23 november 2016

Te Red Beach (红海滩, Hóng hǎitān) is located in Panjin (盘锦), a city of Liaoning province (辽宁), in the wetland of the Liao River’s delta (辽). After hearing its name for the first time, it is rather unlikely that people won’t ask what it is named after. Is the sand on that beach red? Or are the stones red instead? Actually, this site is not the type of beach we are used to, but a wetland emerged from the union of vast extensions of Suaeda glauca, a plant commonly known as jianpeng (碱蓬草, Jiǎnpéngcǎo). This type of water bush is hardy. In spring, its colour is rosy, in summer, scarlet, and in autumn, fire red. When observing it from far, it gives the impression you are staring at a red ocean. That is why its name is ‘Red Beach’.

It is still something unknown, when it was created. Nonetheless, this place is considered to be a natural wonder. The Red Beach is intact and it is a site full of wetland resources, as well as the biggest reedbed wetland. It is a perfect combination of natural environment and civilisation. It is also a very appreciated site in China and it has been awarded the title of State Nature Reserve.

The marvellous Red Beach’s natural horizon, its rice fields, its reed sea and its beautiful, rare birds need each other to survive. It is the ideal atmosphere in which every creation’s living being returns to nature. Here there are 30 types of protected birds, like the red-crowned crane or the swan. Visitors can see closely these nationally appreciated and protected rare species, observe their habits and verify their talent. The Red Beach becomes a beautiful habitat for these lovely creatures, the same way the  jianpeng plant offers them tender shoots and seeds. Therefore, visitors can sometimes hear the resounding and moving singing that the ‘Divinity of the wetland’ or red-crowned crane sings after eating, just like if it was saying thank you to the nature and the jianpeng plant. Three thousand years ago in the Shijing  (诗经) it was described the following scene: ‘In the high riverbank you can hear the cranes growling and reaching the sky’ (鹤鸣九皋，声闻于天, Hè míng jiǔ gāo, shēng wén yú tiān). In addition to being a beautiful natural territory with multiple resources, the environment is also very refined.

A wooden and ancient platform lays over the marshy surface of the Red Beach. This so-called ‘nine-bends bridge’ (九曲廊桥, Jiǔ qū láng qiáo) is made with 519 planks established over the water, which total surface is more than 2000 m2, and creates a great visual effect. Likewise, the Jieguanting (接官厅) was built. It is a traditional building constructed to commemorate Yuan Chonghuan (袁崇焕, 1584-1630), a historical and heroic general. Thus, the site became unavoidably historical.

The Red Beach outstands for its dramatically beautiful landscape, a masterpiece of nature. Verandas, bridges, summerhouses, rare birds and the beach of an epicontinental sea converge in a view that resembles an ink painting that often and in every way embodies the spiritual connotation of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Every year, between August and October, the place reaches its maximum beauty and its visitors can fully experience the beauty of nature, which is reached by understanding the perfect union between man and the natural world. The Red Beach is red, as well as its charm, its touching spirit, the type of red that allows a man to daydream and sink into meditation. The jianpeng plant is also red, like the blue sky, the clouds, the water birds, and thus, everything has a vast meaning. 

Reportaje de Li Ning (李宁)