Cuihu Park

Summary

The Green Lake Park in Kunming City is a very popular park among local residents. Since 1985, the seagulls from Siberia have been spending the winter months on Green Lake. The spectacular scenery of flocks of birds repeats year after year.

Overview

The Green Lake Park, situated at the western foot of Wuhua Hill, is a scenically beautiful park facing directly the main gate of Yunnan University. By the end of the Yuan Dynasty (1206–1368), it was still a swampy field for growing vegetables, lotuses and rice, hence the name “Vegetable Lake”. The water-level of Dianchi Lake was so high that it was connected with the Green Lake. As there were nine mouths of springs beyond the Bamboo Island in the northeast, the lake was also called “Jiulong Chi” (literally means nine dragon pond).

The Green Lake Park serves as a pure land for quieting one’s soul. Its banks are covered with an abundance of willow trees and dotted with a variety of vibrant lotuses. This contrast between the pale green of the willows and the array of colors in the lotuses makes the park a popular destination for nature lovers. One can almost feel the freshness from the air. The serenity and beauty make it an excellent place for a picnic, a morning stroll, or a simple a time to sit and reflect. This lush world is hence extolled as a “Kunming’s Jade”.

The Haixinting Pavilion sits at the centre of the Lake. On the north and south stand imposingly two octagonal pavilions with craved beams, painted rafters, beautiful glazed tiles and elegant eaves. Inside the Haixinting there are two courtyards, where all kinds of shows are held throughout the four seasons: flower shows, lantern shows, fish shows and picture shows. Flowers and trees are growing luxuriantly in the yards.

On the west of the pavilion are buildings for fish-watching. There is a two-storey pavilion on which hangs a horizontal board inscribed with four characters meaning “Drunk in spring in the abode of immortals” and facing north is a fish-watching pavilion. The lake, its banks and the pavilions are wonderfully arranged, and the painted corridor alongside the lake and the zigzag bridge are well connected. All the buildings have yellow and green glazed tile roofs, with corners seeming to fly and beams and rafters colorfully painted, typifying Chinese classical park designs.

Every winter, thousands of red-beaked sea gulls from the north migrate to the scenically beautiful Green Lake Park. These sea gulls swooping over the water and scrambling with one another for crumbs of food make the park even more glamorous. Normally they would migrate back to the north in late May.

How to Get There

Travelers can take No.1 bus, get off at Yunnan University stop, and transfer to the No. 101 bus to the Cuihu Lake; or take No. 4, 5, 26, 69, 83, 96 buses and get off at Baihui shopping center; or take No. K2, 54 and 61 buses and get off at Xiaoximen Stop. And No. 133 bus is also available from Carrefour Plaza to the Green Lake directly.

Nearby Attractions

There are many tourist destinations nearby, like Kunming Zoo and Yuantong Temple.

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