User:Chinalandscapes

Yearning Valley locates in Yibin, Sichuan Province. Although it’s not very famous in most sites of China trip, there is a moving story about this place that many people have heard of.

According to legend, there was a black dragon living in the Black Dragon Lake, who could control the rain and wind. It created dust bowl and flood in the valley, which caused soil and water loss so the valley became a desolate place with all rocks and no plants. It is said that there was a family living in the valley, and the daughter was a flawless beauty with numerous pursuers, but she was waiting for a brave and perseverant warrior. One day, a strong young man came to her, who was called Tiger man with highly skill in wushu(a king of Kung Fu), won the heart of this beautiful girl. Then the girl told him that the day when this valley turned green was the time that they get married. After hearing this, the Tiger man went into the valley firmly.

Suddenly, the black dragon got in his way. The Tiger man fought with this dragon for three days, and finally killed it in front of the Dragon-kill Gate. Then the Tiger man started to reclaim the valley. He planted trees and repaired the roads no matter it was cold or hot. His sincere desire moved the animals in heaven, so the swans brought seeds to him, the turtles transported water for him, and the birds caught insects to help him.

After eight years, the valley finally turned green gradually, but the Tiger man was series sick by hard work, and died at last. After he died, he became a large stone firmly erecting in the bottom of the valley to guard the greenness.

The girl waited for years and still can’t meet her lover, so she went into the valley to look for the Tiger man. She called for his name, and no one responded her except the fragrance of flowers, the brisk wind and the clear stream. The bird brought her to the large stone, and she clasped it with extreme grieving. She cried for three whole days, and became a tree which convolved the stone tightly, just at that moment, the yearning between them turned to a downpour, poured on the whole valley.

Until now, the stone and the tree are still in the entrance of the valley. That’s where the name of Yearning Valley came out.