Xuancheng Qinglong Lake

　　   The Qinglong Lake body is winding and twisting, resembling a dragon, hence the name Qinglong Lake. Located 20 kilometers northwest of Jincheng Town in Qinglong Township, it is a tourist landscape developed from the Hongqi Reservoir. Qinglong Lake is a comprehensive tourist destination integrating sightseeing, summer vacationing, leisure, and culinary experiences.

　　   Qinglong Lake covers an area of about 3,000 acres, with crystal-clear, emerald-green waters. According to tests, the lake water has a pH value of 8, low turbidity, and a transparency of 129 cm. The surrounding mountains undulate continuously, and the lake water winds like a jade-like dragon among the ranges, deep and serene. Orange trees grow wild along the shore, blooming in spring and bearing fruit in autumn, filling the air with fragrance that intoxicates the lake. Boating on the lake, where water and sky merge into one, watching birds soar in the blue sky and fish leap as waves ripple, offers a uniquely delightful experience.

　　   In the distance, the hazy mist, vast mountains, and boundless waters create a scene where a grand dam lies like a coiled dragon between two hills — where there's a dragon in the water, there is a lake. In other places, mountains connect one after another, and before you know it, you're surrounded. Here, the mountains are layered, parting like opening windows as you approach, revealing another layer of landscape and adding to the sense of grandeur. From near to far, the scenery of mountain and water is “fading layer by layer, until it almost disappears,” embodying a rustic, primitive expansiveness. It lacks the refinement of urban attractions but gains a simple, rural charm that refreshes the spirit.

　　   Witnessing such a scene, free from the hustle outside the mountains, you can sit and watch the fish rise in this place of green grass, distant people, and a deep pool — or simply sit, stare, and think without doing anything. The tranquility of the mountains dissolves the restlessness in your heart. You finally understand why so many literati and artists chose to spend their lives peacefully in the mountains, perhaps hoping to avoid worldly troubles in their final days and seek spiritual transcendence.

　　   Located in the western part of Ningguo City, the national-level Qinglong Bay Ecological Tourism Area features picturesque lake and mountain scenery. The scenic area boasts rich flora and fauna, currently preserving over 50,000 acres of contiguous natural sweetgum forests. It serves as an ideal base for sightseeing, water sports, leisure vacations, folk culture exploration, and film shooting in the southern Anhui mountainous region.

　　   Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Xuancheng. The climate in Xuancheng is moist and mild. Spring is short but pleasant, while summer is the longest season of the year, with high temperatures averaging over 22°C, and it also sees the most rainfall. Every year in mid-June, the plum rain season begins, so bringing an umbrella is essential when traveling to Xuancheng, along with several changes of clothes.

　　   Autumn is the shortest season, with crisp air and agreeable temperatures and rainfall. Winter is longer, with lower and colder temperatures, averaging below 10°C. The four seasons in Xuancheng are quite similar to those in most northern cities — warm in spring, hot in summer, cool in autumn, and cold in winter.