Qibugou Is the Most Beautiful — You'll Only Know When You Go
Handan was the ancient capital of the Zhao State, with a long history. There are many scenic spots worth visiting, and Qibugou is one of them. Qibugou Scenic Area is located within Huoshui Township, Wu'an, Hebei Province. Originally called 'Qipugou' (漆铺沟), it was named after the lacquer trees growing in the mountains, as local residents made a living by opening lacquer shops. Since the Tang Dynasty, many Buddhist monks gathered and lived in seclusion here. Taking the Buddhist allusion 'Seven-Step Lotus', it was renamed Qibugou in the Qing Dynasty. The scenic area mainly consists of six parts: the Gate Area, Leisure and Vacation Area, Hundred Waterfalls Gorge, Arhat Gorge, Sanleng Mountain, and Mawu Stockade, with an excellent geographical environment. Green mountains and clear waters, lush trees, picturesque scenery — it is the most beautiful mountain-and-water tourist destination in Handan, Hebei.
I recently returned from Qibugou, and the artistic conception is still lingering in my heart. The Hundred Waterfalls Gorge in the scenic area is about two kilometers long. During the rainy season, there are numerous flying waterfalls and flowing springs, hence the name Hundred Waterfalls Gorge. The gorge has various shapes, twists and turns, sometimes secluded and sometimes open, with water flowing year-round. It is the main body of Qibugou's waterscapes. The lower section of the gorge, following the terrain, forms several beautiful mountain lakes, some natural, some with artificial elements, connected with the upper section's gorge water. Every summer and autumn, the mountain waters roar and rush down, and the water and waterfalls make the deep and winding canyon misty and extremely cool, making it a paradise for visitors to enjoy water and escape the heat.
The rippling blue waves and the beautiful Tianjing Lake are the finest of Qibugou's water landscapes, located in the middle section of the Hundred Waterfalls Gorge. The winding gorge water here drops down along a cliff, forming a beautiful waterfall. Below the waterfall is a huge deep pool, with a depth of more than twenty meters. What is amazing is that this clear, deep green pool is surrounded on three sides by ring-shaped high mountains, leaving only the east side to form a natural dam.
Qibugou is now a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a key tourism construction project of Hebei Province, and a rare mountain-water beauty in North China. If you have the opportunity to come here, you will surely feel the grandeur of the mountains, the beauty of the water, and find a natural and transcendent artistic conception.
