Chashan Zhuhai National Forest Park

Chashan Zhuhai National Forest Park

Chashan Zhuhai National Forest Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

The picturesque Chashan Zhuhai is located in the jurisdiction of Chashan Zhuhai Subdistrict Office, north of Yongchuan District. It is 56 km east of downtown Chongqing, 50 km west of the Dazu Rock Carvings, 271 km from Chengdu, and 72 km south of Luzhou. The scenic area spans 117 square kilometers, with a forest coverage rate of 97% and air quality meeting national Class I standards. The annual average temperature is around 15°C, and there is an average of one week of snowfall per year. With its pleasant climate, this national forest park is an ideal natural oxygen bar and an urban backyard garden. It is a shining pearl on the international golden tourism route of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River – Chongqing – Dazu Rock Carvings.

Within the scenic area, 30,000 acres of contiguous tea plantations are clustered together like rings or formations, layer upon layer, resembling tea altars. Five acres of vast bamboo sea are deep, mysterious, boundless, and hazy, like smoke or a song, stirring the heart. The tea and bamboo complement each other, creating a unique natural landscape that is unparalleled in the world. Because tea and bamboo grow together, it is named "Chashan Zhuhai" (Tea Mountain Bamboo Sea). Originally named Jishan (Fan Mountain), it was bestowed its name by Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu Han during the ancient Three Kingdoms period, and has long been known as the "Best Place for Seclusion Under Heaven." Known in ancient times as Canglong Dao Mountain, it is ranked alongside Mount Emei, Mount Qingcheng, and Jiuzhaigou as one of the Four Scenic Spots of Shu Han. When Zhuge Liang passed through, he wrote the famous words: "The conduct of a gentleman is to cultivate oneself in tranquility and nurture virtue through frugality. Without detachment, one cannot clarify one’s aspirations; without serenity, one cannot achieve far-reaching goals. This is a place bestowed by heaven for self-cultivation." Jishan became a destination for literati, artists, dignitaries, and officials throughout history to visit and seek seclusion.

The scenic area includes three major tea plantations: Guishan Tea Plantation, Qinglong Tea Plantation, and Dashanping Tea Plantation, and six major bamboo seas: Xiniu Bamboo Sea, Jinpen Bamboo Sea, Shanziwan Bamboo Sea, Baiyunwan Bamboo Sea, and Dalanya Bamboo Sea. It features Bodaoling, the highest peak in western Chongqing, at an elevation of 1,025 meters, with mountain ridges like saw teeth and a ridge sharp as a thin blade. There is also the mysterious and bamboo-covered Bamboo Sea Labyrinth. The Jinpen Lake Resort Villa Hotel is built to five-star hotel standards. The Tea Bamboo Tianjie is an antique-style commercial cultural street with Bashu characteristics. Additionally, there is the national agricultural tourism demonstration site — the "Yongchuan Xiuya" Tea Science and Technology Sightseeing Demonstration Base. The area also hosts the Zhonghua Cha Yi Shan Zhuang, the largest tea culture-themed resort hotel in southwestern China, and the Art Exhibition Hall of Chen Zizhuang, known as the "Van Gogh of the East." This is also the only domestic filming location for the martial arts epic "House of Flying Daggers," directed by renowned director Zhang Yimou.

Related Attractions

Tea Bamboo Tianjie: Tea Bamboo Tianjie integrates dining, accommodation, leisure, entertainment, and shopping. You can bring back some local specialties as souvenirs for family and friends. Featured products include Yongchuan tea series, Yongchuan bamboo crafts, Yongchuan fermented black beans, Songhua century eggs, Xinghu tea wine, preserved bamboo shoots, and dried and fresh bamboo fungus.

Jinpen Lake: The Jinpen Lake Bamboo Sea covers more than 5,000 acres, at an altitude of 800–850 meters. It contains three lakes filled with clear water that never dries up, earning it the nickname "Golden Basin." It is a rare high-altitude lake on the tea mountain. In addition, it is one of the sites where the characteristic coexistence of tea and bamboo is most evident.

Bamboo Sea Labyrinth: The Bamboo Sea Labyrinth is located in the Dalanya Bamboo Sea. The Dalanya Bamboo Sea is remote, mysterious, and bewildering, with flat terrain inside the bamboo sea. The small hills are similar in size and shape, and the lush bamboo trees tower into the sky. The forest paths are covered with bamboo leaves, crisscrossing in all directions, making it easy for people to get lost once they enter, hence the name Bamboo Sea Labyrinth.

Chen Zizhuang Exhibition Hall: Chen Zizhuang was born in 1913 in Yongrong Town, Yongchuan, and passed away in 1976. He was an outstanding Chinese master of traditional painting. His original name was Chen Fugui, and he went by the aliases Lan Yuan, Xia Li Ba Ren, Master of Twelve Tree Plum Blossoms Studio, and Shi Hu. He was hailed as the "Van Gogh of the East." The name of the Chen Zizhuang Art Exhibition Hall was inscribed by Liu Dawei, Vice Chairman of the China Artists Association and a nationally renowned painter. The statue of Mr. Chen Zizhuang was created by Jiang Bibo, Vice Chairwoman of the Chongqing Artists Association, Director of the Chongqing Creation Center of the China Artists Association, and a famous sculptor. The exhibition hall houses authentic works by Chen Zizhuang, as well as over 200 excellent pieces created by his family, relatives, students, and nationally renowned painters specifically for the exhibition hall.

Bodaoling: Bodaoling is not only the highest peak of Jishan but also the highest peak in western Chongqing. The main peak stands at an elevation of 1,025 meters, and the secondary peak at 1,016 meters. The mountain is tall and steep, with wings on both sides, resembling a thin blade. Although wooden planks have been laid, just looking at the cliffs on either side is still breathtaking, somewhat like an acrobat walking a tightrope, but it is thrilling yet safe. From the top of Bodaoling’s main peak, you can gaze into the distance. The beautiful rivers, mountains, fields, and villages within dozens of kilometers can all be seen. On the clearest days, you can even see Jinyun Mountain, Gele Mountain, Wenquan Mountain, Zhongliang Mountain in Chongqing, as well as Dazu and Rongchang.

Filming Location of "House of Flying Daggers": The filming location of "House of Flying Daggers" is situated in the Shanziwan Bamboo Sea, which covers approximately 7,000 acres at an altitude of 500–800 meters. It earned its name because of its unique terrain — wide bays and deep valleys, resembling a large open fan. In 2003, when Zhang Yimou was filming "House of Flying Daggers," after thorough research, he chose Chashan Zhuhai in Yongchuan for its dense bamboo forests and upright bamboo, which perfectly suited the needs of the film. The movie boasts a stellar cast, including international stars such as Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Song Dandan.

Tea Art Villa: Zhonghua Cha Yi Shan Zhuang is the first comprehensive tourism service facility in southwestern China dedicated to promoting tea culture, aiming to serve as a window for people to learn about tea culture. In 2003, the China International Tea Culture Research Association awarded Yongchuan the honorary title of "Western Tea City." Leveraging the brand influence of the "Western Tea City" and the Asian Tea Culture Village, and nestled in a prime mountain location, Zhonghua Cha Yi Shan Zhuang stands proudly in southwestern China with its unique architectural style and profound cultural heritage. It has become a golden symbol condensing thousands of years of Chinese tea culture and a new flagship of Chongqing’s tourism service industry. It consists of a sightseeing teahouse, a pottery studio, a tea cuisine food court, a tea culture square, and a hotel.

Zhu De’s Tea Tasting House and Five-Star Tea Plantation: In 1963, during an inspection tour in Yongchuan, Grandpa Zhu (Zhu De) showed great concern for the development of agriculture in mountainous areas. After visiting Jishan, he took a keen interest in the tea plantations. He instructed the cultivation of two large star-shaped tea plantations in the Osmanthus Tea Plantation. He also listened to work reports from tea farm staff and tasted freshly brewed tea in a two-story building next to the Five-Star Tea Plantation. Since then, it has been called Zhu De’s Tea Tasting House.

Scenic Area Address: Within Chashan Zhuhai Subdistrict, Yongchuan District, Chongqing

Transportation by Bus: Buses to Yongchuan are available from Chongqing’s main urban bus stations, including Chenjiaping, Caiyuanba, and Longtousi. From Yongchuan Passenger Transport Center and the 25th Team Bus Terminal, take bus 503 to the scenic area.

Self-Drive Route: From Chongqing’s main urban area, take the Chengyu Expressway, exit at Yongchuan, and follow the signs to reach the scenic area.