Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant

Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant

The Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant is located in Yuanling County, Hunan Province. It is one of China’s top ten hydropower stations, the largest in Hunan Province, a comprehensive utilization project on the main stream of the Yuan River, and also a famous tourist area. To visit the Wuqiangxi Reservoir area, take the highway from Changsha to Changde, then follow National Highway 319 via Taohuayuan to Wuqiangxi, taking about 4.5 hours in total.

After the completion of the Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant hub project, a 170-square-kilometer lake reservoir area was formed, creating a true high-mountain flat lake. Five streams rushing down from the mountains of western Hunan converge here, forming an expanse of vast misty waters. The various-sized mountain peaks have turned into uniquely shaped islets, transforming the Wuxi Lake into a high-mountain version of the Thousand Island Lake. Together with the adjacent Mingyue Lake in the Lingjintan Reservoir area, Meng Lake in the Yanwutan Reservoir area, Mingxi Lake in the Gaotan Reservoir area, and Mengdong Lake in the Fengtan Reservoir area, they form a group of artificial lakes. Viewed from above, one can see the spectacular sight of “iron dams and flying bridges, with five lakes mirroring like glass.”

When visiting the Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant, the first thing to see is naturally the dam. With a height of 117.5 meters and a crest length of 724.4 meters, the entire dam is majestic in presence. Its total installed capacity is 1.2 million kilowatts. Its radial gate ranks second in the world, and its water diversion pressure steel pipe is the largest in Asia. It is a high-tech underwater maze.

Less than 20 kilometers from the Wuqiangxi Hydropower Plant dam is Chenjiatan, the largest bay of Wuxi Lake. From Chenjiatan's Jintan, heading upward past the Jiatan, a tribute tea base from the Tang Dynasty, you will reach the Xiaojiabridge Reservoir area. Here there is a large fishing harbor, with fish filling the reservoir. Green mountains, clear waters, fishing harbors, orchards, tea plantations, and stilted houses — this place is truly an excellent destination for leisure and vacation.

Going further upstream from Xiaojiabridge leads to Hezhangzhou. On the islet stands the Luming Pagoda, a seven-story, eight-sided pagoda 42 meters high, and the tallest Buddhist pagoda in Hunan. Originally built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, it features a closely-tiered brick-and-wood structure with a top made of cast brass. Today, a sturdy large tree has grown on top, with birds flying thick as clouds, and its canopy spread out like a large green umbrella, highlighting the pagoda’s ancient and time-worn presence.

Adjacent to Hezhangzhou is the ancient county town of Yuanling, which has a history of over 1,400 years. This millennia-old city is surrounded by water on three sides, resembling a giant curved bow. Currently, the Wuqiangxi Reservoir area is accelerating the construction of ecological engineering projects according to a plan featuring “ten miles of peach blossoms, ten miles of chestnuts, ten miles of waxberries, ten miles of red maples, ten miles of camellias, and ten miles of nanmu bamboo.” The hundred-mile painted corridor landscape belt will make Wuxi Lake even more beautiful.

The Wuqiangxi Thousand Island Lake area is rich in local cultural charm. Events such as water dragon boat races, Western Hunan “kapabengbeng,” bird-fighting festivals, tea mountain tea-tasting gatherings, folk activities like “crossing the Red Mountain” and “climbing the blade ladder,” as well as the so-called “drama fossil” — the 48-episode Mulian Opera, Nuo deity opera, and sitting-hall songs, along with love-song duets, wedding custom performances, folk embroidery, and bamboo and wood handicrafts of 25 ethnic minorities including Tujia, Miao, and Dong — all showcase the vibrant diversity of Western Hunan’s folk customs.

The Wuqiangxi Reservoir area enjoys superior geographical advantages. It connects to Taohuayuan to the east, Wulingyuan to the north, and Mengdong River to the west, and links up with scenic spots such as the Yuanling Longxing Lecture Temple, Huxi Academy, Phoenix Mountain, and the Er’you Ancient Book Cave. Currently, “Hunan Wuqiangxi Tourism Development Co., Ltd.” has launched one-day tours of the reservoir area, summer retreat services, night cruises, and other offerings. It has also opened multiple tourism routes from Yuanling to Taohuayuan, to Wulingyuan, to Mengdong River, and to Zhijiang’s Victory Over Japan Memorial Archway, greatly facilitating both domestic and international tourists.