China's Hot Spring Map: Cantonese Take "Boiling Themselves" to the Next Level?

Hot springs may seem unfamiliar—they are gifts from volcanoes, the luxurious Huaqing Pool of emperors. Yet they also feel familiar, appearing on street advertisements and synonymous with bathing. From Mohe in the north to Zhanjiang in the south, wherever there are Chinese people, there seem to be hot spring hotels.

But what many might not expect is that in the southeastern region, the area with the densest concentration of hot spring hotels is Guangdong Province, where winters are relatively mild. Moreover, Cantonese have all sorts of creative ways to enjoy hot springs—some even add goji berries and red dates, truly "stewing" themselves! The breadth and intrigue of China's hot spring map far exceed our imagination...

Along the subtropical southeastern coast, hot springs are magical places—cooling in summer and warming in winter. Fujianese bathers, like their ancestors a century ago, head out before dawn to catch the "first soak," immersing themselves until they feel "tau ka" (comfortable). Cantonese treat hot springs as bonding spots for families, while imaginative bosses even organize team-building events there. The genuine love of southeastern coastal residents for hot springs has made this region home to the densest hot spring hotels.

Mapping by Shao Tianrui, Ren Dong

In the southwest, abundant geothermal resources and rugged terrain fold together hot springs of varying temperatures, mineral compositions, and origins. Here, you’ll find wild mountain springs, natural medicinal baths used by Tibetan doctors to treat weakness and chronic ailments, and hot spring towns like Shiqian that thrive because of their springs. The hot springs of the southwest are uniquely wild.

When the harsh winter arrives, it’s time to test the bonds of friendship among Northeasterners. All acquaintances may call each other "old pals," but only the closest friends will bare it all together in a hot spring. Northeasterners love bathing so much that the shift from factory bathhouses to natural hot springs reflects the most vivid historical transformations.

China’s affluent regions generally have century-old bathhouse cultures, but traditionally, these baths used artificially heated water rather than natural hot springs. China never developed a nationwide hot spring culture, and in the past, there weren’t nearly as many hot springs as there are today. Where did all these "ubiquitous" hot springs come from? Do hot springs somehow multiply to meet demand?

Hot Springs: Natural or Artificial?

Hot springs aren’t rare natural wonders but rather common features across China. Any underground steam or water exceeding 25°C qualifies as a hot spring.

Except for Shanghai, which, due to geological constraints, has yet to develop natural hot springs (high-end hotels there market transported water from Jiangsu as a selling point), every other province has hot springs in varying numbers. Even compact, volcanically inactive Beijing is rich in geothermal resources, with self-flowing hot springs in Xiaotangshan (Changping District) and Yanqing District.

Due to changing geological conditions, hot springs can appear or disappear, and a single spring often has multiple outlets, making precise counts difficult. In the early 2000s, Academician Wang Ji estimated 2,200 hot springs nationwide; today, OpenStreetMap China puts the number at 2,943. But with increasing geothermal development, new springs keep emerging—no one knows exactly how many exist.

Broadly speaking, hot springs can be divided into two types based on origin: volcanic and non-volcanic.

Naturally self-flowing springs along faults and fissures are undoubtedly authentic, but those trapped underground due to lack of pressure or faults aren’t disqualified—humans can "pump them up" to the surface.

Different origins and geological conditions create white mineral springs, blue mineral springs, sulfur springs, mud springs, sodium bicarbonate springs, and more. Some hot springs even have multiple outlets with varying compositions, offering diverse experiences.

As geothermal development proves increasingly profitable, wells are dug deeper and more frequently. Even Heilongjiang and Ningxia, once thought devoid of springs above 25°C, now have them. In other words, hot springs do multiply with market demand.

Fig. 1: This isn’t coral—it’s the Manasarovar Hot Spring in Tibet.

Fig. 2: Volcanic hot springs often feature travertine formations, like those at Sichuan’s western travertine terraces.

China isn’t short on hot springs, but they’re unevenly distributed. Most documented springs cluster in the northeast, south, and southwest, with Yunnan, Tibet, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Fujian accounting for half the national total. These regions have each developed distinct hot spring cultures.

Why Do Southeastern Coastal Residents Love Hot Springs the Most?

Stereotypes suggest Northeasterners only feel clean after a scrub, while Southerners shower daily but avoid public nudity or communal baths. Yet the densest hot spring hotel areas aren’t in the northeast—they’re in the far southeastern coast.

Compared to the northeast, the southeastern coastal region has natural advantages for developing hot springs. The temperature to which hot springs can be heated depends on their proximity to geothermal heat sources. The southeastern coast is close to the Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activity was once frequent. Today, from Ningde in the north to Haikou in the south, volcanic geological wonders like basalt columns are everywhere, leaving behind numerous pleasantly warm hot springs.

The temperature of hot springs when they reach the surface depends on the local climate. In the northeast, where winters are cold enough to freeze snot, hot springs can easily cool down by the time they emerge. In contrast, Guangdong's "chilly" winters below 20°C pose no threat, so the southeastern coast has more hot springs, generally with higher temperatures.

Transforming hot springs into hot spring hotels requires significant investment. The economically developed southeastern coastal region lacks neither the funds for hotel development nor a consumer market. Additionally, the south has Hong Kong's sauna culture, while the north has Yangzhou's bathing culture, giving hot springs an extra edge. After all, the hot spring is merely the medium—the soul lies in the bathing experience.

In the southeast, the densest concentration of hot spring hotels is in Guangdong, where winters are mild. It seems like every county has a hot spring hotel nearby. For locals, a hot spring getaway is more like a luxury family gathering—a chance to bond together. They visit hot springs to escape the heat when temperatures exceed 30°C and to warm up when they drop below 20°C. How much do Cantonese love hot springs? In 2018, Guangdong's hot springs welcomed a staggering 180 million visitors.

Whether it's humid heat or damp cold, Cantonese mothers always find a reason to toss angelica root, goji berries, and cordyceps flowers into a clay pot to brew a nourishing soup. In some Guangdong hot springs, alongside regular pools, you might find tangerine peel or goji berry-infused springs. True Cantonese take their "brewing" so seriously they even "brew" themselves!

Fujian's mountainous terrain provides excellent geothermal conditions. A third of Fuzhou's urban core is rich in geothermal resources, earning it the nickname "the city bathed in hot springs." Not only are the "Ancient Three Springs" from the Five Dynasties period still preserved, but hot springs developed during the Kangxi era remain open to visitors today.

Life in old Fuzhou is leisurely, with locals lining up at dawn to soak in the "first bath" by 5:30 AM. They play cards, drink tea, scrub backs, and snack in hot spring bathhouses, enjoying a "thoroughly comfortable" day. The term "thoroughly comfortable" in Fuzhou dialect originates from the warmth and comfort of hot spring water on the feet.

Fig. 1: Taiwanese enjoy hot spring fish pedicures.

Fig. 2-3: Cooking food with hot spring water.

The most unique hot springs in the southeast are in Taiwan. Due to its long Japanese colonial period and the KMT's retreat, Taiwan's hot spring culture differs from other southeastern provinces. Famous spots like Wenshan and Yangmingshan hot springs blend into their surroundings, retaining a wild, untamed charm.

The wildest hot springs hide among highland mountains.

Though the southeast has dense hot spring hotels, the southwest boasts the most numerous and hottest springs. The Indian Plate's collision with the Eurasian Plate created the towering terrains of the Tibetan Plateau and Hengduan Mountains, along with abundant geothermal resources. Yunnan has China's most documented hot springs, while Tibet holds the greatest potential for geothermal utilization.

The southwest has not only abundant but also scalding hot springs. Of China's 136 springs exceeding 80°C, Tibet leads with 43, followed by Yunnan with 36. Tibet, Yunnan, and western Sichuan even feature intermittent geysers and hydrothermal explosions.

On the lofty Tibetan Plateau, travelers are often warned against casual bathing. The outdated stereotype that Tibetans bathe only three times in their lives persists. In reality, Tibetans love hot springs—Tibetan medicine considers soaking a traditional therapy, and herders with means regularly visit hot spring pastures for days.

Locals have soaked in Lhasa's Dezong Hot Spring and Yangbajing Hot Spring (between Lhasa and Shigatse) for centuries. A Tang-era text describes: "Southwest of Tubo, a spring gushes fiercely, shooting water five to six feet high, scalding hot enough to cook meat, with steam rising like mist"—likely referring to a Yangbajing outlet.

Traditionally, Tibetans separate genders in different pools with simple stone walls. These rustic springs blend seamlessly with meadows and snow-capped peaks, untouched by artificial additions.

The eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and Hengduan Mountains converge in western Sichuan, where subterranean "restless" energy forms seismic zones and scatters diverse natural hot springs. Liangshan Prefecture hides the world's largest hot spring waterfall—Luojia 99 Li.

The southwest's hot springs are fiercely wild, often defying human taming. Yet seasoned backpackers trek through mountains and rivers just to experience them.

In the high-altitude Gaoligong Mountains of western Yunnan, wild springs like Baihualing's Yin-Yang Valley lie deep in forests—no luxury hotels, no amenities, not even proper changing rooms. But stumbling upon one after an exhausting hike? That’s priceless.

Guizhou's hot springs stand out in the southwest. Unlike Tibet and western Yunnan's volcanic springs, most here are non-volcanic. Over 300 springs dot 72 counties, from the "Miao Holy Water" of Jianhe to Xifeng, once dubbed "China's No. 1 Spring" for hosting overseas guests—just the tip of the iceberg.

Shiqian is truly worthy of its name as the "Hometown of Hot Springs." Since the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, when the local prefect organized the construction of hot spring facilities, generations of renovations have allowed these springs to flow for over 400 years. Brewing a cup of Shiqian moss tea while soaking in the "Wen Tang" has long become a leisurely part of life for generations of Shiqian residents. The types and culture of hot springs in the southwest are as diverse and vibrant as its natural landscapes and ethnic traditions.

Northeast China: The Historic Transformation from Bathhouses to Hot Springs

In the northeast, where drivers eagerly recommend the local bathing culture upon leaving stations or airports, lies a significant cluster of natural hot springs. Heilongjiang boasts the Wudalianchi volcanic area; Jilin is home to the main part of the Changbai Mountains; eastern Inner Mongolia features the Arxan Volcano; and Liaoning, though relatively flat and not known for volcanoes, happens to be the most densely concentrated region for hot springs in the northeast.

The hot spring towns of the northeast often defy expectations. For example, Daqing is not just the "Oil City" but also rich in hot spring resources. Moreover, Daqing's hot springs today are no longer the collective bathhouses of old but have embraced aesthetic innovation, with outdoor hot springs leading the trend.

In eastern Inner Mongolia, also part of the northeast, lies Arxan, whose name is transliterated from the Mongolian word for "holy water." Surrounded by four vast grasslands yet nestled in the Greater Khingan Mountains, Arxan was shaped by volcanic activity into its current form. It epitomizes what a hot spring town should be: a relatively isolated location, small yet charming urban planning, and the stunning natural scenery of the Greater Khingan Mountains—making it a must-visit destination for travelers.

However, the bathing culture of the northeast did not originate from natural hot springs but rather from factory boiler rooms. The evolution from bathhouse culture to hot spring culture reflects the traces of broader historical changes.

Using surplus heat from factories to boil water allowed "factory and mining bathhouses" to be built at minimal cost. In an era when water heaters were cutting-edge technology, taking a hot bath at home was not only a luxury but also inconvenient and prone to causing colds. During the heyday of heavy industry, as the "eldest son of the republic," the northeast had no shortage of factory boilers, making collective bathhouses a natural perk for workers in those "big factories."

As "factory and mining bathhouses" proliferated, they became a collective memory spanning decades and generations in the northeast. For northeasterners, bathing at home was merely making do; only a thorough scrub in the bathhouse, down to the bare skin, could satisfy their spiritual obsession with cleanliness.

Since the 1990s, as factories in the northeast gradually transformed, and with the growing influence of Hong Kong sauna culture and Japanese onsen culture, bathhouses in the northeast began transitioning into hot springs, with abundant geothermal resources being widely utilized. Here, hot springs can range from opulent, classically northeastern Roman-style baths to minimalist designs evoking "authentic northeastern Hokkaido vibes."

Figures 1-2: Playing chess and getting pedicures are both part of bathhouse culture.

Regardless of style, no hot spring resort in the northeast is complete without a lavish seafood buffet, skilled scrub masters, and a variety of entertainment options. After a proper scrub, one might even visit the hot spring library to peruse a copy of the *Book of Changes* for some cultural refinement. The northeast's bathing culture has once again set the trend nationwide, influencing not only the entire northern region, including Beijing and Tianjin, but also raising the bar for hot springs across the country—where admission without an extravagant buffet hardly qualifies as a proper hot spring experience.

Whether in the frigid northeast, the warm southeastern coast, or the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, the desire to soak in hot springs when the weather turns cold is a shared sentiment among Chinese everywhere. Through hot springs, we glimpse the vibrant local cultures, lively histories, and the universal pursuit of warmth in winter.

Uncredited images | Visual China Group