Tunnel of Nine Turns (Jiuchudong)

The tortuous course cut by the Liwu River has produced a gorge of many curves, and the path of the Central Cross-Island Highway that has been carved out of the cliff face here seems to be an endless series of turns. Hence the name. The gorge is so narrow that only a very narrow width is open to the heavens, in what the Chinese call "a thread of sky". The marble cliff face opposite the highway varies in color from deep gray to pure white in a multitude of changing designs. A walk through the Tunnel of Nine Turns takes about 30 minutes and gives access to enchanting scenes of the gorge, the river, stone strata, the tunnel itself, and the surrounding vegetation. This is one of the most scenic parts of the gorge, and the best place to observe the gorge's ecology.