Star Lake

　　Scattered across the lake area are seven steep and towering rocky peaks, resembling the Big Dipper in the sky, hence the name Seven Star Crags. Their names are: Minfeng Rock, Yuping Rock, Shishi Rock, Tianzhu Rock, Chanchu Rock, Shizhang Rock, and Apo Rock.

　　The shimmering waters and picturesque peaks create a vibrant and diverse scene. Where there are rocks, there are caves. What attracts visitors to Star Lake are its magnificent and unique rock formations and caves. Some have distilled the scenic highlights of Star Lake into “Twenty Scenes of Star Lake,” namely: Archway Vista, Tranquil Lake Causeway, Brewing Wind Sunset, Yuping Layered Greenery, Stone Forest Rugged Peaks, Rainbow Bridge Snow Waves, Moonwater Rock Clouds, Pine Terrace Moon Gazing, Shishi Hidden Wonders, Millennium Poetry Corridor, Bixia Reflecting Jade, Tianzhu Plucking Stars, Apo Spring Flow, Gui Pavilion Intoxication, Cup Peak Floating Green, Open-Air Stone Cave, Moon Soul Pine Waves, Immortal Palm Autumn Wind. Among these, “Shishi Hidden Wonders” and “Moonwater Rock Clouds” are the most distinctive.

　　The Star Lake Scenic Area in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, is a renowned tourist destination in southern China. Many visitors speak highly of it, believing it combines the charms of both West Lake in Hangzhou and Guilin in Guangxi. Located 4 kilometers north of Zhaoqing city, the lake spans about 8,000 mu—roughly the size of West Lake. The entire lake is divided into five sections by winding and crisscrossing causeways: East Lake, Qinglian Lake, Central Lake, Bohai Lake, and Li Lake. The total length of the causeways exceeds 20 kilometers, lined with rows of willows and flamboyant trees, resembling several green ribbons draped over the crystal-clear waters.

　　　　Magnificent and Unique Rock Formations and Caves:

　　　　Scattered across the lake area are seven steep and towering limestone peaks, resembling the Big Dipper in the sky, hence the name Seven Star Crags. Their names are: Langfeng Rock, Yuping Rock, Shishi Rock, Tianzhu Rock, Chanchu Rock, Shizhang Rock, and Apo Rock. The interplay of shimmering waters and picturesque peaks creates a stunningly beautiful scene. Where there are rocks, there are caves. What attracts visitors to Star Lake are its magnificent and unique rock formations and caves. Some have distilled the scenic highlights of Star Lake into the “Twenty Scenes of Star Lake,” namely: Archway Vista, Tranquil Lake Causeway, Langfeng Sunset, Yuping Layered Greenery, Stone Forest Rugged Peaks, Rainbow Bridge Snow Waves, Moonwater Rock Clouds, Songtai Moon Viewing, Shishi Hidden Wonders, Millennium Poetry Corridor, Bixia Reflecting Jade, Tianzhu Plucking Stars, Lotus Lake Pleasure Boating, Apo Spring Flow, Gui Pavilion Intoxication, Cup Peak Floating Green, Open-Air Stone Cave, Moon Soul Pine Waves, Immortal Palm Autumn Wind, and Bohai Morning Glow. Among these, “Shishi Hidden Wonders” and “Moonwater Rock Clouds” are the most distinctive.

　　　　“Shishi Hidden Wonders” and “Moonwater Rock Clouds”:

　　　　“Shishi Hidden Wonders” refers to Shishi Cave, the earliest developed among the Seven Star Crags caves, featuring numerous scenic spots. The “Duanzhou Stone Chamber Record” written by Tang Dynasty’s Li Yong vividly describes his wondrous experience upon entering Shishi Cave. The cave entrance is 2 meters high, with a spacious domed interior and a ceiling over 30 meters high. The water cave is the main section of Shishi Cave, where visitors can take boat rides to admire the spectacular sights inside. There are over 20 stone formations and more than 270 stone scenes within the cave. On the left side of the southern entrance of Shishi Cave stands a palace-style structure nestled against the mountain and facing the water, named Shuiyue Palace. Beside the palace, on the lake surface, there is a set of exquisitely designed radial water pavilions. The central one has an octagonal double-eave roof, while the four surrounding ones each have a single four-cornered eave. They are connected by curved railings, forming a unified whole, and linked to the lakeshore by a long bridge, integrating with Shuiyue Palace as a single entity. When viewing the surrounding scenery from the pavilions—the water, moon, rocks, and clouds blending heaven and earth into one—it is known as Moonwater Rock Clouds. These pavilions are often chosen as the iconic symbol of Star Lake. Dinghu Mountain is located 18 kilometers northeast of Zhaoqing, covered with dense forests and abundant vegetation.

　　The “Duanzhou Stone Chamber Record” written by Tang Dynasty’s Li Yong vividly describes his wondrous experience upon entering Shishi Cave. The cave entrance is 2 meters high, with a spacious domed interior and a ceiling over 30 meters high. The water cave is the main section of Shishi Cave, where visitors can take boat rides to admire the spectacular sights inside. There are over 20 stone formations and more than 270 stone scenes within the cave. On the left side of the southern entrance of Shishi Cave stands a palace-style structure nestled against the mountain and facing the water, named Shuiyue Palace. Beside the palace, on the lake surface, there is a set of exquisitely designed radial water pavilions. The central one has an octagonal double-eave roof, while the four surrounding ones each have a single four-cornered eave. They are connected by curved railings, forming a unified whole, and linked to the lakeshore by a long bridge, integrating with Shuiyue Palace as a single entity. When viewing the surrounding scenery from the pavilions—the water, moon, rocks, and clouds blending heaven and earth into one—it is known as Moonwater Rock Clouds. These pavilions are often chosen as the iconic symbol of Star Lake.

　　The best travel seasons here are July, August, September, and the Spring Festival period, with peak daily visitor numbers reaching up to 40,000.