In the Warm Spring of March, Chengdu Ulupure's Spring Outing Activity—a Trek Through Yinchanggou Valley and Jiufeng Mountain—was Held

From March 10th to 12th, 2006, employees of the Chengdu Ulupure Sales Department and Biotechnology Department of our company's West China Operations Center, led by General Manager Liu and Acting General Manager, participated in an outdoor spring outing, hiking through Jiufeng Mountain to Yinchanggou, challenging themselves. These warm spring days belong to the fields and countryside. At the same time last year, Chengdu Ulupure employees, led by General Manager Zhan, hiked through Yinghua Mountain to Yinchanggou. Everyone exclaimed that it wasn't enough, so they proposed that this year's spring outing be a hike through Jiufeng Mountain to Yinchanggou to fulfill everyone's "wish."

On the afternoon of March 10th at 5:30 PM, all company employees and some of their family members departed from Chengdu by bus. After approximately 3 hours of driving, they arrived at the foot of Jiufeng Mountain at 8:20 PM as planned. Our group of several dozen people spent the night at a farmhouse inn, enjoying a lively meal together—a kind of farm-style meal rarely found in the city. Afterwards, everyone rested early to prepare for the trek the next day. The next morning, everyone got up early, full of enthusiasm and energy; no one wanted to be a "lazybones," and remarkably, three of them were children, only a few years old.

The trek began at the farmhouse inn. We split into two groups, the front group led by General Manager Liu and the rear group by General Manager Dai. We walked along a main road towards Jiufeng Mountain. Not far along, after passing through a cluster of farmhouses, the main road disappeared. The path became stone steps, winding upwards, and then we trekked through a dense, impenetrable fir forest, gradually enveloped by the scent of the primeval forest. Soon, we arrived at the gate of a temple, a somewhat dilapidated gate with a large plaque hanging above it—Qingliang Temple. Flanked by slightly dilapidated stone lions, we walked towards the main hall and saw several monks and laywomen in the side rooms. Some were taking photos at Qingliang Temple, while others rested – a bustling scene indeed.

About 15 minutes later, we continued our ascent. The mountain path grew steeper and steeper, the road conditions worsening. Reaching a higher point, we looked back and saw the temple, hidden in the forest below, its tip peeking out, shrouded in mist, serene and tranquil, exuding a unique charm – a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Everyone enjoyed the wonderful feeling of returning to nature, reveling in the mountain scenery.

With a spirit of perseverance and fearlessness, we pushed forward, overcoming our physical limits, and finally reached the highest point of our Jiufeng Mountain trek – the "Ancestor Hall" at an altitude of over 2300 meters – at noon. The "Ancestor's Hall" consists of a large hall, its exterior covered with a thick layer of snow. Inside, only an elderly woman, well over seventy, lived. Upon seeing us, she kept saying, "You've all worked hard, come and sit down, have some water!" It truly felt like coming home; our physical fatigue had long since vanished. Panting, we gazed at the beautiful scenery below, enjoying the joy brought by the beauty of nature, our hearts filled with boundless pride. Excited smiles radiated from our faces, as if we had returned to the innocence of childhood, chasing each other and even having a snowball fight.

After resting for about half an hour, we began our descent towards Yinchanggou. Behind us, we heard the old woman's voice again: "Everyone, walk slowly, be careful going downhill!" We were truly moved at that moment. Although the path downhill was just as rugged as the path uphill, it was clearly much easier for everyone. Before long, we arrived at the "Sending-a-Child Temple" halfway up the mountain. We ate a vegetarian meal together. I don't know if it was because the rice cooked with mountain spring water was especially fragrant, or because I was a little hungry after hiking for so long, but everyone ate the simple meal with great relish.

Around 3 pm, we successfully completed our trek and arrived at the Yinchanggou Scenic Area. We chose a farmhouse with a beautiful environment as our campsite. In the afternoon, we continued our visit to the "Little Dragon Pool" within the Yinchanggou Scenic Area. Outside the pool, huge rocks were piled up, and dense trees provided ample shade. Looking from afar, a silver waterfall cascaded down from the opening of the "Heavenly Well," as if spewing from the mouth of a giant dragon. Although it lacked the magnificent grandeur of Lushan Waterfall's "a waterfall plunging three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way were falling from the ninth heaven," and didn't possess the dignified elegance of a noble lady, it was like a charming, delicate young woman, full of ethereal beauty—truly breathtaking.

On the morning of March 12th, snowflakes began to fall, adding to the joy for my colleagues who rarely see snow. We proceeded as planned, continuing our tour of the Yinchanggou Scenic Area. First was "Dalongtan" (Great Dragon Pool), its waters a vibrant green, crystal clear, like a gleaming mirror. The reflections of giant rocks and trees shimmered in its waters, resembling a treasure basin or a reclining dragon. Three sides of the pool were surrounded by towering mountains, sheer cliffs, deep and tranquil.

We walked along the cliff face at the bottom of the ravine, using plank roads and suspension bridges. Huge rocks of various shapes lined the path, and every step revealed a new vista. We were walking through a masterpiece of nature's artistry, looking up at the seemingly endless, towering cliffs. The deeper we explored into the ravine and into the mountains, the more shrouded in mist, like a paradise on earth. At the bottom of the canyon, massive rocks piled up, and torrents crashed against them, roaring and surging. The wooden plank roads in the valley were rugged and steep; sometimes we waded through the water, sometimes climbed ladders over ridges, sometimes scrambled across cliffs with ropes, and sometimes crossed single-plank bridges.

After crossing the Tongtian Bridge and leaving the path at the bottom of the valley, the mountain road to Cangxia Pavilion began. Truly, the Shu Road is difficult, more difficult than ascending to heaven! While the snow had draped the scenic area in a silvery white, making it exceptionally enchanting, it also significantly increased the difficulty of our climb to Cangxia Pavilion. The higher we climbed, the thicker the snow became. Ultimately, everyone persevered and reached the nearly 2000-meter-high Cangxia Pavilion. Looking out, everything was a vast expanse of white. Breathing deeply, the feeling of being close to the mountains, the water, and nature overwhelmed us. Every inch of our skin stirred with excitement, and even our pores seemed to revel in the sensation—a truly exhilarating feeling. From the inside out, it felt as if our entire being had been cleansed, leaving us refreshed and invigorated. My colleagues and I continued our fun, building snowmen and having snowball fights—a lively and energetic scene as we enjoyed a rare moment of relaxation.

At 4:30 PM, everyone reluctantly left Yinchanggou Scenic Area, arriving in Chengdu around 7 PM. This hiking trip allowed everyone to fully enjoy and experience the fun of outdoor life, while also strengthening their will and making them feel the power of the group and team. Everyone felt that the trip was worthwhile.