Shuijiang Nature Reserve

Shuijiang Nature Reserve

Shuijiang Nature Reserve,

located 76 kilometers from the county seat and 10 kilometers from Shaxi, the hometown of Ouyang Xiu—one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties—is part of the Wuyi Mountain-Yushan Mountain range. With the highest elevation at 985.2 meters and covering an area of 30,000 mu, it is a pristine evergreen broad-leaved forest. Approved as a provincial-level nature reserve by the provincial forestry department in 1995, it is a major scenic area of Yongfeng National Forest Park.

The Shuijiang Nature Reserve boasts dense vegetation, a rich variety of trees, and a mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest with murmuring streams. Dominated by evergreen broad-leaved forests, it is home to 276 species of woody plants across 75 families, including 55 species of evergreen trees, 57 species of deciduous trees, 50 species of evergreen shrubs or small trees, 69 species of deciduous shrubs or small trees, 24 species of evergreen vines, and 21 species of deciduous vines.

Linghua Mountain

Located within the territory of Lishu Village in Zhongcun Township, Linghua Mountain borders Ningdu to the southeast and connects to Le’an to the north. Spanning across Yongfeng, Ningdu, and Le’an counties, it stands at an elevation of 1,454.9 meters and covers an area of 25 square kilometers, making it the highest peak in the county. The mountain features towering rocky peaks that pierce the clouds, known as the General Columns of Civil and Military Officials. There is also a deep pool whose depth is unfathomable. The mountainside is covered with fir, pine, rapeseed, and shrubs, while the summit is overgrown with grass. Additionally, there is the ancient Lingyun Temple, built with strip stones. About 500 meters from the temple lies a Taoist shrine, with the words “Heaven’s Watchful Abode” inscribed on its lintel. Legend has it that this mountain is a sacred peak where prayers are answered, hence the name “Linghua” (Spiritual Splendor). Watching the sunrise from the summit, as the sun rises like a blazing ball from amidst the mountain ranges, is a truly spectacular sight.