Cai Gou Scenic Area

Cai Gou Scenic Area

Cai Gou Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Cai Gou Scenic Area is located southeast of Diji Peak, the main peak of Jiazi Mountain in Zhulu Town, Linyi Lingang Economic Development Zone. It features three interconnected valleys stretching for dozens of kilometers, with a planned area of 8,100 mu and an investment of 160 million yuan. Divided into four major tourism sectors — "valley, farmland, waterfront, and culture" — the area centers around the Cai Gou River, constructing a visitor service center to form a "one axis, one center, nine zones" tourism layout. The development includes ten major tourism projects: visitor service center, adventure (Phase II), mountain forest resort, rafting, creative farmland, Peach Blossom Village, rural leisure, waterfront resort, water recreation, and infrastructure. The project planning and construction period spans from 2013 to 2018, divided into two phases.

"Guilin’s scenery is the finest under heaven, while the beauty of Jiazi’s Cai Gou spreads far and wide." Cai Gou Scenic Area integrates mountains, water, and forests. The area boasts deep valleys, flowing streams, dappled tree shadows, birdsong, and floral fragrance, making it a rare piece of pristine eco-tourism resource. The redesigned Cai Gou Creative Ecological Park features beautiful scenery that aligns with people's current desire to return to nature.

Cai Gou consists of one main valley and three smaller gullies, with the gullies interconnected and stretching for dozens of kilometers. The waters of Cai Gou flow gently in spring and autumn, with mountain springs bubbling and brooks murmuring; in summer, cascading waterfalls surge forth like flying clouds; in winter, the waters are crystal-clear and serene, with fish, shrimp, and crabs swimming playfully. The mountains here rise abruptly, layered and rugged, with jagged rocks or bluestone steps. Birds of prey soar above the gullies, and wild animals such as wolves and foxes roam the area. The paths wind like ribbons in the sky, appearing and disappearing, shifting in pace, revealing new views at every turn. The trees are interspersed with dense pines, cypresses, and fragrant acacias, entwined with vines. The grass mingles with flowers, releasing a sweet fragrance, with bees and butterflies dancing, bringing one back to a pastoral idyll. The scenery here is picturesque all year round — in spring, layered green mountains and blooming forests; in summer, verdant peaks shrouded in mist; in autumn, emerald hillsides highlighted by red leaves; in winter, a silver-coated wonderland of exceptional charm.

Though not towering, the mountains of the scenic area are no less beautiful. Nestled close together and arranged in pleasing harmony, the area is richly vegetated with crisscrossing ravines, rugged rocks, steep cliffs, overgrown weeds, and thorny thickets. Deep valleys, dappled tree shades, and winding paths lead to stunning scenery: murmuring streams dance like colorful ribbons around a maiden’s waist; crystal-clear lakes shine like gems; small waterfalls scatter like pearls; lush forests stand like soldiers, majestic and awe-inspiring. In autumn, as the weather cools and leaves fall, the grass turns yellow, but the forests are painted in vibrant hues, creating ever-changing, enchanting views. From the valley floor to the stone walls on either side, shades of green, white, yellow, and red intermingle, some resembling man-made stone walls — a truly colorful sight. Amid the hustle and bustle, one can find tranquility here; in a materialistic world, a sense of simplicity; temporarily escaping fame and fortune, one discovers a lifestyle of harmony between humanity and nature.

According to the "Juzhou Annals · Historical Sites," Sun Bin Cave is situated southeast of Diji Peak, the main peak of Jiazi Mountain. It is 12 meters long, 6.1 meters wide, and 2.2 meters high, naturally formed with its entrance facing southeast. The site includes a stone-walled courtyard, offering a quiet and elegant atmosphere. Inside the cave, irregularly shaped boulders hold statues, incense burners, and colorful murals, with natural stone steps and murmuring streams. At the center of the cave sits a statue of Sun Bin, 1.3 meters tall, flanked by his guards Yuan Da and Li Mu. A smaller statue called "Xiao Gu Da," representing Sun Bin’s cowherd boy, stands nearby, along with a 0.9-meter-tall statue of a unicorn ox. The cave also features a separate alchemy room with an alchemy furnace and a statue of an alchemy boy. The courtyard contains a black jujube tree, vermilion fruit, five-colored beans, a divine spring stele, and an alchemy cauldron. A thousand-year-old ginkgo tree, protected at the municipal level, grows southeast of the cave entrance. The surrounding courtyard is lined with ancient pines, cypresses, and apricot trees. Legend has it that this was where Sun Bin once lived in seclusion, trained troops, and wrote books. Historical records indicate the cave was renovated during the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In 1955, it was demolished, but in the spring of 2002, the local government restored it based on historical accounts and villagers’ descriptions.

About twenty li southeast of Sun Bin Cave lies Mount Yunmeng, covered with lush pines and cypresses and often shrouded in mist, hence its name "Cloud-Covered Mountain." Hidden among the greenery are the ruins of the "Guiguzi Temple," with well-preserved structures and visible ancient walls. Legend says the ancient strategist Guiguzi once lived in seclusion here and built fortifications.

Source: Shandong Provincial Tourism Development Commission