Baizhangji Waterfall & Flying Cloud Lake

Baizhangji Waterfall & Flying Cloud Lake Scenic Area, covering a total area of 558.8 square kilometers (140,000 acres), is located in the southwestern part of Wenzhou. Listed as a National Key Scenic Area, it is renowned for its splendid waterfalls and beautiful lakes.

The Baizhangji Waterfall Scenic Area has beautiful lakes and mountains and is especially famous for its waterfalls, which are divided into three sections from high to low. 'The First Waterfall (Yi Ji)' of 207 meters (about 680 feet) high is known as the 'Number One Waterfall in China'. When the water runs vertically down from the cliff high above, you can see the beads splashing and hear a sound like thunder. Looking around, mountains rise above the water, some like a lanneret spreading its wings, some like a rock tower and some like a sail on the water. The second section of 85 meters (about 280 feet) high, called 'The Second Waterfall (Er Ji)', is divided into two folds by a rock corridor in the middle, like a waistband twining around the sable cliff. Here, the waterfall runs down like a curtain, hence it is named 'Huaguoshan Water-Curtain Cave'. Below, is  'The Third Waterfall (San Ji)' which is 12 meters (about 40 feet) high with the mouth more than 80 meters (about 260 feet) wide. It has a shallow pond covering an area of 2 mu (about 0.3 acres), surrounded by unusual rocks. Sometimes you can hear birds singing over the rocks. Because of the special characteristic of the waterfall clusters , people conclude that 'the first waterfall is 100 zhang (called 'Baizhang' about 1093 feet) high, the second waterfall is 100 zhang deep and the third waterfall is 100 zhang wide'.

Another scenic spot in Baizhangji Waterfall Scenic Area is the Celestial Summit Lake (Tianding Lake). It is clear and deep like a bright mirror and located in the Nantian Mountain at the top of the Baizhangji waterfall. In the center of the lake is an island looking like a natural carnelian inlaid in the lake. In the morning the lake is covered by cloud and mist like a virgin area, and at dusk, the setting sun reflecting on the lake dyes it yellow-red. The whole lake, looking like a flying dragon, is actually composed of three lakes: the Outer Lake, the East Lake and the West Lake. The pure water and surrounding forest attract flocks of aigrettes to play here, yet the lake looks so calm. A wonderful sight! On the island there is a temple which is used for sacrifice to the god of the lake who blesses the fish, shrimp and other life-form in the lake.

Flying Cloud Lake Scenic Area, located in the middle reaches of Flying Cloud River, covers an area of 54.8 square kilometers (about 13,500 acres). On the surface of the lake you can see the vast mist-covered water and many sailing boats. At the bank you can see verdant trees and bamboos, among which the old villages are scattered. Flying Cloud River has many branches so that isles are formed by interlacing lake gulfs to become a labyrinth. Flying Cloud Lake is the largest lake in the south of Zhejiang Province.

Wuyang Village, the ancient Hometown of Liu Ji (one of the founding brothers in the Ming Dynasty) is another cultural scenic area. Surrounded by mountains, it is located five kilometers away from Nantian Town of Wencheng County, the west of Tianding. Near Wuyang there is a well-known wooden structural temple called Chengyibo Temple. In the main hall there are three statues of Liu Ji, his sons Liu Lian and Liu Jing and there are also many steles in the temple, on which the inscriptions of numerous celebrities in Ming and Qing Dynasty are written. In the west corridor there is an old bronze bell weighing 450 kilograms (about 992 pound) which you can touch. It is worthwhile visiting here.