□ 文/本栏目稿件由记者唐纲编写

武隆“喀斯特” 世界罕见

□ 文/本栏目稿件由记者唐纲编写

我们何其幸运，居然成为这些矿世美景的第一代欣赏者

How Lucky We Are to Be the First Generation Appreciating the Magnificent View

北京时间2007年6月27日下午1点15分，在新西兰召开的第31届世界遗产大会上，中国申报的“中国南方喀斯特”世界自然遗产项目通过缔约国表决，武隆喀斯特与云南石林、贵州荔波喀斯特一起，成功列入世界遗产名录。遗产申报的成功，向全世界更进一步证明了武隆喀斯特片区杰出的普遍价值。

重庆武隆以天生桥、地缝、天洞为代表的立体喀斯特，是中国南方喀斯特地貌的有机组成部分，也是深切型峡谷的重要杰出代表。它不仅是反映地球演化历史的杰出范例，而且还是生命的记录、重要的和正在进行的地貌演化、重要的地貌形态或自然地理特征。

我们熟知的喀斯特地貌，如桂林峰丛、阳朔峰林、路南石林、长江三峡，它们矗立在大地上，以优美的姿态、伟岸的身躯引人瞩目，即使远远望上一眼，也让人难以忘怀。但武隆的喀斯特景观不是这样，它们像是逃避人世，遁迹于偏远的乡间，又藏匿于荒凉的地下，谦逊深沉，英华内敛。你必须来到它的跟前才能看到，必须进入它的腹部才能感觉，只有少数人有幸与它们相遇。

很少人看到，即使看到了也不能欣赏，这就是武隆自然景观在古代缺乏知名度的原因。

江山如有待。武隆的喀斯特景观，在寂寞中守候着自己的绝代芳华，等了千年万年。它们在等候一门学科逐渐成熟，等候一个民族的审美心态更加开放。的确，负地形是一种更深奥的美，需要知识去解读。今天的地质学家看见了它们，考察、命名、褒扬，把它们从中国百万平方公里的喀斯特地貌中推举出来。它们最后登场，却有如初遇，何其幸运，我们居然成为这些旷世美景的第一代欣赏者。

武隆孕育出的三个独立喀斯特系统，即芙蓉洞洞穴系统、天生三桥喀斯特系统和后坪冲蚀型天坑喀斯特系统，均是在长江三峡地区新近纪以来地壳大幅抬升的机制下发育形成的各异喀斯特系统，具有喀斯特特征的世界性意义。

目前，武隆喀斯特旅游区为国家级AAAAA级景区、世界自然遗产、国家级旅游度假区、联合国“可持续发展范例奖”。

At 1:15 pm on June 27th, 2007, the proposal for "South China Karst Landscape” to be the World Natural Heritage was approved by the contracting states at the 31stWorld Heritage Convention held in New Zealand. Wulong karst Landscape"together with Stone Forest in Yunnan and the Karst Landscape in Libo County, Guizhou Province has been successfully included in the World Heritage List. The success has proved to the world the universal value of the Karst Landscape in Wulong.

Wulong’s three-dimensional karst landscape, presented by natural bridges, canyons and sinkholes, is not only a significant part of South China Karst Landscape, but also an outstanding representative of deep canyons; Not only an excellent model of the Earth’s evolution history, but also a record of life, the important on-going geomorphic changes and the significant topographic or geographic features.

The karst landform we were familiar with, standing on the ground with graceful postures, which will deeply impress the people appreciating them even if they view afar. However, the karst landscape in Wulong is quite different, since it seems to withdraw from society, stay in solitude and hide underground, modest and restricted. You have to come near to see it and enter to feel it, but only a few people have the chance to appreciate it in the fl esh.

Seldom visited by people and could not be appreciated even by those visited it. This is why the landscape in Wulong lacked visibility in the past .

As the saying goes, “The beautiful rivers and mountains has been waiting for you for years”, the karst landscape in Wulong has been waiting for us in silence for thousands of years with its uniqueness. Today, the Chinese geologist found them and promoted them out of all kinds of karst landscape across China after inspection, naming and compliment. Recognized by people at last, the new favorite has refreshed us with its uniqueness. How lucky we are to be the fi rst generation appreciating the magnifi cent view.

The three independent karst systems in Wulong, namely Furong Cave, the Natural Three Bridges and Houping Eroded Sinkhole are formed from the sharply lifted earthcrust in the Three Gorges area of Yangtze River since the Neogene Period, which have international signifi cance in fi eld of the karst features.

Today Wulong Karst Scenic Spot has been an AAAAA National Tourist Attraction, World's natural heritage, National Tourist Resort and once was awarded by the UN “the exemplifi cation of sustainable development”.

The World's Rare Karst Landscape in Wulong County