Youshuai River

Youshuai River

Youshuai River is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Youshuai River

Located at the northeastern tip of Dafang County in Guizhou Province, separated only by the famous Hundred Miles Azalea Belt and Wangshan Mountain, lies a mysterious land — the Youshuai River Basin.

For a long time, due to historical reasons and geographical constraints, this area has remained largely isolated or semi-isolated. The outside world knew only fragments of hearsay about it, and these rumors have only added to its mystique.

In May 1992, Dafang County organized an exploration team that conducted the first comprehensive survey of the Youshuai River, finally beginning to unveil its mysterious veil.

The Youshuai River originates from the northern foothills of Jiulong Mountain and belongs to the Chishui River system. The entire basin covers an area of approximately 41 square kilometers. Within Dafang, the main rivers are the Youshuai River and the Houhe River, with dozens of winding streams and gullies, most situated at elevations above 1,400 meters. The highest point is Tianmen Peak of the Houhe River at 1,810 meters, while the lowest is the mouth of Sancha River at 800 meters, resulting in relative heights between 350 to 100 meters. This creates steep cliffs and deep valleys.

With high mountains and low-flowing waters, the dramatic undulations create a majestic landscape characteristic of typical karst peak-cluster incised valley terrain.

The unique geographical environment of the Youshuai River area makes transportation as challenging as the Jianmen Shu Road. It is precisely this ruggedness that has limited contact with the outside world, but at the same time, it has also slowed the destruction of forest vegetation, allowing parts of the primeval forest and large areas of natural secondary forest to be preserved. The vegetation coverage across the region exceeds 80%.

Throughout the Youshuai River Basin, lush forests abound, with canopies like green umbrellas, thriving pines and bamboos, ancient trees, creeping vines, and verdant grass. Ancient, towering, and rare plants are found everywhere.

Among the many precious plants, the Fujian cypress stands out. There are over 100,000 Fujian cypresses in the Youshuai River Basin, with more than 30,000 growing in contiguous patches covering an area of 50 hectares. Such a large expanse of Fujian cypresses has never been discovered in Guizhou before.

As for those scattered ancient, towering, and rare plants, each has its own unique characteristics and mystique.

The boxwood tree, also known as the “thousand-year dwarf,” has three particularly massive specimens in the Youshuai River area. These three boxwoods grow atop three ancient tombs, their trunks twisted and gnarled like dragon bones, ancient and exquisite; their crowns are round, fluffy, and lushly green. From afar, they resemble three giant green pom-poms, an impressive sight.

There is an ancient red bean tree in the Youshuai River that is worshipped by local villagers as a “sacred tree.” This tree is over 600 years old and is surrounded by numerous mythical and legendary tales. Today, the old tree is fresh and verdant, full of vitality. There is also a ginkgo grove consisting of 78 trees of various sizes, the largest of which has a diameter of 2.1 meters, with nine trees exceeding 1 meter in diameter. The entire grove is lush and leafy, forming a canopy that blocks out the sun, resembling a small hill.

In the Youshuai River area, there are also ancient white poplars with gnarled and weathered trunks; colossal and ancient chestnut trees; as well as some species of azaleas not even found in the Hundred Miles Azalea Belt. There are also many strange and unnameable trees and plants. Preliminary surveys indicate there are over 50 families, 100 genera, and 300 species of various trees and shrubs here.

The Youshuai River offers not only abundant wild forest resources but also picturesque, fairy-tale-like real mountains and waters, with pristine landscapes so breathtaking they leave visitors in awe and reluctant to leave. The area features continuous ranges of peculiar peaks, rugged rocks, deep valleys, murmuring waterfalls and springs, emerald streams, and lush forests. It combines the beauty of mountains, rocks, flowing springs, and woods, embodying the charm of grandeur, wonder, serenity, and seclusion — truly a sight to behold. The two main rivers of the Youshuai River Basin both originate from elevations above 1,500 meters, flow less than 15 kilometers before converging, with a total drop of around 700 meters. As a result, the river rushes violently, with continuous cascades and waterfalls, joined along the way by tributaries and springs, creating a series of stunningly beautiful landscapes.

Each river has its own distinct character. The banks of the Houhe River feature relatively gentle rocky slopes with rich soil layers and dense vegetation. The river alternates between fierce rapids, gentle cascades, tranquil depths, and calm stretches. In the midstream section of the Youshuai River, sheer cliffs tower on either side, forming a gateway-like mountain pass. The rocky walls are tangled with trees and draped with hanging vines, while the valley is deep, shaded, and filled with a refreshing mist. Looking up, only a sliver of sky is visible through the cliffs, with drifting clouds; looking down, the deep, dark-green river flows solemnly below.

Also awe-inspiring are the various sizes of flowing springs and waterfalls. Some hang like silver rivers turned upside down, others like white silk ribbons in the air, some like delicate veils floating in the mist, and others like strings of pearls hanging down. There are countless such wonders: the “Nine Heavens Waterfall,” “One-Line Waterfall,” “Twin Flying Waterfall,” “Nine-Tiered Waterfall,” “Pearl Waterfall,” “Floating Silk Waterfall,” and many more. This spectacular scenery rivals even that of Mount Lu.

Climbing to Mazongling in the central part of the Youshuai River and looking around, you can take in all the surrounding mountains and valleys. Distant mountains rise in overlapping ranges with misty waves, while nearby ones feature undulating valleys and majestic presence. After rain when the skies clear, the moisture clings in the air, the forest mist gathers in emerald hues, and thin fog rises from the valleys, curling around the deep and shallow gullies. The distant and nearby mountains are draped in veils of cloud, resembling a fairyland.

The upper reaches of the Houhe River feature towering peaks, jagged rocks, and uniquely shaped boulders. The rocks come in all forms, with lifelike shapes so vivid they seem masterfully crafted by nature. “Tianmen Peak” is the highest in the Youshuai River Basin, with all other peaks in the area encircling and paying homage to it — a true scene of a king towering above, with all others bowing. “Jade Pot Peak,” “Goddess Peak,” “Writing Brush Peak,” “Peacock Rock,” “Mother and Child Rock,” “Husband and Wife Rock,” “Husband-Waiting Stone,” and “Sky-Supporting Stone” offer unique views at every step.

“Fairy Terrace Step” is the foremost mountain in the Youshuai River and a must-visit scenic spot. This mountain rises abruptly from flat land and is surrounded by water on three sides. Viewed head-on, it looks like a pillar reaching the sky; from the side, it resembles a giant screen; from afar, it appears as one of a range of peaks; up close, its cliffs are sheer and thousand-feet-high. The climb to the top is extremely challenging, but once you reach the summit, you’ll find a small Guanyin temple. Truly, “it’s not the height of the mountain, but the presence of the divine that makes it famous.”

“Tiebu Rock,” as the name suggests, speaks for its danger. It was once the only passage through the lower Youshuai River area. A 200-meter-high cliff looms abruptly, where the path suddenly ends, forcing travelers to rely on a natural fault in the rock face as a “plank walkway.” At its narrowest point, the path is as thin as a fish’s back, with dangerous rocks jutting out. Passersby must press their bodies against the cliff to squeeze past, with nothing but a hundred-meter drop behind them. It’s enough to make one’s hands sweat and head spin, not daring to look elsewhere. However, today one no longer needs to press their belly against the rock to pass, but it remains extremely treacherous, requiring extra caution.

Youshuai River, the mysterious Youshuai River — a naturally gifted treasure trove of resources, a pristine natural scenic area of exceptional beauty, a hidden beauty untouched by time, a pure virgin land. Once discovered, understood, developed, and utilized by people, this long-suffering jade will reveal its rightful brilliance and become an invaluable treasure.

Address: Xianyutun, Xingxiu Township, Dafang County, Bijie City, Guizhou

Phone: 0857-5222775

Opening Hours:

8:00-18:00

Transportation

By Car: Depart from Dafang County — Hangrui Expressway Dafang Entrance — Exit at Yuchong Station (approx. 40 minutes) — Enter Yuchong Town — Visit Yuchong River Scenic Area — Ancient Ginkgo Scenic Area — Return to the Three-Way Intersection — Zengjiazhai — Xianyu Peak — Return to Zengjiazhai — Xingxiu Township Government — Chuisuba — Return to Dafang via the old asphalt road