Lishui Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 丽水 (lí shuǐ)
Population: 2,708,000
Area: 17,275 square kilometers (6,670 square miles)
Location: in the southwest of Zhejiang, east China
Administrative Division: 1 district (Liandu); 6 counties (Jinyun, Qingtian, Yunhe, Suichang, Songyang, Qingyuan); 1 autonomous county (Jingning She Autonomous County); 1 county-level city (Longquan)
Area Code: 0578
Zip Code: 323000
GDP (2019): CNY 147.661 billion (USD 21.403 billion)
Nationalities: Han, She, Miao, Tu

Lishui lies in the southwest of Zhejiang Province neighboring Wenzhou in the southeast. The city is bordered by Fujian Province in the southwest boundary. It is 126 kilometers (78 miles) from Wenzhou, 292 kilometers (181 miles) from Hangzhou and 512 kilometers (318 miles) from Shanghai. Lishui is the prefecture level city with the largest land area in Zhejiang Province.

With 81.7% of forest coverage rate, it is known as the green valley of Zhejiang. If you always cherish the love of nature and yearn for the simple life in the countryside, you may come to Lishui where many beautiful villages are scattered among the lucid waters and lush mountains, especially the Guyan Painting Town with Tongjiyan Irrigation Structure, quaint villages and thousand-year old camphor trees. Lishui’s cultural customs here are also fascinating. People can enjoy the traditional culture and colorful customs including food, marriage and religion in Jingning She Autonomous County, the largest She inhabited area in China.

 Fengyangshan-Baishanzu National Nature Reserve: As is implied by the name, the nature reserve consists of two parts. Among them, the Fengyangshan Nature Reserve is characterized by rich storage of rare plant and animal species; the wonderful summer resort, Fengyang Mountain; the highest peak in Jiangsu and Zhejiang area, Mount Huangmaojian. While the Baizushan features especially for the endangered Baishanzu Fir and its breathtaking natural scenery.

3. Lishui is 1.5 hours' drive from Wenzhou. The Wenzhou Haunglong Bus Station in Lucheng Road dispatches buses to the city every forty minutes. From the Hangzhou South Bus Station in Qiutao Road, nearly twenty buses will run to Lishui for about 4 hours.

  See more Shanghai - Lishui Train

Belonging to the subtropical monsoon climate, the area has shorter spring and autumn comparing with the time duration of summer and winter. Weather in spring varies rapidly. The plum rain period emerges in summer bringing intense rainfall or even rainstorms. Autumn is cool and winter is dry and chilly due to the influence of cold wave from North China. Summer is the most pleasant period to pay a visit, because this is a city never lacking of summer resorts. Moreover, around the third day of the third lunar month, participating the celebrations and activities of the She minority is also an amazing option.

 History: Human activities initiated over 4,000 years ago. The Sui Dynasty (581-618) established Chuzhou which is the original form of present Lishui City. Although its name was changed into Kuozhou later, Chuzhou is finally regained in the year of 779.

 Physical Features: Medium mountain and hill areas constitute the main landform of the city. The general terrain declines from the southwest to the northeast. Medium mountains occupy the majority of the southwestern territory, while the northeastern part is mainly lower mountain interleaving with river valleys and basins. Mountains in the area mainly belong to the expansion of Wuyi Mountain.

 Special Local Product: mandarin orange, Chinese mushroom, stone carving of Qingtian County, celadon and double-edged sword of Longquan City