Baoding: Ancient Lotus Pond

Visiting the Ancient Lotus Pond was at noon. After drinking the iced mung bean water at the entrance, I walked into this 4A scenic spot in Baoding. Inside is the Lianchi Academy, an official academy supervised by Li Wei during the Yongzheng Emperor's period. The Qianlong Emperor visited the academy three times. It is also an imperial palace, with twelve famous scenes such as Chunwu Slope, Wanjuan Building, Hanlu Pavilion, Pianliu Cave, and Hancang Pavilion, making it a classic of northern and southern gardens. Its history is also full of vicissitudes. After the invasion and ravages of the Eight-Nation Alliance, the ancient buildings were reduced to ashes. Now, it is a garden with newly restored buildings. I feel a sense of discomfort and humiliation, recalling the glory of the past, inevitably feeling a bit desolate. I am ignorant of architecture, but the pavilions and towers are gathered here. The solitary pavilion in the lotus pond, the pavilions built against the mountain, are small and exquisite yet ingeniously unique. Touring from the left side, the rockery, lotus leaves, lotus flowers, and ancient stone tablets make it feel like walking through a painting. The calligraphy masterpieces and garden structures in front of me are truly amazing, with different landscapes being intriguing. Here, I had the fortune to visit the history museum of the Ancient Lotus Pond: In the Yuan Dynasty, it was initially called 'Xuexiang Garden,' a private garden. The Ming Dynasty Baoding prefect repaired it and returned it to the government. During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, the governor of Zhili, Li Wei, chose this place to build the Lianchi Academy, and gradually some classic buildings gathered here. In modern times, the Zhili Library and the Hebei Provincial Museum also moved here for office. The famous twelve scenes here are garden classics. It is said that there are principles from the 'I Ching' (Book of Changes) in them. I am truly ashamed, but the principles of mutual generation and restraint in the I Ching must have some truth. Just looking at the surface, I am already amazed. The deeper meanings can probably only be discerned by experts.