Huan River and Wuxie

Overview

About

The Huan River–Wuxie scenic area lies in Zhuji, Zhejiang, home of the beauty Xi Shi and a cradle of ancient Yue culture; the State Council made it a fourth-batch national park in 2002.

It is in the fourth batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 2002.

Travel tips

Getting there: Zhuji lies on the Zhejiang-Jiangxi railway and the Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou expressway, about 80 km from Hangzhou and 50 km from Shaoxing, and about 40 minutes by road from Xiaoshan International Airport. Tourist buses serve the main sights in the city.

Wuxie: about 20 km northwest of Zhuji, in four areas, Wuxie Lake, Taoyuan, Dongyuan and Xiyuan. The five waterfalls are arranged one above another along the stream and are seen by walking the mountain path.

Xiyuan Gorge: narrow and deep, with a long route over stone paths and steps.

Huan River: the Xishi hometown area runs along the Huansha River in the city, with Xishi Hall, the Fan Li shrine and a folk museum; it is mainly cultural and can be walked.

Time: Wuxie takes most of a day and the Huan River about half a day; together allow a day and a half to two days.

Season: waterfalls are fullest after spring and summer rain and low in winter or dry spells; autumn is pleasant.

Where to stay: Zhuji city is the most convenient, and there is a little lodging near Wuxie.

Nearby: Sizhai Thousand-Pillar House, Douyan and Tangjiangyan are in the county; Zhuji is known for pearls, torreya nuts and tea.

Wuxie

Wuxie, 20 km north-west of the city, covers 50 km² and is a national park, AAAA attraction and national forest park in four parts: Wuxie Lake, Taoyuan, the east source and the deep west gorge.

Its essence is a five-tier waterfall: the first “moon veiled in thin gauze”, the second “two dragons fighting for the ravine”, the third “pearl curtain stirred by wind”, the fourth “galloping horses” and the fifth “dragon leaping from the sea”.

The Huan River

The Huan River area, the Xi Shi homeland, is an AAAA attraction presenting ancient Yue culture through Xi Shi: along the river where she washed silk stand the Xi Shi Hall, the hall of famous women of Chinese history, the Fan Li shrine, the folk museum, the Zheng ancestral hall, the hall of the three worthies and the old Yue street, recalling the stories of “fish sinking and geese falling” and “Dongshi imitating a frown”. A Xi Shi hall stood here already in the Tang, and Wang Xizhi left the two bold characters “washing silk” on the river bank.

Elsewhere in Zhuji

Zhuji is well placed on the Zhejiang–Jiangxi railway and the Hangzhou–Jinhua–Quzhou expressway, 200 km from Shanghai, 80 km from Hangzhou, 50 km from Shaoxing and 40 minutes from Hangzhou airport, with tourist buses to the main sights. Its products are pearls, torreya nuts and tea; the Thousand-Pillar House at Sizhai is a famous mansion.

Douyan, training base of the national climbing team, has a natural Buddha 88 m high and is known for its peaks, cliffs, rocks, caves and springs. Tangjiangyan by Anhua Lake has cliffs a hundred zhang high with winding paths among rocks and caves, the largest outdoor adventure base in eastern China, and farm stays.

Nearby

Straight-line distances. Search nearby