Ling Lake

Ling Lake

About two li past Wutai New Village, turn right to reach Linghu Village. The 1808 *Wuxuan County Annals* from the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty states: “Ling Lake is located twenty li east of the county. Its waters are crystal clear, emerging from underground springs that never run dry throughout the seasons. Duckweed and lotus flowers dot its surface. Verdant willows line the lakeshore, providing thick shade, and three ancient pine trees, several hundred years old, twist and tower majestically toward the sky. Whenever wind and rain arrive together, sounds seem to rise from heaven, like the roar of waves. This is what the county’s Eight Scenic Spots refers to as ‘Pine Whispers at Ling Lake.’” Moreover, Ling Lake is famed for the beautiful sight of the Ling Lake Bridge and its reflection merging perfectly — like a full moon on the fifteenth night. Another renowned view is the “Autumn Moon over Ling Lake.”

“Autumn Moon over Ling Lake” is located southeast of Linghu Village in Sanli Town, Wuxuan County. It spans the Sanli River (also known as the Yin River) on a blue stone arch bridge called the “Dalingle Bridge,” also referred to as the “Ling Lake Bridge.” The bridge lies about a hundred meters from Ling Lake, complementing it beautifully. Ling Lake is a spring-fed lake with mirror-like, crystal-clear water that flows out to irrigate the fields of Taicun. The lake is 250 meters long and 100 meters wide, with a normal water depth of about 2 meters and a maximum depth of 3 meters. In ancient times, the lake was surrounded by duckweed, lotuses, water chestnuts, and other lush aquatic plants, with wild ducks and moorhens often seen swimming within. The lakeshore was once lined with towering ancient pines, set against a boundless pastoral landscape, creating picturesque scenery that made it one of Wuxuan’s former Eight Scenic Spots: “Pine Whispers at Ling Lake.” Historically, many literati composed poems in praise of it. For instance, Su Mindé wrote: “Just as I’m enthralled by the lake’s expansive beauty, I suddenly hear the pine whispers soaring through the azure sky. Their echoes ripple along the red lotus shore, as if cold cicadas were chirping in the sunset.” Downstream from Ling Lake, more than ten youths, including Chen Ren and Chen Xu — brothers from Taicun — once studied diligently here. Later, both Chen brothers passed the imperial examination and became jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial exams).