Huangyuan Lake Tourist Resort

　　   Huangyuan Lake is situated about 11 kilometers west of Songyuan City in the middle of the Songhua River, making it a river island. It is composed of three islands of different sizes — the central island is larger, while the northern and southern ones are smaller — with a total area of approximately 120 hectares.

　　   The island was formed by alluvial deposits from the Songhua River. The sand dunes on the island undulate gently, and large areas of poplar trees have been planted artificially to prevent wind erosion and stabilize the sand, resulting in a forest coverage rate of over 90%. This has transformed wind-formed dunes into fixed ones. During normal water levels, the island rises 2–4 meters above the river surface, and even during high water periods, it remains above water.

　　   The island got its name, Huangyuan Lake, from its historical use for raising huang fish. Huang fish, anciently called "shàn" (鳝), belongs to the Acipenseridae family, but is commonly referred to as "huang fish" by locals, and is said to be the “king of fish.” Known for its large size, delicious taste, colorful skin, and noble name, it was historically offered as a tribute. The huang fish can grow 7–8 chi (approximately 2.3–2.6 meters) in length, with some weighing several hundred jin (over 100 kilograms), and resembles a catfish. Emperor Kangxi once wrote a poem praising it: “With its massive tail weighing down the boat’s bow, loaded on ox-cart wheels that nearly break; its flavor improves when the water is cold and ice forms, far surpassing the prized carp and crucian carp of the south.” Because freshly caught huang fish in summer were prone to injury, spoilage, and thus unsuitable for tribute, they were first kept in enclosures to be fed before being transported to the capital in winter. Hence, the Huangyuan Fish Enclosure was established. Surrounded by water and roughly oval in shape, it covers an area of about 500 hectares. The island is home to wild animals such as pheasants and wild ducks. Numerous bird species inhabit the area, and the vegetation mainly consists of planted poplar forests along with some wild shrubs. It is rich in medicinal herbs such as mushrooms, astragalus, and wolfberry. Huangyuan Lake Island has many beautiful legends, which provide an excellent cultural foundation for developing it into a natural recreational island integrating sightseeing, entertainment, and vacation.

　　   Although huang fish are now extinct, the large pits where they were once kept still remain. The existing pit is 250 meters long, 30 meters wide, covering an area of 7,500 square meters, with a depth of 5 meters. The western shore of Huangyuan Lake is relatively low-lying, featuring a large sandy beach that glistens under the sun, resembling a golden land floating on the water — perfect for water activities. Wetlands along the river are habitats for birds such as river gulls, grey cranes, and wild ducks.

　　   Huangyuan Lake is close to downtown Songyuan and is accessible by both water and land routes. In particular, the water route allows visitors to enjoy the riverside scenery aboard pleasure boats, making it the preferred choice. Due to convenient transportation, every weekend and during public holidays, residents of Songyuan — whether traveling in organized groups, with families, or with classmates and friends — visit Huangyuan Lake.