Tianhu Lake

Tianhu

Tianhu

Tianhu Scenic Area is located on Lotus Peak of Gongshan Mountain in the southern part of Youxi County, on the hillside behind Nanzhi Academy, just 1 kilometer in a straight line and 2 kilometers by road from the county town. Zhu Xi and literati throughout history often visited and left behind numerous poems and inscriptions. The area around Tianhu Lake features many historical relics. The lake water is deep blue and never dries up even in drought. Major attractions include: Tianhu Lake, Tianhu Temple, Bell and Drum Tower, Tianhu Park, Lansheng Pavilion, ancient tomb cluster, ancient kiln site, etc. Tianhu Lake covers an area of about 400 square meters. Tianhu Temple was first built during the Song Dynasty, originally called Tianhu Courtyard. It was destroyed by fire during the military conflicts in the 16th year of the Zhengde era in the Ming Dynasty (1521). In 1993, Monk Hongzhu and others restored it in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, turning it into a temple enshrining the Three Jewels of Sakyamuni Buddha. It is open for Buddhist devotees and tourists to offer incense and worship.

The ancient kiln site was a brick and tile workshop specifically built during the Song Dynasty for the renovation of Tianhu Courtyard. The original site has been preserved and, after reinforcement and restoration, is now open for visits. The ancient tomb cluster holds significant value for cultural relic studies. It is planned to be developed as a burial ground showcasing tombs from various dynasties, including the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Song, Yuan, and Ming. Particularly precious are the murals found in the Song Dynasty tombs, which provide valuable material for archaeological research. There are three routes leading to Tianhu: one starts from the left side of Youqi Middle School and follows the road beside the highway, ending with a climb of over 960 stone steps; another winds up the mountain path from the head of Wen Gong Bridge along Gongshan Mountain; the third extends 3,000 meters eastward along the Gongshan Mountain range from Tianhu, leading to Longfeng Pavilion and Bao'an Temple. This mountain trail was funded and constructed in 2002 by Zhan Jixiang and includes a wooden pavilion. Strolling along this mountain ridge trail offers views of the Dongting Lake scenery to the right and the panoramic beauty of Shen City to the left. Descending the mountain feels like floating like an immortal or a heavenly general patrolling the skies, bringing a sense of serenity and indescribable beauty.