Mata Lake Tourist Zone lies in the northeastern part of Huantai County, Zibo City, Shandong Province, 25 kilometres away from the urban district. The lake stretches 12 kilometres from east to west and 8 kilometres from north to south, covering a total area of 96 square kilometres. It was named a National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site in 2005, a National AAA-level Tourist Attraction in 2006, approved as Mata Lake Provincial Wetland Park by the Shandong Provincial Forestry Bureau in 2007, and designated a National Water Conservancy Scenic Spot by the Ministry of Water Resources in September 2008.

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, when the State of Qi dominated the other six kingdoms, Duke Huan of Qi summoned feudal lords to an alliance. Troops assembled and drilled on the flat land, and the horses’ hooves trampled the ground to form the lake, hence the name Mata Lake (Lake Trampled by Horses). The Song poet Su Dongpo once sailed on the lake and composed a timeless, widely loved poem: I gaze entranced at lotus canopies framing crimson blooms,

Unaware frost has fallen by the lake through the night.

Roll away the brocade woven by heaven’s loom,

Let a white silk ribbon paint the autumn light.

Boasting picturesque scenery and a pleasant climate, the lake is a natural tourist resort. More than 2,100 crisscrossing water channels weave a dense network across the water, forming a rare northern Chinese water town landscape where villages border the lake, every household adjoins waterways, and boats reach every doorway. It has long earned the reputation of "Jiangnan of the North".

Mata Lake abounds in aquatic products. Dozens of fish species live in its waters, including perch, silver carp, crucian carp, eel and crab, alongside over 70 kinds of wild birds. The lake’s reeds feature superior quality: golden, glossy, thin and soft. Handicrafts woven from them, such as palace lanterns and four-panel folding fans, are exported to numerous countries and regions. The lake’s distinctive local delicacies enjoy a long-standing reputation for superb taste and quality. Golden-thread duck eggs, fragrant fish rice and white lotus root were once imperial tributes across dynasties. Deep-fried lotus blossoms, lotus seed soup, loach meatballs and eel soup with cattail white stems are all signature fine dishes. Golden-thread duck eggs have been recognised as an Excellent Provincial Tourism Product of Shandong.

Located at the heart of Mata Lake, the shrine was built to commemorate five ancient virtuous figures: Lu Zhonglian, Zhuge Liang, Su Dongpo, Yuan Gu and Yan Chu. Covering over 2,000 square metres, the main hall bears a horizontal plaque inscribed "Five Sages Shrine" above its entrance gate, flanked by a couplet: Five sages of different surnames, their noble fame enduring through millennia;

Talents spanning ages under one roof, their meritorious deeds immortal for all time.

Statues of the five worthies are enshrined inside the main hall. The east side hall houses Zhao Gongming, the God of Wealth, while the west side hall enshrines the Goddess of Fertility.

Legend records that Lu Zhonglian, a distinguished scholar of the Warring States Period, was boating on the Lesser Sea when he heard news that the State of Qin had conquered Qi. Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, he drowned himself for his homeland. At the spot where he perished, an iceberg suddenly rose, a hundred paces long and several ren high, forming a solemn, stirring sight. Later generations erected a pavilion atop the iceberg to honour Lu Zhonglian. Couplets adorn its six pillars, with the front panel reading: One glance sweeps boundless mist; the ancient garden and Iceberg stand eternal through ages;

Two realms hold unrestrained wanderers; Mata Lake’s splendid autumn unites all beauty here.

Nestled on Green Mound north of Huagou Village beside Mata Lake, the study faces Iceberg Mountain and backs onto vast wetlands, embodying the poetic mood: In deep waters fish find complete bliss; amid graceful mountains gulls soar freely. It forms an independent courtyard of 144 square metres, reconstructed in 1990. Xu Ye, originally named Xu Yuanshan with the courtesy name Dongchi, was a renowned literatus of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Refusing to serve the Qing court out of integrity, he lived in seclusion beside Mata Lake and named his dwelling Xu Ye’s Study. Simply furnished, the space lingers with the faint fragrance of poetry and the elegant aura of books, retaining its antique, refined charm and the tranquil atmosphere of the original study.

Spanning dozens of square li, Mata Lake features villages within the lake and water winding through villages, renowned as the "Jiangnan of the North". Around the 15th day of the seventh lunar month each year, the Mata Lake Folk Customs Tourism Festival is held, featuring a rich array of cultural activities:

Visitors may cruise the lake by boat, watch folk performances, taste authentic lake specialties, and appreciate the area’s unique natural scenery, folk traditions and profound cultural heritage.

The scenic area hosts the Five Sages Shrine Temple Fair on the 18th day of the third lunar month annually, and the Mata Lake Folk Customs Tourism Festival during the full-bloom lotus season.

Address: Huagou Village, Qifeng Town, Huantai County Backpacker Transport: Take the Zhangdian-Yulong bus at Zibo Bus Terminal (diagonally west across from Zibo Railway Station) to Mata Lake Contact Number: 8690008 Ticket & Boat Package Fees: