Chishui - ancient landforms produce great spirit

Red sandstones stand out among verdant vegetation and are carved by gushing cataracts. File photos

Good liquor is brewed where there is good water, and China's most famous white spirit Moutai is helped by the water of the Chishui River. The name means "red water" and the river runs through the north of Guizhou province.

The particular geographical form that gives rise to the river and its name is known as the danxia landform, characterized by red riverbeds fringed by steep cliffs and formed more than 200 million years ago. It looks like stacked pancakes and evokes memories of the stark landscapes in the Star Wars series.

Red earth and green vegetable blend in harmony. Trees grow out of crevices in the rocks, and falling cataracts of water carve out gullies in the red rocky slopes. There are plenty of pretty pictures so it is little wonder that Chishui was chosen by the China Photographers Association as one of their bases in 2007.

The flora is especially noteworthy, and there are many ancient plants deep in the primeval forests. It is easy to find Asophila, a kind of fern, which has populated the region since the Jurassic age. Chishui, once an inner land lake, used to be a hub for dinosaurs.

If you go

Beijing and Guangzhou have direct flights to Zunyi, Guizhou province. It will take about 5 hours on the bus from Zunyi to Chishui with a ticket at about 80 yuan ($12). There are some chain hotels in the town where a double room will cost about 200 yuan a day.