Área paisajística de las Diecinueve Cumbres

The Nineteen Peaks Scenic Area is a 4A-rated natural area in Xinchang County, southwest of central Shaoxing, named for a distinctive ridge of red sandstone peaks that rises abruptly from the valleys of the Chengtan and Hanfei streams. The area is best known for its Danxia landform, the same red-bed geology that characterizes several of southern China's most celebrated natural sites, and for its association with major Chinese martial-arts television productions.

The scenic area integrates three connected sub-zones: the Nineteen Peaks ridgeline itself, the Thousand-Foot Deep Valley, and the Chongyang Palace. The Nineteen Peaks form the visual centerpiece, a serrated line of vertical sandstone columns that can be viewed from the valley floor or from the network of trails and stairs that climb to the ridge. The Thousand-Foot Deep Valley, running parallel to the main ridge, is a narrow forested gorge with stream crossings, caves, and rock formations, while the Chongyang Palace area is a Taoist temple complex associated with the Quanzhen school that flourished in the region during the late imperial period. Trails connect the three zones into a single hiking circuit that covers the most photogenic sections of the area.

The Danxia geology gives the Nineteen Peaks its distinctive color and form. The red and ochre sandstones, laid down in ancient river and lake deposits, have been carved by erosion into the steep cliffs, natural bridges, and pillar formations that characterize this landscape type, which is found in several regions of China but is unusual so far east. The Thousand-Foot Deep Valley in particular has been used as a filming location for major Chinese wuxia television productions, including adaptations of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes," and the area remains a destination for fans of the wuxia genre.

For international visitors, the Nineteen Peaks Scenic Area is typically visited as a full-day trip from Xinchang or central Shaoxing, often in combination with the Xinchang Giant Buddha Temple. The hiking circuit requires a reasonable level of fitness, with significant stone steps and some exposed sections on the upper ridges, and is most enjoyable in the cooler months or in clear weather. The site rewards a slow pace, particularly in the valley sections where the geology and the stream crossings are the principal attractions.