Magic mountain

The Ghost City in Fengdu is a combination of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and even Hindu influences. [Photo by Bidisha Bagchi for Shanghai Star]

Ming Mountain is home to Ghost City, a spiritual place with links to several religions and a 2000-year-old history. Bidisha Bagchi visits.

The original county of Fengdu (豐都), part of Chongqing municipality, lies under the waters of the Yangtze River. What we got to see was the new city that was constructed for the people of the region after the Three Gorges Dam was built.

Fengdu is well known for its two prime attractions - the Snow Jade Cave and the Ghost City.

Xue Yu Dong, otherwise known as the Snow Jade Cave, is one of the most beautiful places in China. The cave has the most strange and unusual rock, stalagmite and stalactite formations. The interiors of the multi-level cave are cool and the roof and walls are huge and rocky. There are pathways with railings on which visitors tread carefully to see the cave and its rocky treasures, some unique formations, some pretty waterfalls and a couple of gleaming pools. Most of the formations are white in color, hence the name, Snow Jade. The rocks are interestingly named - waterfall, penguin and coral tower to name a few.