Lengshuihe Nature Reserve

　　  Lengshuihe Nature Reserve, situated 30 kilometers northwest of the county seat at the junction of the Hushui Sancha area of Pingba Township, the Datian and Lvzhu areas of Datian Township, the Qingmen and Hongzi areas of Qingmen Township, the Huanlu and Taiping areas of Taiping Township, the Shichang area of Shichang Township, and the Lanba area of Guihua Township, encompasses the drainage basins of the Lengshuihe River, Youshahe River, and their tributaries—Shengouhe River, Huajuhe River, Sanchahe River, Niulugouhe River, and Dayutiaohe River. Stretching 20 kilometers upstream along the main river and its branches from the dam of the Changzheng Hydropower Station, with a horizontal span of 1.5 kilometers on either side of the valley, this region has been designated as the Lengshuihe Nature Reserve, covering a total area of 28.3 square kilometers.

　　  The reserve sits at an elevation of 700 to 1,500 meters. The valley features steep, knife-edged cliffs and towering, wall-like mountains, forming a narrow and deeply sunken gorge with very limited sunlight—some areas receive no sunlight year-round. The climate is warm and humid, with an average January temperature of 3.6–6°C and July average of 24.3–27°C. Annual precipitation reaches 1,136 millimeters, and the valley floor remains free of frost all year. Due to restricted access, the area remains largely untouched by humans, preserving its pristine natural state.

　　  At the source of the Lengshuihe River, water cascades down in clear, crystalline torrents. Within the reserve, nearly twenty waterfalls are clustered together, most with drops exceeding 40 meters. Thanks to the dense vegetation—equivalent in water retention capacity to a 2.5 million cubic meter reservoir—the river flows year-round, and the waterfalls remain spectacular throughout all seasons. Along the riverbanks, dramatic peaks rise abruptly, and ancient trees tower overhead. The area still hosts no fewer than 500 species of higher plants, most of which are evergreen. The middle and lower sections of the valley form a classic mid-subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest, with undulating, lush canopies that stay green year-round. Dominating the upper canopy are tall trees around 20 meters high from the Fagaceae family (Castanopsis, Lithocarpus), Theaceae (Camellia), and Schima, alongside other tree species, creating distinct layers. Large lianas climb through the canopy, while epiphytic ferns and shrubs fill the understory. The ground layer features well-developed mosses, making the reserve a verdant, emerald-green canyon throughout the year.

　　  Among the trees, ancient specimens are widespread, many over 250 years old, including rare plants such as the southern yew (Taxus chinensis var. mairei), Fujian cypress (Fokienia hodginsii), Podocarpus neriifolius, Cephalotaxus fortunei, Torreya grandis, Emmenopterys henryi, Magnolia officinalis, Phoebe sheareri, and Dalbergia hupeana. One notable specimen, a Camellia pitardii, stands 35 meters tall with a trunk diameter of 1.55 meters and a crown spanning 10×10 meters. The Fujian cypress reaches 22 meters in height with a 70 cm diameter, growing in patches alongside Podocarpus neriifolius—an extremely rare sight both nationally and globally. This dense forest shelters a diverse range of wildlife. Rare animals include giant earthworms (up to 40 cm long and 3 cm in diameter), Chinese giant salamanders, Lady Amherst’s pheasants, and Temminck’s tragopans. Other inhabitants include monkeys, Chinese pangolins, brush-tailed porcupines, wolves, jackals, Chinese otters, hog badgers, large Indian civets, masked palm civets, leopards, musk deer, roe deer, hairy-fronted muntjacs, serows, and wild boars. Venomous snakes such as the Chinese cobra and numerous bird species also thrive here.