Qufu Yishui Water Conservancy Scenic Area

　　The Yishui Water Conservancy Scenic Area is situated in the southern part of Qufu City, Jining, and is constructed along the Yishui River and its tributary, the Liaohe River. It is categorized as an urban river-lake type water conservancy scenic area. The scenic area spans 4.126 square kilometers, with a water surface area of 1.312 square kilometers.

　　The scenic area integrates both cultural and natural resources. Its core features the water bodies of the Yishui and Liaohe Rivers, while the surrounding areas along the riverbanks include cultural and ecological landscapes such as pavilions, corridors, flower stands, trees, green spaces, and leisure facilities. The area is rich in cultural heritage. In addition to being adjacent to Qufu’s renowned “Three Confucian Sites,” it also neighbors key historical sites including the Confucius Birthplace—Fuzi Cave and Nishan Academy to the east of the city, Han Dynasty tombs to the southeast, the Jiulong Mountain Cliff Tomb Cluster to the south, and to the north, the Temple of Duke Zhou, the Temple of Yan, Shouqiu, and the Shaohao Mausoleum, all of which are national or provincial-level key cultural relics protection units. These sites complement the Yishui River, forming the unique tourism resources of the Yishui Water Conservancy Scenic Area. With high cultural and tourism value and irreplaceable significance, they contribute greatly to the area's appeal.

　　The water bodies of the Yishui and Liaohe Rivers within the scenic section are interconnected along their upper and lower reaches. Along the Yishui River, there are eight waterfront structures including a waterside boardwalk, viewing platforms, and a cruise dock. The riverbanks are equipped not only with stone railings, landscape pavilions, large staircases, and wheelchair-accessible ramps but also feature cultural elements such as stone tablets inscribed with Confucius’ Analects, Sun Yat-sen’s “The World Belongs to All” inscription, and the “Hometown of Confucius” stele, as well as natural attractions like the wetland park’s waterside zone. Major attractions along the Liaohe River include landscape bridges, service facilities, classical-style corridors, musical fountains, water screen movies, leisure pavilions, wooden boardwalks, waterside platforms, and floating islands. The musical fountain offers residents a visual feast that perfectly blends water, sound, light, and electricity, combining the aesthetics of greenery, flowers, water, and music with colorful lighting effects. The scenic area boasts a rich variety of plants, with a three-dimensional arrangement of trees, shrubs, and grasses, including nearly 100 species such as white bark pines, osmanthus willows, cedar trees, magnolia, ginkgo, golden-edged euonymus, red tip photinia, pomegranates, hibiscus, and golden privet. These plants enhance the ecological environment, purify the water quality, and elevate the functionality and overall quality of the scenic area. The area provides residents with a refreshing visual and auditory experience, making it the most vibrant and eco-friendly water landscape in the “Hometown of Confucius, the Eastern Sacred City.”

　　In 2013, it was approved as a Tenth Batch Provincial Water Conservancy Scenic Area, and in 2014, it was designated as a Fourteenth Batch National Water Conservancy Scenic Area.

　　Source: Shandong Department of Water Resources