A rainbow of ocher colors in China
Some 250 kilometers northeast of Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan Province, lies Dongchuan , a rural area with the most imposing red earth in the world. Spread over extensive terraced cultivations, Dongchuan’s unusual reddish-brown color comes from its rich iron and copper deposit. Exposed to the hot and humid climate of Yunnan, iron undergoes oxidation in the soil to form iron oxide, which is naturally red in color . These oxides, deposited over many years, gradually evolved into the extraordinary reddish-brown soil that we see today. Each spring, when the land in the area is plowed for agriculture, many visitors and photographers come here to admire the plots of freshly turned red soil waiting to be sown. The surrounding green colors offer a superb panorama.
The fiery red soil juxtaposed with emerald green buckwheat golden yellow , under blue skies produces one of the richest color palettes rarely seen in nature.
Reportedly, Dongchuan’s existence was unknown to the outside world until the mid-1990s, when a Chinese photographer stumbled upon the location. The story goes that the photographer kept the location a secret and continued to post photographs that impressed his audience. Details about the secret location have finally leaked out and now more and more photographers are making the arduous journey into the mountains to enjoy experiencing this amazing place.
Sources photos : Amusing Planet
