Mengzi South Lake Park

Mengzi South Lake Park

Mengzi South Lake Park is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Mengzi South Lake: Located south of Mengzi County in Yunnan. It was excavated during the Ming Dynasty on a waterlogged depression, with water channeled from the Faguo Spring in the eastern part of the city. Three earthen mounds were piled up in the lake, named the “Three Penglai Islands.” In the Qing Dynasty, dikes and bridges were constructed, gradually forming a scenic area described as “a ten-acre flat lake embraced by willows along the dike, and a courtyard of serene beauty fragrant with lotus blossoms.”

South Lake is located south of Mengzi County, covering a total area of 410,000 square meters. Originally, it was a small marsh formed by rainwater accumulation, also known as Cao Lake. During the Ming Dynasty, it was excavated into a lake, and three earthen mounds were piled up in the lake, named after the mythical Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, the three immortal islands. The park features lush bamboo, secluded woods, birdsong, and floral scents, with exquisitely elegant pavilions and towers hidden within the greenery. Throughout the year, willows sway gracefully, and the lake shimmers with clear waves in all seasons, creating a fairy-tale-like scenery. In the past, local literati and scholars often liked to come here to compose poetry, study diligently, hence it was also called the “Sea of Learning.” The origin story of Yunnan’s iconic Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles began here.

South Lake has long been known as the “Little West Lake,” historically referred to as the “Pang Pond.” At its center lies Song Island, where the cultivation of flowers and trees has a history of over 400 years. Beside the ancient gatehouse of Song Island, there is a memorial stele and pavilion dedicated to Wen Yiduo, with good environmental sanitation conditions.

Located in the southern part of Wenlan Town, Mengzi County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, hence the name, it covers a total area of 410,000 square meters. Originally, it was a small marsh formed by rainwater accumulation, also known as Cao Lake. During the Ming Dynasty, it was excavated into a lake, and three earthen mounds were piled up in the lake, named after the mythical Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, the three immortal islands. The park features lush bamboo, secluded woods, birdsong, and floral scents, with exquisitely elegant pavilions and towers hidden within the greenery. Throughout the year, willows sway gracefully, and the lake shimmers with clear waves in all seasons, creating a fairy-tale-like scenery. In the past, local literati and scholars often liked to come here to compose poetry, study diligently, hence it was also called the “Sea of Learning.” The origin story of Yunnan’s iconic Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles began here.

South Lake, originally called Cao Hai (Grass Sea), is named “South Lake” because it is located south of Mengzi County. During the Ming Dynasty, Magistrate Qian Bangcheng led the people to remove silt and weeds from the lake, piling them up into three small hills, named after the three immortal mountains in mythology where immortals were said to reside—Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang. Water from four springs, including Jiuji Spring and Faguo Spring, was channeled from over ten li away into the lake, forming two lakes of varying sizes with shimmering blue waves. The lake covers an area of 300,000 square meters, with weeping willows planted along the dike. The three islands are connected by walking paths, and the area is widely planted with flowers and trees. Major structures include the majestic Yingzhou Pavilion, a hexagonal three-story pavilion with double eaves, its eaves and roof covered with glazed tiles, featuring painted beams and carved rafters, resplendent and magnificent. Wind chimes hang from the eaves, producing pleasant sounds. The lake also features various pavilions, towers, exotic flowers, and plants, all in a tranquil setting. Because literati and scholars often gathered here to compose poetry, study, and read, it is also known as the “Sea of Learning.” The famous legend of Yunnan’s Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles is said to have originated here, making it a great destination for sightseeing and leisure.

In earlier times, South Lake was a wet grassland. The terrain of Mengzi County is higher in the south and lower in the north. During droughts and water shortages, to solve the drinking water problem, during the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing era (1528), the grassy slope was dug deeper, “breaking through the silt to form an embankment, and piling the earth to form three mounds.” In the 15th year of the Qianlong reign (1750), over 2,600 zhang of mountain was excavated to divert water from the Baixi River, and several li of dikes were built south of the city, “like a rainbow lying across the waves, transforming barren land into a watery realm, a sight that lifts the spirits.” Since then, South Lake was formed. In the same year, a magnificent pavilion—Yingzhou Pavilion—was built on the lake as a completion commemoration. In the 8th year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1858), due to war, Yingzhou Pavilion was destroyed but later restored several times. “A ten-acre flat lake embraced by willows along the dike, and a courtyard of serene beauty fragrant with lotus blossoms”; “The pavilion stands again by the immortal shores of Ying, with rows of apricot trees in bloom, duckweed floating on the water; the ripples return to the Sea of Learning, still a world of lotus flowers and willow-draped towers.” These lines aptly depict the magnificent scenery of South Lake.

In the late Qing Dynasty, French imperialism invaded China and established Mengzi as a trading port, setting up a consulate, customs, hotels, churches, foreign firms, and more east of the lake. In 1899, people of all ethnicities in Mengzi burned down the foreign firms, using Yingzhou Pavilion as the command point. In 1926, Du Tao, a leading comrade of the Yunnan Underground Party’s Southern Yunnan District Committee, came to Mengzi from Guangzhou and held secret underground party meetings at South Lake. From April to August 1938, the College of Arts and Sciences of the Southwest Associated University was temporarily located in Mengzi, where Professor Wen Yiduo taught. South Lake became a quiet place for teachers and students to study and sightsee.

In 1961, the “Revolutionary Martyrs Monument” was built in the middle of South Lake to commemorate leaders of the Yunnan Underground Party such as Du Tao, Li Xin, and Wu Cheng, who sacrificed their lives for the revolution, as well as other martyrs. In 1963, funds were allocated to build a stone arch bridge, Phoenix Island, Bamboo Island, Taohua Island, and a swimming pool. In recent years, many more facilities have been added, adding splendor to South Lake Park.

Address: Nanhu South Road, Mengzi City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture

Type: Urban Park Lake

Rating: AA

Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours

Opening Hours:

8:00-23:00

Ticket Information:

Free admission.