A Survey of the Danxia Landform Research in China

belongs to red terrestrial elastic rock landform, which is characterized by its red cliffed scarp. The development of land form research in China experienced three history stages, i. e.; Prof. Guoda Chen raised initial establishment and taking shape and expanding since the concept Danxia landform in 1939. As a new branch of geomorphology, land form research is now stepping its ripe stage. In 90' s, their search enters into an unprecedented grand occasion at the prompting of tourism exploit. is classified into rock land form system. That the red terrestrial elastic rock being its material base and that steep scarp being its type form are accepted by most of researcher in this field. The constitution of leveled-top and cliffed-scarp and gentle-fool is the type shape of landform. In different area, the provincial characteristics of are different from each other due to their geography environment differences. land form developed only when the Earth crust reached its specified development stage, e. g., all red beds found on the Earth are not earlier than Mesozoic era. Most of landforin formed on red conglomerate rock, sand-conglomerate rock and sandstone. Meanwhile, red bed hills formed on siltstone and mud stone due to their flexible texture. The regional tectonic pattern, which controlled the distribution of sedimentary basins, is the tectonic base of landform. Tectonic lines within the basin controlled the distribution pattern and even the shape pattern of mountains. Supper surface of a mountain and tectonic dome of were controlled by the rock occurrences. Crystal movement controlled the development of landform. Exogenetic forces influenced the development included alleviation and weathering and gravitation processes, among which the alleviation process is the main force formed the landform. Alluvial corrosion and weathering created favorable condition for the gravitational eboulement, cliffed scarp is often the eboulement surface or reformed one. Wind erosion and saline weathering are unponderable forces in forming in arid zone. Organism activity is advantageous to weathering in humid zone. Artificial land form landscape is the product of exploiting stone. often distributed in weak ecology system areas; however, its tourism development value is often high due to its beautiful landscape and plentiful cultural scenery. The landforin research is aim at its development principles, taxonomy, landscape quality evaluation and graduation, natural mountains and river culture and human culture scenery, nature resource protection and utilization, and etc. All of which are beneficial to regional economic construction. In recently years, symposium of land form landscape resource and its tourism development are very active, which make a great contribution to regional tourism development.