In Photos: Rize Valley – Jiuzhaigou National Park

The first of three photo posts showing the beauty of Jiuzhaigou National Park in Sichuan Province, China. Jiuzhaigou is divided into three valleys, Shuzheng is the entrance, which branches into Rize and Zechawa.

Five-Flower Lake

Close to the meeting point of the two valleys, this is the most popular lake. It’s only 5m deep, and the bottom can clearly be seen, cross-crossed by multiple tree trunks.

Five-Flower Lake viewed from above

Five-flower Lake

Apparently Five-Flower lake looks like a deer’s leg when viewed from above. In local folklore, the King of the Forest injured a holy deer, who fell down and became a lake. The dark green algae spots mimic the pattern of the local spotted deer.

The largest fallen tree in Five-Flower Lake

Panda Lake

Supposedly where Pandas would enjoy hanging out for a drink, Panda Lake is next to the largest rest point on the Rize Valley trail. The adjacent lakes are called Swan Lake, where swans would enjoy hanging out for a drink, and Grass Lake.

Despite appearances, this lake is only 6m deep. It was a major filming location for the movie Hero, starring Jet Li

Pearl Shoal Waterfall

Pearl Shoal is a large, sloped area of calcareous tufa(?), over which flows a thin sheet of water. The shoals culminate in the famous Pearl Shoals Waterfalls. The waterfall basin is 310m wide and drops 28m. It seems to be a popular spot for wedding photography and dropping litter.

More about Jiuzhaigou

Be sure to check out the other two posts in the the series covering Shuzheng Valley and Zechawa Valley, followed by a post detailing the reality of visiting this crowded national park.

Hopefully related posts:

In Photos: Shuzheng Valley – Jiuzhaigou National Park In Photos: Zechawa Valley – Jiuzhaigou National Park In Photos: the drive to Jiuzhaigou Manners, or lack thereof – The reality of Jiuzhaigou