Wuhu Tingtang Park

Wuhu Tingtang Park

Located in the suburbs of Wuhu, it is the first farmers' park in China, featuring vast waters and beautiful scenery. Covering an area of 999 mu, with water bodies accounting for 494 mu. Wanbian Pavilion is one of the main attractions in Tingtang Park. It was first built in the seventh year of Yuanyou during the Northern Song Dynasty, which is 1085 AD. Legend has it that this was the place where Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, being chased by the rebel Wang Dun, fled in panic and dropped his treasured whip. The park is lush with vegetation and boasts pleasant scenery. In spring, “flowers in the pavilion are in full bloom and birds chirp cheerfully,” and it has been listed as one of the “Ten Scenic Spots of Wuhu” since ancient times.

Supporting attractions in the park include “Balu Mountain,” “Jade Belt Bridge,” “Coral Pillow,” “Glassy Well,” “Poetry Corridor,” “Willow Embankment,” “Nine-Bend Bridge,” “Tingtang Pavilion,” “Tingyuan,” and “Bell Pavilion,” among other scenic spots. Facilities include a “boat dock,” “restaurant,” “cold drinks section,” “snack bar,” “open-air venue,” and “fishing area.” Since its opening, the park has hosted numerous domestic and international visitors and is hailed as the “Pearl of the River City.”

Tingtang Park features vast waters and natural scenery. The boundless beauty of Tingtang Park is unmatched and truly enchanting; with winding bridges, small islands, corridors with stone carvings, ancient wells, and old bells, visitors can't help but feel the urge to “capture this scene in a painting, for even the most vibrant brush cannot rival nature’s inspiration.”

Wanbian Pavilion was newly built in Tingtang Park in 1984. “Wanbian” (Dropping the Whip) is one of the ancient “Eight Scenic Spots of Wuhu,” celebrated for centuries through its moving historical tale. Wanbian Pavilion was first constructed in the seventh year of Yuanyou during the Northern Song Dynasty (1085 AD), later destroyed, then rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty, renovated again in the Qing Dynasty, and eventually fell into disuse. The pavilion is 10 meters tall, two stories high, with eight angles and eight pillars, resplendent and magnificent. Inside the pavilion, there are four vivid murals depicting how Emperor Ming of the Jin Dynasty escaped by discarding his treasured whip. According to the "Book of Jin," in the second year of Tai Ning during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (324 AD), the minister Wang Dun plotted a rebellion. Emperor Ming “learned of it in secret” and went in plain clothes and on a light horse “to the lake” to secretly inspect Wang Dun’s camp but was discovered and pursued. To escape, the emperor gave his seven-banded precious whip to an “old woman selling food” by the roadside, saying, “When the riders come, you can show them this.” Soon after, “the pursuers arrived,” saw the valuable whip, and “admired it for a long time,” giving the emperor a chance to flee. Li Bai wrote in his poem “Reflections on Fleeing South”: “Alas, I lacked the seven-treasure whip, lingering by the road for all to see,” referring to this very story. Wanbian Pavilion has long been a renowned tourist attraction, leaving behind numerous poetic inscriptions by literati. Su Zhe wrote, “The seven-treasure whip left on the road, warriors hesitated and could not pursue,” and Huang Tingjian wrote, “To this day the bamboo roots at the pavilion spread, still recalling the seven-treasure whip of those years,” which stir deep emotions. This is a park built with funds raised by local farmers, featuring vast waters and natural scenery. Visiting Wanbian Pavilion in spring, “with warm breeze and idle clouds, ascending this pavilion where flowers bloom brilliantly and birds chirp merrily,” the boundless beauty of Tingtang Park is unmatched, truly enchanting; with winding bridges, small islands, corridors with stone carvings, ancient wells, and old bells, visitors can't help but feel the urge to “capture this scene in a painting, for even the most vibrant brush cannot rival nature’s inspiration.”