Zhudongtian Bamboo Forest in Rizhao

Zhudongtian in Rizhao

Zhudongtian in Rizhao is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Zhudongtian Scenic Area is located in the Moso Bamboo Garden of Jiangshuai Gully at the western end of Rizhao urban area, covering a total area of over 1,000 acres, including more than 200 acres of moso bamboo, over 400 acres of other bamboo species, and over 400 acres of water bodies. It is a successful example of transplanting southern bamboo to the north. With over 80% of the area covered in greenery, the site features over 100 varieties of bamboo such as moso bamboo, light bamboo, mottled bamboo, indocalamus, purple bamboo, steel bamboo, and golden-inlaid jade bamboo. There is also a dedicated area for showcasing different bamboo species, making it not only a natural oxygen bar but also an ecological botanical garden.

Attractions within the scenic area

The scenic area mainly consists of six functional zones: the Bamboo Culture Park, Ethnic Culture Park, Resting Park, Water Recreation Park, Native Moso Bamboo Forest, and Agritainment Ecological Park. These form the tourism and cultural theme of “Charming Rizhao, a Southern-Style Paradise — the Unique Beauty of Zhudongtian.”

The scenic area fully embodies the rich charm of southern Chinese culture and ethnic characteristics. Within the park, there are over 30 attractions such as a Dong drum tower, tea house, and ethnic cultural villages, complemented by supporting services including dining, accommodation, and tourism shopping. Minority performance troupes regularly present ethnic songs and dances for visitors, with special interactive activities such as bamboo pole dancing. Birds chirp among the bamboo groves, while egrets play on the river surface. Visitors can take bamboo rafts or black-canopied boats to enjoy the northern-style southern scenery. Since its opening in 2004, Zhudongtian Scenic Area has won numerous accolades, becoming a uniquely distinctive attraction in Shandong.

Adjacent to the beautiful Futuan River, the scenic area enjoys convenient transportation and a prime location. It is 8 km from the long-distance bus station, 5 km from the entrances of the Sannong and Riri East expressways, and 17 km from Rizhao Beach. The terminal stop of Bus No. 15 is right at the entrance of the park. Over 80% of the area is covered in greenery, naturally growing various bamboo species such as moso bamboo, mottled bamboo, moon bamboo, purple bamboo, steel bamboo, and golden-inlaid jade bamboo. There is also a dedicated bamboo species exhibition area, making it both a natural oxygen bar and a natural botanical garden.

The scenic area fully showcases the bamboo culture with a distinct southern flavor. It features attractions such as bamboo pavilions, bamboo houses, bamboo corridors, and ethnic minority villages, along with supporting services including dining, accommodation, and tourism shopping. The Ethnic Culture Garden offers a unique gourmet experience — the Hundred-Family Banquet — integrating ethnic culture and performing arts, making the banquet a highlight of Zhudongtian. Sharing a hundred families’ meal connects a hundred hearts, receives a hundred blessings, allowing visitors to taste delicious ethnic cuisine while enjoying Dong songs and dances, participating in toasting ceremonies, and experiencing the most genuine and warm hospitality of ethnic people. The water recreation area is like a moving landscape where visitors can take bamboo rafts or black-canopied boats. A flock of egrets frolics on the river surface (the bamboo forest is their habitat), adding to the delightful experience.

Awards

In 2005, it was designated as a “National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site” by the National Tourism Administration; in 2006, it was named “The Most Attractive Place in China” by the Asia-Pacific Tourism Federation; in 2007, at the Shandong Tourism Annual Conference, it was awarded “The Most Growth-Potential Scenic Area in Shandong”; in 2008, it was rated as a AAA-level tourist attraction by the National Tourism Administration.

Activities

The 2009 Rizhao Northern Bamboo Culture Tourism Festival is a key tourism event in Rizhao. Since its inception in 2004, four consecutive festivals have been successfully held, each rich in content and spectacular, earning widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and welcome the 11th National Games held in Shandong, the “2009 Fifth China (Rizhao) Northern Bamboo Culture Tourism Festival,” jointly organized by the Shandong Travel Agency Association and the People’s Government of Donggang District, Rizhao City, grandly opened on September 27, 2009, at the Zhudongtian Scenic Area. With the theme “Celebrating 60 Years of the Nation, Contributing to the National Games,” the event aimed to promote love for the motherland, Shandong, Rizhao, and bamboo culture, bringing joy, reunion, health, and safety to visitors. It also explored humanity’s demand for healthy living through bamboo products. A series of bamboo products including bamboo charcoal, bamboo vinegar, bamboo fiber, bamboo salt, and bamboo shoots were introduced, offering visitors a rich and diverse tourism experience.

Year-round activities: Minority art troupes regularly perform ethnic songs and dances for visitors, with special interactive activities such as bamboo pole dancing, walking on swords and fire, cockfighting, and duck-catching. Birds chirp among the bamboo groves, while egrets play on the river surface. Visitors can take bamboo rafts or black-canopied boats to witness the “southern scenery in the north.”

Transportation Information

Transportation to Zhudongtian Scenic Area in Rizhao:

Address of Zhudongtian in Rizhao: Moso Bamboo Garden at the western end of Jiangshuai Gully, Rizhao urban area

Self-driving route to Zhudongtian in Rizhao:

Take the Beijing–Fuzhou Expressway → Riri East Expressway → exit at Rizhao → go straight to the T-junction, turn left and head north for about 2 km, then turn left at the intersection → drive west along Haiqu Road (follow the scenic area signs) → Zhudongtian Scenic Area. It takes about 10 minutes by car after getting off the expressway.

Self-drive itinerary: From Wanpingkou Scenic Area, drive west along Haiqu Road to the Yandengling gas station, turn left and proceed 2,500 meters to reach the scenic area (17 km).

Public transportation to Zhudongtian in Rizhao:

The terminal stop of Rizhao Bus No. 15 is located right at the entrance of the scenic area.

Ticket Price

40 RMB

Opening Hours

8:00–18:30 (summer); 8:30–17:00 (winter)

Location of the Attraction

Zhudongtian Scenic Area, western end of Haiqu West Road, Donggang District, Rizhao City