Tengchong has come to my mind time and again, but the travel is always laid aside for no apparent reason. The wish of “braving the hot fire and water in Tengchong” was finally fulfilled before the advent of the high summer and the local rain season. Tengchong is a magical place for me, because some “comment senses” go wrong here, like “the rock will sink into the sea”, here the stone can float on water in Tengchong; it’s commonly known that “water is compatible with fire”, but such compatibility is seen in Tengchong. What’s more amazing, “a rock can transform into a column without being engraved”, and “a chopstick inserted randomly can burgeon forth and blossom”.
Escaping the heat instead of living as a recluse in Black Fish River
I don’t intend to see the volcano or Rehai Geothermal Field, or maybe they can attract me only in winter. Rather, I would like to visit Black Fish River, the shooting place for Swordsmen. It was formed when the lava flow blocked the underground river after volcanic eruption in Tengchong, and diverted the water out onto the surface. The river is named “black fish” because millions of small black fishes spring forth in every spring and autumn from the two water outlets of the 1,400m3/second giant fountain.
Black Fish River, a small river hidden in Tengchong Courier station, Yunnan, remained unknown before the production of Swordsman. After the film was shown, it gained an unrivalled reputation. The river water is crystal-clear, the green grass sways back and forth with the wave, luring one to have a good swim in it.
Baked black fish
We got into the Heiyuhe valley from an inconspicuous entrance. After walking for about 3km, we saw the local villagers putting up stalls by the roadsides to sell some snacks or render BBQ. We came just in time, for the black fishes specially turned out in Black Fish River just came into season, and were turned into either a main dish of the locals or a featured item of the BBQ stalls.
We followed the gurgle of water, and finally met a patch of green grass and a clear spring, which were one part of Black Fish River. Its first section showed no great impetus, but flowed relatively quietly or even bashfully, just like what was depicted in the film. By sharp contrast to the movie scenes, the riverbanks were strewn with stalls set up by the villagers, which could enable to passersby to enjoy the cool. They did not, however, affect our mood of sightseeing, on the contrary, the presence of villagers brought more dynamics and liveliness to the river. Some grannies wash fruits at the riverside, and even put the fruits, vegetables in the middle of the river course, apparently treating it as “a natural refrigerator”. The clear river water, swaying aquatic plant, together with the colorful fruits, form an eye-catching picture. A large number of monkeys hid on the riverside trees, and watched for their chance to plunge down the branches to snatch the fruits for food. This aroused great interest among the visitors, and some of them bought some fruits to tempt the little animals. When they screeched merrily and grabbed, ate their trophies triumphantly, the visitors waiting under the trees picked up the camera.
As we walk to the depth along the riverside, the water flow increases, and the river course is split by some rocks and stone bridge into several giant springs that rumble forth. This view plus the sunlight shed down through the dense shade make us feel like walking in a primeval forest. The sceneries vary greatly in the short distance of merely hundreds of meters from the river course to the "forest".
Indeed, Black Fish River has no “great beauty” of Jiuzhaigou, but does boast the disposition of Tang Wei (a Chinese actress) - the constant peace of mind, which can be perceived by just a glimpse. It’s an ideal place for retiring from the world, no wonder Director Peter Ho-sun Chan arranged a master of martial arts to “live in seclusion” here. It’s impractical for us tourists to “live as a hermit” but we can avoid the summer heat here. Watching the limpid water, clear green grasses, one may feel having been filtered and purified, and becoming flawless.
Willingly “braving the hot fire and water” in Rehai
Actually, the Black Fish River is now one attraction of “volcanoes national geological park”, which can be accessed after dropping in on Beihai Wetland on the way driving from Black Fish River to the county.
It’s known to all that the “boiling pot” in Rehai, Tengchong enjoys a global popularity, then the local geothermal resources must be extraordinary. You are right, Rehai in Tengchong is today a breathing “volcano”, and the hot spring is running constantly below our feet.
The local people all say that “nine out of ten mountains in Tengyue (past name of Tengchong) Prefecture are headless”. They are headless because most high mountains in Tengchong are pot-like Neozoic volcanoes. You can climb the big or small mountains, do some hiking, watch the scenery, and buy some volcanic stones as souvenir when you leave. It is said that the local stones can float on instead of sink into the water. These volcanic stones can not only decorate the house as an art work, but also used in body bath or foot bath for physical therapy.
Going abroad through Sichuan-India road is easier than going to the provincial capital
This Sichuan-Indian road sounds no special, but it has a “great background”, forit served as a business and trade path for the civilians and the southwest silk road in ancient China.
A local tour guide proudly tells us that the road we are walking on is a passageway for civil business and trade connecting Southwest China to Myanmar and India, which was opened by local people more than 2000 years ago. It is said that when Zhang Qian was sent on a diplomatic mission, he saw some goods from Sichuan, and suspected about the existence of such a passageway. Emperor Wu of Western Han ordered 4 secret investigations on this road, but they were all frustrated by the local residents. More than 2000 years ago, some goods from the Central Plains were exported to Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan etc. through Tengchong, invisibly making the county the first trading port. The foreign trade history of Guangzhou (hotels) indicates that, Tengchong outperformed Guangzhou in that more British commodities were imported through the southwest county than through Guagzhou, the only trading port officially opened by the Qing administration. In Tengchong, the British set up a consulate as early as the 19th century, and Qing government established “Tengchong branch of Kunming (hotel) Customs” in 1902. “We just go abroad sometimes, but seldom go to the provincial capital”, said the locals modestly. Indeed, through the border town of Tengchong, it’s easier to go abroad than to go to the provincial capital.