Wumu Pond

Wumu Pond

Wumu Pond is located within the former residence of Prime Minister Zai Xiang Fu (now the Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital) on West Ring Road in the city center. It was the garden of Zhang Ying and Zhang Tingyu, both grand secretaries of the Qing Dynasty. The pond in the garden is called "Wumu Pond." It is the only pond in the city, and the name "pond" comes from the "garden."

In the past, "Wumu Garden" boasted small pavilions, lofty towers, winding railings, long corridors, crystal-clear water with plump fish, fragrant lotuses, and emerald willows, making it unparalleled in beauty among the city’s gardens. To the west of the pond stands a Chinese honey locust tree with a girth of 1.8 meters, a height of 17 meters, and a crown covering an area of 45 square meters—it is the oldest tree in today’s "Wumu Garden." By the pond there is a small building, inscribed with the name "Willow-Shaded Boat," which was the study of Zhang Lingyi, the third daughter of Zhang Ying in the early Qing Dynasty. She named her room "Bookworm Window."

A poem by Xie Ju’an, a local resident of the Qing Dynasty, titled "Enjoying the Cool at Wumu Garden" reads: “Seeking coolness, I arrive at the city corner; in the slanted pond, half-foot fish swim. Inside the gate are lotus flowers, outside the gate are willows—where does the evening breeze linger the most?” At that time, although the Zhang family were officials, their garden still had scenes of "melon trellises and bean pods," offering a unique rural charm. Zhang Tinglu, the third son of Grand Secretary Zhang Ying and Vice Minister of Rites, once wrote the poem "Scene at Wumu Garden": “Withered leaves fall from branches, weeds are trimmed; after many days behind closed doors, moss dots the ground. Autumn adds bean pods to the trellis; people linger amidst orchid breezes and osmanthus rains. I love to gaze at the clear, jade-like waters encircling the lush greenery; in the distance, blue mountains face the city across the way. The long corridors and winding railings are incomparably serene; white-haired elders stroll with walking sticks in tow.”

Today’s "Wumu Pond" has newly built fences along the pond, and the Chinese honey locust tree remains lush and leafy, with faint traces of the garden’s former appearance still discernible.