Qili Lake

Qili Lake

Seven Waterfalls in a Row with Colorful Clouds Flying — Located in Qilijie Village on the western outskirts of the city, there is a "Qili Lake." In the northwest of the lake area lies the "Seven-Tiered Waterfall." From Sow Pond to Xiakou, the terrain features a significant drop and rugged landscape. Winding through paths such as "Seven-Tiered Ridge," "Front and Back Pots," and "Golden Shoulder Pole," these narrow mountain trails stretch over 10 kilometers with a vertical drop of over 200 meters. The mountains in the Chixi River basin are continuous; aside from steep bare rocks, everywhere you look is lush greenery, “mountain springs trickle through stone crevices, moonlight filters through tree gaps.” A mountain stream flows downward following the terrain.

Mountain springs converge at the valley bottom of Xiakou, forming a mountain stream. The creek water meanders along the undulating riverbed, flowing downstream vividly and noisily. At cliff edges, the stream plunges down to form waterfalls, and beneath the falls, deep pools are carved out. Xiakou Stream boasts countless waterfalls and pools, with the more prominent ones being the "Three Major Tiers and Four Minor Tiers."

The Seven-Tiered Waterfall is a set of cascading waterfalls layered upon one another. The waterfalls vary in size, each with unique characteristics — some are wide and grand, some are tall and long, some fall straight and sheer, while others slope and disperse.

Leaving the lakeside road and walking about one kilometer up a mountain path to the southwest, you can faintly hear a "muffled thunder" sound echoing from the deep mountains. Ahead, an ancient stone arch bridge spans across a pool.

Standing on the ancient bridge, you can see a waterfall that crashes down the cliff face with tremendous force, its rapid torrent plunging headlong into the unfathomable depths of Sow Pond, creating mysterious whirlpools that are both thrilling and awe-inspiring.

Along the eastern side of Sow Pond, clinging to the rock wall and grabbing vines and tree trunks to climb upward for just under a hundred meters, the cliffs on both sides rise sharply. The riverbed hangs suspended above the cliff, forming a natural "barrier." The stream water cascades down from the cliff, “five zhang above is still water, five zhang below turns entirely to mist.” The surrounding ancient forest blocks out the sky, with old vines forming a web. “When you reach the deepest part of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise,” as if “viewing the sky from the bottom of a well.” Visitors who descend into the valley bottom truly feel as though they have floated right up to the entrance of a “Water Curtain Cave.”

Walking up a small mountain path along the western side of Sow Pond, there are also third-tier and fourth-tier waterfalls... However, these are generally inaccessible to tourists, and without a local “native guide,” you won’t be able to find the way. Only locals who catch “stone-scaled fish” (a type of fish) have ventured into the “Seven-Tiered Waterfall.”

Source: Office of the People's Government of Jian'ou City