Yuanyang Creek Scenic Spot in Pingnan County
( chinadaily.com.cn )
Updated: 2011-03-31
Yuanyang Creek stretches 18km and covers an area of 78.8 square kilometers. Within the creek, the "Fujian Pingnan Yiyang Nature Reserve for Mandarin Ducks and Macaques, which covers an area of 10.35 square kilometers, is the sole mandarin duck protection zone in China so far.
The whole scenic spot consists of five scenic areas: Baishuiyang, Yiyang, Taibaolou, Xianfengjian and Yuanyang Lake. It is an area of rough elegance, characterized by wildlife, peaks, waterfalls, caves, fog and lakes. The four wonders: Baishuiyang Water Square, Baizhangji Water Curtain Cave, Dingtan Xianyan Valley and "Guanyin and Sakyamuni in Clouds" are well known throughout the world. Baishuiyang Water Square consists of three huge stones each with an area greater than 10,000 square meters. The largest one is 30,000 square meters. Here the most characteristic attractions are the 8km long water street, the 80,000 square meters and the 100m long surfing slide.
Every summer, local people organize water track meets and other water activities here. Yuanyang Creek has many aliases: the "Holy Land of Lovers", "No. 1 Creek in the World", "a Home of Mandarin Ducks", "a Paradise of Macaques" and "a Fairyland on Earth". In 1984, it was listed as a nature reserve for mandarin ducks and macaques by the Fujian Provincial Government. In 1991, it was rated as a provincial scenic spot. In January 1994, it was upgraded to a state key scenic spot.
