Fengpu Lake

Fengpu Lake

Fengpu Lake is located 30 kilometers from downtown Cixi City, in Fengpuao Village, Longshan Town. Nestled between the overlapping ridges of Dapeng Mountain and Jiulong Mountain like a crescent moon, the lake features a long dike on its northern side built from pristine bluish-gray rocks. Legend has it that two thousand years ago, this area was still an expanse of water, serving as the departure point for Xu Fu’s eastern voyage during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The *Zhenhai County Annals* from the Republican era recorded that during the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong period, the lake spanned 18 li. In the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), County Magistrate Gao Tong, together with local resident Yang Hongyuan, funded its restoration. The lake was vast and misty, teeming with waterfowl.

Every March, walking along the muddy path from the western shore that winds through the mountains and hugs the lakeside toward Fengpuao Village, then following a winding mountain stream inward, you’ll be greeted by rustic bridges, ancient trees, peach blossoms, and flowing waters — the poetic essence of Tang and Song verse is within arm’s reach.

On summer evenings, sitting on the northern lake dike, you can feel the refreshing embrace of the lake breeze and its gentle caress against your sweat-drenched skin. Dive into the deep or swim on your back, letting the fins of life experience the lake’s most tender and transparent touch on your skin and soul from every angle. As you look around, the distant sky, the mountains, the trees, and the clouds all blend harmoniously under the shimmering lake light, forming a seamless whole. Surrounded by the fragrance of earth and plants, listening to the waves lapping the shore, what greater joy is there?

Fengpu Lake remains unknown to many, even its name and exact location unfamiliar. Precisely because of its remoteness, it retains its tranquility and beauty.