Han Zhuang Sluice Scenic Area

Han Zhuang Sluice Scenic Area

Han Zhuang is a key town in the southern part of Weishan County. Passing through the ten-li-long street lined with high-rises in Han Zhuang Town, the Han Zhuang Sluice comes sharply into view, standing majestically. Like a giant palm gripping the throat, it firmly controls the drainage channel of Weishan Lake.

The Han Zhuang Sluice has a total length of 435.6 meters, an overall width of 136.5 meters, and a height of 30.9 meters; its maximum flood discharge capacity is 4,600 cubic meters per second; its maximum storage capacity is 778 million cubic meters. The sluice construction began in August 1958 and the 17-bay sluice was completed in October 1960. Later, from March 1977 to April 1980, 7 additional bays were added to both ends of the 17-bay sluice, bringing the total to 31 bays. A total of 1.06 million cubic meters of earth and stone were excavated, and the state invested a total of 16 million yuan.

About 300 meters south of the sluice, you’ll see a magnificent bridge spanning two rivers — this is the southernmost highway bridge on the Beijing–Fuzhou Road within Shandong Province. The bridge is a steel arch structure, crossing the Yijia River and the ship lock navigation channel. It is over 11.5 meters wide, with separate lanes for up and down traffic, and stretches more than 100 meters from north to south. The bridge is bustling day and night, with daily traffic exceeding 40,000 vehicles. Beneath the bridge lies the only ship lock navigation channel that connects Weishan Lake to the cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou via the rerouted Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal, handling nearly one million tons of cargo annually. About 200 meters east of the bridge, running parallel to the highway bridge, is a crucial railway bridge on the Beijing–Shanghai line, serving southern Shandong. Trains thunder overhead while “water trains” glide beneath. Further east lies the East China Oil Pipeline, closely following the Beijing–Shanghai trunk line. The thick steel pipes lie like coiled black dragons, continuously transporting crude oil from the Shengli Oilfield to Shanghai. Within a 200-meter radius, three major transportation arteries — rail, road, and waterway — converge, creating a spectacular scene of intertwined “dragons.”

Whether strolling on the bridge at dawn or dusk and gazing westward, the bridge resembles a giant holding a trumpet to its mouth. Beyond the kilometer-long flared section of the bridge, the trumpet’s mouth suddenly opens to reveal the vast, misty expanse of the lake. Amid the swirling mist, a small island appears ethereally, like a fairyland pavilion floating on the water — a scene reminiscent of a mirage on the lake. This is the world-renowned Weishan Island. Looking south, you’ll see verdant mountains like dark parentheses cradling the lake in their embrace. At sunrise or sunset, when sunlight slants across, the mountains’ reflections shimmer on the water, dotted with fishing boats or tugboat convoys, evoking the picturesque beauty of Guilin’s Li River. Near the sluice by the lakeside, you’ll find graceful plane trees swaying like shy maidens in the breeze, and tall, neat pine trees standing like sentries around the lock area. Inside the sluice zone, the water murmurs softly, the grass is lush, and birds sing amid fragrant flowers — making it an ideal resting spot for visitors. Here, you can sample many local snacks in the peak of summer, especially chilled flat bean jelly, which instantly cools you down and leaves a lingering aftertaste. In golden autumn, you can also enjoy the pastoral pleasure of “sitting by the stream peeling lotus seeds.”

To promote tourism, Han Zhuang Town and the Sluice Management Office are focusing on beautifying the sluice area, establishing scenic spots, and adding service facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and photography studios. The Han Zhuang Sluice Tourist Area attracts visitors from all directions like a magnet.