Lake Dianchi has a surface area of 297sq.km/115sq. miles and an average depth of 5.5m/18ft. Now known as Lake Kunming, it lies about 4km/2’/2 miles south-west of the city and is fed by 20 rivers and streams. There are thought to have been settlements here more than two thousand years ago.
On the shores of the lake there are many places to visit, for example Daguan Lou Gongyuan Park with its tower of the same name on the west shore. The tower, which was completed in 1691, originally had two storeys but in 1828 a third storey was added. For a number of years the tower served as a meeting-placefor local men of letters. In 1857 it was destroyed
Statue of Buddha in the Temple of Perfection and Success 310 The construction of the Taoist Pavilion of the Three Pure Ones took place Pavilion of the over six centuries, during the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods (1279-1911). Three Pure Ones
From here one can reach the cave of Ciyun Dong, and from there proceed to the Dragon’s Gate (Longmen). The Stone Pavilion (Datian Ge) is reached by a tunnel with stone steps and offers a wonderful view across Lake Dianchi.
At the foot of Taihuashan lies the temple ofthe same name, dating from the Yuan period (1279-1368). Nearby stands the “Lakeview Tower” (Wang-hai Lou).
To the north ofthe temple we come to Huating Si, dating from the Song period (960-1279), the main hall of which contains three gilded Buddha sculptures and 500 Luohan figures.
The Golden Hall, built in 1671 and situated to the north-east of the city on Golden Hall
Minfeng Shan Mountain, is modelled on an earlier building dating from (Jin Dian) 1602, which was moved to Binchuan near Dali in 1637. A park near Kunming during the war but rebuilt in 1869. The building has a double roof which is covered with yellow-glazed tiles. In 1888 the famous calligrapher Sun Ranweng engraved the longest “parallel poem” (duilian) in China (180 characters) on the two front pillars.
The Western Mountains, which rise to over 2300m/7500ft, lie along the Western west shore of Lake Dianchi, about 15km/9 miles from Kunming, from where Mountains they can be reached by bus. Between the highest summit, Taihuashan, and (Xishan) the lake there is a difference in altitude of 470m/1542ft. Hidden away in the mountain valleys there are several Buddhist and Taoist temples, while at the foot of Gaoraoshan the visitor will come across the tomb of the Kunming-born composer Nie Er (1912-35), who composed the Chinese national anthem. His tomb is approached by 24 steps, symbolising the age ofthe deceased.
Daguan Lou Gongyuan Park Map Photo Gallery
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