Taibai County - A Slow City in the Western Region

Taibai County, the slow city in the western region, is located in the west of Shaanxi Province, southeast to Baoji City and hinterland of the Qinling Mountains. It gets its name from Taibai Mountain, the main peak of the Qinling Mountains. With an average elevation of 1000 meters and 1543 meters in the county, there is long winter without summer, so the spring is followed by autumn, its temperature averaging 7.7℃ all year around and 19℃ when the rest of Shaanxi is summer. As a result, it is the only summer resort, green garden and sports base in central Shaanxi area, acclaimed as “Shangri-La in Qinling Mountains”, or “the abode of the immortals”.

Taibai is a uniquely characteristic and legendarily beautiful place, which can be depicted in the following four aspects:

The highest city: The elevation ranges between 740 and 3771, and that of the county town is 1,543 meters, the highest in the Province. The two high peaks Taibai Mountain and Aoshan Mountain of the Qinling Mountains Range are both situated within Taibai County.

The greenest city: Forestry area in Taibai County covers 3.9 million mu, with a green coverage of 95% and forestry coverage of 91.96%, the ecologically best area in the same latitude. It is also the most suitable place for growing organic agricultural products, providing vegetables to the rest of Shaanxi Province.

The coolest city: “Snow covering Taibai in June” is one of the famous eight sights in central Shaanxi. There is long winter without summer, so the spring is followed by autumn, the temperature averaging 7.7℃ all year around and 19℃ when the rest of Shaanxi is summer. It is in name and in fact a naturally conditioned city that is best for winter snow tours and summer resorts.

The most spectacular city: Taibai County, located at the national watershed of the north and the south and crossing both the Yangtse River and the Yellow River, is characterized with both the styles of central Shaanxi and Sichuan. The ancient Baoxie Road, with a history of more than 2,000 years, crosses Taibai, providing the smoothest road for crossing the Qinling Mountains. Taibai County is also rich in natural resources: there are over 30 kinds of proven minerals, 59 rivers with an area surpassing 100, 000m2, 57 kinds of rare wild lives and over 1,700 kings of rare plants. The “four jewels in the Qinling Mountains”, including giant panda, golden monkey, takin and crested ibis, live there.

The so-called “Four Most City”, with its sound ecology, climate, organic vegetables and beautiful sceneries, is a unique summer resort, organic plants park and sports base in central Shaanxi. What is also special about Taibai is that two thirds of its territory are natural preserves and water conservation areas, responsible for ecological and water safety in Shaanxi Province.

“Summer Festival, Snow Area Vegetable Fair and Investment Meeting”, having been successfully held for six sessions, is an annually important activity that is held every year during July and August. It attracts tourists from home and abroad to walk into Taibai County to enjoy the fresh air, delicious food and the coolest in the midst of the Taibai Mountain.

In recent years, Taibai County has insisted on the strategy of “developing the ecology and enriching the people”, which has generated great achievements. The “Taibai Experience” or “Taibai Model” has been set up as an example for the development in all other provinces and counties.