East China Baichang Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Hengshan Reservoir Scenic Area

The Hengshan Reservoir Scenic Area is a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Hengshan Reservoir Scenic Area is located in the southwestern mountainous region of Yixing, Jiangsu, at the geometric center of the Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou triangle. It borders the Tianmu Lake Scenic Area of Liyang to the west and the Taiji Cave in Guangde County, Anhui, to the south. It is a "natural ecological and ceramic culture tourism zone" on the western edge of the Taihu Lake tourism circle and also the best-preserved area in terms of natural ecological environment in the Yangtze River Delta and Taihu Lake region, with very obvious locational advantages. The Hengshan Reservoir is only 10 kilometers away from the renowned 4A-level Shanhua Cave Scenic Area and 25 kilometers from Zhanggong Cave and Linggu Cave.

Transportation:

The Hengshan Reservoir enjoys extremely convenient transportation. It is 90 kilometers from Wuxi City, 30 kilometers from Yixing City, and adjacent to the Xinchang Railway. High-grade highways from Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou lead directly to the reservoir from all three directions, while the three major international airports of Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou surround the area, making it about two hours' drive to reach the reservoir area. This gives it access to the primary tourist markets of Wuxi, Yixing, and the Yangtze River Delta, as well as regional opportunity markets. The Hengshan Reservoir is also located in a region with relatively low population density, offering favorable conditions for tourism development. Yixing City has designated the Hengshan Reservoir as the city’s ecological water source protection area, and its advantages in water resources and ecological environment are becoming increasingly evident.

The Hengshan Reservoir is formed by the eastern edge mountains of Maoshan, with the terrain of the reservoir area sloping from south to north. The total area of the reservoir area exceeds 1,070 hectares, and the total catchment area reaches 154.8 square kilometers. The upstream area features high and steep mountains, with an average elevation of over 500 meters. It belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate zone, characterized by pleasant weather, warmth, and humidity. The entire reservoir area is surrounded by rolling mountains, with tens of thousands of acres of shimmering blue waters and a green coverage rate of over 98%. In the center of the reservoir lies Tongpen Island, covered with lush trees and closely connected to the reservoir water. The air in the reservoir area is fresh and moist, making it a green gem bestowed upon Yixing, the Pottery Capital, by nature, as well as a "natural oxygen bar" for visitors to relax and stay fit.

The Hengshan Reservoir boasts an excellent ecological environment and abundant plant resources. The upstream area of the reservoir is a wetland, where many trees grow in the water, forming a unique natural landscape—water forest. On both sides of the reservoir area, there are 250,000 square meters of imported tall fescue lawns and nearly 100,000 camphor trees. Downstream, there is an ecological

The Hengshan Reservoir was initially constructed in 1958 and completed in 1969. It is a key water conservancy hub primarily designed for flood control, irrigation, and water supply, along with integrated functions such as aquaculture, power generation, and tertiary industry utilization. Due to technical limitations and other factors at the time, after years of operation, numerous engineering hazards emerged, posing serious threats to the safety of life and property of residents downstream. The Yixing Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government attached great importance to this issue, actively sought support from higher authorities, and in 2001, the Hengshan Reservoir reinforcement project was approved by the Ministry of Water Resources. The project was successfully completed in September 2003. After reinforcement, the reservoir's flood control capacity reached the standard of withstanding a once-in-2,000-years flood event, and countermeasures were put in place for floods occurring once in 5,000 years. Meanwhile, the total storage capacity of the reservoir increased to 112 million cubic meters, and water quality has consistently remained between Class I and Class II, fully meeting the drinking water needs of downstream residents.

With the successive completion of the Hengshan Reservoir reinforcement project and the water diversion project, the landscape of the reservoir area has been completely transformed, forming a modern water conservancy engineering spectacle. The hub features a main dam stretching 4,090 meters in total length, a three-bay spillway gate with each bay being 4.6 meters wide, a crest elevation of 32 meters, and a designed discharge capacity of 485 cubic meters per second. There is one water conveyance culvert on each side of the dam. Downstream of the spillway gate lies a 1.8-kilometer-long block-stone-lined spillway channel with a bottom width of 30 meters. On both sides of the spillway gate are east and west water-retaining dams, along with a waterside platform that allows visitors to get close to the water. Climbing up to the majestic management building of the spillway gate, you’ll find massive hydraulic valve devices and an advanced control system on the first and second floors. The third floor, known as the "Tianshui Pavilion," provides a leisure space for tourists to enjoy tea and scenic views. From atop the Tianshui Pavilion, visitors can take in the breathtaking panoramic view of the reservoir area, which is both refreshing and delightful. Nearby, fish bubble and occasionally leap out of the water; farther away, wild ducks flap their wings on the water surface before flying off together into the distance. The area offers a perfect blend of tea tasting, sightseeing, chess, and entertainment.

Currently, the primary function of the Hengshan Reservoir is water supply — ensuring that residents of Yixing have access to high-quality, clean Hengshan water. This necessitates stringent protection of the reservoir’s water source. The development of the Hengshan Reservoir scenic area is carried out under the premise of fully protecting the water source environment and ensuring the safety and quality of water supply, with moderate development. According to the existing plan, the Hengshan Reservoir scenic area will be positioned as a renowned eco-leisure resort destination in the Yangtze River Delta region. The reservoir area will be divided into seven functionally distinct zones, including a leisure and resort zone, a landscape real estate development zone, an ecological wetland park scenic zone, and an ecological agriculture scenic zone. The development plan includes constructing a four-star international business resort center, the Dragon Pearl Lake Water Resort, high-end villa areas, and a series of other facilities to cater to tourism activities of varying levels and demands.

Reservoir Scenic Area:

Substantial progress has been made in the development of the Hengshan Reservoir scenic area. The Tianshuiwan Resort, officially opened to the public on May 1 of this year, offers over 30 standard guest rooms and business suites, catering to more than 200 diners simultaneously. It also houses several meeting rooms of varying sizes equipped with comprehensive audiovisual facilities, capable of hosting conferences for over 100 people. Additionally, the resort features a music tea bar, the Tianshui Pavilion teahouse, a chess and card room, a sauna, and KTV private rooms. The cuisine here is characterized by green food such as "lake delicacies, mountain specialties, and local dishes," among which the "Hengshan Fish Head" is especially famous. Since its opening, the resort has been receiving an average of about 1,500 visitors per day, with daily revenue exceeding 20,000 yuan. The operation of the Tianshuiwan Resort has set a demonstrative example for the subsequent large-scale development of the Hengshan Reservoir scenic area.

Recently, to meet the needs of visitors, a newly developed lakeside park at the Hengshan Reservoir features attractions such as the Black Dragon Pool and the Lakeside Path. At the Black Dragon Pool attraction, a waterfall cascades down from the lush mountaintop greenery. Below lies the deep Black Dragon Pool, which remains full year-round. You can take a walk along the Lakeside Path, immersing yourself in the landscape of green mountains and clear waters; or lie in a hammock in the woods, reading or listening to music. Of course, if you’re interested, you can invite a few friends for a barbecue, gather around a campfire, rent a tent, and try the fun of camping. Alternatively, you can take a high-speed motorboat ride, enjoying the thrilling sensation of waves crashing violently against the boat.

It can be envisioned that as the scenic area plan is implemented, development continues, and facilities are further improved, the Hengshan Reservoir scenic area will become one of the most sought-after leisure and resort destinations in the Yangtze River Delta region.