Zhanggongshan Park in Bengbu City

Zhanggongshan Park in Bengbu City

Zhanggongshan Park in Bengbu City is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

A national 4A-level scenic spot. Located in the southwest of Bengbu City, it covers a total area of 72 hectares and is the largest park in the city. Construction began in 1973 and it officially opened to the public in 1983. The park consists of Zhanggong Mountain and Huabei Lake (now renamed Zhanggong Lake), with a peninsula in the lake. The park features a beautiful landscape where mountains and water complement each other. The lakeshore is winding and lined with weeping willows; the mountain slopes are covered with lush pines and cypresses, with winding paths leading to serene spots; at the mountaintop stands the Wanghuai Tower. The eastern part of the park has a boat dock, a hillside teahouse, a waterside restaurant, and a waterside corridor; there is also a garden-within-a-garden designed in the style of a Suzhou garden, which houses the Huaihe Stele Forest and a restaurant. The western part of the park has a zoo; on the west side of the north gate, there is a children’s playground featuring sculptures such as “Playing Child,” “Mother and Lamb,” and “Spring Rain.”

Legend: Regarding Zhanggong Mountain, there is a local legend that during the Ming Dynasty, there was a general surnamed Zhang who fought alongside Zhu Yuanzhang in various battles. In his later years, he retired from military service and settled in what is now Zhanggong Mountain. Known for frequently funding aid to the poor, he was deeply loved by the locals, who respectfully called him “Zhang Gong” (Lord Zhang). Hence, the mountain became known as Zhanggong Mountain.

Zhanggongshan Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level attraction, located in the southwest of Bengbu City, Anhui Province, within the Yuhui District, covering an area of 110.6 hectares.

Construction began in 1973 and it officially opened to the public in 1983. The park consists of Zhanggong Mountain and Huabei Lake (now renamed Zhanggong Lake), with a peninsula in the lake. The park features a beautiful landscape where mountains and water complement each other. The lakeshore is winding and lined with weeping willows; the mountain slopes are covered with lush pines and cypresses, with winding paths leading to serene spots; at the mountaintop stands the Wanghuai Tower. The eastern part of the park has a boat dock, a hillside teahouse, a waterside restaurant, and a waterside corridor; there is also a garden-within-a-garden designed in the style of a Suzhou garden, which houses the Huaihe Stele Forest and a restaurant. The western part of the park has a zoo; on the west side of the north gate, there is a children’s playground featuring sculptures such as “Playing Child,” “Mother and Lamb,” and “Spring Rain.”

Zhanggong Mountain is part of the Tushan Mountain range, an area where the Tushan clan is believed to have lived during the late primitive society. At the foot of Tushan Mountain lies Yuhui Village, which is said to be the place where the legendary water-control hero Yu the Great held meetings with feudal lords. As an administrative village name, it is unique across the country. To this day, the touching story of Yu passing by his home three times without entering during his flood control efforts continues to be passed down here.

Zhanggong Mountain is part of the historically and culturally significant Tushan Mountain range. It has a long history. According to the “Huaiyuan County Annals,” during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, this mountain was already called Zhanggong Mountain. Below the mountain lies a lake, originally named Huabei Lake, now renamed Zhanggong Lake. Legend says that during the Ming Dynasty, a general surnamed Zhang retired from military service and settled at the foot of the mountain. Due to his high moral standing and respected reputation, the locals honored him as “Zhang Gong,” hence the name Zhanggong Mountain.

During the Qing Dynasty, there was a temple built on the mountaintop of Zhanggong Mountain, and an early spring temple fair was held there annually. The temple was originally called “Sishan Temple,” later renamed “Zhongyue Temple,” and then changed again to “Guanyin Temple.” Because the foundation of the temple was higher in the south and lower in the north, with the main gate facing north, locals also referred to it as the “Upside-down Guanyin Temple.”

In the 27th year of the Republic of China (1938), after the Japanese army occupied Bengbu, Sishan Temple was completely destroyed.

In 1973, the Bengbu municipal government decided to develop the natural scenery and beautiful environment of Zhanggong Mountain and Huabei Lake into a park. Construction began in full in 1975. On July 1, 1983, Zhanggongshan Park officially opened to the public.

Since 1986, the infrastructure and attractions of Zhanggongshan Park have been continuously improved. Successive constructions include the Lakeside Restaurant, Water Corridor, Garden-Within-A-Garden, Wanghuai Tower, Children’s Playground, Rose Garden, and Zoo.

In 2009, it was awarded the title of National AAAA-level Scenic Area by the National Tourism Administration.

In 2012, following discussions by the Bengbu municipal government, an upgrade and renovation project for the Zhanggongshan Scenic Area was initiated.

Major Attractions

Wanghuai Tower

One of the iconic buildings of Bengbu City. The tower is 35.33 meters tall, has seven stories and eight sides, and covers a construction area of 820 square meters. The name of the tower was inscribed by the late Zhao Puchu, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the Buddhist Association of China. Climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of Bengbu City and the landscapes along both sides of the Huai River.

Garden-Within-A-Garden

A complex of buildings in the style of classical gardens from China’s southern regions. Located in the southeastern part of the scenic area, it covers an area of 14,000 square meters. The garden is well-planned and thoughtfully laid out, with pavilions, terraces, towers, and chambers arranged in harmony. The Magnolia Hall features upturned eaves, carved windows and doors, and hanging couplets and plaques. The entire garden exudes an elegant, tranquil, simple, and fresh atmosphere. The Huaihe Stele Forest—also known as the Stele Corridor of the Garden-Within-A-Garden—with its theme of praising Yu the Great and celebrating the Huai River, is particularly eye-catching. Visitors to this area are sure to feel refreshed and delighted.

Waterside Corridor

Located in the eastern part of the scenic area, it connects the boat dock to the south and the Lakeside Restaurant to the north. With its undulating layout and winding paths, the three structures are organically integrated, creating a pleasing, harmonious appearance resembling a coiled dragon stretching from north to south.

Hillside Teahouse

Nestled among green trees, the Hillside Teahouse features a novel design and ingenious concept. Its main structure is grand and spacious, with a flower path in front and a bamboo grove behind. Ascending into the hall or building, visitors can look up to enjoy mountain views or gaze down upon the lake. Sipping tea here enhances the refined ambiance and is truly enchanting.

Southern Entrance Sculpture “Pearl Clam Greets Guests”

This design draws inspiration from Bengbu’s nickname as the “Pearl City.” The clamshell is made of full steel structure, standing 19.8 meters tall. The open clamshell resembles the warm embrace of Bengbu’s people welcoming guests from all directions. The pearl maiden in the center is crafted from white marble, standing 5.8 meters tall and weighing about 32 tons, exuding youthful vitality. The sculpture features a novel design and graceful dynamic, with the pearl maiden holding a pearl in both hands, standing on a base shaped like ocean waves, highlighting the characteristics of the pearl maiden. It showcases Bengbu’s rich and beautiful historical culture while reflecting the enterprising, harmonious, creative, and pragmatic spirit of modern Bengbu residents. Next to the “Pearl Clam Greets Guests” sculpture are five flower drum sculptures engraved with the “Zhanggongshan Park” logo, fully demonstrating the integration of Bengbu’s unique local culture with modern and ecological development concepts.

Sister Bridges

Officially opened on October 1, 2013, the “Sister Bridges” are landscape features presented in the form of waterside boardwalks. One connects Zhanggong Island to Zhanggongshan Park, and the other links both ends of the Waterfront Plaza and the Boat Dock, connecting both sides into a complete pedestrian system. This expands the activity area for visitors and enhances the overall quality and image of the scenic area.

Zhanggong Island Integrity Culture Theme Park

Located in the center of Zhanggong Lake, covering an area of 138 mu, construction began in 2008 and the site was officially completed and opened on May 20, 2011. Zhanggong Island is functionally positioned as an ecological leisure and science education hub, with plant life as the main design element, complemented by appropriately placed leisure and service facilities. It serves as a new urban public ecological park integrating flower and nursery production, garden ecological landscapes, tourism, and recreational activities. The scenic area features plants such as Chinese tallow trees, camphor trees, ginkgoes, osmanthus, koelreuterias, metasequoias, roses, soapberries, lotuses, weeping willows, and peach blossoms. In May 2011, it was named Zhanggong Island Integrity Culture Theme Park by the municipal government. Guided by the city spirit of Bengbu—“Yu’s Virtue and Broad-mindedness”—the park includes integrity-themed landscapes such as Yu the Great Listening to the Five Tones to Govern the Nation, Passing His Home Three Times Without Entering, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang Creating Characters to Advocate Integrity, the Well Water Debate, and a statue of Zhong Kui. These elements blend integrity culture with the beautiful natural scenery. Zhanggong Island Integrity Culture Park was awarded the honorary title of Provincial Model Human Settlements Project in 2012.

Zhanggong Lake Leisure Green Space

Construction of the leisure green space around Zhanggong Lake began in July 2008. It is positioned as an urban street green space garden primarily designed with plant landscaping, mainly to meet the sightseeing needs of local residents. Based on the site’s unique location, the green space arranges sight lines and viewing angles, embellishing the area with humanized squares, artistic sculptures, and uniquely shaped rocks to create a constantly changing view as visitors walk through. The garden cultivates nearly 60 types of plants, emphasizing a balanced mix of heights and densities. A combination of trees, shrubs, rounded plants, and ground covers is used to form a complete plant community.

Resource Conditions

In response to the aging trees and lack of species diversity on the mountain forest, Zhanggong Mountain Park has carried out multiple large-scale afforestation and mountain renovation projects. It has developed the “Spring Garden,” a crape myrtle forest, and a palm forest, planting over 68,000 trees and shrubs including red-leaf plum, magnolia, cedar, palms, crape myrtle, and dragon juniper, as well as laying 2,200 square meters of lawn. The green coverage rate of the scenic area reaches 92.05%, and the green space ratio is 91.55%.

Zhanggong Island

Zhanggong Mountain Garden-within-a-Garden

Wanghuai Tower

waterside Pavilion Corridor