Changhu Wetland Conservation Scenic Area

Changhu Wetland Conservation Scenic Area

The historic and cultural city of Jingzhou boasts a long history and splendid culture. Its cultural characteristics and value lie not only in the Chu culture and Three Kingdoms culture but also in its close connection to water culture due to its location in the water-rich Jianghan Plain. Changhu is a sapphire embedded in the heart of the Jianghan Plain and is the third-largest freshwater lake in Hubei Province, which is renowned as the "Province of Thousand Lakes." It currently covers a water area of 210,000 mu, located in the northeastern suburbs of Jingzhou City, spanning the three cities of Jingzhou, Jingmen, and Qianjiang, and is known as the "Hundred-Mile Changhu." In 1957, the Jingzhou Municipal Changhu Aquatic Management Office was established with the approval of the provincial government to manage Changhu.

Changhu is situated in the heart of the Jianghan Plain between the Yangtze River and the Han River, bordering the Yangtze River to the south and connecting to the Han River to the north. It is located upstream of the "Four Lakes" water system for flood control and drought relief in the Jianghan Plain, serving important comprehensive functions such as flood storage, irrigation, aquaculture, shipping, tourism, and wetland ecological environmental protection. Haizi Lake is a sub-lake of Changhu, with a current water area of 10,300 mu, located in the northern suburbs of Jingzhou City, adjacent to National Highway 318, the Yihuang Expressway, the planned Yangtze River High-Speed Railway, and the site of Jingzhou Railway Station. It is only 7 kilometers away from Jingzhou Airport, Jingzhou Port, and Jingzhou Railway Station, and currently, three urban bus routes directly reach Haizi Lake. Jingzhou's "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" extends the main road No. 10 leading to Shashi District northward to the edge of Haizi Lake, and a lakeside road is also under planning. Water, land, and air transportation are very convenient. The water quality of Changhu is fresh, and it is rich in fishery resources. According to preliminary statistics, there are 77 species (subspecies) of fish, and its main economic fish—Changhu black carp, carp, crucian carp, and bighead carp—are delicious and safe dishes on the tables of the local people. The lake fishery has achieved significant development. In recent years, with increasing residents' income and the implementation of weekends and holidays, people prefer to engage in leisure and entertainment in the beautiful nature. As a result, traveling to Changhu for fishing and tasting authentic fisherman's meals has gradually become a fashion among Jingzhou citizens.

Located near Jingzhou, the birthplace of Chu culture, Changhu has a long history, rich folklore, and cultural legends. Sun Shu'ao (approximately 630 BC–593 BC), hailed by the great historian Sima Qian in "Records of the Grand Historian" as the "foremost exemplary official," was born on the north shore of Haizi Lake in Baituli (also called Sunjia Mountain, now near Yutai Mountain) in Yingdu (Jinan City), the capital of Chu. A famous statesman of Chu, he bore the surname Yan, given name Ao, and courtesy name Shu'ao. As a youth, he once encountered a two-headed snake, which was believed at the time to bring death to anyone who saw it. He thought: if I must die, let it be only me, and not let others see it. So, he killed the snake, buried it on a hill, and his moral character earned the praise of his clansmen. That hill was thus named "Snake-In Hill," located about twenty li north of the ancient city of Jingzhou. Now, there is a park at the intersection of Changgang Road and Jianghan North Road in Shashi District called Snake-In Hill Park, built to commemorate Sun Shu'ao.

In the 15th year of King Zhuang of Chu (599 BC), Sun Shu'ao was appointed as the Cheng Yin (Prime Minister), advocating "educating the people" and "implementing policies with principles." He placed great emphasis on the people's livelihood and economy, formulating and implementing relevant policies and laws to ensure that agriculture, industry, and commerce each had their advantages. Sun Shu'ao was also an outstanding military strategist. He selected regulations suitable for Chu, established them as military laws, and set clear rules for the actions, missions, and discipline of the various armies, applying them to training and actual combat. In the 16th year of King Zhuang (598 BC), when Chu troops were building a city at Su (now Zhengyang, Henan), thanks to his proper personnel selection, meticulous planning, and adequate material preparation, the task was completed in 30 days. The following year, when Chu fought a major battle against Jin at Bi, he assisted King Zhuang in commanding the battle with intelligence and flexibility. As soon as the war chariots moved out, he inspired the Chu troops to bravely charge forward, swiftly approaching the Jin army, catching them off guard and causing them to flee in panic back north of the Yellow River. Thus, the position of Central Plains hegemon shifted to Chu. For his administrative and military achievements, King Zhuang repeatedly offered him substantial rewards, but Sun Shu'ao firmly declined. After years in office, he had no savings at home, and even lacked a coffin when he died. After his passing, he was buried in Baituli, Jiangling. There is also a cenotaph for him in Shatou Town (now Shashi District). In the 22nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1757), a stone stele inscribed with "Tomb of Sun Shu'ao, Prime Minister of Chu" was erected. The tomb is located in the northeast corner of present-day Zhongshan Park.

Jingzhou is a land of fish and rice, and its culinary culture emphasizes fish—no feast is complete without fish, and no ceremony is complete without it. The people of Jingzhou have a long history of eating fish. As early as the Han Dynasty, there was the saying "rice with fish soup." Fish is magically transformed into a variety of delicious dishes by the hands of the people of Jingzhou. "Red Rice Cooked with White Fish" reflects the life of the ancients, but now, dishes are created based on fish, with seasonings tailored to the fish, resulting in a series of beautifully named, colored, and flavored fish dishes that are a feast for the eyes. Jingzhou has four famous dishes, the first of which is "Dragon and Phoenix Pairing." It uses yellow eel and young chicken as ingredients and is prepared through boiling, braising, frying, and sautéing, making it a traditional famous dish in the Jingzhou region.

Legend has it that during the Three Kingdoms period, when Liu Bei’s marriage alliance turned out to be real, he and his wife returned to Jingzhou from Eastern Wu. Zhuge Liang hosted a welcome banquet for them, and the first dish served was the specially prepared "Dragon and Phoenix Pairing" by the Jingzhou chefs. A large yellow eel was shaped into a dragon, coiling in the plate with scales, stepping on auspicious clouds, with its head raised, mouth open, horns curled, and whiskers hanging down, appearing as if it were soaring. The chicken was shaped like a phoenix standing beside the dragon, with neck outstretched and wings spread, its feathers colorful and crown bright red, as if dancing gracefully. Liu Bei was overjoyed at the sight and praised it endlessly. Since then, the "Dragon and Phoenix Pairing" dish has gained widespread fame.

The second is "Fish Cake Balls." Fish cake balls are a unique delicacy of the Jingzhou region, praised for their taste where the fish is not visibly present, yet the fish flavor blends with the meat, and the meat carries the aroma of the fish—delicately fragrant, smooth, tender, and melting in the mouth. Legend says the origin of fish cake dates back to the Chu Kingdom. In the capital of Chu, Jinan City, there was an inn specializing in various fish dishes to accompany drinks. One summer day, the innkeeper bought more fish than needed, but business was slow, and by evening, there was still a lot of fish left. Seeing the fish nearly spoiled, the innkeeper, in a moment of inspiration, removed all the bones, minced the flesh, mixed it with several eggs, added some bean flour, poured in a bit of liquor to remove the fishy smell, and then made a cake which was steamed in a steamer. The next day, the fish cake was cut into pieces, placed in bowls, steamed again, and served with seasonings, becoming an instant hit. Later, the fish cake became more refined, with fish and fat pork used for the cake, while pork and yam were used to make meatballs. The meatballs formed the base, the fish cake was placed on top, and finally, sliced tripe and kidney were stir-fried and used to top the dish—multiple ingredients in one bowl, commonly called "Mixed Meatballs."

The third is "Eel Strips in Sauce." In the ancient city of Jingzhou, there is a restaurant called "Ju Zhen Yuan," whose "Eel Strips in Sauce" is a traditional famous dish. Eel is a therapeutic delicacy, listed as a superior ingredient in the "Names of Medical Herbs," which states it nourishes the five organs and treats deficiencies.

The fourth is "Winter Melon and Turtle Skirt Soup," made by stewing the plump skirt of a male turtle and tender winter melon with chicken broth and seasonings. According to the "Jiangling County Annals," during the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Renzong summoned Zhang Jing from Jingzhou and asked him what delicious food Jiangling had. Zhang Jing replied, "New millet cooked with fish roe rice, tender winter melon boiled with turtle skirt soup." This shows that "Winter Melon and Turtle Skirt Soup" was already famous as early as the Song Dynasty.

"When a man comes of age, he should marry; when a woman comes of age, she should wed." This is a saying from the Chu region. The wedding customs and rituals of the Chu people generally follow the six ancient rites of marriage from the pre-Qin era: betrothal, name inquiry, divination for good omens, betrothal gifts, setting the wedding date, and the wedding procession, and have continuously enriched and developed on this basis, forming their own distinctive features.

From the distribution of "Guan Ju" (Cooing and Wooing) in the wedding songs of Hubei, we can glimpse the evolution of Chu wedding customs. The opening piece of the "Book of Songs," "Guan Ju," is a hymn chanted by the officiant during the "temple meeting" ceremony of ancient weddings. It describes a scene in the ancestral temple of the groom’s family, where the newlyweds pay homage to their ancestors, offering waterweed as the bride’s contribution to gain recognition of her status within the family from the ancestral spirits. Recently, scholars have verified that the origin of "Guan Ju" is in the Chu region of Jingzhou. In the Chu region, marriage is called a "red happy event," and it is popular to invite singing troupes to celebrate weddings. The officiant of the ceremony is often a local singing master. The "Capping Ceremony" sings: "Cooing turtledoves on both sides, by the river islet accompany the groom, the graceful maiden’s appearance is fair, the noble man’s desired match is for the groom." "Guan Ju" has different "versions." For example, the "Bridal Chamber Ceremony" sings: "Cooing turtledoves enter the room, by the river islet the two curtains open. The graceful maiden sits on the bed, the noble man’s desired match scatters joy." Another version, the "Wedding Congratulations," sings: "Cooing turtledoves on both sides, by the river islet accompany the bride. The graceful maiden bears a noble son, the noble man’s desired match is the top scholar."

Changhu not only has rich cultural legends and historical folk culture but also places greater emphasis on the protection, development, and utilization of Changhu’s ecological environment and wild ecological resources, reflecting the harmonious unity and sustainable development between humans and nature.

To strengthen the ecological environmental protection of the Changhu waters and prevent pollution at the source, several years ago, Jingzhou City made great efforts to rectify small paper mills around the lake, shutting them down, merging, or relocating them, completely eliminating this long-standing pollution source affecting Changhu. Additionally, the management of the ancient city moat of Jingzhou was strengthened, with measures such as dredging the river, reinforcing the banks, planting trees and grass, and using microbial technology to treat the river water, improving the water quality of the moat and also eliminating another pollution source for Changhu. Large-scale afforestation was carried out on areas such as Fenghuang Mountain on the southern shore of Haizi Lake and Yutai Mountain on the northern shore, increasing green coverage. At the same time, farmland was returned to the lake, increasing the wetland area of Changhu. The mountains of Changhu are greener, the water clearer, and the overall water quality of Changhu has reached Class III or above.

The improvement of the Changhu water ecological environment has provided conditions for protecting the wild fish, birds, and aquatic plants of Changhu. To protect the wild flora and fauna resources of Changhu, Jingzhou City has established a municipal-level Changhu Wetland Reserve and is organizing an application for provincial wetland reserve status, striving to be included in the national wetland reserve list.

Protecting the ecological environment and wildlife resources of Changhu provides the conditions for the rational development and utilization of the Changhu water resources, engaging in leisure fisheries, eco-tourism, and pollution-free aquaculture. According to Jingzhou’s "Eleventh Five-Year Plan," the implementation of the "northward and eastward expansion" plan for the central urban area is accelerating, and the comprehensive development project of Haizi Lake has been included as a key municipal construction project. Seizing this opportunity, Fenghuang Mountain on the southern shore of Haizi Lake and Yutai Mountain on the northern shore will be connected by cruise boats to develop activities such as fishery sightseeing, water fishing, water dining, specialty cuisine, self-service barbecues, children’s play areas, karaoke, sauna massages, speedboats, jet skis, water skiing, dragon boat racing, and folk performance shows. This forms a scenic ecological tourism combining landscape spots, fishery sightseeing, leisure entertainment, and folk culture.

Utilizing the rich aquatic plant and animal resources, in addition to breeding the "Four Major Domestic Fish," the farming of mid-to-high-end economic fish and ornamental fish such as crabs, green shrimp, blackfish, mandarin fish, yellow catfish, topmouth culter, and eel is being carried out. The path of sustainable development is being pursued, focusing mainly on eco-tourism, with moderate development, service to tourism, and protection of the ecological environment, truly achieving harmony between humans and nature.

It is believed that after five to ten years of development, the Changhu (Haizi Lake Scenic Area) Wetland Reserve will surely become the "East Lake" of Jingzhou City.