Dongzhai which is one of the four main towns in Ningwu County, is an interesting place to visit. Lying 30 km away west of Ningwu, the town is nested in the mountainous area about 2000 meters above sea level, beneath the ranges of Mountain Guancen-shan and Luya-shan (管岑山 + 芦芽山）. It has eleven native villages that spread over places under the feet of lofty ranges, steep precipice, deep inside the valley or thick wood. In the past, it was a place where people flee for shelter from battles or war crisis but now it is a home that they permanently settle down from generations to generations. Dongzhai though every year suffers long period of cold climate and dry season, it is very rich in water sources, minerals and many other natural resources. It produces the country highest quality coal and supplies best pine-boards for construction sector nationwide. Dongzhai also is the main source of Fenhe （汾河）, the mother river of Shanxi, which had great influences in the civilization of the glorious San-jin Kingdom （三晋皇朝） in the history of northern China 2500 years ago.
An odd geological strange natural rock formation known as Guozhi Unique Rock （锅支奇石） is one of the 8 wonder sights in Ningwu. The rock appears as if a pot with two legs resting at the slope of the precipitous cliffs against Guancen mountain ranges. It is most incredible that this greyish rock of approximate size 3x2 meter sitting on two small square rocks measured only less than a foot, could not be slightly moved from its position with strength of 10-20 human forces, but it quivered when it was pushed. It was also checked out that the space under the rock between the two small stones was able to allow two to three persons to get through.
Chinese addressed Guozhi Unique Rock as the highest Ranking Rock as it had stead-fast positioned there for hundreds and thousands of years, through rain and shine, wind and snow. It was believed that the site was the flood water control commanding platform in the past. Another relic found at the site was the four Chinese characters (紫塞长城 - Great Wall beyond Violet Border） engraved on the flat surface of the sheer cliff in year 1512 during Ming Dynasty by a frontier pass soldier named Zhang-fengyi （张风翼）. Each character measured as big as 1.3 meter in size.
Dongzhai was also considered a strategic military point in the past. Military camp was once set here in Song Dynasty.
Natural resources cover almost 15% of Dongzhai's total land area. Further more, vast area of hilly slopes and abundant grass feed provides it an excellent raising and breeding condition for livestock industries.
The landscapes and weather prosperous the growth of fir and pine trees that produce one of the best pine-boards as building materials for the country.
Vast varieties of floral and fauna are also the assets of Dongzhai Town.
The scene of fall season in Dongzhai in early November.
Precipitous cliffs.
Fen river began from this little stream
Fenyuan （汾源） has developed into an touristic attraction.
Fenyuan about 1600 meter above sea level is the main source of Fenhe （汾河）, the mother river of Shanxi. The flow begins at the foot of Guancen-shan from the mouth of a chiseled stone dragon, one km north west of Dongzhai Town.
A resort home at Fenyuan.
Fenyuan-Linzhao refers to the pond that first collect the water from the source. It was treated as a sacred pond to the locals.
Fenhe is the 2nd largest branch of Yellow River and the largest in Shanxi Province. It is respected as mother river of the state. It starts from Dongzhai Town and continue runs through it.
The crystal clear and clean water of Fenhe flows along the scenic sights in Dongzhai and heading to the south of the State.
Scenic sights along River Fenhe.
Dongzhai has only one main street and there are quite a number of hotels and restaurants on both sides of the street.
Restaurant food grading chart like this, could be seen in most restaurants, and most restaurants offer rice noodles and fungus dishes. The Fungus produced here is incompetently superior but very expensive.
Enjoy a local delicacy rice noodle in vegetable soup, simple but taste good.
Leaving Dongzhai Town for Luya-shan.
There are many small villages at this side of China and traditionally, every village has its own arch gate.
This is the way for Wanjia-Zhai, another village at north west of China.
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