Canwo Reservoir Scenic Area

Canwo Reservoir Scenic Area

Canwo Reservoir Scenic Area

Canwo Reservoir is located east of Nansha Village in Gongchangling District, Liaoyang City, situated in the middle section of the main course of the Taizi River, between Benxi and Liaoyang cities. It is 39 kilometers from Liaoyang City. The reservoir management bureau is located on the left bank of the river channel, with the dam site being 2.7 kilometers from Nansha Village. Canwo Reservoir is a reinforced concrete gravity dam. The reservoir dam was built on the main stream of the Taizi River. It is a major tributary on the left side of the Liaohe River basin and, together with the Hun River, forms the independent eastern river system. Since the Hun River and the Taizi River converge at Sanchakou in Haicheng before flowing into the great Liaohe River and then independently into the sea, the Hun-Tai river system is referred to as the Hun-Tai water system.

Canwo Reservoir is located in the eastern mountainous area of Liaoyang, where thousands of peaks stand like ceremonial tablets and countless rivers flow. There is no peak without wonder, no water without clarity, no flower without brilliance, and no scenery without serenity. The Taizi River has flowed through the ages, carrying legends through the centuries. In the early 1980s, it was designated as a provincial-level scenic area. The reservoir scenic area is formed according to the natural environment and consists of the dam-front scenic area, Huabiao Mountain scenic area, Yidan Mountain scenic area, Taizi River scenic area, Lanhe scenic area, power plant sightseeing area, state-owned Huzi Hunting Ground, and the corridor inside the dam. The radial gate peak regulation creates surging waves that crash against the sky and shore, presenting a majestic and spectacular scene that stands as a unique attraction. The dam-front scenic area features magnificent cultural landscapes, with a modern-style mountain gate that is grand and imposing, inlaid with natural marble. The four golden characters “Canwo Reservoir,” bilingual in Chinese and English, are inscribed in gold leaf by the nationally renowned calligrapher Wen Tongchun, shining brilliantly in the sunlight and adding to the grandeur of the dam. Each scenic spot within the area boasts distinctive views, forming numerous picturesque routes, each with its own charm and legendary tales. Amidst the vast waters of the reservoir and along the surging Yan River, stretching north and south of the towering Huabiao, lie numerous historical sites and relics scattered like stars. These include the ruins of Yuan Hanlin’s mansion, the tombs of ministers and generals, the ancient Iron Tile Temple, the ruins of Wanghai Shuangquan Temple, and the Liaojin Mountain Fortress, each with its own piece of history and legendary stories. The Guest Welcome Building resort and the state-owned Huzi Hunting Ground are covered in lush woods, with winding mountain paths leading to serene spots, flowers lining the trails, and serve as habitats for rare animals, precious medicinal herbs, unique wild vegetables, and various wild fruits.

Canwo Reservoir boasts vast waters and expansive lake surfaces, where pavilions are tucked among the scenery and flowers bloom in rich clusters. Hiking through the mountains offers layers upon layers of discovery, allowing you to experience the leisurely joy of “paddling together on flower-fringed waters and climbing bamboo-fringed hills in straw sandals.” Boating across the lake, where water meets the horizon, evokes poetic imagery such as “mountains sending drifting clouds into dreams, water floating flowers past sailing boats; green waves reflecting sunset glow redder than brocade, distant hills like faint ink-wash mist.” Everywhere presents the magnificent sight of “autumn waters blending with the boundless sky, setting sun and solitary egrets flying together.”