PLACE GUIDE

Jiuli Lake 九鲤湖

Jiuli Hu

Jiuli Lake lies in the hills of Xianyou County, where water runs from the lake through a sequence of rocky cascades.

AI illustration of a general waterfall stream scene; not a photograph or an exact view of this place.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非该地点实拍）

Explore the region

Fujian · 福建省 →Putian · 莆田市 →

About Jiuli Lake

Forested slopes, cliff openings and inscribed boulders make it more than a single lakeside viewpoint. Pubu Ji is one of the named waterfall sections to seek out.

The rock inscriptions record the area’s long appeal to visitors, including phrases such as Guanpu, or “watching the waterfall.” Choose a lake-and-cascade circuit that suits the available paths and water conditions.

According to local tradition, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (汉武帝), nine immortals of the He family from Lujiang in Anhui ascended to heaven on carp at this lake, giving it its name. The lake is designated a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area (国家级水利风景区). The Ming-dynasty geographer and traveller Xu Xiake (徐霞客) discussed it in his travel writings, comparing its features with Kuanglu Sandie (匡庐三迭) and Yandang Longqiu (雁荡龙湫). It lies within Zhongshan Town (钟山镇) in Xianyou County, part of Putian in Fujian.

What to look for

  • The lake and the cascade landscape around Pubu Ji.
  • Cliff calligraphy, including inscriptions connected with viewing the falls.

Location & getting there

Getting to Jiuli Lake

Approach the Jiuli Lake visitor area at Huting village in Zhongshan Town, Xianyou County. Arrange the final hill-road transfer to the scenic area itself; this is outside central Putian.

General visit reminders

Allow room for the terrain and weather when choosing your route. Check the operator’s current trail, shuttle and cableway notices where applicable, and confirm the return connection before setting out. A broad landscape pin does not identify every trailhead or access point.

Combine your visit

A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.

  1. Lake and Tongxian Bridge

    Start where the lake and its crossing establish the water landscape.

  2. Pubu Ji waterfall

    Continue to a named cascade rather than stopping only at the lakeshore.

  3. Cliff inscriptions

    Look for the calligraphy that records earlier visitors’ responses to the falls.

This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.

AI illustration: A close view of clear shallow stream water flowing over rounded pebbles and mossy stones in a wooded valley.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（景观类型参考，非实拍） · 清溪卵石细节 — A general visiting detail, not an exact view of this place.
Rivers, lakes & waterfalls · 江湖／峡谷瀑布 →

Find Jiuli Lake

九鲤湖 · 福建省莆田市仙游县钟山镇九鲤湖村九鲤湖景区

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

Putian Museum 莆田市博物馆

19 km away

Putian Museum connects the region’s history with the craft traditions that developed around its towns and trading coast. Woodcarving is a particularly useful thread: carved architectural pieces, furniture panels and devotional…

View guide →

Southern Shaolin Monastery 南少林寺

24 km away

Putian’s Southern Shaolin monastery is a rebuilt Buddhist complex in the wooded Jiulian mountains above Linshan village. Its main Buddha hall and temple courtyards share the visit with interpretation of the martial traditions…

View guide →

Meizhou Island 湄洲岛

52 km away

Meizhou is a pilgrimage island centred on Mazu, the sea goddess whose ancestral temple has grown into a substantial religious complex. The island’s coastal landscape gives that devotion a visible setting: boats, beaches and…

View guide →

Sources & visit information

The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “九鲤湖” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92172395.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, listing “Jiuli Lake” · CC BY-SA 4.0.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "九鲤湖", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92172395.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07