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The caterpillar of the Tawny Rajah
butterfly looks like a dragon.(Photo Source: China Daily/Zhang
Chenliang)
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BEIJING,
July 23 -- There are few cities in China that can boast of an enormous outdoor
nature museum smack in the center of the city, home to a stunning range of
beautiful butterflies, beetles and crickets - and also a scorpion, sans sting.
These winged wonders and pet-like crawlies are some
of the best kept secrets of the 400-m Zijin, or Purple Gold, Mountain, covering
an area of 20 sq km, in the city of Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
This mountain is my favorite getaway to escape the
hustle and bustle of city life.
I like to stroll on the route from White Horse Park,
winding along the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) city wall, leading up to Meiling
Palace and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.
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The mountain's well-preserved
environment makes it a perfect butterfly habitat.(Photo Source: China
Daily)
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Gallery>>> |
On the way, you can see the Chinese Luehdorfia, a butterfly species that can be
found only in Nanjing. The pretty yellow-and-black patterns on its wings look
like tiger stripes, explaining its Chinese name, tiger butterfly. These
beautiful creatures have been witness to the ups and downs in the life of the
mountain and the city.
Zijin Mountain has been wracked by warfare over the
past century. The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), in
particular, effectively destroyed the vegetation, turning it into a barren
mountain, and threatening the very existence of its delicate butterfly
population.
But 60 years of restoration, since the founding of
New China in 1949, has saved this butterfly habitat. In March, visitors can see
several dozen tiger butterflies fluttering along the mountain trail leading up
to Meiling Palace.
Built in 1931, this three-story building is a fine
example of traditional Chinese architecture, with its red pillars, flying eaves
and exquisite stone carvings. The former residence of Kuomintang leader Chiang
Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling may no longer have its former grandeur, but
the exhibits on display hint at the glory of days gone by.
Nestled in the depths of the forests, the palace sees few visitors barring the dragon swallowtail, attracted by the lush vegetation surrounding the building. Sporting two thin and long white wings, dotted with black and red spots, it is one of the most beautiful butterflies I've seen.
