Great Golden Lake in Taining county, Sanming city, Fujian province, is a national 4A tourism site and a national forest park. Taining Geological Park, featuring karst landforms at Great Golden Lake, was crowned a "World Geological Park" in February 2005.
Taining Ancient Town, adjacent to the Great Golden Lake, boasts well-preserved traditional residences from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) along the Yangtze River. It also features the Shangshudi Dwellings, which are under national protection, and many well-kept lanes and folk residences dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).
Great Golden Lake, the largest lake in the whole Golden Lake area, has the most diverse and unique karst landscapes. The karst landscapes in this region are formed mainly due to landfalls and water erosions. It has the deepest canyons and valley rivers in China and the oldest karst landscapes in southeast China.
Ganlu Cave, a large cave reaching 80 meters high and 30 meters deep, was formed due to wind and water erosions as well as landfalls. In 1146, Ganlu Temple was established in the cave with only one wooden pillar supporting the four-storied building. It is a masterpiece of Chinese architecture.