讀一讀赤水丹霞

小昭

20世紀(jì)30年代，中國地質(zhì)學(xué)者首先提出一個從約兩億年前侏羅紀(jì)開始形成的特殊地貌類型“丹霞地貌”的概念，當(dāng)時有人嘲笑“不懂地質(zhì)學(xué)的ABC”，可這一學(xué)說不但在中國發(fā)展起來，而且也為國際學(xué)界承認(rèn)為“紅層”。2010年，第34屆世界遺產(chǎn)大會表決通過，將“中國丹霞”列入世界遺產(chǎn)名錄。

那是一項世界自然遺產(chǎn)，由西南而華南而華東走向，從青年期而壯年期而老年期過程，以貴州赤水、福建泰寧、湖南崀山、廣東丹霞山、江西龍虎山、浙江江郎山等6處極具代表性的丹霞發(fā)育提名地，系列組合而成。

申報世界遺產(chǎn)，從一開始，各地都熱切期盼并努力追求文化型項目，對自然類項目相對比較冷落，這固然受客觀條件限制，但一定也與某些認(rèn)識有關(guān)：大自然不包含具體的人類活動內(nèi)容；突出推崇中國文化更容易錦上添花。

一般而言，許多人把奇山異水僅僅當(dāng)作純粹的自然風(fēng)光。其實，當(dāng)人們把自然風(fēng)物作為景觀，就已經(jīng)具有主觀色彩，已經(jīng)具有文化因子，只是抽象一點(diǎn)罷了。

我們遙遠(yuǎn)的祖先從對自然的崇拜起始來記錄歷史，從對自然的認(rèn)識來創(chuàng)造科技，從對自然的描摹來創(chuàng)作文藝，從對自然的解釋來闡述思想。

即就中國古代文學(xué)講，《詩經(jīng)》、漢賦、唐詩，有多少是在大自然中汲取出智慧，演繹了對生活方面、藝術(shù)方面、思想方面、哲學(xué)方面甚或宗教信仰方面的思考。中國的山水文學(xué)在世界上獨(dú)一無二地豐富，涌現(xiàn)出像謝靈運(yùn)和王維、孟浩然、李白、白居易以及蘇軾這樣的偉大文士。我們現(xiàn)在不也是常在謳歌山岳、海洋、草原、峽谷甚至荒漠嗎？

人們發(fā)現(xiàn)大自然的美，感嘆大自然的美，是因為它給予人感受，給予人啟示，給予人聯(lián)想，給予人愿望，進(jìn)而給予人改變現(xiàn)實的力量。

我們實在應(yīng)該讀一讀有歷史、地理、文化、中外交通、民俗、神話等文獻(xiàn)參考價值的志怪古籍《山海經(jīng)》，那里面記載了民間傳說中的山川地理知識，延伸于民族、道里、物產(chǎn)、祭祀、巫醫(yī)等內(nèi)容，尤其對礦物的記錄是世界上最早的有關(guān)文獻(xiàn)；然后也更應(yīng)該讀一讀北魏時期的《水經(jīng)注》和明清的地理筆記叢書。我們不是設(shè)立有自然保護(hù)區(qū)以及地質(zhì)公園、海洋公園、森林公園嗎，其初衷只為保護(hù)，不包括學(xué)術(shù)研究和更廣泛的科學(xué)知識的傳播嗎？

具有風(fēng)景觀賞價值的世界自然遺產(chǎn)中國丹霞，同時更有科學(xué)價值。那么，我們現(xiàn)在就不妨來讀一讀有關(guān)中國丹霞的資料：

——在地質(zhì)和地貌學(xué)上的丹霞定義是：一種地貌景觀，像“玫瑰色的云彩”或者“深紅色的霞光”。中國丹霞是一個由陡峭的懸崖、紅色的山塊、密集深切的峽谷、壯觀的瀑布及碧綠的河溪構(gòu)成的景觀系統(tǒng)，整體為臨水型峰叢—峰林景觀，被天然森林廣泛覆蓋，是世界上最美麗的丹霞景觀的例證。

——依據(jù)世界遺產(chǎn)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，中國丹霞具有突出的普遍價值，即美學(xué)價值、地球科學(xué)價值、生態(tài)學(xué)價值與生物多樣性價值：發(fā)育了絕妙的自然景觀；是反映地球大陸地殼中生代以來演化特征的杰出范例；有環(huán)境的復(fù)雜多樣性。

——中國丹霞滿足了世界遺產(chǎn)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)：自然現(xiàn)象具有罕見的自然美；是地球演化史中重要階段的突出例證，包括生命記載和地貌演變；代表了陸地、淡水、海岸和海洋生物系統(tǒng)及動植物群落演變、發(fā)展的生態(tài)和生理過程；是生物多樣性原地保護(hù)的最重要的自然棲息地。

多深刻的闡述，我們以前的科學(xué)知識的貧乏由此可見一斑。

好多年前，我去參加浙江江郎山風(fēng)景名勝區(qū)總體規(guī)劃評審會，實地考察時，曾沿著陡窄的棧道攀上標(biāo)志性景點(diǎn)“三爿石”中的郎峰，記憶十分深刻。申遺那會兒，我又去了江郎山，但對丹霞地貌特征上的突出的孤峰以及狹窄的巷谷、巨大的近垂直的石墻，印象不是很明確清晰。后來，我也去過江西龍虎山和廣東丹霞山。此次到貴州就要到赤水看丹霞景觀，我希望自己有完整的認(rèn)識。

赤水市因赤水河而名，赤水河因丹霞而紅。赤水丹霞是籠統(tǒng)的概念，它的面積在6處組合地中最為廣闊，區(qū)域內(nèi)國家重點(diǎn)風(fēng)景名勝區(qū)、國家重點(diǎn)自然保護(hù)區(qū)以及國家地質(zhì)公園、國家森林公園或有重疊。作為世界自然遺產(chǎn)，核心保護(hù)區(qū)并沒有這么大，里面呈現(xiàn)的是青年期破碎山原的高峽幽谷，分布有赤壁、峽谷、瀑布、巖腔和大型崩塌巨石等發(fā)育齊全的景觀，而壯年期起伏跌宕的峰林峰叢、老年期舒緩流暢的清秀山水則在其他五地?？傮w而言，赤水丹霞的發(fā)育美麗的景觀在丹霞和瀑布，具有很強(qiáng)的視覺沖擊力，不過在我看來，震撼之余更多平靜，因為這地方大都有村子閑適、和美、靜謐地坐落。

游赤水丹霞，以市區(qū)為住宿地，每天一個景區(qū)。

第一天去楊家?guī)r。楊家?guī)r洞崖丹霞和佛光巖墻面丹霞曾作為申遺的景觀代表，我在《世界遺產(chǎn)》雜志上看到過。楊家?guī)r洞崖丹霞崩坍了一部分，巨石的分裂磊落讓人感嘆自然的偉力。這處叫做“丹霞長廊”的，內(nèi)凹而敞露的崖穴壁上有自然風(fēng)化成如云如霞、肖物肖像的壁畫石刻，這種地貌最先在廣東丹霞山被學(xué)者研究，故稱“丹霞地貌”。觀音溝散布著瀑布群落，可作一幀幀半邊一角的小景，印象深的是“溪谷琴韻”，流泉周邊有鳥聲掠過。

第二天去十丈洞。十丈洞是一條瀑布；十丈，言其極高、極大；洞，疾流，當(dāng)?shù)厝思粗钙俨肌Ｈ苏f，水浩大時，十丈洞的流量超過貴州標(biāo)志性景點(diǎn)黃果樹瀑布，可惜我估摸不出。遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地站著，衣衫也濕，只覺得動地的水聲使山林愈發(fā)靜美起來。燕子洞前流過赤水河支流，岸石坡地呈現(xiàn)的丹霞色特別紅，河床映襯得水流也特別紅，紅得人會起疑惑。

第三天去四洞溝。據(jù)說，赤水丹霞區(qū)域內(nèi)有3000多條瀑布，我想，不論以高寬比例或傾斜角度，還是有無跌水潭或水流與地層傾斜方向劃分，跌水的外觀恐怕不會那么多。這里的水簾洞、月亮潭、飛蛙崖、白龍?zhí)兑痪€展開，有垂簾型、細(xì)長型、無理型、逆斜型，其實因為落水之潭有樹石各異而形態(tài)精彩而令人思緒靈動。

第四天去金沙村。金沙溝一帶有桫欏保護(hù)區(qū)。桫欏的出名珍貴在于它的古生態(tài)環(huán)境與丹霞形成同期，能遙想茫茫冰川期與恐龍化石并存的時代，但不一定非要在丹霞地區(qū)才能存活。桫欏由木本蕨類而生長成樹木，莖干頂部有葉柄，葉片密被交織地向下彎，風(fēng)姿屬于山野美人一類，我在廣西、海南、福建都有成片的野外所見，卻很少一兩株、兩三株地在典雅園林中發(fā)現(xiàn)。桫欏之外這里多楠竹，農(nóng)家制成筷子出售，我挑了一把清水的、方首圓足的，雖然連土宜都稱不上，卻可資紀(jì)念。與農(nóng)人閑聊中我異想天開，建議在筷楞處燙印遠(yuǎn)古的兩大標(biāo)志桫欏與恐龍，農(nóng)人愕然而茫然。

第五天去佛光巖和丙安古鎮(zhèn)。佛光巖一帶地質(zhì)沉降急劇，切割典型，以五柱峰為主體景觀，有寶塔狀、城堡狀、針狀、柱狀、棒狀、方山狀、峰林狀等地貌。佛光巖瀑布傾斜而下，高度為赤水地區(qū)之冠。丙安是重要驛站，過去商旅云集，現(xiàn)在游人云集，有一街酒香。

居然在赤水游了五天，自己也想不到，但覺得值，不虛此行。

臨了，再讀一讀“申遺”時國際專家對我們“自然國粹”的考察評價：

——新西蘭奧克蘭大學(xué)地理系教授、世界喀斯特專家保羅·威廉姆斯：“赤水丹霞……適宜成為一個重要的國家公園?！?/p>

——澳大利亞臥龍崗大學(xué)地球和環(huán)境科學(xué)院羅伯特·瑞博士：“赤水的確擁有非凡的自然和美學(xué)價值……很好地展示了現(xiàn)代侵蝕地質(zhì)過程證據(jù)以及絕妙的切割砂巖地貌景觀。瀑布也非常絕妙?！?/p>

——世界自然保護(hù)聯(lián)盟喀斯特地貌與洞穴工作組主席J·安德森女士和保護(hù)管理專家R·安德森：“赤水丹霞同其他同等地貌相比，有杰出的表現(xiàn)，保護(hù)區(qū)和提名地中的核心區(qū)保護(hù)得很好，生態(tài)和生物多樣性豐富?！?/p>

——英國生物多樣性保護(hù)學(xué)者、世界自然保護(hù)聯(lián)盟特聘專家約翰·馬敬能博士：“我毫不懷疑該提名可以滿足第七、第八條關(guān)于自然美和地球歷史的評價標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。我同樣認(rèn)為其十分契合第九條關(guān)于生態(tài)過程的評價標(biāo)準(zhǔn)?！?/p>

（本文攝影：袁建平）

Guizhou is famed for the splendid glory of Danxia Landform along Chishui River. Danxia Landform was first identified by Chinese geologists in the 1930s after their intensive studies of Danxia Mountain in Guangdong Province in the south of China， hence the name.

At first， some snickered at the discovery believing the scholars had disregarded the basics of geology and got it all wrong. However， the classification has survived. Nowadays， Danxia Landform is academically recognized. In 2010， Danxia Landform of China was designated as a world natural heritage.

One swath of the landform stretches from the southwest to the east of China. The six sites included in the designation represent different ages of the landform： Chishui of Guizhou， Taining of Fujian， Liangshan of Hunan， Danxia Mountain of Guangdong， Longhu Mountain of Jiangxi and Jianglang Mountain of Zhejiang.

When China first became aware of the importance of the UNESCO heritage lists for identifying its own heritages and for better preserving them， the country gave top priority to cultural heritages. Few considered natural beauty as heritage. I differ. From the very beginning of Chinese literature， our ancestors upheld nature as the general clue for understanding art and literature. Nature was and has been considered as the inspiration for numerous masterpieces. The incredibly rich wealth of poems and essays testify to the Chinese philosophy that man and nature are one. Wang Wei， Meng Haoran， Li Bai， Bai Juyi， Su Shi， poets who spared no efforts to portray a synergy between man and nature， are of the greatest poets of China. Chinese poets have long since written odes to the beauty and grandeur of mountains， seas， grasslands， valleys and deserts.

Chishui City is named after the river. And Chishui in Chinese means Red River， referring to the sunlit reflections of the reddish cliffs on the river. Along the Chishui River are a national forest park， a national nature reserve， a national geological park， and a key national scenic zone， which combine to testify to the natural diversity of the landform and different focuses of the government at the central and local level. These zones overlap to varying degrees and they point to the importance of the Danxia cliffs. Here visitors can view red cliffs， deep valleys， waterfalls， small and shallow rock caves， and heaps of rocks after cliffs cracked and fell apart. These geological features display different phases of evolution that the landform has been going through. Generally speaking， the waterfalls and the red cliffs are more sensual and gratifying to the eye. But for me， the whole area bespeaks serenity as villages there look like Utopia.

I stayed at a hotel in the city and went out to explore different tourism attractions along the river. The first day saw me visit Yangjia Cliff. Though I had seen this part of the Danxia Landform in the photos of this scenic spot on magazine covers， the spectacle still overwhelmed me. Part of the red cliff had collapsed and the huge messy heaps of rocks indicate natures power. At one place， the cliff leans inward forming a long open shelter， which is called Danxia Corridor. In the corridor are images that look like objects and persons that appear as if created by man. But they are created and engraved by nature. The Guanyin Valley abounds with waterfalls. The sound of birds and streams was soothing.

The second day saw me go out to visit Shizhangdong， which is a waterfall. It is said that this waterfall gushes more water than does Huangguoshu Waterfall in the rainy season. That day， I wasnt able to see how the waterfall fell from high. I stood far away from it， getting wet by the mist created by the splashing waterfall. The roaring noise made the forest quiet. At another waterfall， I saw a small river that empties into Chishui River. The reddish rocks stretched down into the river and made the water so red that the color was surreal.

On the third day， I visited Sidong Valley. That day， I was able to admire different shapes of waterfalls. It is said that in the Valley of Chishui River there are more than 3，000 waterfalls. And these waterfalls there find a great number of ways to cascade from cliffs to touch the rocks， caves and trees down there.

On the fourth day， I visited Jinsha Village. Jinsha Valley nearby is a nature reserve for Cyatheaceae ， huge fern trees that go back to the Jurassic era. The trees are precious largely because they came around in the same age when the Danxia Landform appeared. The place also abounds with bamboo. Local farmers make bamboo chopsticks. I bought a bundle of chopsticks as keepsake. In a casual chat with the vendor， I jokingly suggested that the images of dinosaur and Cyatheaceae be printed on the chopsticks. The farmer looked extremely puzzled， for he didnt know what I was talking about.

On the fifth day I visited Foguang Cliffs and Bingan， an ancient town. Foguang Cliffs display a full range of rock formations. They respectively look like a fortress， needles and pillars， pagodas， and a stone forest. There is a waterfall cascading down. It is said to be the tallest waterfall in the area. Bingan used to be a trade outpost where business gravitated. Nowadays， tourists gather.

I hadnt had any idea that I would need five days to take a cursive look at scenic attractions along the Chishui River. What I saw and witnessed there fit my understanding of nature and the aesthetics that nature has taught me.