Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area is a national water conservancy scenic area.

Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area is a national-level water conservancy scenic area, situated in the eastern part of Lianyungang City, at the main entrance of the Huaguoshan Scenic Area, covering a total area of approximately 10.47 square kilometers. Within Dasheng Lake (formerly known as Dacun Reservoir), there lies the site of an ancient tribal village settlement, mainly featuring two types of Neolithic cultural relics: the Dawenkou and Longshan cultures.

Located in the eastern part of Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, at the main entrance of the Huaguoshan Scenic Area, Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area covers a total area of approximately 10.47 square kilometers. It is a national water conservancy scenic area that integrates the cultural backdrop of Journey to the West myths with the natural settings of Dacun Reservoir and Haiqing Temple Ashoka Pagoda Complex. The area combines mountains, forests, lakes, and temples, blending cultural landscapes with natural scenery.

Dacun Reservoir, situated at the foot of Huaguoshan Mountain, originates from Yunnü Peak, the main peak of Huaguoshan, and is formed by the convergence of nine mountain streams. It covers a water area of 0.95 square kilometers, and is classified as a small (Type 1) reservoir. It serves as an emergency drinking water source for downtown Lianyungang. Major hydraulic structures here include the "Yiren Dam," spillway gates, and the Lotus Pumping Station. Dasheng Lake is embraced by green mountains, tranquil and expansive, with a mirror-like surface reflecting the silhouettes of verdant peaks, Buddhist temples, and ancient pagodas. When a gentle breeze passes, shimmering ripples dance with the mountain shadows, creating an enchantingly beautiful scene.

Haiqing Temple, nestled by the mountain and lake, boasts a grand and expansive architectural complex with profound scale. It is a nationally designated Major Historical and Cultural Site. The Ashoka Pagoda within the temple was built in the first year of the Northern Song Dynasty. Standing over 40 meters tall with nine levels and eight sides, the pagoda features sleek and elegant lines, and a majestic yet rustic style. Known as the “Ancient Pagoda Piercing the Clouds,” it is one of the Thirty-Six Scenic Spots of Ming YunTai Mountain.

To the northwest of Dasheng Lake lies Jiming Mountain, which rises 115 meters above sea level. This standalone mountain resembles a rooster heralding the dawn when viewed from afar. With the nearby ruins of Jiming Temple, it earned the name “Jiming Mountain.” Beside the ruins is a spring called “Yipiao Spring,” small as a gourd but continuously bubbling with clear, sweet water all year round.

By ascending along the Huaguoshan Mountain Entrance Road on the southern shore of Dasheng Lake, visitors can reach Yunnü Peak, the highest peak in Jiangsu Province. Towering dozens of meters high, the peak is crowned with clustered flowers, and its smooth, polished rock faces resemble “a uniquely shaped peak adorned with flowers by the water, exuding the delicate beauty of a virgin.” Standing atop the peak and looking into the distance, one sees overlapping mountain ranges veiled in drifting, ever-changing clouds. At the mountain’s base, a stretch of emerald water glimmers under the sky, presenting a boundless and fairy-tale-like landscape that makes one feel as if entering a celestial realm.

The area is home to towering ancient trees, murmuring streams, fragrant fruits, playful macaques, peculiar rocks, and mysterious caves—offering magical and stunning scenery. The region boasts extremely rich wildlife resources, with hundreds of species. There are more than 1,700 varieties of rare plants, including the Golden-inlaid Jade Bamboo—one of the four famous ornamental bamboos—and a thousand-year-old Ginkgo tree at Laojuntang, known as the “Tree Embracing Its Child,” both of which are rare and precious tree species seldom seen in the province and even the nation. The scenic area also produces over 1,000 types of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Ganoderma lucidum, Polygonum multiflorum, mint, and motherwort, making it an important provincial repository of rare medicinal plants.

This place serves as a habitat for dozens of migratory bird species, including egrets, wild geese, and mallards. Every winter, tens of thousands of migratory birds flock here in groups to nest, forage, and breed—a truly moving scene of harmony between humans and nature.

“A sheet of blue water mirrors the landscape, where lake and mountain hues blend in harmony.” The homeland of the Great Sage, a mythical paradise—welcome to the fantastical Huaguoshan Dasheng Lake National Water Conservancy Scenic Area.