White Dragon Pool

White Dragon Pool

I. General Information about White Dragon Pool

Nestled between the three peaks of Baozhu Peak, Zhagong Rock, and Xuangou Mountain in Dahong Mountain lies a vast natural spring-fed lake — the renowned White Dragon Pool of Dahong Mountain. Covering an area of 24,000 square meters and located in a typical karst landform area, the pool's water does not leak away. No matter how far one searches around it, the source remains unseen. Regardless of drought or heavy rain, the water level in the pool neither rises nor falls — a phenomenon rarely seen across China and entirely unique in Central China. Many geologists have come to study it but have yet to solve the mystery. Only the ancient legend that “the bottom of White Dragon Pool connects to the ocean” provides the most fitting explanation for its “never-drying” phenomenon. Over the years, visitors have praised it: “Its waters rival those of Heaven Lake in Tianshan, and its scenery is no less stunning than Dianchi Lake in Yunnan.” The pool remains crystal clear all year round, with fish and shrimp visible swimming beneath the surface. Cupping a handful and drinking it reveals cool, slightly sweet water that refreshes the soul. In the past, there used to be a stone tablet erected here, inscribed with the words: “A land where pines and cypresses thrive eternally, green hills and clear waters form an ancient cave heaven,” with the horizontal scroll reading “Bless This Land.”

II. Legends of White Dragon Pool

About four to six li from Dahong Mountain lies a pool with jade-green, mirror-like water. No one knows just how deep it is. All year round, from morning till night, the pool is shrouded in mist, and even during ten or eight years of severe drought, the water level remains constant.

Legend has it that there is a white dragon living in the pool. It was thrown in by Master Ciren back in the day. Like the Yellow Dragon, it cultivated sincerely and attained enlightenment, planning to leave the mountain and return to the sea. To show gratitude to Master Ciren, it transformed into a young man clad in white and often wandered around the foot of Dahong Mountain. It heard that Master Ciren was constructing ninety-nine temples atop the mountain. His disciples were struggling under the weight of felled logs, carrying them up the steep and slippery mountain paths with great difficulty. The white dragon saw this as an opportunity to repay his kindness. One night, it quietly came up to the mountaintop. Master Ciren was meditating when he dimly felt someone approach and bow before him. The figure said, “Master, I am the white dragon from the pool ahead. Back then, I was saved by you and have now attained enlightenment. I will soon be leaving, but I have not yet repaid your kindness — and I owe it to the people of this region. Today, as you build temples for the benefit of the people, I wish to retrieve precious sandalwood from the sea to assist you. It would be my way of showing gratitude. Tomorrow morning, please ask your disciples to come to my dwelling to carry the wood away.” With that, it turned and left. Master Ciren opened his eyes but saw nothing. Unsure if it was a dream or not, he decided to go and take a look.

The next morning, Master Ciren led his disciples to the pool, and indeed, one log after another began floating out from the pool. Overjoyed, Master Ciren first lit a tall incense stick to thank the white dragon. Logs continued to emerge from the pool nonstop, and the disciples kept transporting them. After several days and nights of moving timber, Master Ciren judged that they had enough. He asked Master Luban, who counted the logs and then said, “That’s enough,” taking back over ten pieces. As soon as these words were spoken, one log that was rising stuck fast at the bottom of the pool and wouldn’t budge. To thank the white dragon for its help, Master Ciren named the pool “White Dragon Pool.”

III. Current Status of White Dragon Pool

The terrain here is open and expansive, covered in lush vegetation and surrounded by mountains, truly embodying the poetic imagery of “leisurely ascending the mountain to view wild waters, only to suddenly glimpse green hills beneath the water.” When the wind is calm and the waves still, wisps of white clouds drift by as if peering at their own reflections. When the wind picks up, the lake’s surface ripples with silver waves, reflecting the swaying forests and lakeside reeds in dance. In summer, birds chirp and cicadas sing in accompaniment, bringing liveliness to the serene valley and offering visitors a feeling of refined tranquility infused with vibrant life. The pool also teems with fish such as carp, crucian carp, and even salamanders. Peonies and tree peonies are commonly seen. In peak summer, the highest temperature here is 30°C, with an average annual temperature of 12°C and moderate humidity, making it an ideal summer retreat.

A team of experts, including Liu Shengjia — a provincial government advisor, professor, and doctoral supervisor at Central China Normal University — along with five other experts, conducted a survey of the tourism resources of Dahong Mountain. After reviewing extensive documentation, they proposed that the tourism resources and development potential of Dahong Mountain be re-evaluated, with a vision to develop it into a themed tourism park for Hubei. Dahong Mountain bears traces of a volcanic eruption from 500 million years ago, and White Dragon Pool is the volcanic crater — one of the four major volcanic crater lakes in China. Liu Shengjia noted that China has four major volcanic crater lakes: Heaven Lake on Changbai Mountain in Jilin, Heaven Lake on Tianshan Mountain in Xinjiang, Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan, and White Dragon Pool in Dahong Mountain. The first three have been well-developed, but Dahong Mountain, located in central China, has been almost forgotten.

According to records by archaeologist Yang Baocheng in "Archaeological Discoveries and Research in Hubei," a large-scale volcanic eruption occurred in the Dahong Mountain area during the Late Cambrian period (approximately 500 million years ago), with White Dragon Pool being its volcanic vent. To this day, many gravel stones can still be found nearby, as if smelted in a blast furnace, forming small ridges that flow down the slopes. Scattered throughout the area are reddish stones with a honeycomb-like structure that float when placed in water. White Dragon Pool is nestled among Baozhu Peak, Xuangou Rock, and Bijia Mountain in Dahong Mountain, at an elevation of 840 meters. With cascading waterfalls mid-slope and hot springs bubbling at its base, the harmonious blend of mountain and water, along with the picturesque interplay of lake and mountain scenery, has earned it the title “Jade Pool of Central Hubei.”

The expert team believes that the Dahong Mountain region boasts exceptional climate conditions, karst caves, mountains, lakes, and historical-cultural resources, which should be developed as soon as possible to establish it as a prominent tourism brand.