A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a more resistant layer or layers of harder rock, e.g. shales overlain by sandstones. The resistant layer acts as a caprock that forms the flat summit of a mesa. The caprock can consist of either sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone; dissected lava flows; or a deeply eroded duricrust. Unlike plateau, whose usage does not imply horizontal layers of bedrock, e.g. Tibetan Plateau, the term mesa applies exclusively to the landforms built of flat-lying strata. Instead, flat-topped plateaus are specifically known as tablelands.
Danzhai County belongs to Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture. It is located in the southeast of Guizhou Province, bordering Leishan County in the east, Sandu Shui Autonomous County in the south, Duyun City and Majiang County in the west, and Kaili City in the north. The county has jurisdiction over 3 towns and 4 townships with a state-run farm. The county is inhabited by many ethnic groups. There are 21 ethnic minorities such as Miao, Shui, Buyi and so on. It covers an area of 940 square kilometers and has a total population of 172000 (2013). County people's Government in Longquan Town. In 2013, the annual GDP of Danzhai County is expected to reach 1.8 billion yuan, the investment in fixed assets of the whole society is expected to reach 5.8 billion yuan, and the total retail sales of consumer goods are expected to reach 420 million yuan. Batik of Miao nationality in Danzhai County,