Daocheng County, renowned for natural scenery, is in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. [Photo/travel.163.com]

Daocheng County, renowned for natural scenery, is in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. [Photo/tuhigh.com]

The golds, oranges, ambers, reds and purples of autumn leaves draw visitors to many scenic spots in China for a "red" extravaganza.

A sharp temperature drop causes the colors to "change," but what actually happens is that green chlorophyll is gone and no longer masks existing yellow and orange pigments. In addition, new red and purple pigments are manufactured.

The places with the most vivid autumn colors are those where the sunlight is strong and the temperature cool.

Science aside, there are many places for leaf peeping in China, such as Beijing's Xiangshan and Badaling areas, Sichuan's Daocheng area and Jiuzhai Valley and Jilin's Jiaohe Valley. All offer splendid "red" views and beautiful scenery.

Daocheng, Sichuan Province

Some visitors have called Daocheng, an ethnic Tibetan area, a Shangri-la in the shadow of three snow capped mountains, around 6,000 meters high.

The tranquil scene has brilliant red, golden and orange foliage; there are forests, vast grasslands, rivers and rice paddies. Cattle and sheep graze and eagles fly overhead.

Around 95 percent of the population of 30,0000 is ethnic Tibetan.

The place has become popular with newlyweds.

A famous spot is Red Grassland (Hong Cao Di) in Sangdui town, around 30 kilometers north of Daocheng. For 15 to 20 days a year, the place is filled with red bushes.

Rubuchaka Hot Spring is just 4 kilometers outside Daocheng.

How to get there:

From Chengdu, Sichuan, take a bus to Kangding, then change to another bus to Daocheng. The trip is around 800 kilometers, 48 hours by bus.