Hanyang Yuehu Park

Hanyang Yuehu Park

Yuehu Lake is situated west of Guishan Mountain in Hanyang and south of the Han River. It is named for its crescent shape. It stretches 3,150 meters from east to west and is about 450 meters wide from north to south, covering a total area of 1.42 square kilometers. The lake originally reached the riverbank, and the embankment along it was formerly known as “Yangliu Embankment,” which in ancient times served as a route from Jiajiazui in Hankou to Hanyang City. It was first constructed in 1506. After 1724, the Longdeng Embankment was built, and nearby attractions such as Qintai (the Zither Terrace), Chongfu Temple, the Bell Tower, and Wenchang Pavilion were also established.

Surrounding Yuehu Lake are Meizishan Mountain, the Ancient Zither Terrace, and other sites. With mountains and lake complementing each other, vast blue waters, and fragrant lotus blossoms stretching for miles, the scenery is exceptionally beautiful. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, Yuehu has been one of the renowned scenic spots, attracting visitors to stop and compose poetry. The "Supplementary Annals of Hanyang County" features an illustration of Yuehu Lake with an inscription that reads: “Yuehu is like the moon, no less lovely than West Lake. Peach blossoms and willows sway together, while mountain hues and water reflections spread like a silk ribbon. It is the most picturesque place in the region… Are the plums ripe? Is the zither music still there? Who will ask? The old fisherman in the misty waves.” The "Praise of the Yuehu Illustration" also states, “Having long heard of Yuehu’s fame, its true mountains and waters seem to rival even Tiger Hill and Ping Shan in beauty,” showing how people compared Yuehu to Hangzhou’s West Lake and Suzhou’s Tiger Hill. The "Records of the Zither Terrace" also draw comparisons between the two lakes, saying: “Although West Lake is a famous scenic spot, much of it is artificially crafted. Our Yuehu in Hanyang, with Meizishan Mountain, Boya’s Zither Terrace, and others, can be revitalized, expanded, and enriched. If its nearby historical relics are further explored and promoted, then Yuehu could become another West Lake.”

According to the Jiaqing-era "Annals of Hanyang County," “Yuehu has eight scenic views: Ancient Cave and Immortal Traces, Plum Bridge and Flower Shadows, Monastery Tower and Bell Chimes, Night Market Lights, Willow Reflections on the Long Embankment, Lotus Breeze along the Curved Bay, Zither Terrace and Waning Moon, and Buddhist Temple Dawn Glow.”

As per planning, four of these scenes—Willow Reflections on the Long Embankment, Lotus Breeze along the Curved Bay, Night Market Lights, and Zither Terrace and Waning Moon—are to be preserved and enhanced. Meanwhile, four new scenes—Red Steps Bathed in Morning Light, Rainbow Bridge Over the Waves, Guifeng Peak Cloaked in Green, and Plum Grove Stroll in Snow—will replace the original Ancient Cave and Immortal Traces, Plum Bridge and Flower Shadows, Monastery Tower and Bell Chimes, and Buddhist Temple Dawn Glow, reflecting changes over time. Meizishan Mountain lies to the west of Yuehu Lake and is named for its many plum trees. A solitary peak rising abruptly, it offers expansive views and overlooks Yuehu’s boundless expanse of blue waves. On the mountain are cliff inscriptions such as “Boundless as the Sea and Sky” and “Spiritual Vulture Descends,” believed to be the work of someone from the Qing Dynasty. Today, Yuehu has become an important tourist attraction in Wuhan.

The Ancient Zither Terrace is the most significant attraction within the Yuehu scenic area. Made of white marble, it bears the vigorous and elegant characters “Zither Terrace” (Qin Tai), while a vermilion plaque inscribed with “High Mountains and Flowing Waters” hangs gracefully amid the green foliage. The resplendent pavilions, dense shades of verdant trees, and the refreshing fragrance wafting from Yuehu Lake create an extremely pleasant scene.

Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, two musical masters of the Chu Kingdom, Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi—one an expert zither player and the other a gifted listener—met. Once, when Yu Boya moored his boat in Hanyang and played “High Mountains and Flowing Waters,” no one understood its meaning except Zhong Ziqi, who praised it as “lofty like a great mountain, vast like a mighty river.” Delighted, Boya regarded Ziqi as his soulmate, became close friends with him, and agreed to meet again the following year. Unfortunately, Zhong Ziqi passed away the next year. When Boya arrived at Ziqi’s grave, he played “High Mountains and Flowing Waters” in tribute, and after finishing the piece, he broke his zither in half (now known as Boyuan Kou in Hanyang) and vowed never to play again. Later generations composed poems about this:

Smashing my jade zither, its phoenix tail cold, For whom shall I play now that Ziqi’s gone?

Though faces smile and call me friend, A true soulmate is hard to find.

The Tang Dynasty poet Liu Xiyi also wrote the poem "Playing the Zither in Summer":

The green hills are naturally serene, The plain zither plays so pure and clear.

I play “Wind Through the Pines,” And cliffs and valleys shiver with autumn near.

Courtyard cranes dance with clouds in flight, Springwater fish leap through currents sheer.

I wish to delight the mortal throng, But moonlight shines where none will peer.

Before the tune is fully played, Tears fall and cannot be repressed here.

Alas, Zhong Ziqi, now lost and gone, Your dust returned to hills alone.

If in death you yet awareness hold, Oh spirit, wander with me bold.

Wang Anshi also wrote a poem titled "Bo Ya":

For a thousand years no zither string bore Such sorrow as this one before. To play alone, so desolate, stark, Would make ghosts and spirits pause and hark.

My old friend left me for yellow earth, Yet in High Mountains and Flowing Waters lies our shared mirth.

Feng Menglong, a famous Ming Dynasty literary figure, also composed the poem "Bo Ya Thanks His Soul Mate" to lament the bond between the two masters:

Friendship based on gain breeds selfish hearts, Who now remembers true soulmates and their arts?

Without Zhong Ziqi, Bo Ya would cease to play, Leaving the broken zither talked about for aye.

To commemorate these two musical masters, the Zither Terrace was built here. According to the "Song Imperial Book Record," the Ancient Zither Terrace existed during the Northern Song Dynasty. After being damaged in numerous wars, it was restored to its former glory by Bijiufan, the Governor-General of Huguang, during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty. In recent years, an annual Zither Terrace Music Concert has been held to honor these two masters.

The Ancient Zither Terrace features many inscriptions. The horizontal plaque “Qin Tai” (Zither Terrace) was written by Mi Fu, a calligrapher from the Song Dynasty. Within the Zither Terrace stele corridor, there is an inscription from January of the sixth year of the Daoguang era (1826), brushed in ink using bamboo leaves dipped in ink by Lingnan’s Song Xiang: “Ah, the zither of Bo Ya, why does it suddenly dwell on the heights of mountains and the depths of flowing waters? Not passing on this tune saddens the heart. Ah, how did Ziqi, the soulmate, know it was about the heights of the mountains and the depths of the waters? There were no written words back then until the very end. Is it true? Is it false? We meet here, amidst eternal mountains and timeless waters. I leave behind these verses on the wall.” The calligraphy is free and unrestrained, described as having the vigor of “flying brush and dancing ink.” Comrades such as – and – all requested rubbings of Song Xiang’s inscription after visiting.

Since ancient times, literati have left behind many masterpieces. Just the "Dabie Mountain Annals" alone collects 30 poems and essays about Yuehu Lake. Zhang Zhuzhan, a native of Hanyang (a Qing Dynasty scholar), composed 100 poems about Yuehu. Among the most famous is the "Yuehu" poem by Xiong Cilü, Minister of Personnel from the Qing Dynasty, in which every line contains the words “Yuehu.”

Starting in March 2002, the Wuhan Municipal Government initiated the first and second phases of the Yuehu renovation project, greatly improving the lake’s appearance. According to the new plan, the Yuehu Cultural Theme Park will be developed into eight scenic zones, including the Zither Terrace Historical Area and the Cultural Art Center, integrating Yuehu Lake, the Zither Terrace, and Meizishan Mountain into one.

A 4,000-square-meter artificial wetland by the lake is a highlight of the Yuehu ecological restoration demonstration project. Using the “Composite Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland” patented technology from the Institute of Hydrobiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, water quality has significantly improved. The once avoided Yuehu—both Large and Small—has once again become a popular destination for visitors.

The 580,000-square-meter HanYang Yuehu Theme Park, which interprets the elegance of "high mountains and flowing water" and fully showcases the charm of shimmering waters, is currently under intensive construction. Adjacent to the Yuehu Lake and opposite the Qintai Grand Theatre, an open-air stage plaza capable of accommodating 8,000 to 10,000 people will be built after the completion of the Qintai Cultural and Artistic Center. In the plaza, a phoenix-shaped lantern tower stands proudly.

In 2007, the 8th China Art Festival will be held in the Wuhan Yuehu scenic area. To this end, the municipal government is constructing the Qintai Cultural and Artistic Center on the north bank of Yuehu Lake. Upon completion, the cultural and artistic center will become a first-class art venue nationwide and a landmark landscape embodying the spirit of Wuhan in the 21st century, while Yuehu Park will also develop into a well-known scenic area rich in cultural charm.