Written by Catherine |
Black Dragon Pool, also known as Jade Spring Park, is located at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain in the north of Lijiang Old Town, with an altitude of 2,500 meters. It is not only one of the iconic attractions in Lijiang, but also enjoys the reputation of “Southern Summer Palace” due to its clear and mirror-like water and quaint and elegant architecture.
Black Dragon Pool is the source of the river system of Lijiang Old Town, which gathers dozens of springs and forms a beautiful pool landscape. The ancient architectural complex here includes Deyue Tower, Theatre Pavilion, Dragon God Shrine, and Five-Hole Bridge, each of which is a witness to history. Most importantly, in the Black Dragon Pool Park, you can admire and photograph the beautiful Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Start your Yunnan tours to explore this famous park in Lijiang that blends natural and cultural landscapes!
Facts About Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang
- Chinese Name: 黑龙潭公园（玉泉公园）
- Address: No. 1 Minzhu Road, Gucheng District, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province
- Opening Hours: 07:30-21:00 (No entranceafter 20:30)
- Black Dragon Pool Entrance Fee:Free of charge, but you need to hold the receipt of Maintenance Feefor Lijiang Old Town (RMB 50) to
- Time Needed: About 1-3 hours
Black Dragon Pool History
From the Waterwheel on Square Street of the Lijiang Old Town, goes upstream along the Jade River. About one kilometer away, there is a crystal-clear spring pool, which is the famous Black Dragon Pool in China.
Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang was first built in the second year of the Qianlong reign (1737), and there are records of its reconstruction in the 60th year of Qianlong and the 18th year of Guangxu. The old name of Jade Spring Dragon King Temple was named after being granted the title of “Dragon God” by the emperors Jiaqing and Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. Later, it was renamed Black Dragon Pool and became one of the famous springs in China.
Later, garden buildings such as Deyue Tower, Theatre Pavilion, Wanshou Pavilion, and Five-Hole Bridge were built, and Xiangshan Tourist Road was newly constructed. After 1949, several ancient Ming and Qing architectures were moved into the Black Dragon Pool Park.
In 1981, the Dongba Culture Research Institute was established in Black Dragon Pool, making it combining the great achievements of Chinese landscape gardens with profound cultural heritage.
What to See and Do in Black Dragon Pool
Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is not only a scenic spot with beautiful natural scenery, but also a great place to experience Naxi culture and history.
Highlights: The Reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Standing by the Black Dragon Pool, looking at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance, the ancient architecture and the pool water complement each other beautifully, making it a paradise for photography enthusiasts.
Black Dragon Pool is one of the best filming locations to take photos of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for tourists during their LiJiang travel. The Black Dragon Pool photos composed of the Five-Hole Bridge, Deyue Tower, Snow Mountain, and the reflection of Snow Mountain in the Pool have long become a classic postcard of Lijiang’s scenery.
- Note:It is best to take photos of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the morning and evening, as the snow mountain has the best soft light during these two periods. Especially on clear days, the blue sky, white clouds, and snow-capped mountains are reflected in the pond water, as beautiful as a painting.
Beautiful Natural Landscape
Black Dragon Pool was originally a Dragon King Temple in Lijiang, with numerous springs nearby that formed a pool of water. Because the spring water is like jade, reflecting the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, it is also known as “Jade Spring Park”.
Black Dragon Pool is the water source site of Lijiang Old Town. The pool derives from the spring water gushing from the crevices of the stones, which gathers into a pool of 40,000 square meters, crystal clear, as if it can clean the dust of the soul.
The water source of Black Dragon Pool comes from the melting snow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The pool water presents different colors and styles in different seasons and weather conditions, sometimes as green as jade, and sometimes as blue as a gemstone.
Unique Ancient Architecture
Black Dragon Pool Park is the most concentrated place of national-level protected cultural relics in Lijiang, and the buildings in the park are also a major attraction. These architectures are unique in style and full of historical charm, showcasing the cultural heritage of Lijiang.
The ancient buildings scattered along the Black Dragon Pool include the Dragon God Shrine, Deyue Tower, Suocui Bridge, Jade Emperor Pavilion, as well as the former Ming Dynasty’s Liberation Forest Gate Tower, Five-Phoenix Tower, the Ming Dynasty’s Guangbi Tower and Qing Dynasty’s Tingli Pavilion, Yiwen Pavilion, Wenming Fang and others that were later relocated here. It is known as the “Lijiang Ming and Qing Architecture Museum”.
- Five-Phoenix Tower, originally built inside Zhishan Fuguo Temple, was relocated to Black Dragon Pool Park in 1979. Known for its unique architectural style, 24 eaves extend upwards from each corner of the building, resembling five phoenixes flying, hence the name Five-Phoenix
- Suocui Bridgeis a wind-rain bridge built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. The ancient plaques “Yangqing” and “Suocui” at the bridge head add a touch of ancient charm.
- Dragon God Shrineis the main building of Black Dragon Pool, including Theatre Pavilion and Deyue Tower, distributed along a set of elegant, harmonious, and ever-changing main axi The Deyue Tower is surrounded by water on all sides and connected to the ancient Theatre Pavilion through a passage. Mr. Guo Moruo wrote a plaque and two couplets for it, depicting the harmonious beauty of Black Dragon Pool and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
In addition, if time permits, you can also climb Xiangshan Mountain to overlook the panoramic view of Dayan Ancient City. It takes about half an hour to climb to the mountain top.
In short, Black Dragon Pool Park is an indispensable part of the Lijiang Old Town, waiting for every tourist’s exploration and discovery during their Yunnan travel, no matter what weather or season.
- Travel Tips:
In Lijiang, there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening, so pay attention to keeping warm; The ultraviolet rays are strong at noon, please take sun protection measures.
How to Get to Black Dragon Pool
From the Old Town of Lijiang, you can take bus No.3, No.4, No.13, No.16, No.104, or take a taxi to reach Black Dragon Pool Park.
From Lijiang Airport to Black Dragon Pool Park, it takes about 50 minutes by car to cover a distance of 31 kilometers.
From Lijiang Railway Station to Black Dragon Pool Park, it takes about 30 minutes by car to cover a distance of 10 kilometers.
Attractions Nearby Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang
- Lijiang Old Town: one of the four ancient cities in China and also a world cultural heritage. Founded in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties, it is famous for theunique Naxi style and ancient Dongba culture.
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: a sacred mountain of the Naxi people and the southernmost snow-capped mountain in the Northern Hemisphere. Its highest peak is 5,596 meters. Located 27 kilometersaway from Black Dragon Pool.
- Shuhe Ancient Town: an important market town on the ancient Tea Horse Road, boasting rich historical relics and unique natural scenery. Located 5 kilometersaway from Black Dragon Pool.
