Purple Lotus Forest Resort in Chaozhou
Location and Overview
The Purple Lotus Forest Resort is located in Yixi Town, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, within the scenic area of Zilian Mountain (紫莲山). It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and is renowned as the birthplace of the She ethnic group and the hometown of Wulong tea. The resort covers an area of over 12,000 acres and is often referred to as a “phoenix dragon vein” and “blessed land of purple lotus.” It is an integrated eco-tourism resort that combines tourism, pilgrimage, health preservation, vacation, and conference facilities.
The resort is divided into two major areas: the northern and southern sections. It is jointly developed by Chaozhou Zilian Eco-Agriculture Co., Ltd. and Chaozhou Zilian Forest Resort Co., Ltd. The resort is a large-scale, comprehensive project that includes agriculture, forestry, the development of agricultural and forestry by-products, and tourism.
Area:
- Name in Chinese: 紫莲生态旅游度假区
- Location: Yixi Town, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province
- Tourist Rating: AAAA level (国家AAAA级旅游景区)
- Ticket Price: Free for self-driving tourists (大门票免费开放)
- Area Size: Over 12,000 acres (12000亩)
- Famous Attractions: Pilgrimage Garden (朝圣园), Lingqi Valley (灵栖谷), Mother Buddha Temple (佛母寺), Lion Peak (狮子峰)
Scenic Area Background
The resort covers a total area of approximately 12,000 acres, divided into northern and southern sections. It is developed by Chaozhou Zilian Eco-Agriculture Co., Ltd. and Chaozhou Zilian Forest Resort Co., Ltd., forming a large integrated project. The resort integrates ecological agriculture, cultural tourism (Buddhist Zen culture), and health industries.
Geographical Advantage
Situated in the heart of the Shantou-Chaozhou-Jieyang urban cluster, Chaozhou City (潮州市) is the center city. The resort is located in the northeast of Chaozhou, in Yixi Town, and lies at the center of the Fengquan Lake (凤泉湖) area in the central urban area.
Transportation Advantage
The resort is close to an expressway exit, allowing for quick access to surrounding cities and major transportation hubs. It is just a 30-minute drive from downtown Chaozhou and is easily accessible, yet maintains a tranquil environment. It is only about 5 kilometers from the Han East New City (韩东新城) and approximately 8 kilometers from the ancient city center of Chaozhou.
Cultural and Tourism Industry
The Purple Lotus Eco-Tourism Resort is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. The resort is positioned as a mountain village tourist destination and a comprehensive tourist complex in Chaozhou-Shantou area. It integrates dining, accommodation, entertainment, shopping, Buddhist Zen culture, leisure vacation, team building, business conferences, science education, research tourism, ecological agriculture, and health industries.
The resort began development in 2006, with an investment of around 1 billion RMB, covering the construction of roads, water and electricity facilities, communication systems, and other essential infrastructure. Notable attractions that have been built include the Pilgrimage Garden, Mother Buddha Temple, Lingqi Valley, indoor entertainment areas, team-building bases, cinemas, Xiangguang Hotel (祥光酒店), Zhongcha Tea Culture Grand View Garden (中茶茶文化大观园), Zilian Restaurant (紫莲餐厅), Zilian Cuisine Restaurant (紫莲菜馆), and Zilian Conference Center (紫莲会议中心).
Scenic Highlights
Pilgrimage and Blessing
The Mother Buddha Temple (佛母寺) covers an area of about 500 acres and includes several buildings, such as the Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿), Mother Buddha Hall (佛母殿), Heavenly King Hall (天王殿), Bell and Drum Tower (钟鼓楼), Earth Treasury Hall (地藏殿), Kalan Hall (伽蓝殿), Five Views Hall (五观堂), and the monk’s dormitories (僧寮). The temple provides a serene environment for practitioners of Zen Buddhism and offers spiritual exchanges for pilgrims. It also caters to middle-aged and elderly people seeking Zen practices and health preservation.
Stunning Performances
The resort offers engaging cultural performances, including the Wa ethnic group (佤族) cultural exchange shows featuring knife-stepping (踩钢刀), fire-spitting (喷火), and hair-throwing dances (甩发舞). Other exciting performances include pig diving (小猪跳水), parrot acrobatics (鹦鹉杂技), peacock flying (孔雀放飞), and pig races (猪猪赛跑).
Happy World
The resort’s large indoor amusement area, Happy World (欢乐大世界), includes a rainbow slide, ocean ball pit, trampoline, LEGO brick world, rock climbing wall, and many other entertainment activities. With over 25 attractions, it provides a space for relaxation and fun, encouraging children to think critically, explore, and use their imagination.
Tea Culture Grand View Garden
Located at the center of the resort, the Tea Culture Grand View Garden (茶文化大观园) spans approximately 2,700 square meters. The theme of the garden is “The finest tea quality in the world, embracing tea culture from across the globe, and gathering tea lovers worldwide.” It consists of two sections: the Tea Culture Grand View Garden and the Tea Workshop (茶作工坊).
The Tea Culture Grand View Garden offers a unique experience for visitors to explore tea culture, learn about tea knowledge, enjoy leisure time, and view tea product exhibitions. It is a cultural experience project for tea lovers.
Tea Workshop
The Tea Workshop (茶作工坊) follows a traditional eco-friendly approach to tea production, focusing on the processing of single cultivar tea and single cultivar black tea. The workshop spans 2,000 square meters and is equipped with advanced tea processing equipment. The process includes picking, withering, processing, killing, rolling, and drying. The workshop also has quality control measures, including tea quality testing and cold storage for preservation.
