Lianchi Academy, Baoding's treasure park

The ancient lotus pond is located in the downtown area of ​​Baoding City, with its main entrance facing south. The total area is 24,000 square meters, of which the pool area is 7,900 square meters. The pool water is divided into two ponds, north and south, by the central island, and two winding east-west channels connect the two ponds. Nantang is crescent-shaped, surrounded by steep cliffs and verdant pines and cypresses. Beitang is an irregular rectangle with jade-stone banks and drooping willow trees all around. The Shuixin Pavilion is located in it. Lotus ponds have been surrounded by water since ancient times, with water being the most attractive feature and the pond being named after lotus. The various scenes in the garden are small and exquisite, elegant and unique, ingenious in their simplicity, and they bring together the essence of the ancient architectural and garden styles of northern and southern China. The Lotus Pond is actually the pearl of ancient gardens in northern my country. Our ancestors once described it as "almost as if there is Penglai in the city". The Ancient Lotus Pond was originally named Xuexiang Garden. It was dug by Zhang Rou, King of Runan in the Yuan Dynasty and built between 1227 and 1234 AD. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1284 AD, leaving only a deep pool of clear water and lush lotus flowers. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has been commonly referred to as the "Lotus Pond" in historical records. In the late Ming Dynasty, a large-scale renovation and expansion was carried out. The prefect, Cha Zhilong, regarded the lotus as a "water mirror" and ordered the construction of a gate with a horizontal plaque inscribed with the words "Water Mirror Office" to inspire others and himself: those who govern should mirror the blue sky and clear water. From then on, the Lotus Pond became a gathering place for dignitaries, and "Shuijian Office" became another name for the Lotus Pond. In the Qing Dynasty, the Lianchi Academy was built, and it was home to many talented people and became famous both at home and abroad. The lotus pond was also used as the emperor's temporary palace, where the emperor stayed many times during his travels. The ancient lotus pond reached its peak after several renovations. The garden is filled with magnificent buildings, classics, cultural relics, pearls and treasures, as well as exotic flowers, fairy birds and beasts, painted boats, and fragrant lotus flowers, all of which are placed among the mountains and rivers, interwoven into paintings and poems. Mountains, water, towers, terraces, pavilions, halls, verandas and pavilions are scattered in an irregular manner, forming the famous Twelve Scenes of the Lotus Pond, which has earned it the reputation of "Urban Penglai".