Jian Lake

D了个Y

5/5

Outstanding

Jianhu Lake, located at the foot of Keshan Mountain, was originally named Jinghu (Mirror Lake). Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor cast a mirror here, hence the name. It wasn't until the Northern Song Dynasty that it was renamed Jianhu Lake, boasting a history of over 1800 years. Renowned for its exceptionally high-quality water, Shaoxing rice wine is brewed using water from this lake. Jianhu Lake carries the cultural heritage of Jiangnan for millennia. The Southern Song Dynasty poet Lu You wrote, "No need for a thousand pieces of gold to buy a painting, listen to my long song of Jianhu." At the entrance of the scenic area, one can still see the two characters "Jinghu" in the calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong. During the Jin and Tang Dynasties, Jianhu Lake was renowned for its beauty, described as "Eight hundred miles of lake light gathered here, long bridge connecting the flowing water of Jian Bridge," highlighting its former vastness and grandeur. Since the Song Dynasty, due to land reclamation around the lake, its surface area has gradually shrunk. Today, Jianhu Lake is much smaller than before.