Fengshan Mandarin Duck Lake Scenic Area

Fengshan Mandarin Duck Lake Scenic Area

Mandarin Duck Lake Scenic Area

Mandarin Duck Lake is famed for its picturesque scenery, tranquil and elegant environment, and rich mythological legends. Luo Yunjin, a notable scholar of the late Qing Dynasty, once visited this lake and left behind a poem: “The waters of Mandarin Duck Lake mirror the azure sky, while willow branches sway by the spring. Recognizing this true blessed land, where else could one seek a fairyland?”

Located about 1.5 kilometers east of Fengshan County at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, Mandarin Duck Lake consists of two large adjacent pools separated by over 30 meters. The right pool has crystal-clear water, with fish clearly visible swimming within; the left pool is murky and slightly yellowish. Locals refer to the clear right pool as the “female pond” and the murky left pool as the “male pond,” commonly known together as the “Male-Female Ponds.” Both pools’ waters gush forth from the base of Phoenix Mountain. The waters flow continuously and never dry up. Mandarin Duck Lake boasts beautiful scenery and a serene environment.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Phoenix Mountain was covered in lush flowers and trees, attracting birds from afar who came to build their nests, among which were a pair of phoenixes. At the foot of the mountain lay fertile land inhabited by people who lived happily, with men farming and women weaving. One day, a demon arrived and cast a spell, causing the skies to withhold rain, the land to dry up, and the crops to wither—on the verge of death. The local people’s harvests failed, leaving them without means of survival. The pair of phoenixes on the mountain, witnessing this tragedy, became furious and flew down to reason with the demon. But the demon was utterly unreasonable and even tried to use magic to destroy the phoenixes. After a fierce life-or-death battle, the phoenixes finally defeated and killed the demon. The people rejoiced and came to thank the phoenixes, but upon seeing their crops still on the brink of death, they grew worried again. The phoenixes, observing the people’s anxious faces, pondered solemnly for a moment, then said to everyone: “Do not worry, we have a way to solve the water problem.”

With that, they flew toward the foot of Phoenix Mountain. Suddenly, there was a loud thunderous sound, and two springs immediately appeared at the base of the mountain. The springs gushed out ceaselessly, irrigating the farmland, rescuing the crops, and forming pools. People understood that these two springs were the manifestations of the pair of phoenixes. To commemorate them, the pools were named the “Male-Female Ponds,” and a folk song was passed down: “On Phoenix Mountain lived the phoenix birds, who transformed into Mandarin Duck Lake at the mountain’s foot. The waters of Mandarin Duck Lake bestow sweet dew, bringing happiness to generations upon generations.”