Red Stone Valley

Red Stone Valley

Red Stone Valley is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Red Stone Valley Scenic Area is located in Xianghongdian, eastern Jinzhai County, Lu'an City, Anhui Province. Covering an area of 80 square kilometers with a forest coverage rate of over 95%, it is about 40 kilometers from Lu'an City. It mainly consists of three major sections: the Red Stone Valley National Geopark, General Lake (Xianghongdian Reservoir), and the ecological sightseeing park that is the origin of China’s top ten famous teas, “Liuan Guapian.”

Red Stone Valley is an important part of the Dabie Mountains National Geopark. The canyon stretches 7 kilometers in length, with metamorphic rocks on the eastern side and volcanic rocks on the western side, spanning a geological timeline of 500 million years. It is composed of four main areas: the ecological tea garden, Lovers' Valley, the Red Slate River, and the Cave Paradise. The canyon features steep cliffs and murmuring streams, with clear remnants of geological activity. Among them, the highly representative rock formations of the Dabie Mountains and red stone bodies are spread across both sides of the valley. Massive red boulders and other rock clusters form a series of landscapes including red stones, mountains, dragon pools, and waterfalls. The mountains in Red Stone Valley have been influenced by volcanic activity, leaving behind rare ancient cave wonders. As such, Red Stone Valley is a highly representative site of ancient caves in the Dabie Mountains, home to the region’s unique red stone landscapes, and one of the few “red stone” scenic areas in China.

Thanks to its excellent geographical and ecological environment, Red Stone Valley has since ancient times been a premium origin of the “Liuan Guapian” tea. Qi Yun Mountain’s Bat Cave within the valley is regarded as the birthplace of Liuan Guapian. The canyon is surrounded by pristine tea plantations, interspersed with tung oil forests, camellia forests, and shrubbery, making the valley a natural green oxygen bar. Visiting Red Stone Valley, tracing the origins of Liuan Guapian, tasting authentic tea from its place of origin, and experiencing tea culture make Red Stone Valley one of the few comprehensive tea culture tourist destinations in China.

Xianghongdian Reservoir (General Lake) is the largest reservoir in Anhui Province and an important component of the Pi-Shi-Hang Project. Covering a water area of 60 square kilometers with a storage capacity of 2.7 billion cubic meters, the reservoir boasts a unique and superior regional climate, often praised as a paradise of green mountains and clear waters. It was designated as a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area in 2004.

The emerging Red Stone Valley Scenic Area has become a new tourism destination integrating landscape eco-tourism, water sightseeing and vacation, and a journey to explore the origins of tea culture. It is a shining pearl in the Dabie Mountains tourism offerings.