RED is an auspicious color, and China blazes red and gold in autumn as nature puts on her last show before winter. As the temperature drops and days become shorter, many trees put on spectacular displays of red, orange, yellow and purple, sometimes against sapphire skies.

Late October and November, and in some places December, are the best months to appreciate autumn foliage. China has many regions where nature puts on spectacular shows and the trees include red maples and other varieties such as beech, poplar, gingko, persimmon, smoke trees, flame trees, dogwood and many other species.

Here are some places to appreciate the colors of fall around South China.

Fragrant Hills Beijing

Fragrant Hills in Beijing is famous for its fiery red leaves, which can be appreciated now.

The hills are now a public park at the foot of the Western Mountains in Haidian District, northwest of Beijing.

Covered with a natural pine-cypress forest, maple trees, smoke trees and persimmon trees, the whole area turns golden and scarlet.

Smoke trees, sometimes mixed with maple, shake in the wind so hillsides move in waves of color. The Jinshanling section of the Great Wall also offers spectacular views.

How to get there: The flight from Shenzhen to Beijing takes three hours. Within Beijing, there are Metro lines that can reach the Fragrant Hills.

Xiling Snow Mountain

Sichuan Province

About 120 kilometers from Chengdu, Xiling Snow Mountain stands more than 5,000 meters above sea level and is another vast site of virgin woodlands with steep cliffs and rock formations, unusual plants and rare birds.

The mountain has been described as the “Oriental Alps.”

The blaze of colors lasts until the end of November.

How to get there: Take a Shenzhen-Chengdu flight and a two-hour bus ride will take you from the capital city to Dayi County and the mountain.

Qixia Mountain Jiangsu Province

People can find splendid red foliage not far from home at Qixia Mountain in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.

The spectacular foliage can be seen through mid-December; the leaves are now changing color.

The area, about 22 kilometers northeast of Nanjing, covers around 750 hectares and contains red maples, silver maples and plum maples.

The well-known Buddhist temple, Qixia Temple, is located on the mountain. This temple was erected in 489 B.C. and was enlarged in the Tang Dynasty. It was once recognized as one of the Four Largest Temples in history. The temple was destroyed by fire during the Qing Dynasty and reconstructed years later.

Recently, Chinese archaeologists have found numerous ancient stone inscriptions carved on the cliffs of the mountain dated to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (960-1279).

How to get there: A flight from Shenzhen to Nanjing takes around two hours. It takes only 40 minutes by train, on the Nanqi Line, from Nanjing Railway Station to the mountain.

(SD-Agencies)