Longkeng Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Longkeng Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Longkeng Water Conservancy Scenic Area is a national water conservancy scenic area.

Driving southwest from Songyuan City for 22 kilometers brings you to the fertile and well-watered Taohaotai Township. A leisurely 1,000-meter walk eastward from there reveals a stretch of azure water — this is Longkeng, a scenic highlight of Songyuan, also known in ancient times as Bielibuquan.

The uniqueness of Longkeng’s scenery makes it a rare spectacle, not just within Songyuan, but across the entire Songliao Plain that spans the three northeastern provinces.

This is a natural ravine approximately 2,500 meters long, 300 meters wide, and over 70 meters deep. Nestled deep in the heart of the Songliao Plain, Taohaotai Township lies on the edge of the Horqin Grassland. The vast terrain here is usually solid and continuous — so how did such a deep ravine come to be? This has long puzzled adventurous explorers. And that’s not all. Within this ravine lies a miraculous spring, which is even more perplexing. In the eastern part of the Horqin Grassland, springs and streams are extremely rare. Within 200 li to the north, 300 li to the west, and 300 li to the south of Taohaotai Township, it’s almost impossible to find any springs or streams. It’s only less than 100 li southeast of here, in the lower reaches of the Second Songhua River, that some springs and streams can be found. However, these streams are mostly so small that they barely allow a step across or a scoop with a ladle. Moreover, these streams are often formed by the convergence of multiple sources before they become even minor flows. In contrast, the spring water gushing from Longkeng has a discharge rate of over two cubic meters per second, and it emerges abruptly within a single pit — making it truly exceptional.

Natural wonders often boast more than one stunning feature. Longkeng is located on the low-altitude gradient of the Songliao Plain, an area that is definitively part of the outward-flowing water system. Most springs in this region either flow into the Liao River system, eventually reaching the Bohai Sea, or join the Songhua and Nenjiang Rivers, which feed into the Heilongjiang River system and then flow into the Sea of Japan via Russia’s coastal regions. Yet Longkeng Spring takes a unique path, boldly forming an inland river that creates a surprising spectacle across the vast grasslands.

Longkeng Spring first forms a small, over ten-foot-deep sky pool within the ravine, then the stream turns eastward, overflowing the natural embankment and leaving Longkeng behind. This stream meanders and winds for over ten kilometers before finally settling in a low-lying area to the northwest, where it forms a freshwater lake spanning several square kilometers. With lotus flowers floating on its surface, it came to be called Lotus Pond. The nationally renowned Lotus Pond Mechanized Rice Demonstration Farm is located here. The green food product — Lotus Pond Rice, which is popular in markets in Beijing and Tianjin — also originates from this area.

In the early 1980s, after the completion of the major water conservancy project — the Songhua Diversion Canal, Longkeng Spring ended its role in supplying Lotus Pond and instead began flowing into Chagan Lake via the canal. Since then, Longkeng Spring has played an even more significant role in Songyuan’s cultural and geographical landscape in a brand-new capacity. Due to local climatic conditions and the water level of the Second Songhua River, the Qianguo Songhua Diversion Canal can only function as a seasonal water project. However, the stream from Longkeng Spring continues to supply Chagan Lake with a substantial and uninterrupted flow of water year-round, supporting the area’s aquatic industry.

According to the “Geographical Records” section of the History of Jin Dynasty: “Changchun County (around the site of Tahuyang City within today’s Qianguo County) has Bielibuquan.” Research confirms that “Bielibuquan” is this very Longkeng. “Bielibuquan” is a transliteration of a Jurchen term into Chinese, meaning “gushing spring.” From the two historical sites discovered in this area, relics from the Khitan and Jurchen peoples have been found. It can be concluded that this land has long been inhabited by the ancestors of northeastern China.

Nature’s masterful craftsmanship has shaped the natural beauty of Longkeng. In spring and summer, the slopes of the ravine present a splendid scene. A wide variety of plants, such as lilies, daylilies, azaleas, Malan flowers, morning glories, wild apricots, wild grapes, and hawthorns, compete in a riot of colors. In the depths of winter, when the Horqin Grassland becomes an icy world, the spring water of Longkeng continues to flow day and night as usual. The ravine remains relatively warm, making it a natural shelter for birds and animals seeking refuge from the cold. Today, if we shift the conversation to tourism, Longkeng can be regarded as a pearl of the grasslands. Encouragingly, plans to develop Longkeng’s tourism resources are already underway.

The first phase could only be considered a prelude. Local residents easily built a fish pond here and raised highly prized rainbow trout. Soon after, a two-story building was erected on what was previously open land. The township government recognized the potential of this auspicious location and first established a nursing home near Longkeng. Afforestation activities also commenced simultaneously, with rows of tall Korean pines, poplars, Chinese red pines, as well as twisted willows, purple locusts, yellow elms, and yellow glass trees planted on the slopes. Supporting these efforts, mulberry and fruit orchards were established east of Longkeng. Rows of mulberry trees, apple trees, plum trees, crabapple trees, and mountain peach trees were arranged in a well-planned, staggered layout, creating a favorable peripheral environment for the Longkeng landscape. Moving forward, additional tourism facilities will be added, including pavilions, boat houses, pleasure boats, pontoon bridges, and wooden walkways.

It seems that the once-obscure Longkeng is poised for remarkable development. However, the current ideas are still rather modest. Given the vast development space that Longkeng offers, along with the precious natural attractions available in the area, Longkeng holds tremendous potential as a regional tourism hub, with considerable scope for influence and promising future prospects. One day, Longkeng may very well rise to national fame.

Taohaotai Township: Location-wise, Taohaotai Township is situated in the central part of Qianguo County, between 124°29′ and 124°47′ east longitude, and 44°46′ and 45°02′ north latitude. It is 25 kilometers from Songyuan City. To the east, it connects with Xinli Township, Hongguang Farm, and Lotus Pond Farm; to the south, it borders Dashan Township and Changlong Township; to the west, it neighbors Baodian Township; and to the north, it adjoins Chongxin Township. The total area of the township is 15,485.45 hectares. Taohaotai Township currently administers 7 administrative villages, 22 natural villages, and 31 villager groups. The total population exceeds 13,000, with a population density of about 8 people per square kilometer... More detailed information about Taohaotai Township++