Anshan Nature Reserve

Anshanese Great Lake

The source of the Ming River. The mountain towering over its northern end is the Celestial Mountain. It is believed climbing to its peak allows one to reach the Celestial Realm, where the Heavenly Court and all its gods reside, and if one manages to convince the gods, they may grant the climber a wish. The mountain is closed off to the general public unless for religious reasons, and anyone that wants to go near it for reasons other than religious must submit an application to the federal government. Still, there exist many Lingguoren legends of ambitious or desperate nobodies who climb the mountain to receive their wish, and countless people sneak in every year to try their luck.  

Lotus Fields

Located adjacent to the Anshanese Great Lake. A popular area of interest, as not only is it scientifically significant, it is incredibly beautiful. During the peak growing seasons, thousands of beautiful pink lotuses rise from the muddy waters and dot the shores of the Anshanese Lake, forming an expanse of green and pink. They symbolize harmony, purity, and beauty in Lingguoren culture. It is a favored spot for birds to bathe in.  

Stone Forest

An area in the northwest full of many pillar-like karst structures jutting out of the ground. It is easy to get trapped in the stone forest, as the pillars can join together in tight, claustrophobic arrangements, so travelers are warned to be extra cautious. Various animals can be seen jumping in and out of the many crevices and ledges the stone pillars have.  

Rice Terraces

Nicknamed the Mirror of Anshan, the flooded rice terraces reflect the sky, making walking amongst the rice territories a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience. They were carved out over hundreds of years by the local ethnic groups, and is considered their pride and joy. The scene is often sought out by artists from all over Lingguo, and is a popular tapestry subject for Anshanese weavers.

A generally mild climate with pleasant and fair weather. The average yearly rainfall is usually 45 inches.   The summer season is long, hot, and humid. Heavy rainfall is common, with thunderstorms often spontaneously occuring during the day. The Lingguoren saying "You change your mind faster than Anshanese weather" references this. Temperatures average to around 80F/30C in the summer.   The winter is more mild and dry, the coldest days getting to slightly above freezing temperatures. Temperatures average to around 40F/10C in the winter.

Several flowers known around Lingguo can be found here, such as the Sun-Kissed Cloud and Chain Of Hugs. Rarer flowers can be found here too.  

Plants

• Parasitic False Water Lily - Though appearing close in appearance to a water lily, the parasitic water lily is actually from a completely separate family. Their unique parasitic nature means they can be found attached to other aquatic plants. Sometimes considered an annoying weed for ornamental gardeners, as it can crowd out true water lilies.
• Shielded Tulip - A flower that notably has a tough, bark-like exterior to its petals, making them stiff to the touch. Though tough, it is flexible, allowing it to bend and sway in the breeze. The bark can be peeled similarly to the skin of an onion and cooked for a good source of fiber.
• Dusty Ivy - A creeping species of dark green ivy, using thick roots to embed itself in the rockfaces it grows in. Its flowers release a powder of dust as a defense mechanism, irritating the lungs in a similar way smoke does and inducing nonstop coughing in the victim. The dust is sometimes used in Lingguoren Traditional Medicine
• Rotberry - A bush whose berries taste very syrupy sweet, yet smell like rotting flesh when split open. The berries are oval shaped and red, with white speckles.
• Anshan Camellia - A camellia native to only Anshan, grows in deep orangey pinks to vibrant pinks. Sometimes used in herbal teas.

Animals

• Glowing Click Beetles - Small beetles that have biolumiscent exteriors used during mating displays. Taste bitter. Some believe that their lights and clicking noises attract Spirits, and so are heavily associated with them.
• Auburn Bison - The largest bison in all of Lingguo, with a prominent ridge on its back.
• Gold-Chested (Anshan) Monkey - A black and white furred monkey with a bright patch of yellow fur on its chest. Often hides out in the rock formations of Anshan, eating the plants that grow there.
• Orange-Ridged Crawler - A small, highly poisonous lizard that can excrete poison from the glands on its sides. Its body is mainly dark brown to black, with orange ridges on its back and head, and small orange dots (the poison glands) on its sides. A Lingguoren legend says a trickster was transformed into one of these as punishment after unknowingly trying to scam a disguised god.

As the northwestern end borders mountains, there has been past interest in exploring the mountains for mining purposes. Though it usually receives strong rejection every time, the newer generation appears to be slightly more open to it than previous generations.