Jiuli Lake Scenic Area is located in Zhongshan Town, Xianyou County, 31 kilometres away from the county seat, with an elevation of 590 metres. Jiuli Lake is famous for four unique wonders: lakes, caves, waterfalls and rock formations. Its cascading waterfalls stand out above all else, earning it the reputation: The waterfalls of Jiuli Lake are unrivalled under heaven. Together with Wuyi Mountain and Yuhua Cave, it is known as one of the Three Marvels of Fujian.

The lake is a beautiful natural basin filled with clear, rippling blue water. Near the lake stand the Nine Immortals Shrine and the Immortal Reception Mansion. Towering jagged rocks surround the lake, including Penglai Rock, Yingzhou Rock, Dark Pearl Rock and Stream Pillow Rock.

These exotic boulders are covered with inscriptions left by celebrities of successive dynasties. Highlights include Long Live the Emperor carved by Chen Dang, Vice Minister of War in the Song Dynasty, The No.1 Penglai Paradise by Lin Youheng of the Ming Dynasty, and Viewing the Waterfall inscribed by Li Xiang. The calligraphy is simple, elegant and unrestrained.

The nine-tiered waterfall cluster is world-famous and forms the core natural attraction of Jiuli Lake. Mountain torrents rush down from the upper reaches and plunge into the lake at Leihongji. The water flows through a series of scenic sections: Overflowing Waterfall, Hanging Pearl Curtain, Jade Pillar Fall, Knocking Stone Gate, Five-Star Eddy, Flying Phoenix Bridge, Chessboard Rock and General’s Cliff. Steep precipices rise sheer, and ancient trees soar skyward. The stunning scenery defies description. Xu Xiake, the great traveller of the Ming Dynasty, once visited here and wrote in praise: Even the Three-Tiered Waterfall on Lushan Mountain and the Dragon Pool on Yandang Mountain each excel in only one respect. No other place boasts such a perfect combination of all natural beauties as this mountain.

Now designated as a provincial-level scenic area of Fujian, Jiuli Lake has launched ten key projects: a tourist service zone, ten high-quality lakeside projects, Jiuli Villa, the Changjiu cross-county tourist highway, scenic roads in the Dragon-Phoenix Zone, comprehensive water resource development, Yangming Mountain Botanical Garden, Panlong Mountain communication base station, She Ethnic Customs Park by East Jiuli Lake, and the Dream-Praying Garden at Jiuli Taoist Temple. The area will be built into a comprehensive tourist resort featuring sightseeing, holiday stays, recreation, shopping, pilgrimage and cultural tourism.

The site is celebrated for four wonders: lakes, caves, deep pools and grotesque rocks, above all the plunging water pools. Since ancient times, people have praised it as The plunging pools of Jiuli Lake are matchless under heaven.

Xu Xiake grouped it with Wuyi Mountain and Yuhua Cave as Fujian’s Three Unmatched Wonders. According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, nine brothers of the He clan refined immortality elixirs here to help common people. Once their alchemy was complete, they rode nine carps and ascended to heaven, hence the name Jiuli Lake (Nine-Carp Lake).