FLOWERED MOUNTAIN

This tiny village of a few hundred souls is situated in the heart of a fabulous karst landscape. La Montagne Fleurie, or Huashan, is the site that attracts the most tourists in the south of Guangxi. You are advised to go there when it is beautiful (light will help you better collect the frescoes). If you have the possibility to purchase binoculars, do not hesitate.

From Pingxiang: We recommend you take a bus to the village of Ningming. Once you arrive in Ningming, take the boat at the port of Tuolongqiao (about 1 hour and a half). By private boat, 80 RMB per person. Let us prefer ship companies: 35 RMB per person.

From Nanning: buses leave early in the morning and take you to Ningming. From here take the boat to go to the Mountain Fleurie.

Accommodation. The village of Panlong has a small and comfortable hotel (Tel: (0771) 8628195, about 150 RMB at night). You can sleep in the traditional wooden houses of the Dong, Miao and Zhuang minorities.

The mural frescoes are worth a visit. This enormous pyramid limestone is located on the east bank of the Mingjiang River. The cliff has magnificent frescoes for several hundred metres. The paintings span 125 m wide and close to 44 m high! The red paint that dominates the cliff has not lost its vitality. It seems, however, that it is more than 2 000 years old, but it does not seem to change over time. Scientists studied the substance, they would have to be red (mineral) hematite. On these magnificent frescoes, the visitor can distinguish about 1 300 figures. Most of them are active human beings (dancing, jumping, or an animal), some with objects like shields or knives.

Legend. The precise date of these paintings remains a mystery to historians. However, a legend Zhuang tells that a young man from the Zhuang minority would have wanted to rebel against the king of the time. He began drawing on sheets of paper from soldiers and horses. The story wanted once in a safe, the drawings turn into a real army after 100 days. Only on the 99 ^{th day, the young man's mother opened the chest in which the drawings were hidden. When the woman saw the sheets of paper, it was too late and they flew away. The drawings were drawn by the cliff and remained stuck on the walls of this mountain. Later, these drawings would have become the frescoes that can now be seen on the site. If one refers to legend, it would appear that the paintings were performed between 770 and 476 BC.}

How could the frescoes be painted? The walls of the limestone mountain are difficult to reach. His ascent is dangerous or almost impossible. Historians therefore questioned how the artists of the time were able to paint on the rock. Several theories clash with each other. Some think that the men at the time had designed a bamboo scaffolding (very resistant material) to access the most difficult parts. Others believe that the level of water should vary more. Thus, according to floods and assèchement, some parties were more feasible. But these two theories were very quickly refuted. Historians today think that painters would have served small wooden planks set in the wall (there would remain traces). These small boards would have created some sort of staircase that would have facilitated access to less practicable areas. This theory seems to be the most likely for experts.

The contents of the frescoes. The frescoes are about 1 300 characters varying between 50 cm and 3,50 m. No one knows what the use and the recipient of these works were. Several theories still fight the origin of these frescoes. Some think it would be a work to pay tribute to the god of water. Others think that these drawings might serve to inspire warriors before they go to battle. At the moment, no conclusion could be reached. The frescoes represent several series of episodes. The first represents a procession of warriors, the second shows the selection of combatants, and then breaks different scenes of war. At the end, we can see an episode describing young women dancing in the face of warriors'triumph. During your trip, you will also discover representations of dogs, drums and weapons.