Xikou Scenic Area

Xikou Scenic Area

Xikou Scenic Area is a picturesque landscape belt in the shape of a “Y,” centered around Jiangkou and formed by the Shuifu Temple Reservoir along with the Meishui and Lianshui rivers. Located in the northeastern part of Shuangfeng County and bordering Xiangxiang and Louxing District, the area boasts a harmonious blend of cultural and natural attractions. Whether you cruise downstream or upstream, you’ll be welcomed by dense forests and bamboo groves lining both shores, with breathtaking landscapes unfolding before your eyes. Those who love mountains will admire their majestic and precipitous beauty, rivaling the Three Gorges; those who love water will revel in its clarity and elegance, reminiscent of Guilin. Wandering through this landscape, you may see farmers with hoes, shepherd boys on oxen, beauties washing clothes, and fishermen singing at dusk—surely making you forget all worldly fame and fortune.

The scenic area features over 10 tourist attractions:

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Shuifu Temple Reservoir. Also known as Xikou Reservoir, it has a storage capacity of 560 million cubic meters and covers an area equivalent to nine West Lakes in Hangzhou. It serves as the source of the Shaoshan Irrigation District. With over 100 kilometers of shoreline, the reservoir includes more than 100 bays, 34 islands (the largest being 3 square kilometers), and boasts excellent water quality, shimmering waves, and playful waterfowl. In winter and spring, mist often blankets the surface; in summer and autumn, clouds gather frequently, creating ever-changing vistas at dawn and dusk. The surrounding peninsulas jut out, harbors crisscross, and rows of willows and lush flowers line the banks. It is an ideal destination for tourism, vacationing, and water sports training, and has been listed as a key tourism resource site for investigation in Hunan Province. Plans are underway to develop it into a premier water-based scenic tourism area.

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Luoyang Bay Ancient Architectural Complex. The ancient structures of Ceshui, described as “a view unmatched in beauty, where myriad scenes unfold before your eyes.”

This ancient architectural ensemble includes: the Guanyin Pavilion, built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1403–1424), covering an area of 100 square meters. Nestled by the mountain and water, it features exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters, with delicate pagodas and rugged rocks along the riverbank. It blends seamlessly with Meilong Mountain and Ya’tou Mountain, offering stunning lake-and-mountain views that were once ranked among the Four Great Scenic Spots of Xiangxiang. There is also the Xizi Pagoda, built in the Ming Dynasty, with a three-tiered top and situated along the river. It bears a couplet reading: “In pursuit of learning, we aspire to reach the shore of truth; let the ashes be returned to the river’s flow.” Additionally, the Guan Sheng Hall, Wenchang Pavilion, Shuifu Temple, Dragon King Pavilion, and Qixi Temple—added in the late Ming Dynasty—are organically integrated into seven cohesive structures. Together, they form a magnificent ensemble of pavilions and towers.

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Jiangkou. This is where the Lianshui and Meishui rivers converge, surrounded by water on three sides and backed by mountains, forming a peninsula-like shape. Today, the island is covered with peach trees and is known as Peach Blossom Island. A sandy beach swimming pool has been built on the island.

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Feng Zizhen’s Tomb. Feng Zizhen, a Yuan Dynasty sanqu poet, writer, and calligrapher, was buried at his ancestral home beneath Lingzi Mountain. His tomb is an earthen pit grave with a gravestone, flanked by stone-carved couplets still clearly visible: “A cluster of fragrant grass marks the tomb of ancestors; a hundred plum blossoms embody the scholar’s soul.”

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Bangtan: Located downstream of Ceshui, it earned its name because the rocks on both banks produce a “bang bang” sound when struck. The depth of Bangtan’s waters is unfathomable—locals once used a kilometer-long rope with a stone tied to its end to probe the bottom, but only the rope was seen, not the stone hitting bottom. An ancient poem described the perilous nature of Bangtan: “The surging Ceshui flows away, never to return; pouring the entire Xiang River into a pure vase.”

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Egret Isle. A small hill in Shuifu Temple Reservoir, it is named for the hundreds of egrets that gather there year-round. When sailboats pass by with noisy crowds, the egrets are often startled into flight, competing with the blue sky in a dazzling display.