Yaohu National Wetland Park

Yaohu National Wetland Park

Yaohu National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Located in the lower reaches of the Jin River in Tongtian and Zhentou townships in the northwest of Fengcheng County, spanning the border area between Fengcheng and Xinjian counties/cities, it borders the Jin River to the north, Ga’an’s Hualin to the west, and connects to six townships in southeast Fengcheng—Tongtian, Shangzhuang, Meilin, Zhentou, Hutang, and Shangtang—encompassing 1,797 natural villages. The terrain slopes from west to east, with the lowest elevation in the lake area at 18 meters. The lake covers an area of 375 square kilometers, with a water storage capacity of 42.36 million cubic meters, making it the largest freshwater lake in Fengcheng. Yaohu Lake was called "Tan Zao Hu" (Sighing Early Lake) before the Jin Dynasty. According to the *Fengcheng County Annals · Pobian* from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty: “Yaohu Lake is fifty li north of the county, encircling an area of forty li. It is said that when the immortal Xu Zhengyang passed by, leeches (bloodsuckers) stuck to his horse’s hooves (feet), so he threw medicine into the lake, and the leeches disappeared—hence the name.” It is also known as “Xian Hu” (Immortal Lake). In ancient times, Yaohu Lake was part of a lakeside marshland. Among the large number of rare paleontological fossils found in the lake area are those from the mid-to-late Pleistocene epoch, such as ancient species from South China like saber-toothed elephants, rhinoceroses, sika deer, and antelopes. Today, Yaohu Lake still boasts vast waters, with springs flowing year-round. During the rainy seasons of spring and summer, the lake becomes misty and boundless, stretching endlessly blue. In the poem *Yaohu* by Ming Dynasty’s Xu Ride, it is described: “Spirit springs murmur like liquid jade, gracefully called the Immortal Lake; the hills still stand tall, while stone niches curve the waters; tracing the river’s source to the brocade-washing shoals, the rosy clouds shimmer on the silky flow.” The lake area is rich in aquatic plants and has long been an ideal breeding and habitat ground for fish, with over 20 species found here, especially the renowned wheat fish. The *Fengcheng County Annals · Local Products* from the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty states: “Wheat fish, found in Yaohu Lake, are less than half an inch long, their color resembling wheat, and they appear only in April and May. Legend says they were transformed from wheat offered by the immortal Xu, hence also called ‘immortal fish’.” Throughout history, villagers around the lake have fished here year-round, yielding nearly ten thousand pounds of fresh fish annually, making it a natural fish reservoir for Fengcheng. Today, the beautiful and fertile Yaohu Lake presents a magnificent landscape of “verdant plains stretching far and wide, and a rainbow bridge soaring over the ravine.” With further development and construction, it will become a comprehensive economic development hub integrating agriculture, industry, and tourism in Fengcheng.

Yaohu National Wetland Park is a state-approved project and a typical representative of the floodplain wetlands in the Poyang Lake basin, characterized by relatively rich biodiversity. Located in the northwest corner of Fengcheng City, it spans three townships—Tongtian, Meilin, and Hutang—covering a total area of over 40,000 mu. With a sound environment and rich biodiversity, it is a typical representation of the floodplain swamp wetlands in the Poyang Lake basin.

The planning of Yaohu National Wetland Park is based on careful research into landscape resources, regional economy, and tourism markets. It closely adheres to the three key themes of protection, utilization, and enhancement, organically combining wetland resource conservation, environmental protection, and ecotourism development. The plan is tailored to local conditions, scientifically designed, and presents the immense value of Yaohu Wetland’s protection and utilization across multiple levels. It is divided into five functional zones: the Waterfowl Habitat Conservation Area, the Wetland Ecological Restoration and Reconstruction Demonstration Area, the Wetland Leisure and Experience Area, the Wetland Sustainable Utilization Demonstration Area, and the Management and Service Area.