The 51-year-old Zhi, who suffers from hypertension, and 52-year-old Sheng, who has heart disease, decided that they would only "look" at the beautiful valley, and wait for our return.

Liu said that many ailing older people had climbed to the summit without the support of an oxygen bag.

"You would regret it if you didn't climb to the summit, where Huanglong's most spectacular pond, Five-colored Pond, is located. Many colleagues of mine climb to the summit in their high-heeled shoes," she said.

"If you feel uncomfortable, you can breathe oxygen at several sites on the way up to the summit." Mustering up courage, Zhi and Sheng decided to have a try.

Soon after entering the valley, we felt cold. Liu said that the temperature was about 10 C. With only T-shirts, we had to walk quickly in order to drive away the chill.

As we walked along, we passed more and more ponds. The whole valley looked like a yellow carpet overrun with gurgling water.

According to Liu, the largest pond covers an area of 667 square meters, while the smallest is only 1 square meter. The deepest exceeds 3 meters, while the shallowest is only 10 centimeters deep. They are all terraced with walls of limestone on the lower side.

The water in the ponds is clear, yet the ponds present a vast variety of the most delicate shades of color.

One pond might be as green as fresh leaves, another bright emerald green, and a third as dark as the distant woods. One pond might be of uniform hue, while an adjoining one reflects a rainbow of colors. We were told this is caused by the different mineral deposits at the bottom of the ponds.

On the way up the valley, we saw many blossoming azalea flowers and whispering birds frolicking in the jungle on both sides of the path. According to a local guidebook, Huanglong has some 1,500 species of plants and many endangered animals including the giant panda.

We were intoxicated with the natural splendor, so none of us had much difficulty breathing in the highland valley, let alone needed oxygen. We took a break from time to time in the wooden pavilions found along the way, and to drink mineral water.

Two hours after entering the valley, we neared the ancient Huanglong Taoist Temple.

Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the temple, which covers more than 1,000 square meters, is in a remarkable setting.

It stands at an altitude of 3,588 meters. Behind the roofline of the second story, mountain peaks frame a glorious view to the south. A statue of the eponymous monk is found inside the main hall.

Temple fair

Since the Ming Dynasty, a temple fair has been held in front of the temple for three days every year. The fair runs from the 13th day of the sixth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which usually falls between July and August.

Crowds of Tibetan, Qiang and Han people gather for worship and fun. With an area of nearly 10,000 square meters, the land in front of the temple is the venue for singing, dancing and a horse race.

This year, an international tourism cultural festival will be held in Huanglong on July 30, based on the annual temple fair. Unlike previous fairs, the festival will feature modern musicians from the Bayern Song and Dance Troupe in Germany.

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