Qingliu Hot Spring Resort

Qingliu Hot Spring Resort

Hot Spring Resort

Qingliu County possesses relatively abundant geothermal resources. Along just a roughly 10-kilometer fault zone from Songkou Tangzhou to Gaolai, there are five hot springs, making it the most densely distributed hot spring fault zone in Fujian Province. Among them, the Gaolai hot spring has an outlet temperature of over 90°C, the highest among the province’s 197 hot springs to date. The types of hot springs are well-developed, including cold springs, low-temperature springs, medium-temperature springs, medium-high-temperature springs, and high-temperature springs. There are also various types of medical thermal mineral water, such as radon springs, sodium bicarbonate springs, sulfur springs, silica springs, and thermal springs.

In May 1988 and November 1999, six human tooth fossils and several mammal fossils were collected from the Fox Cave by Jiulong Lake in Shawu Township, Qingliu County. The Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of China named these ancient human fossils the “Qingliu Man.” Like the “Zuozhen Man,” the earliest human fossils discovered in Taiwan, the “Qingliu Man” belongs to the late Homo sapiens of the southern region during China’s Paleolithic Age, sharing a common origin. This provides strong evidence for research on the migration of ancient humans from the mainland to Taiwan, serving as proof of the shared roots between Fujian and Taiwan. Additionally, the county features a diverse and spectacular array of geological and landform landscapes, along with rich historical charm and cultural heritage, encompassing more than 50 cultural sites. Qingliu County is also one of China’s 21 Soviet counties. In October 2005, the Qingliu County Government formally submitted an application to the Provincial Department of Land and Resources. The provincial-level hot spring geopark is currently under review and will be recommended to the China Mining Association for the title of “China’s Hometown of Hot Springs (Geothermal City).”