Tao Hua Lake in Yiyang

　　Tao Hua Lake is surrounded by rolling green hills and verdant ancient trees, with deer and rabbits frequently seen in the woods. Its 300,000 acres of forest form a natural botanical garden, and it also boasts numerous natural attractions such as “Shimenkan” and “Flying Waterfalls and Springs.” In 1992, Tao Hua Lake Scenic Area was officially designated as a provincial-level forest park by the provincial government.

　　　　Tao Hua Lake is located 35 kilometers south of Taojiang County and was formed by the impoundment of the Tao Hua River Reservoir. It spans over ten thousand acres of surrounding landscape and can hold 170 million cubic meters of water. With its vast expanse of azure water and numerous small islands dotting the lake, boating here allows visitors to take in the beautiful scenery of both the lake and surrounding mountains. Surrounded by undulating green hills and ancient trees, and with deer and rabbits often spotted in the woods, the area’s 300,000 acres of forest form a natural botanical garden. There are also several natural attractions such as “Shimenkan” and “Flying Waterfalls and Springs.” In 1992, with approval from the People's Government of Hunan Province, Tao Hua Lake Scenic Area was designated as a provincial-level forest park.

　　　　Stepping through the grand entrance of the park and walking along the cement lakeside road, you will arrive at the reservoir dam, which is situated beneath Ziliang Rock. Ziliang Rock is a famous scenic spot at Tao Hua Lake. Legend has it that during the Liu Song Dynasty of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Taoist priest Fuqiu and Pan Ziliang once played chess here with immortals, and it is said to be the place where he attained enlightenment and became immortal. Ziliang Rock is a steep cliff, and on the mountaintop behind it, there used to be a “Hui Xian An” (Immortals’ Meeting Temple), believed to be the gathering place where Pan Ziliang met with celestial beings. Beneath the rock, there was once a “Tao Hua Well,” where the Peach Blossom Fairy was said to have combed her hair. The beautiful legend of the Tao Hua River originates from this very well. In the middle of Ziliang Rock, there is a deep fissure running from top to bottom, extremely precipitous, which is said to be a “Heart-Tempting Chasm” set up by the immortals. Across the chasm lies a narrow stone slab bridge called the “Hui Xian Bridge.” Only those who are sincere and determined in their quest for immortality can cross the bridge to become immortal; otherwise, they would fall into the abyss and be devoured by snakes. Most traces of the immortals on Ziliang Rock have long vanished, but a steep cliff still hangs suspended under the blue sky and above the clear water. Eight large characters are carved into the cliff: “Shi Po Tian Jing, Xian Shan Di Yi” (“The rock splits the heavens in awe, the mountain of immortals is first under heaven”), bold and powerful, standing vividly in sight. How these eight characters were carved into the cliff remains a topic of endless debate among visitors.

　　　　The reservoir dam arches like a rainbow between the two mountains of Ziliang Rock—majestic and spectacular—it is the best viewing spot in Tao Hua Lake. Looking southward, the spring waters of the lake reflect the green hills, with boats dotting the surface, slicing through the water—not quite the Li River, but even more beautiful. To the north, irrigation channels extend far from beneath the dam, carrying reservoir water to fields full of hope, irrigating 400,000 acres of farmland, where waves of rice sway and fragrant blossoms fill the air. Traveling along the lakeside road, you can reach the Lakeside Holiday Village to see the Peach Blossom Valley Waterfall. Going further, you can also visit Xiang Tao Yuan. Xiang Tao Yuan not only has a poetic name, but it is also a land of treasures—the ground is a world of bamboo, with moso bamboo in all kinds of shapes and a rich variety of species. The Taojiang County Bamboo Research Institute is located in Xiang Tao Yuan. Below lies a treasure trove of manganese, where the famous Taojiang Manganese Mine of Hunan is situated. In the mountain hollows by the lake, there are also several limestone caves awaiting development. One large cave contains a magnificent hall made of three stalactites, colorful and splendid, capable of accommodating ten thousand people for a gathering.

　　　　After years of development and construction, Tao Hua Lake Forest Park has successively built leisure and recreational facilities such as the Lakeside Holiday Village, Tao Hua Lake Hotel, water amusement park, and lakeside fishing spots. Especially when boating on Tao Hua Lake, with the panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains, it feels as if you are traveling within a painting.