Chengbi Lake Scenic Area

Chengbi Lake Scenic Area

The beautiful Chengbi Lake Scenic Area is like a dazzling pearl nestled in Baise, the Red City of the Zhuang people. It is renowned for its “green mountains, clear waters, picturesque islands, and fresh fish.” On September 15, 2002, it was approved as a “National Water Conservancy Scenic Area” after deliberation and discussion by the Water Conservancy Scenic Area Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources.

Chengbi Lake is the popular name for the Chengbi River Reservoir. The Chengbi River originates from Qinglong Mountain in Lingyun County. It flows underground through the towering mountains on the edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and then suddenly surges out from the Lanshiling Water Source Cave in Lingyun County. After winding around villages, it flows into the Chengbi River Reservoir.

The Chengbi River Reservoir was constructed between September 1958 and September 1961 under the warm care of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. Led by the Party and government officials of the Baise region, over 70,000 heroic sons and daughters from the right river revolutionary base areas—including Zhuang, Han, Miao, and Yao ethnic groups from eleven counties: Baise, Tianyang, Tianlin, Pingguo, Longlin, Lingyun, Debao, Jingxi, Bama, Donglan, and Fengshan—built the reservoir through three years of arduous labor. Using their own hands and carrying materials on shoulders and backs, they fought against mountains and water. The Chengbi River Reservoir is a large-scale comprehensive water conservancy project primarily used for power generation. The dam is a concrete core rock-fill embankment dam, standing 70.4 meters high, with a crest length of 425 meters, a base width of 465 meters, a crest width of 6 meters, and a crest elevation of 190.4 meters. It is ranked as the largest earthen dam in the autonomous region and one of the three largest earthen dams in China. The total reservoir capacity is 1.15 billion cubic meters. The surface area covers 39.1 square kilometers, and it controls a catchment area of 2,000 square kilometers.

Geographic Environment

The scenic area is dominated by the natural landscape of the lake area. The water surface is broad, clear, and transparent year-round, dotted with numerous small and uniquely shaped islands. The surrounding streams, valleys, and bays are serene and winding, resembling jade belts stretching into the deep mountains and canyons. Various species of birds gather here throughout the year. There are also natural stone formations resembling the head of the Zhuang ethnic figure Yawan, as well as beautiful local legends. Additional attractions include clear spring caves and the Guanyin Temple. Two ring roads along the lake extend for over ten kilometers, twisting and turning. The surrounding mountainous land is fertile, covered with subtropical fruits such as mangoes, lychees, longans, and jackfruits. It is not only a place with great potential for comprehensive development but also an ideal destination for tourists from all walks of life.