; its main peak, Ye’e’eyu, is 4,359 m. It is named for its resemblance to the spiral chignon (luoji) of an ancient maiden.
The area covers 1,160 km² and is rich in Quaternary glacial relics: arêtes, cirques, thresholds, moraine lakes, glacial grooves and striations. It has 52 glacial lakes, concentrated in the armchair cirques on the west side of the ridge, such as Pearl, Five-Colour, Diecui and Sisters lakes; other features are a glacial groove 30 m long, 3 m wide and 2 m deep and knife-edge arêtes between horns.
The mountain also has old temples and Buddhist inscriptions.