What Are the Ten Most Beautiful Scenic Spots in Benxi?

Benxi Water Cave Scenic Area is located in Benxi City, Liaoning Province. It comprises six scenic zones: Water Cave, Hot Spring Temple, Tanggou, Guanmen Mountain, Tiesha Mountain and Miaohou Mountain. Stretching along the Taizi River in a belt shape, the total area covers 44.72 square kilometres. Centered on Benxi Water Cave, the scenic area unites mountains, water, caves, springs, lakes and paleoanthropological sites into one integrated landscape. Benxi Water Cave is a large water-filled limestone karst cave formed millions of years ago. Deep and spacious inside, it has 3,000 metres of navigable underground river open to tourists. The water flows all year round and remains crystal clear. Stalactites thrive on the cave ceiling and rock walls in fantastic varied shapes. Boating through the cave makes visitors linger on and forget to leave. In the Hot Spring Temple zone, the hot spring maintains a constant temperature of 44°C with a daily flow of 400 tons, boasting high medicinal value. The Miaohou Mountain Ancient Cultural Site is an early Paleolithic cave site in Northeast China, which carries great significance for the study of ancient human distribution and prehistoric geography in Liaodong. Benxi Water Cave is the longest discovered water-filled karst cave in the world and has been nominated for a world record by the China World Record Association.

Tiger Valley Gorge Tourist Area sits on the border between Yahe Township and Xiangyang Township in Huanren Manchu Autonomous County, specifically in Micanggou and Heping Village of Yahe Township, 26 kilometres southeast of the county seat. It was formerly known as Laohudonggou and Tiger Rapids. Back then, Tiger Rapids was ranked among the top ten scenic spots in Huanren. In ancient times, water shipping was the main mode of transportation. Though the scenery here was stunning, the current was extremely turbulent. Careless boats would be swallowed by the rock formation called Tiger Mouth, leaving a deep impression on travellers. Nowadays, Tiger Mouth has been submerged by the rising water of Huilong Lake, and the rapids have become much calmer. The scenic area consists of mountains, waters, islands, lakes and historical relics. The mountains belong to Laoling, a branch of the Changbai Mountain Range; the water comes from the Hunjiang River, a tributary of the Yalu River; there is Wohu Island and Huilong Lake, as well as the General’s Tomb historical site. The whole area spans dozens of square kilometres. Tourists can appreciate green mountains and clear waters, visit historical sites, listen to local folk legends about wild animals and experience authentic rural customs.

Guanmen Mountain National Forest Park lies 70 kilometres southeast of downtown Benxi, covering 3,517 hectares with a forest coverage rate of 95 percent. It boasts well-preserved vegetation and numerous ancient trees. It is an integrated resort for sightseeing, summer vacation and leisure, and also one of the Top 50 Scenic Spots in Liaoning. It was officially designated a national 4A-level tourist attraction in 2001. The park contains four zones: Little Huangshan, Jialazi, Longmen Gorge and Yuantaizi, with a total of 108 scenic spots. Visitors can enjoy peculiar mountain shapes, secluded valleys, clear brooks and thick woods, with fresh views unfolding at every step. The most spectacular sights are the "Lion Guarding the Pass" in Jialazi Zone and the "Crystal Curtain Waterfall" in Longmen Gorge. The steep cliff resembles a roaring lion standing guard at the mountain pass. The waterfall cascades down in three tiers, sending sprays splashing into the green pool with deafening roars. The Tiannü Magnolia, Benxi’s city flower first exhibited at the Kunming World Horticultural Expo, together with fiery red maple leaves covering the mountains in autumn, have become the park’s most iconic scenery.

Wunu Mountain stands 8 kilometres north of Huanren Town, Huanren Manchu Autonomous County. It was the founding capital of the Goguryeo Kingdom. According to legend, five women once stationed troops here, hence the name. As one of the Goguryeo mountain cities, the Wunu Mountain City, together with other Goguryeo ruins in Ji’an, Jilin Province, has been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Today Wunu Mountain is a famous tourist attraction in eastern Liaoning and the leading tourism brand of Huanren County. Local people believe its World Heritage status will attract growing numbers of tourists from home and abroad. The mountain rises on the north bank of the Hunjiang River, 8 kilometres northeast of Huanren County seat. Rectangular in shape, its main peak reaches 824 metres above sea level. It stretches 1,500 metres from north to south and 300 metres from east to west, with vertical cliffs over 200 metres high. It is the birthplace of Goguryeo civilisation. In 37 BC, Prince of Buyeo fled political infighting and built the first Goguryeo mountain city here, historically known as Heshenggucheng. In 1424, Li Manzhu, the third leader of the Jianzhou Jurchen tribe, stationed his army on this mountain when marching into Liaoning. For this reason, Wunu Mountain is also regarded as a cradle of Manchu civilisation. Archaeologists have unearthed abundant ancient relics on the mountain in recent years.

Tiesha Mountain is located in Tianshifu Town, eastern Benxi Manchu Autonomous County, 36 kilometres away from the world-famous Benxi Water Cave. It is part of the Changbai Mountain Range, with its highest peak reaching 912.9 metres. The mountain has five summits: Zhenwu Summit in the north, Lingbao Summit in the south, Yuhuang Summit in the east, Taishang Summit in the west and Yuanshi Summit in the centre. When viewed from the east, south and north, only three peaks can be seen at a time. Taoist scholars derived the name "Nine-Peak Tiesha Mountain" from the Taoist symbolic meaning of three times three making nine. Renowned across Northeast China, Tiesha Mountain is the birthplace of Northeast Taoism. Dense ancient forests, cliff carvings and grottoes carry a profound long-standing historical culture, creating a quiet and exquisite natural environment. Legends date back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, telling that Immortal Changmei Li founded Taoism here and attained immortality. The mountain is mentioned in classical novels such as Investiture of the Gods and Jinling Mansion. Chapter 45 of Investiture of the Gods records that the Wind-Suppressing Pearl used to break the Wind Roaring Array was borrowed from the Eight Treasures Cloud Light Cave on this mountain, earning the mountain the reputation of "Three-Thousand-Year-Old Tiesha Mountain".