Fenhu Lake

Fenhu

Fenhu

Fenhu, also known as Fenhu Lake in ancient times, was the dividing lake between the states of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It stretches six kilometers from east to west and three kilometers from north to south, covering a total water area of 9,700 mu. Due to its unique historical culture and geographical location, it has long captivated many scholars and poets, becoming a renowned scenic lake.

Located at the border of Jiashan in Zhejiang Province and Wujiang in Jiangsu Province, Fenhu Lake stretches six kilometers from east to west and three kilometers from north to south, with half of it in Zhejiang and half in Jiangsu. Known as Fenhu in ancient times, it was the dividing lake between the states of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The lake covers a total area of 9,700 mu.

During the conflict between the states of Wu and Yue, the Wu general Wu Zixu once trained naval forces at Fenhu Lake. Historically, this area was a sensitive borderland contested by the two states. After the Qin dynasty unified China, Fenhu Lake was no longer a boundary lake, but due to its unique historical and cultural background as well as its geographical location, it continued to captivate many scholars and poets, becoming a well-known scenic lake.

During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Fenhu Lake had already become a famous scenic destination in the Jiangnan region, attracting many literary masters. The great Yuan painters Wu Zhen and Sheng Fan created numerous paintings depicting fishing villages, hermits, and fishermen. They all visited Fenhu Lake, where the lush green reeds along the shore, the thatched cottages in the water villages, and the serene natural scenery left a deep impression on them, often reflected in their artworks. The renowned calligrapher Zhao Mengfu once created the "Fenhu Water Village Painting," which has become a national treasure. Wu Zhen, one of the Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty and a pivotal figure in the transition of Chinese painting from the imperial court to the folk, produced the "Fishing Hermit Painting"—a representative work of Chinese hermit culture. In the inscriptions on his paintings, he wrote: “A breeze stirs over Dongting Lake at dusk, / Ruffling a lone leaf on the lake’s heart. / The orchid boat stays steady, / The straw cloak light, / I fish only for bass, not fame.”

The four-lobed perch of Fenhu is, of course, very famous—its deliciousness far surpasses fleeting worldly fame. In the ninth year of the Zhi Zheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1349), Yang Weizhen, a great literary figure from Kuaiji, visited Fenhu Lake with friends in March and later wrote “A Record of Visiting Fenhu Lake.” Through this account, later generations can catch a glimpse of what Fenhu Lake looked like 700 years ago.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Fenhu Lake had developed a rich cultural heritage around its shores. The field songs popular in the rural areas within a hundred kilometers of the lake can be considered a unique charm of Fenhu culture. Feng Menglong, a literary talent of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, collected a large number of folk songs in the Taihu Lake basin, over 300 of which were gathered from towns and villages around Fenhu Lake. By the late Qing Dynasty, these folk tunes—refined and passed back to the Fenhu area—had evolved into a distinctive form of water town folk culture with strong Jiangnan characteristics.

Some say even Mao Zedong knew about Fenhu Lake, and that is indeed true. His knowledge came from a poem presented to him by Mr. Liu Yazi. A native of the northern shore of Fenhu Lake, Liu Yazi was a renowned democratic activist and patriotic poet. In December 1920, Liu Yazi, Chen Chaonan, and several other members of the Nanshe Society boated on Fenhu Lake, hoping to compile a new edition of the “Complete Annals of Fenhu.” However, the project proved too massive and was never completed, leaving a lifelong regret. Still, it resulted in another “Record of Visiting Fenhu Lake.” Later, after the initial victories of the New Democratic Revolution, Liu Yazi, homesick in Beijing, wrote a poem titled “Reflecting on Current Affairs Presented to Chairman Mao,” which included the line: “Fenhu is none other than Ziling’s Beach,” expressing his longing for home and his wish to return to his hometown of Fenhu, just as the hermit Yan Ziling had done, rather than stay unaccustomed to life in the capital. Mao Zedong responded with a poem advising him to stay in Beijing and work together. The poetic exchange between Mao and Liu Yazi became a celebrated tale in literary history, further enhancing Fenhu Lake’s fame and renown across the land.