Jiutai Valley

Jiutai Valley

Jiutai Valley Scenic Area is located in the Kuocang Mountain Range within Kuocang Town in the western part of Linhai City, Zhejiang Province. It begins at the entrance of Huangshitang Village and stretches to Paomaping, an altitude of 1,200 meters, covering a total length of 5.5 kilometers. The valley is divided into nine platforms: Longzhu Platform, Lanshou Platform, Yibi Platform, Yaoji Platform, Guanpu Platform, Zhejia Platform, Chengyu Platform, Wangyue Platform, and Zhaixing Platform. These platforms are interconnected, each featuring distinct and breathtaking scenery that combines rugged beauty with serene tranquility. The area showcases a concentration of dramatic peaks, caves, and waterfalls. Major attractions include: Huangshitang Waterfall, Giant Rock Beach Park, Five Peaks Competing in Beauty, Jiutai Rock (Divine Dog Howling at the Sky), Dripping Rock Waterfall, Lovers’ Stone, Phoenix Tail Waterfall (Seven-Layer Waterfall), Rock Gate (Jade Rabbit Guarding the Toad), Stone Human Peak, Heaven Gate Waterfall, Riding Clouds Rock, Penguin Stone, the “Group of Dragons Striving Forward” rock formation, and the Kuocang Mountain Wind Farm.

I. Longzhu Platform Longzhu Platform is situated in the lush green valley near Huangshitang Village at an altitude of over 400 meters. Over the long geological ages, the valley floor has formed uniquely peculiar landforms. The exposed rocks display vivid colors and shapes, undulating dramatically. Crystal-clear streams, round boulders, cascading waterfalls, and emerald pools create a vibrant natural landscape. Key sights here include Five Turtles Playing in Water, Huangshitang Waterfall, and Giant Rock Beach Park.

II. Lanshou Platform The towering Jiutai Rock stands proudly beside layered, jagged peaks that are strikingly beautiful—collectively known as Five Peaks Competing in Beauty. At the summit of Jiutai Rock, the rock formations are incredibly lifelike. When viewed from another angle, they resemble a jade maiden presenting treasure. In spring, swallows return from the south and nest under the rock eaves, offering another spectacular sight. Hence, it is also called “Swallow Nest Rock.”

III. Yibi Platform The pure waters of Jiutai Valley meander and tumble through the mountains and rocks. Upon reaching the cliff edge, the water plunges down to form an emerald-green pool—the Dripping Rock Waterfall. At the upper end of the pool, the diversion channel of the Chekou Stream Hydropower Station No.1 stretches from Zhencar to Huangjialiao. Via this water trail, visitors can reach the Yangtiandou Waterfall, which has a drop of over 100 meters, or visit Zhongyangkeng to admire vast expanses of Rhododendron fortunei forests in pink and white. The largest Rhododendron fortunei found in Jiutai Valley so far has a trunk diameter of 40 cm, estimated to be over a hundred years old.

IV. Yaoji Platform In the past, local mountain dwellers made a living by making charcoal. Due to the relatively flat and open terrain here, it was convenient to build charcoal kilns, making this the ancestral site of charcoal production. Nearby, a clear stream babbles, pools sparkle, and sheer red cliffs stand quietly amid a cool, shady breeze. In the distance, you can see seas of bamboo, and looking up, the distant “Couple Rocks” on the hilltop are faintly visible.

V. Lansheng Platform The Phoenix Tail Waterfall is both the midpoint and the most iconic highlight of Jiutai Valley. Seven waterfalls cascade down the terraced valley, forming a stunning and precipitous waterfall cluster with a total drop of about 200 meters. On both sides, steep cliffs and undulating green mountains are often veiled in drifting clouds, appearing and disappearing like those in Huangshan Mountain.

VI. Zhegui Platform The rugged hillside naturally forms a stone gate, as if cut by knives and axes, magnificent and exquisite. Ahead lie perilous cliffs, deep valleys, secluded peaks, and streaming waterfalls—a masterpiece of nature’s artistry. Not far away, there are also attractions such as Five-Toe Rock and the Toad and Rabbit Picking Osmanthus.

VII. Chengyu Platform This area features typical intrusive granite landforms, with oddly shaped peaks encircling the area, steep cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and a deep, rugged beauty.

The Heaven Gate Waterfall pours down from the sky like a white silk ribbon soaring through the air, splashing silver droplets. The Stone Human Peak features a remarkably lifelike human-shaped rock, a marvel of nature. Thanks to the unique environment, a distinctive microclimate has formed here, supporting rare flora and fauna such as the Chinese giant salamander, Rhododendron fortunei, wild magnolia, and Huangshan pine.

VIII. Louyue Platform On the high hilltop, a giant penguin stands gazing at the moon—vivid and lifelike, hence the name Penguin Gazing at the Moon. Volcanic eruptions from the Mesozoic circum-Pacific volcanic belt left behind these hard, protruding rocks. Despite prolonged erosion, their edges remain sharp and their shapes diverse. The intrusive granite landform of Jiutai Valley is distinctly different from the rounded forms of volcanic limestone, and its vast expanse is relatively rare, offering high scenic value.

IX. Zhaixing Platform This is the highest platform in Jiutai Valley, at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. Layers of unique peaks and rocks form a majestic formation known as the “Group of Dragons Striving Forward.”