Changde has a willow leaf-shaped lake, the first lake in a Chinese city

Changde Willow Leaf Lake is located in the urban-rural junction in the northeast of Changde City, Hunan Province. It is backed by the Sun Mountain, bordered by the Yuan River to the south, and connected to Dongting Lake. The lake is named after its shape, which resembles a willow leaf. Willow Leaf Lake is part of Dongting Lake, located in the northwest of Dongting Lake, also known as West Dongting. Willow Leaf Lake is an ecological paradise, with its water quality remaining at Class II all year round, zero pollution, a water area of about 21.8 square kilometers, and a natural ecological combination of lake, mountain, and island. Willow Leaf Lake is 2.5 kilometers away from the urban area. In ancient times, it was described as "dike willows and fishing songs, pine winds and water belts, all extremely beautiful", and now it is praised as "a treasure of Hunan, a wonder of Changde". The planned total area is 44.96 square kilometers, about three times the size of West Lake in Hangzhou, and its scale is unique in China. The lake water is clear, the water area is vast, and the lake bottom is flat, making it an ideal natural water sports venue.