Posted 2016/7/8
Houping Giant Doline is situated at Houping Town, 88 kilometers (55 miles) from Wulong County. It is the first tiankeng cluster type of erosion discovered in the world.
A tiankeng refers to a karst doline or sinkhole, measuring at least 100 meters (328 feet) in depth and in diameter. Based on the cause of formation, tiankengs can be divided into two types: collapsed tiankengs and eroded tiankengs. Collapsed tiankengs are common, while eroded tiankengs are quite rare. The Houping Tiankeng cluster is the finest example of an eroded tiankeng.
The Houping Tiankeng developed in the soluble limestone of Ordovician Period. It is an integrated karst ecosystem, consisting of gorges, dolines, shafts and underground caves, which demonstrate the various stages of the evolution of karst terrain.
Covering a total area of 150,000 sq meters (179,398 sq yards), the Houping Tiankeng is mainly composed of five smaller tiankengs. Located in a primitive forest, the five tiankengs well preserve the features of karst landforms. The cylindrical tiankengs are huge, measuring about 300 meters (984 feet) both in diameter and depth. At the bottom of tiankengs, there are spacious underground caves, in which larger tiankengs hide. Among the five tiankengs, Qingkou Tiankeng is the most typical one. It has integrated morphologic features, providing strong evidence of geological evolution. The pithead takes an oblong shape, and has a depth of about 300 meters (984 feet). From an overview from the pithead, the tiankeng seems to be boundless and beyond measurement. From a view from the bottom of the tiankeng, the steep walls extend to the vault of heaven. The floating white clouds and azure sky make visitors they have escaped from earthly triviality.
The Houping Tiankeng cluster, endowed with so many wonders by nature, is not only a tourist draw, but also an ideal place for scientific study of the geological evolution. Explorers from both at home and abroad have been drawn here.
