Li Lake National Wetland Park

Li Lake National Wetland Park

Li Lake National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Wuxi Li Lake National Wetland Park is situated on the eastern side of Taihu Lake, within the drainage basin of the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake water systems, and is a typical lake wetland park. The planned area of the park (scenic area) is 1,126.0 hectares, with a total wetland area of 823.9 hectares. It governs fifteen open sub-parks including Li Lake Park, Daqiao Park, Jinchengwan Park, Changguangxi National Urban Wetland Park, Baojie Lakeside Park, Fuyu Island, and Bogongdao Ecological Park. The terrain within the wetland park (scenic area) is flat, with an elevation difference of 4 meters; the soil is mainly composed of fluvo-aquic soil and paddy soil. The park (scenic area) features diverse types of wetlands, rich microhabitats, prominent ecological characteristics, beautiful wetland landscapes, and abundant biodiversity, making it an ideal place for eco-tourism and leisure vacations, as well as a base for science education, scientific research, teaching practice, and environmental education for youth.

Li Lake, formerly known as Wuli Lake and also called Little Five Lakes, is gourd-shaped, divided into East Wuli Lake and West Wuli Lake, covering an area of 9.5 square kilometers, with a shoreline perimeter of approximately 21 kilometers. Among them, East Wuli Lake, which occupies 5.3 square kilometers, is similar in size to Hangzhou’s West Lake. After the “reclaiming lakes for farmland” and “enclosing lakes for aquaculture” practices that began after 1979, the lake surface gradually shrank from 9.5 square kilometers to 5.6 square kilometers. In recent years, through “retiring fishing rights and restoring the lake” and comprehensive environmental improvement efforts, the lake surface has been restored to 8.6 square kilometers, with a surrounding shoreline stretching 36 kilometers.

Wuli Lake was historically also known as Caohu, Menghu, and Qihu. The Li Lake Bridge spans the scenic East Wuli Lake Jinchengwan, connecting both ends to the urban section of the Taihu Lake Ring Road — Li Lake Avenue. The lake surface here is over 500 meters wide. On sunny days, the shimmering waters reflect the sunlight, dotted with fishing boats, presenting a breathtaking view. This place has been the setting for many wonderful legends throughout history. The name “Li Lake” originates from the legend of Fan Li and Xi Shi: it is said that over 2,400 years ago during the Spring and Autumn period, in the Battle of Fuchai, the King of Yue, Goujian, was defeated and captured. Fan Li, a minister of Yue, devised strategies, and Goujian endured humiliation while adopting the principle of “sleeping on firewood and tasting gall to strengthen the state.” He found the peerless beauty Xi Shi in the Ruoye Creek of Zhuluo Mountain in Zhuji, entrusting her with the mission of sacrificing herself for the nation. She was presented to the King of Wu, Fuchai, which led him to indulge in wine and women, lower his guard against Yue, and even execute the loyal minister Wu Zixu. Eventually, Wu was destroyed, with Fan Li playing a leading role. However, Goujian was highly suspicious and could only be together in hardship, not in peace. Fan Li chose to retire after his achievements, sailing on Taihu Lake with Xi Shi and traveling among the seventy-two peaks. Upon entering Wuli Lake, they were captivated by its beautiful scenery, spending their days boating on the lake and reluctant to leave. Since then, locals have referred to Wuli Lake as Li Lake.

Throughout history, the beautiful scenery of Li Lake has been praised by discerning individuals. Hua Shu, a native of Wuxi during the Ming Dynasty, compared Li Lake to West Lake, stating that “the charm of West Lake lies in its allure, elegance, tenderness, enclosure, causeways, bridges, pavilions, ancestral shrines, city walls, peach and willow trees, and song and dance — like a beautiful woman. The charm of Li Lake, however, lies in its openness, maturity, leisure, wildness, and desolation — almost heroic? Or perhaps ethereal? Especially under snow, moonlight, misty rain, or gentle winds and light haze, it is even more refreshing and uplifting to the spirit.”