Wuxie Scenic Area

Located 20 kilometres northwest of Zhuji urban area, Wuxie Scenic Area covers a total area of 50 square kilometres. It is designated a National Key Scenic Area, National AAAA Tourist Attraction and National Forest Park.

The scenic zone consists of four core sections: rippling Wuxie Lake, spring-like Taoyuan Valley all year round, the magnificent East Source featuring a five-tiered cascading waterfall, and the serene, deep West Source Gorge. Renowned for its waterfalls, jagged peaks and dense forests, the five-tiered waterfall stands as its quintessential highlight. Within the area rise towering peaks, steep crags and exotic rock formations. Waterfalls send sprays flying like snow, mountain brooks tinkle melodiously, and boundless forests unfurl in rich layers of purple and green. It is a time-honoured ecotourism resort south of the Yangtze River.

Nature’s masterful craftsmanship has shaped seventy-two peaks piercing straight into the azure sky, thirty-six terraces each boasting a unique view, twenty-five rock outcrops of varied shapes, grotesque stones resembling humans and beasts, mysterious caverns, and narrow, deep gorges flanked by steep cliffs. Most famed of all is the five-tiered waterfall, a breathtaking spectacle where a single stream plunges down five successive drops, each cascade bearing distinct charm. The First Drop veils the water like soft silk moonlight; the Second Drop looks like twin dragons contending in the valley; the Third Drop sways as a wind-tousled pearl curtain; the Fourth Drop surges forward as galloping fiery steeds; the Fifth Drop surges forth as flood dragons emerging from the sea.

Stepping into the West Source Ecological Gorge reveals an entirely different realm, defined by seclusion, depth and tranquillity.

Wuxie’s mountains and waters have enjoyed widespread renown for over two thousand years, documented in numerous ancient texts including Book of Yue Jue of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Commentary on the Water Classic of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and Book of Sui of the Tang Dynasty. Lingmo, an eminent monk from Wutai Mountain in the Tang era, travelled here drawn by its fame and founded Wuxie Chan Temple. Liangjie, the founding patriarch of the Caodong School of Chan Buddhism, received his monastic tonsure at this temple.

Since then, Wuxie’s reputation has flourished. Distinguished literati and artists including Xu Xiake, Lu You, Bai Juyi, Xu Wei, Wang Mian, Chen Hongshou, Liu Yong, Wen Zhengming, Zhu Yunming, Tang Yin and Xu Zhenqing all visited the scenic area to appreciate its vistas, composing poems, painting landscapes or penning travel notes. Boasting expansive water bodies, thundering waterfalls, exquisite scenery, thick primeval forests, a pleasant climate and profound cultural heritage, Wuxie Scenic Area draws visitors from all corners as an ideal destination for sightseeing, summer retreats, holidays and recuperation.

Visiting Wuxie in spring, you witness the vibrant vitality of the mountains awakening. Starting from the second lunar month, tender new buds unfurl across all mountain vegetation, gradually draping peaks and crags in fresh green. Azaleas, magnolias, mountain orchids, peach blossoms, pear blossoms and wild mountain flowers bloom one after another along hillsides, brook banks, lakeshores and trails. Red blossoms blaze like clusters of fire, white petals drift like floating clouds, and scattered wildflowers spill across the land as if scattered celestial blossoms. The air fills with delicate floral fragrance, tempting visitors to breathe it in deeply. Crystal-clear brooks and lakes glisten beneath the sun, birds chirp everywhere, and the entire Wuxie range glows bright and lively, filling hearts with the vigour and beauty of spring.

Summer trips to Wuxie offer cool refuge amid endless greenery. A national forest park blanketed in towering ancient trees, every corner here is cloaked in woodland: mountain slopes, lake edges, brook trails and even aquatic forest stands thrive. Low shrubs, twisting vines and moss carpet cliff bases, undergrowth and hillsides. Summer is the season of lush growth; trees stretch their leafy branches to form layered green canopies that envelop the whole scenic zone. Green reflections shimmer on the water’s surface, tinting visitors’ clothes emerald and merging everything into an unbroken green realm. Abundant water sources keep the air moist; morning and evening mist curl around mountain ridges, and brooks, lakes and waterfalls are never far, casting constant coolness over the land. Dipping feet or splashing arms in lake and stream waters delivers an invigorating chill, pure refreshment. Wuxie is undoubtedly a wise choice for escaping summer heat.

Autumn visits unveil the poetic scenery of ancient temples nestled among fall mountains. As autumn arrives, the water shifts from emerald to crystal clear. Peaks and rocky ridges shed their summer green robes, unveiling rugged textures and distinct contours; rock formations shaped like maidens, child immortals, incense burners and elderly monks grow sharply defined. Deciduous forests turn golden, with ginkgo groves glowing brilliant yellow. Reeds lining lakes and brooks billow in white waves; frost-kissed maple and tallow trees blaze fiery red, while evergreen woods and bamboo stand vivid jade-green. Patches of emerald, scarlet, gold and ivory paint the Wuxie mountains. Red woodlands and green peaks framed against blue skies and white clouds create an incomparably stunning panorama. White-walled, grey-tiled buildings hidden among autumn foliage appear delicate and exquisite, with temple halls, pavilions and towers standing especially grand, forming a picturesque scroll of quiet ancient temples amid autumn hills. Crisp autumn air and distinctive landscapes bring an unparalleled sense of freshness.

Winter in Wuxie reveals pure, snow-wrapped serenity. Winter is traditionally deemed a season of hibernation: all living things retreat inward. Birds return to nests, snakes and rodents burrow underground, reeds fade yellow, trees store new buds on their branches, and fallen leaves blanket hillsides in thick golden layers, lending the mountains profound stillness. Only mountain brooks gurgle steadily, and the cascading waterfalls soften into gentle streams, sometimes draped with long icicles at their outlets. Flocks of wild ducks and pairs of mandarin ducks glide across Wuxie Lake. At dawn, mist billows over the lake surface and valley bottoms, partially veiling peaks, temple buildings and woodlands in ethereal haze, as if wandering among immortal palaces on misty fairy mountains.

When heavy snow falls, snow blankets mountain ridges, caps treetops and fills gullies, transforming Wuxie into a pure silvery wonderland with peaks resembling wax sculptures, a natural ink scroll of frosty mountains and ancient temples. The West Source, hemmed by tall cliffs on both sides and receiving little sunlight, frequently develops rime, glazed frost and snow crystals, evoking the timeless verse: Overnight spring wind arrives, blooming thousands of pear trees in white.