Tianmu Lake Tourist Resort is located in the south of Liyang City, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a typical artificial lake scenic area formed by karst landforms. The scenic area features "beautiful mountains and clear waters, fragrant tea and fresh fish" and integrates natural landscapes with cultural and leisure elements, covering three core sectors: Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden, Nanshan Bamboo Sea, and Yushui Hot Spring. The main lake area of Tianmu Lake is approximately 7.62 square kilometers, with a total storage capacity of 115 million cubic meters, an average water depth of 10 meters, a maximum depth of 28 meters, and a total shoreline of over 100 kilometers. The total area of the scenic resort is 320 square kilometers, including the Landscape Garden covering about 3.75 square kilometers, Nanshan Bamboo Sea about 35,000 mu, and Yushui Hot Spring about 150 mu. The vegetation coverage rate in the area exceeds 85%, with various architectural landscapes such as cruise terminals, viewing platforms, and cultural exhibition halls. It is a comprehensive tourist resort integrating sightseeing, vacation, leisure, and health preservation.
Historical Culture
The formation of Tianmu Lake is closely related to modern water conservancy projects. Its predecessor was the Shahe Reservoir built in 1958, and it was officially developed into a tourist attraction in 1992. It was named "Tianmu Lake" because it is located in the remaining veins of Tianmu Mountain. Although the history of the scenic area is not long, the cultural history of the surrounding area can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. In recent years, many Neolithic sites have been discovered around the scenic area, with a large number of pottery, jade, and other cultural relics unearthed, proving that ancestors lived here as early as thousands of years ago.
In the course of historical evolution, Liyang area was once an important tea-producing area and a land of fish and rice in the south of the Yangtze River. The tea culture and fishing culture around Tianmu Lake have a long history. Since the Tang Dynasty, local tea planting techniques have become increasingly mature, and unique tea-making techniques were formed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The fishery developed relying on the lake not only nurtured a rich food culture but also derived traditional customs of fishermen. After the development of the scenic area, through the construction of tea culture parks and fishery exhibition halls, these historical and cultural elements have been integrated into the tourist experience, allowing visitors to appreciate the natural beauty while feeling the local cultural heritage.
Main Attractions
Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden
Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden is the core scenic area of Tianmu Lake Tourist Resort, with "water" as its soul, integrating lake and mountain scenery with cultural landscapes. The scenic area includes attractions such as the Filial Piety Culture Park, the Champion Culture Zone, the Strange Stone Museum, and the Elf Kingdom. Among them, the Filial Piety Culture Park focuses on promoting traditional Chinese filial piety culture, with landscapes such as the Statue of a Loving Mother and the Corridor of Filial Piety Stars; the Champion Culture Zone displays the deeds of imperial examination champions in Liyang's history, reflecting the local cultural elegance. Visitors can take a cruise (cruise ticket price: 60 yuan/person) to visit the three islands in the lake——Longxing Island, Xiaoyao Island, and Xiuqiu Island. Longxing Island is characterized by ecological nature, with waterfalls, dense forests, and various birds inhabiting it; Xiaoyao Island focuses on leisure and entertainment, offering water sports, parent-child interaction, and other projects. There is also a Ferris wheel about 48 meters high in the Landscape Garden, which allows visitors to overlook the entire view of Tianmu Lake and has become one of the iconic facilities of the scenic area.
Nanshan Bamboo Sea
Nanshan Bamboo Sea is located in the south of Liyang City, bordering Guangde, Anhui Province. It is named after the ten-thousand-mu bamboo sea and is an important part of Tianmu Lake Resort. The bamboo forest area in the scenic area reaches 35,000 mu, mainly consisting of moso bamboo, with a bamboo forest coverage rate of over 90% and an extremely high content of negative ions, known as a "natural oxygen bar". The main peak of the scenic area, Shimenjian, is 508 meters above sea level. Visitors can take a cable car (one-way 70 yuan/person, round trip 120 yuan/person) to the top, passing through the bamboo sea and overlooking the cascading green waves along the way. In addition, the scenic area also has attractions such as Jinghu Lake, Bamboo Culture Park, and Panda House. Jinghu Lake covers an area of about 100 mu, where visitors can take a bamboo raft (40 yuan/person) to drift, experiencing the artistic conception of "a boat floating on the blue waves, people traveling in a painting"; the Panda House houses two adult giant pandas, which is a must-visit place for tourists, especially parent-child families; the Bamboo Culture Park displays the planting history, processing technology of bamboo, and various bamboo artworks, showing profound bamboo culture connotations.
Yushui Hot Spring
Yushui Hot Spring is located at the entrance of Nanshan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area and is a well-known hot spring resort in East China. It is a calcium bicarbonate-type hot spring, rich in various minerals and trace elements, with a water temperature of about 43°C all year round. The hot spring area covers about 150 mu, with a total of 52 hot spring pools of various sizes, divided into different theme areas such as dynamic area, health-preserving area, parent-child area, and natural area. Among them, the characteristic pools include Bamboo Tip Hot Spring (built on the top of the bamboo forest, where you can soak in the hot spring while enjoying the bamboo sea) and functional pools with traditional Chinese medicine, petals, etc. The hot spring area is also equipped with supporting facilities such as hot spring hotels, SPA centers, and catering areas. Most of the hotel rooms adopt Chinese style, and some rooms have private hot spring pools. Yushui Hot Spring relies on the ecological environment of Nanshan Bamboo Sea, forming a unique "bamboo sea hot spring" landscape, which is an ideal choice for leisure and health preservation.
Taigong Mountain
Taigong Mountain is located on the northwest bank of Tianmu Lake, said to be the place where Jiang Ziya lived in seclusion and fished in ancient times, hence the name. The mountain is about 120 meters above sea level, covering an area of about 500 mu, with dense vegetation, including pine, bamboo, tea, and other plants. There is a Taigong Temple on the top of the mountain, enshrining the statue of Jiang Ziya, and the temple preserves murals of historical allusions related to Jiang Ziya. There is a stone stele "Taigong's Fishing Place" on the mountainside, with an antique viewing platform next to it, from which you can overlook the scenery of Tianmu Lake. Although Taigong Mountain is not high, the mountain climbing trail is winding, with rest pavilions along the way, suitable for casual walking and feeling the cultural conception of "Jiang Taigong fishing, willing to take the bait".
Food
Tianmu Lake Casserole Fish Head
Tianmu Lake Casserole Fish Head is the most representative local cuisine, using the specialty bighead carp from Tianmu Lake as the main ingredient. It selects fresh fish heads that have grown in the lake for 3-4 years and weigh more than 5 kilograms, paired with simple seasonings such as pure water, ginger, and green onions, and simmered slowly in a casserole. It is characterized by milky white soup, tender meat, mellow taste, and no fishy smell. When making, the fish head needs to be fried until slightly yellow, add Tianmu Lake water to boil, then turn to low heat and simmer for 1-2 hours to fully integrate the freshness of the fish head into the soup. This dish can be tasted in restaurants around Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden and old-brand restaurants in Liyang urban area. The price varies according to the size of the fish head, about 80-150 yuan per serving.
Liyang White Celery
Liyang White Celery is one of the "three treasures of Liyang" (white celery, black rice, white tea), known as "the best in the south of the Yangtze River", with a planting history of over 800 years. Different from ordinary celery, white celery has white and tender stems, rich in vitamins and cellulose, and can be eaten cold, stir-fried, or as stuffing. Farmers around Tianmu Lake mostly use hydroponics to grow white celery, maintaining its tender taste. In farmhouses in the scenic area, stir-fried white celery is a common dish, with a refreshing taste, priced at about 25-35 yuan per serving, and is a must-try to experience local farm flavors.
Nanshan Bamboo Sea Black Rice
Nanshan Bamboo Sea Black Rice is made by mashing leaves of the black rice tree to extract juice, soaking glutinous rice in the juice, and then steaming it. It has a shiny black color, a soft, glutinous and fragrant taste with a faint plant aroma. Every year on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, there is a local custom of eating black rice, which is said to ward off evil spirits and pray for blessings. Rich in anthocyanins and various nutrients, black rice is both a delicious food and a health-preserving good. It can be found in restaurants within Nanshan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area and surrounding farmhouses. It can be eaten directly or with sugar and honey, priced at about 15-20 yuan per serving. Vacuum-packed finished products are also available for purchase as souvenirs to take away.
Yushui Hot Spring Hotel Specialty Dishes
The catering of Yushui Hot Spring Hotel integrates local characteristics and health-preserving concepts. Among them, "Bamboo Fragrance Chicken" uses local free-range native chickens, cooked with fresh bamboo leaves, bamboo shoots, etc., with tender chicken and a bamboo fragrance; "Hot Spring Egg" is an egg slowly stewed with hot spring water, with a semi-liquid yolk, tender taste, and unique flavor when eaten with special sauce. These dishes are relatively expensive, with bamboo fragrance chicken about 88 yuan per serving and hot spring egg about 10 yuan each, suitable for pairing during hot spring soaking.
Tickets
Admission is based on separate ticketing for each attraction, starting from 35 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "天目湖" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of each attraction vary slightly:
- Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden: March-November 8:00-17:30 (admission stops at 16:30); December-February of the following year 8:30-17:00 (admission stops at 16:00);
- Nanshan Bamboo Sea: March-November 8:00-17:30 (admission stops at 16:30); December-February of the following year 8:30-17:00 (admission stops at 16:00);
- Yushui Hot Spring: 10:00-23:00 (admission stops at 22:00), may be extended to 24:00 on holidays;
- Taigong Mountain: 8:00-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30), open all year round.
It is recommended that tourists plan in advance according to their itinerary, especially when taking cruises, cable cars and other facilities, they need to pay attention to the last departure time (usually 1 hour before closing).
Tour Route
A recommended classic three-day tour route: On the first day: Arrive at Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden in the morning, first visit land attractions such as Filial Piety Culture Park and Champion Culture Zone (about 2 hours); have lunch at a restaurant in the scenic area to taste casserole fish head; take a cruise to visit Longxing Island and Xiaoyao Island in the afternoon (about 3 hours), experience the Ferris wheel to overlook the panoramic view in the evening, then go to Liyang urban area for accommodation. On the second day: Go to Nanshan Bamboo Sea in the morning, take a bamboo raft to tour Jinghu Lake (about 1 hour), then walk to visit Bamboo Culture Park (about 1.5 hours); have lunch at a farmhouse around the bamboo sea; take a cable car to the top of Shimenjian in the afternoon (about 2 hours), visit the Panda House (about 1 hour); go to Yushui Hot Spring in the evening to relax in the hot spring (about 3 hours), and stay in a hot spring hotel. On the third day: Visit Taigong Mountain in the morning, climb the mountain to pray for blessings and feel the historical culture (about 2 hours); have lunch to taste Liyang white celery, black rice and other characteristic farm dishes; in the afternoon, according to the return time, you can buy souvenirs such as white tea and bamboo products at specialty stores around the scenic area before leaving.
If time is tight, you can choose a two-day tour: visit Landscape Garden + Taigong Mountain on the first day, and Nanshan Bamboo Sea + Yushui Hot Spring on the second day, and allocate time reasonably according to the opening hours of each attraction.
Transportation
- High-speed rail/bullet train: Take high-speed rail or bullet train to Liyang Station, after exiting the station, you can take Liyang Bus Line 9 directly to Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden, with a journey of about 40 minutes and a fare of 2 yuan; or take a taxi, with a journey of about 30 minutes and a cost of about 30 yuan.
- Long-distance bus: Changzhou Bus Station, Nanjing Bus Terminal, etc. have direct buses to Liyang Bus Station, with a journey of about 1.5-2 hours and a fare of 30-50 yuan; transfer from Liyang Bus Station to Liyang Bus Line 2 to Tianmu Lake Scenic Area, with a journey of about 20 minutes and a fare of 2 yuan.
- Self-driving: Starting from Nanjing, take Ninghang Expressway (G4011) to Liyang South Exit, go straight along Tianmu Lake Avenue for about 10 kilometers to reach the Landscape Garden, with a total distance of about 100 kilometers and a journey of 1.5 hours; starting from Shanghai, take Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway (G50) and transfer to Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway (G25) to Liyang South Exit, with a total distance of about 250 kilometers and a journey of 3 hours; each attraction in the scenic area has a parking lot, with Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden parking lot charging 5 yuan per hour and Nanshan Bamboo Sea parking lot charging 10 yuan per day.
- Internal transportation in the scenic area: A tourist special line bus runs between Landscape Garden and Nanshan Bamboo Sea, with a journey of about 40 minutes, a fare of 10 yuan per person, and one departure per hour; you can also take a taxi, with a cost of about 50 yuan.
Must-visit Attractions
- Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden: The core scenic area, where you can take a boat to tour the lake and enjoy the "one lake of clear water, green mountains on both sides" landscape. The Ferris wheel and the three islands in the lake are its features. The scenic area covers 3.75 square kilometers, and the playing time is about 5-6 hours.
- Nanshan Bamboo Sea: With unique ten-thousand-mu bamboo sea landscape, taking the cable car to the top allows you to overlook the entire bamboo sea. The Panda House and Jinghu Lake bamboo raft have strong experientiality. It covers 35,000 mu, and the playing time is about 4-5 hours.
- Yushui Hot Spring: A hot spring surrounded by bamboo sea, with 52 characteristic hot spring pools suitable for leisure and health preservation. The Bamboo Tip Hot Spring is a iconic experience. It covers 150 mu, and it is recommended to experience for 3-4 hours.
Travel Suggestions
- The best seasons to visit are spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October). In spring, the bamboo sea is newly green and the tea fragrance is overflowing; in autumn, the sky is high and the air is fresh, and the lake scenery is pleasant. Avoid the high temperature in summer and the severe cold in winter.
- Accommodation can be chosen according to the itinerary: stay in Liyang urban area when visiting the Landscape Garden for high cost performance; when visiting Nanshan Bamboo Sea and hot spring, it is recommended to stay in Yushui Hot Spring Hotel or homestays around the bamboo sea, which is convenient for experiencing night hot springs and early morning bamboo sea.
- To taste casserole fish head, it is recommended to choose old-brand restaurants outside the scenic area, such as "Tianmu Lake Hotel" and "Zhu Shuncai Fish Head Restaurant", which have more authentic taste and transparent prices.
- For purchasing specialties, you can choose Liyang white tea (the price of Mingqian tea is about 800-1500 yuan per catty) and bamboo handicrafts (bamboo baskets, bamboo mats, etc., with prices ranging from 20-200 yuan). Buy them at the exit of the scenic area or specialty stores in Liyang urban area, and you can bargain.
- For climbing Nanshan Bamboo Sea, it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes, as some sections in the bamboo forest are slippery; for Yushui Hot Spring, you need to bring your own swimsuit, or you can buy it on site (price 50-200 yuan).
Notes
- Cruises at Tianmu Lake Landscape Garden must be taken at designated piers and times. During peak seasons, it is recommended to queue 30 minutes in advance to avoid missing the departure; children must be accompanied by adults when taking cruises and wear life jackets.
- The operation of the cable car in Nanshan Bamboo Sea is greatly affected by the weather. It may be suspended in case of heavy rain, strong winds and other severe weather. Check the weather forecast before traveling and arrange your itinerary reasonably.
- The temperature of the hot spring pools at Yushui Hot Spring is relatively high. Each soak should not exceed 15 minutes. Drink plenty of water to replenish fluids during intervals; special groups such as pregnant women and hypertensive patients should follow medical advice and experience with caution.
- The vegetation in the scenic area is dense. In summer, pay attention to preventing mosquito bites and you can carry mosquito repellent with you; in autumn, there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening, so you need to bring a thin coat.
- Take good care of the scenic environment. Do not litter, pick bamboo forests or flowers at will; in religious places such as Taigong Mountain, observe etiquette, do not make noise or touch the statues.
- It is recommended to use mobile payment for consumption in the scenic area. Some farmhouses may accept cash; keep your tickets and consumption vouchers for inspection or refund.