Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark

Zhejiang Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark

synonym

Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark generally refers to Zhejiang Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark

Located in the west of Xinchang County, Zhejiang Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark is composed of Anxi wangjiaping silicified wood group geological relics, Chuanyan 19feng daotuo boots scenic spot and Dafosi Shili Qianxi scenic spot, with a total area of 68.7 square kilometers. At present, 116 geological relics have been found in the park.

As a national geopark, Xinchang silicified wood park is praised by experts as "the treasure house of silicified wood, the representative of compound Danxia landform and the holographic archives of volcanic activity".

Historical evolution

In 1999, Xinchang Tourism Bureau invested a lot of money to collect the silicified wood scattered among the people, and built the wood stone forest in the Dafo temple in Xinchang. After expansion, it was transformed into a large-scale wood fossil dinosaur park.

In 2004, a large number of dinosaur fossils were found in the early Cretaceous strata of Nanyan scenic area, which were identified as the skeleton of a lizard dinosaur. It is estimated that the length of the dinosaur is about 10 meters, which once again proves that Xinchang basin was a paradise for dinosaurs in the early Cretaceous.

geographical position

Zhejiang Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark is located in the Cretaceous basin of Xinchang, the Mesozoic active belt on the southeast continental margin of China, with an area of 68.76 square kilometers, ranging from 120 ° 46 ′ 00 ″ e to 120 ° 54 ′ 10 ″ and 29 ° 19 ′ 05 ″ n to 29 ° 30 ′ 30 ″. Surrounded by Siming Mountain, Tiantai Mountain and Kuaiji mountain.

Topographical structure

The geological relics in Xinchang silicified wood National Geopark in Zhejiang Province constitute a unique natural landscape. Danxia landform, "hundred cliff Tianzhu" landform, magical silicified wood and mountain valleys constitute a landscape painting scroll of "thousands of rocks competing for beauty and thousands of valleys competing for current". In particular, the exposed Cretaceous ancient forest (silicified wood hundreds of millions of years ago) has identified six buried layers of silicified wood in the area. There are more than 300 silicified wood with a maximum diameter of 3.5m in the area of nearly 6km2, which is known as the king of silicified wood in China. The longest trunk can reach 16 meters. The burial pattern is clear and regular, or upright or reclining, or tree roots or branches, with high degree of silicification, hard stone, different shapes, and clear wood structure and growth rings, which can be called the holy land of Cretaceous sacred trees.

Silicified wood, also known as fossil wood, fossil tree, is the tree that turns into stone. Ancient trees were buried underground because of geological process (volcanic ash buried or flood sediment buried). Because they were in a closed environment and isolated from the air, the wood was not easy to decay. In the long process of geological process, the carbon in the wood was replaced by silica, and only the fiber structure and trunk shape of the wood were preserved. According to the records of Wang Ping, Prime Minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, early A large amount of silicified wood was found in Xinchang 800 years ago.

geological background

The Geopark is mainly composed of the Cretaceous Guantou formation, Chaochuan formation and Fangyan formation; the upper part of the Geopark is covered by the Pliocene basalt of different thickness, forming the basalt platform.

Around 130 million years ago, in the early Cretaceous period (Guantou formation sedimentary period), the southeast coastal area generally entered into the period of volcanic activity. The bimodal volcanic rocks composed of basalt and rhyolitic tuff were deposited in Xinchang basin. Then the climate became warm and humid, and the vegetation was luxuriant, forming wetland and forest ecological environment on the beach of the basin valley. The frequent occurrence of large-scale volcanism occurred Flood often buried the forest in the sand, forming the silicified wood with more than six layers.

Around 100 million years ago, the climate of Xinchang basin turned hot and dry in the Middle Cretaceous (Chaochuan formation sedimentation period). The occasional rainstorm often made the rivers flood and formed flood plain and river sedimentation. The long-term drying made the deposits oxidized into red, forming Chaochuan formation red bed. Then two large-scale volcanic eruptions occurred, forming two layers of Chaochuan formation tuff.

In the late Cretaceous (Fangyan formation sedimentary period) around 80 million years ago, Xinchang basin continued to maintain a hot and dry sedimentary environment. In the middle of the valley and basin, various dinosaurs were active, forming a two-layer red bed accumulation of Fangyan formation with dinosaur fossils; in the middle, a large-scale volcanic eruption occurred, forming thick volcanic tuff.

Generally speaking, the Cretaceous is a very unusual period, with four long-term and large-scale volcanic events; the climate generally changed from wet to dry, with the accumulation of a silicified lignified stone layer, three thick red beds and a dinosaur fossil layer. In the Geopark, Qifeng, Qishi and Yidong are mainly formed in two red beds and one tuff bed of Fangyan formation. The purple red glutenite constitutes a typical Danxia landform, while the thick bedded tuff develops a "hundred cliff Tianzhu" stone pillar, stone wall and stone castle landscape.

geographical distribution

Xinchang Cretaceous basin is located in the Mesozoic active belt of Southeast China continental margin. The basin has clear boundary, clear stratigraphic profile and obvious rock interface. It is a typical representative of the whole process of Cretaceous basin development and evolution in Southeast China, and has important scientific research, scientific research and popular science value. The area of the silicified wood group in the Guantou formation of the Yongkang group in the lower Cretaceous is 6 square kilometers. More than 300 silicified trees have been found, of which the height is 14 meters and the diameter is 3.5 meters.

There are 85 outcrops of silicified wood group in Xinchang Geopark, which are mainly distributed in Xiashan village of Huishan town; the foot of Fen mountain in Jingping township; Dayong, Futou and Anxi in Jingling town; wangjiaping in chengtan town; Suqin in Meizhu Town, among which Anxi wangjiaping area and Suqin area are the most and the best.

Development and utilization

In recent years, more silicified wood has been found in Xinchang County. In 2002, geologists officially named the rare species of silicified wood found in Xinchang County as "Xinchang Nanyang fir type wood" according to the name of discovery place and origin. The discovery of silicified wood in Xinchang not only provides a standard for the global comparison of Chinese fir species, but also has important scientific significance for the study of global Cretaceous paleobotany, paleoclimatology, natural disasters and the formation process of silicified wood.

Main value

The geological relics of Xinchang National Geopark are well preserved and characterized by natural records. They are the natural records of the tectonic sedimentary volcano events in the Cretaceous basin on the Chinese mainland margin. The system preserves the geological remains of the Cretaceous basin systematically, and is typical, complete and representative in many Cretaceous basins along the southeast coast. It has important protection value and scientific research. Research value and popular science tourism value.

Scenic spot evaluation

Anxi wangjiaping silicified wood scenic area is the largest and most complete preserved wood stone group buried in situ in East China. The red glutenite Danxia landform coexists with tuff landform in Chuanyan 19feng daotuo boot scenic area, which is a typical area to study its formation and evolution. Dafo Temple Shili Qianxi scenic area is the main tourist attraction of Xinchang, which is a national 4A tourist area. Some experts commented: "Xinchang Geopark is a treasure house of silicified wood, a representative of compound Danxia landform, and a holographic archive of volcanic activities."

Travel Tips

Transportation: there are many direct bus routes in the city. You can take bus or taxi.

Park Location: the park is located in the central and western part of Xinchang County, surrounded by Siming Mountain, Tiantai Mountain and Kuaiji mountain, including Dafosi Shili Qianxi scenic spot, Chuanyan 19feng daotuo boots scenic spot, wangjiaping silicified wood group scenic spot, with a total area of 68.7 square kilometers.

Food: Xiaojing peanut is a traditional famous specialty of Xinchang, which is a tribute of Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has the characteristics of sweet fragrance, oil but not greasy, crisp and refreshing, unique flavor and excellent quality. Chestnut, bamboo shoots and Yangtong are also traditional specialties of Xinchang. In particular, the chestnut here is fruitful, big and full in autumn. Yangtong in Xinchang is a deep breeding base, rich in yield. Shopping: Shaoxing has pearl tea, sufu, Daling and other specialties, as well as lace, bamboo weaving, paper fan and other crafts.

Address: West of Xinchang County, Shaoxing City

Longitude: 120.51259613037

Latitude: 29.9140625

Tel: 0575-86045070

Ticket information: no ticket required. In fact, the Geopark includes a number of scenic spots, such as Chuanyan 19 peak, Dafosi and other scenic spots, which need to pay tickets.

Chinese PinYin : Xin Chang Gui Hua Mu Guo Jia Di Zhi Gong Yuan