From Earth Street Liuzai to Baishi Mountain World Geopark: The Most Magnificent Sculpture Exhibition on Earth

Hidden within the 800-li Taihang Mountains is a mystical mountain that seems to "glow." This group of peaks made of pure white marble resembles geometric sculptures casually placed by giants, reflecting a silvery sheen under the sunlight. Everyone says it holds a "geological secret": 1.4 billion years ago, this was still an ocean. As the crust uplifted, it became an "undersea reef," then was polished by glaciers and sculpted by wind and rain, eventually forming today's 1,520-meter-high marble "sky gallery." Even the popular science magazine China National Geography praises it as "China's most beautiful marble peak forest." When I reached the glass walkway at the top of Baishi Mountain, my trekking pole suddenly vibrated strangely—it turned out that beneath my feet was a 300-meter-thick "suspended" marble layer! Standing on a cliff at 1,900 meters above sea level, eagles circled below, and clouds were within reach. The most amazing feature is the "Twin Hero Stones," two vertical stone peaks standing at a 90-degree angle, only 5 meters apart but never touching, like giants frozen in time. Geologists say the peak forest here holds the "four generations under one roof" code: the light red granite is the oldest, followed by white marble, and the top is covered with limestone and shale. Occasionally, you can encounter peculiar "ripple stones" in the mountains—those wave-shaped patterns are signatures left by seawater 1.4 billion years ago. When visiting Baishi Mountain, be sure to try the "Cloud Café," where you can sit on the cliff edge at 1,600 meters elevation, sipping hand-brewed coffee with a deep abyss below and a rolling sea of clouds ahead. If you're lucky to catch a clear sky after rain, you might witness the "Buddha's Light" phenomenon—sunlight casting your shadow on the sea of clouds, surrounded by a rainbow-like halo. Tips: 1. The west gate of the park is gentler, while the east gate has many steep slopes; it is recommended to enter from the west gate if you have elderly or children. 2. The sea of clouds is most spectacular from September to October each year. 3. Shoe covers provided by the park are required on the glass walkway. The moment sunlight pierces through the peak forest, the entire mountain looks like a lit white marble screen—this is probably the creator’s proudest piece of installation art.