Xueye Three Gorges Scenic Area

Xueye Three Gorges Scenic Area

Xueye Three Gorges Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

A national 2A-level tourist attraction, located in Xingjiayu Village, about 20 kilometers north of Laiwu City, covering an area of approximately 8 square kilometers. The area boasts abundant tourism resources, with mountain vegetation coverage exceeding 60%. Major attractions include Qinglong Gorge, Wulong Gorge, Laolong Gorge, and Tianlv Lake. The scenic area is characterized by three main features:

First, the area features deep gorges, perilous cliffs, clear pools, dense forests, and an elegant environment—especially serene and refreshing when boating amidst the green mountains and waters. Second, it is rich in flora and fauna, with hundreds of species of birds and animals, making it an ideal spot for science education. Third, there are countless uniquely shaped rocks, each resembling humans or animals, showcasing the wonders of nature. Major attractions include:

Yanziya Reservoir is built against the mountain, with its dam located about

10 meters to the west of the reservoir, beneath a cliff where a stone crevice once housed hundreds of swallows. After the reservoir was filled, the cave was submerged, but every spring, large numbers of swallows still return here.

Golden Chestnut Garden has over

200 chestnut trees, lush and shady. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, ripe chestnuts scatter golden across the ground.

Qinglong Pool lies cradled by verdant surrounding mountains, with deep emerald-green waters exuding a cool freshness. The deepest part reaches five to six meters. Surrounded by clear blue waters and green hills, the pool never dries up, no matter how severe the drought. Lover’s Stones are two side-by-side rocks in Qinglong Pool that resemble a man and a woman, associated with a touching legend.

Longevity Bridge spans the canyon stream, suspended by steel cables and paved with wooden planks, with a total length of about

10 meters. Beneath the bridge lies a rock resembling a divine turtle, giving rise to the saying that Longevity Bridge is “the Spirit Turtle Holding Up Longevity.”

Flying Rock is said to have been dislodged

on a summer noon in the 1970s when thunder struck, causing a massive boulder 40 meters above the left cliff to fall into the mountain stream, hence its name. The Three Gorges Plank Walk stretches over 1,800 meters, with murmuring springs flowing beneath as you stroll along the railing at your leisure.

Laolongwan Waterfall is the most spectacular waterfall in the Three Gorges, with a vertical drop of

50 meters and a width of 60 meters. Splashes can be seen from 100 meters away, and the sound of rushing water carries over 1,000 meters.

Tianlv Lake—“a high gorge gives rise to a flat lake”—is known as Shandong’s highest-altitude lake. A breathtaking sight where sky and water merge seamlessly, surrounded by continuous ranges of towering green mountains. The lakeside cliffs are sheer as if carved by knives, adding to the dramatic landscape. Highlights include Shouxing Rock, where the old man’s eyes, nose, mouth, and forehead wrinkles are strikingly distinct.

Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl: On the opposite side of the gorge, two giant rocks about 20 meters apart resemble dragons playing in the stream, while the round rock in between is the pearl they’re playing with. The trio is clustered within 20 meters of each other, creating a marvelous scene.

Immortal’s Bed is about

4 meters wide from north to south and 0.8 meters long from east to west—a flat, rectangular boulder that resembles a giant bed.

One-Line Sky is about

15 meters high, 40 meters deep, and only 0.8 meters wide, a narrow crevice cut cleanly as if by axe or knife.

Heaven Ladder is built along a precipitous mountain slope, consisting of

over 280 steps, stretching over 100 meters with a near-vertical drop of about 70 meters.

Red Stone Valley features a vast expanse of fiery red rocks. Geological data indicates that the red sandstone from the late Cretaceous period forms the main body of the valley’s crimson rocks, related to the metamorphic history of the pre-Sinian and Sinian systems.

Transportation

The scenic area is about 60 kilometers (a 40-minute drive) from Jinan Airport; 30 kilometers (a 30-minute drive) from Laiwu Railway Station; and 30 kilometers (a 30-minute drive) from Laiwu Bus Station.

Self-driving route:

Laiwu City – Laiming Road – via Zhangjiawa and Kozhen – Xueye Reservoir – to the scenic area

Jinan Jingshi Road → Jiwang Road → Mingshui Intersection → Laiming Road → to the scenic area

Tai’an → Tai-Lai Expressway → exit at Yangzhuang Intersection → connect to Zaoxu Road → pass through Yangzhuang, Zhaili, and Dawangzhuang Towns → via Luye → to the scenic area

Zibo Wangcun → Jiwang Road → head south at Zhangqiu Intersection → Laiming Road → food, accommodation, and shopping at the scenic area

The area features a variety of specialty restaurants. Signature dishes include Laiwu Stir-Fried Chicken, Xueye Fish Head Soup, and various mountain delicacies, though none are cheap, with per-person meals costing around 100 RMB.

Address: Xingjiayu Village, Laicheng District, Laiwu City

Type: Canyon, Waterfall, Lake

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Opening hours:

6:00-18:00

Ticket:

Ticket: 10 RMB

Xingjiayu Village: Xingjiayu Village is located 25 kilometers northwest of Laicheng and 7 kilometers south of the town government seat. It borders Xiaoluquan Village to the west, Houheishan Village to the south, Xiaolou Village to the north, and Xueye Reservoir to the east. The village currently has a population of 2,010 and 1,320 mu of arable land.

In the fifth year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (i.e., 1511 AD), the Xing family migrated from Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, and established the village. It was named Xingjiayu because it was built in a mountain valley on the west bank of the Hui River, with the family name as the prefix, hence called Xingjiayu, divided into Greater and Lesser Xingjiayu. In 1959, due to the construction of Xueye Reservoir, the original site was submerged, and the village was relocated to its current location. Since its establishment, the village has a history of 490 years... Detailed information about Xingjiayu Village++