Treasured legacy worth protecting

Work ensures Bingling grottoes continue to shine for future generations, Cheng Yuezhu and Ma Jingna report in Linxia, Gansu.

For those traveling to the venerable Bingling Temple Grottoes, the journey itself is an experience. The temple is in Yongjing county, Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, just beside the Liujiaxia Reservoir on the upper reaches of the Yellow River.

The recommended way to reach the temple is to take a shuttle boat from one of the reservoir's piers, which allows visitors to see the natural spectacle of the clear green water of the Yellow River merging with the yellow murk of the Tao River.

As the boats draw near, the mountains on either side close in, revealing a red sandstone Danxia landscape. Because of the varied shapes of their peaks, the mountains are referred to as a "stone forest" and have inspired people to imagine them as characters with their own stories.