Luohu Lake

Luohu Lake

Luohu Lake, separated from Taihe Town, the county seat of Shehong, by just one mountain, connects the county town of Shehong, Ping’an Village, Duzuoshan, the Tomb of Ziyang (Zi’ang’s Tomb), and Jinhua Mountain. The integration of mountains, water, and city creates a unique tourism advantage for Shehong. Driving along the lakeside road, you can see fishing boats dotted on the water and smoke curling up from the lakeside cottages.

The mountains on both sides of Luohu Lake are lush and verdant, not bare as are the mountains around many reservoirs in Sichuan. These hills feature cliffs and steep drops, yet they are not unscalable. Though lacking uniquely shaped peaks or exotic rocks, they still command an impressive presence. Du Fu once passed through here and wrote the famous line: “Mountains connect Yuexi, encircling the Land of Three Shus; Waters disperse from Ba-Yu, flowing down to the Five Streams.”

Another scenery along the shores of Luohu Lake includes small bridges over flowing streams and expansive fertile fields. Farmhouses are scattered across the landscape, reminiscent of the scenery in the south of the Yangtze River. There are also homes built against the hills, shaded by green bamboo, accented by peach and plum blossoms. Roads pass by their front doors, while streams rush beneath their windows — an idyllic scene filled with poetic charm.

Upon entering the gate of Luohu Park, you’ll see a white marble statue of a spiral maiden lying sideways on a flower bed, as if welcoming visitors. The once-cursed snail spirit has transformed into a beautiful greeter. Descend the steps, and to the left is a set of sphinx statues. This “Motherly Love” themed sphinx group, inspired by the Egyptian Sphinx, conveys a completely different message. The human face is that of a beautiful Eastern woman. Beneath the lion’s body is a lively group of mischievous baby lions. Nestled close to their mother, they linger lovingly by the beautiful Luohu Lake – a truly heartwarming scene. Visitors can walk through the belly of the lion, where playful cubs hide, bringing smiles to all.

On the right rock wall are reliefs such as “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “The Old God of Longevity,” and “Touching the Buddha.” The navel of the Laughing Buddha features a huge Chinese character “Fu” (blessing). He Xiangu is graceful and elegant, embodying a modern feminine beauty. Further down, one side displays stone inscriptions of poems about Luohu Lake composed by Chinese and international scholars during the Chen Zi’ang International Academic Symposium, while the other side features a stele corridor by the master painter Mr. Wang Xin. Luohu Park could also be called an animal kingdom. It houses stone sculptures of lions, wolves, tigers, leopards, oxen, horses, sheep, and more. At the center of the garden stands a huge stone pillar called the “Monkey Pillar,” engraved with 28 monkeys in various lively poses. One monkey stands atop the pillar, shading itself with its hand, as if searching for companions in the distance or scouting for “enemies.” The construction of this “Monkey Pillar” also signifies that the park was built in the Year of the Monkey. The park also features 16 stone dragons. The most spectacular are the two dragons carved into the park’s boundary walls — one with fish-scale-like patterns made of pebbles from the river, and the other with a dragon head relocated from Jinhua Mountain. This is the head of an 180-meter-long dragon that had lain undisturbed for who-knows-how-many years. Other dragons are depicted solely as heads, with some even spouting water from their mouths at great distance. One of the few historical relics in the park is a well called the “Fangyi Spring.” Legend says that during the Three Kingdoms period, when Zhao Yun led troops through this area, many soldiers suffered from dysentery. Zhao Yun drew his sword and cleaved open the mountain rock, unleashing a spring. After the soldiers drank from it, they soon recovered.

On sunny days, Luohu Lake resembles the clear beauty of Guilin’s landscapes; during the rain, it evokes the ethereal mistiness of Hangzhou’s West Lake; at dusk, it holds the mystery of Lugu Lake; and within the fog, listening to Luohu Lake brings to mind a poetic scene of “voices chatting by the bridge near the courier station.” Strolling along the lakeside under moonlight, watching the shimmering waves and the lights of vehicles across the shore, one can truly appreciate the beauty of Luohu Lake — a supremely delightful experience.

Every winter, thousands of migratory water birds from the north come to rest on the lake. They sometimes soar through the sky, other times land gracefully on the water—forming pairs, flocks, lines, and clusters—adding even more charm to Luohu Lake.