Xiangshui Temple

Xiangshui Temple

Xiangshui Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Xiangshui Temple Scenic Area is located in Maodianzi Town, Kuandian Manchu Autonomous County, 60 kilometers from Dandong City. Here, the mountains are uniquely beautiful, the vegetation is well-preserved, with rushing streams, calm lakes, hanging springs, and cascading waterfalls. It is a place where serenity hides wonder, beauty conceals danger—truly a land of endless charm.

Fushou Mountain is the main peak of the Xiangshui Temple scenic area. Towering prominently amidst surrounding peaks, it rises abruptly from the base to the summit, with hundreds of meters of solid rock, seamless and imposing, resembling an upturned vat—majestic and spectacular. The eastern cliff is steep and rugged, diverse in form. The lines and colors of the rocky peak vary endlessly, full of mystery. At the mountaintop cliff, ancient pines stand tall against the sky, some shooting straight up as if piercing the heavens, others spreading their branches horizontally as if taking flight, forming a marvelous traditional Chinese landscape painting. Located on the sunny side of the center of Fushou Mountain, the ancient temple of Xiangshui Temple was a Taoist temple built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. Today, only ruins, broken walls, stone tablets, and debris remain. In its heyday of incense offerings, it was the largest temple in southern Kuandian. In front of the temple stands a rocky peak known as “Temple Summit,” while behind it leans a horizontal ridge. To the front, it is embraced by two peaks named Coiling Dragon and Crouching Tiger, surrounded by ancient trees, making for a uniquely auspicious setting. Fifty meters east of the temple lies a flat expanse of dense woods, beneath which lies a pond of green grass—an enchanting hidden paradise.

Donghu Grand Waterfall stands 52 meters high. Two streams of spring water flowing down from the mountain top have eroded the rocky hillside into an arc-shaped deep cavity, forming a 90-degree cliff face. The waterfall roars down with tremendous force, spraying mist and echoing like thunder or a dragon’s roar. Due to the great height and volume of water, the rock layers beneath the falls have been carved out into a 30-square-meter pool of emerald water. When the pool overflows, it forms a second-tier waterfall 8 meters high. The water then flows downstream through the valley into the Xiangshui River, forming Banshipeng Lake, where the rocks are steep and the sand clean, creating a natural bathing spot. Along the 300-meter-long canyon from the waterfall to Banshipeng, the cliffs on both sides are connected, with uniquely shaped rocks and jagged ridges. The valley and the area around the waterfall are covered with ancient trees, fallen pines lying across the ground, vines and creepers clinging everywhere, creating a lush, cool, and tranquil atmosphere. Even in early summer, slabs of ice can still be seen at the edge of the deep pool under the waterfall, while the surrounding cliffs are already covered with lush plants and blooming wildflowers—an astonishing sight.

Jiulongtan (Nine-Dragon Pool), formerly known as Sandao Lake, consists of nine waterfalls and nine deep pools, divided into three sections, each with three waterfalls and three pools. The first section, called the First Lake, winds into a narrow valley. Walking about 10 meters upstream along the turbulent stream, you’ll find a round pool with water so green it looks dyed, its depth unfathomable, and the sound of stones thrown into it echoing like bronze drums. The pool is surrounded by jagged cliffs and slender, rugged rocks, shaded by ancient trees that make it seem like a dark, deep cave. By the pool, there is a natural stone ledge where you can see three waterfalls cascading down simultaneously.