Wulongtan Park

Wulongtan Park

Wulongtan Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Wulongtan Park is located to the east of Longpanli in the western part of the city, with its north gate facing Guangzhou Road and its west gate facing Hujulu. Nestled between Qingliang Mountain and Hanzhimen, it has long enjoyed the reputation of being the “Crown of the Western City” for its picturesque landscapes of mountains, waters, pavilions, and enchanting legends. Covering an area of 6.7245 hectares, including 2.69 hectares of water surface and a green space ratio of 76.1%. Legend has it that during the Jin Dynasty, there were four springs in the pond that gushed year-round. On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month each year, four black dragons would appear in the pond. Hence, the name Wulongtan (Black Dragon Pool). Years later, the four springs disappeared, and the black dragons were never seen again, yet the pool remained beautifully scenic, with pavilions and flowers dotting its banks—truly a poetic paradise, thus earning the title “Crown of the Western City.” Major attractions in the park include the ruins of the Grand View Garden from "Dream of the Red Chamber"—Honglou Villa—and China’s first southern statue of Cao Xueqin, the Turtle and Tortoise Natural Museum, the Nautilus Fossil Pavilion housing the invaluable national treasure nautilus fossils, and the Chinese Chess Bridge, recognized by the Shanghai Guinness Headquarters as the “largest landscape chess set and board” in the world.

Covering an area of 5 hectares, Nanjing’s Wulongtan Park boasts scenic mountain and water views, serene and elegant. Structures such as Miaoxiang Pavilion, Lenghua Hall, Fuqu Studio, Feiyue Pavilion, Fangsheng Nunnery, Suolong Bridge, and Wuhou Shrine are harmoniously arranged, captivating visitors. In addition, unique sights like the 400-year-old “Qinggui” tree, considered a masterpiece among potted tree landscapes, and the Chinese Chess Bridge—certified by the Shanghai Guinness Headquarters as the world’s largest landscape chess set and board—leave visitors in awe.

The park’s Turtle and Tortoise Natural Museum is the largest research base of its kind in China, a magical “world of turtles and tortoises.” Currently, the museum houses over 90 species of turtles and tortoises from China and abroad, accounting for 40% of the world’s known species, with more than a thousand live specimens. Among them are rare species like the snake-necked turtle, white jade tortoise, golden tortoise, and ingot tortoise, as well as the nationally protected four-clawed land turtle. There are also naturally beautiful species such as the yellow-margined box turtle and the prized “hair moss turtle.” The heaviest turtle weighs over 100 pounds, while the smallest weighs just a few grams.

Wulongtan impresses with its serene mountain and water scenery. Structures such as Miaoxiang Pavilion, Lenghua Hall, Fuqu Studio, Biling Xie, Feiyue Pavilion, Fangsheng Nunnery, Suole Bridge, and Wuhou Shrine are laid out harmoniously, making it a delightful place to linger.

Legend has it that during the Jin Dynasty, four black dragons often played in the pond, hence the name “Wulongtan” (Black Dragon Pool). Another tale says that on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang visited Eastern Wu to discuss strategies against Cao Cao. Together with Sun Quan, he rode to the banks of the pond at Snake Mountain, Pineapple Mountain, and Stone Mountain to observe the terrain of Jinling, exclaiming, “Zhongshan coils like a dragon, Stone Mountain crouches like a tiger—this is truly an imperial dwelling!” Later, during the Qing Dynasty, Xue Sangen built the “Zhuge Temple” on Snake Mountain in his honor, which still stands today.

When Yan Zhenqing, the great Tang Dynasty calligrapher, served as Prefect of Shengzhou, he designated Wulongtan as the “Jiangning Release Pond,” one of the eighty-one such ponds nationwide, and personally inscribed the “Stele Inscription of the Heavenly Release Pond.” During the Yuanhe era of the Tang Dynasty, descendants built the “Fangsheng Nunnery” west of the pond to commemorate Yan Zhenqing, which is also known as the “Yan Lugong Shrine.”

After Wulongtan became a release pond, various temples, nunneries, and shrines were constructed, along with numerous gardens and villas built by officials and nobles through the dynasties. At that time, the pond was surrounded by lush flowers and trees, with pavilions and waters reflecting the surrounding hills—a scene of poetic beauty. On an autumn night during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, Jiangsu Governor Tao Shu and Wei Yuan boated on the pond, enjoying the moonlight and composing poetry. Tao remarked, “The beauty of Wulongtan is a feast for the eyes.” Wei replied, “With such wonders, why go to West Lake?” Since then, Wulongtan also earned the nickname “Little West Lake.”

However, by the early days of liberation, Wulongtan, having endured much, had become desolate—the pond silted up, scenery destroyed, with most ancient buildings lost. In the 1950s, the government planted trees around the pond, repaired dikes, and built pathways, bringing vitality back to Wulongtan. The ten-year Cultural Revolution brought another disaster. The once “Little West Lake” turned into a notoriously foul-smelling pond in the city. On July 24, 1982, the Wulongtan Park Preparatory Office moved in, beginning the third large-scale renovation and construction in the pond’s history. After seven years, on September 24, 1989, a brand-new Wulongtan Park officially opened to the public.

Today’s Wulongtan boasts blooming flowers, lush trees, green lawns, birds singing in branches, and fish leaping in clear waters. Various Ming and Qing-style structures such as Miaoxiang Pavilion, Lenghua Hall, Feiyue Pavilion, Biling, Fuqu Studio, and scenic spots like “Town-Protecting Sacred Rock” and “Qinggui” tree are thoughtfully arranged among colorful blooms. With very limited land around the pond, the park designers created a vivid and compact layout, demonstrating a small-area, high-capacity garden design. Ingeniously, they also built China’s first Turtle and Tortoise Natural Museum by the pond. The museum houses and displays over 80 species of turtles and tortoises, including rare four-eyed turtles, snake-necked turtles, as well as the nationally protected four-clawed land turtle and the nearly extinct precious soft-shell turtle. The museum is now renowned across China for its comprehensive collection, abundance of live specimens, and educational value, attracting wide attention from both domestic and international visitors. The park also features a 500-million-year-old “nautilus fossil” treasured as a “national treasure” by experts; China’s first “Yan Zhenqing Calligraphy and Painting Museum”; a statue of literary giant Cao Xueqin; and the newly built “Honglou Villa”—China’s first of its kind—integrating folk culture, cuisine, entertainment, and sightseeing. The kind-hearted and adorable Granny Liu warmly welcomes guests from home and abroad at the villa entrance.

Address: No. 215 Guangzhou Road, Gulou District, Nanjing (opposite Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital)

Type: Urban Park

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 025-83714809

Opening Hours:

7:00-20:00