A lake that contains the past and present, and a cultural context that reflects the Danxia - Gexian Lake Park

In the spring, the warm sun shines on the small town of Jurong. Stepping into Gexian Lake Park in the city center, this urban garden with Taoist culture as its soul and historical buildings as its bones has both the gracefulness of the Jiangnan water town and carries a thousand-year-old cultural context. Ancient-style buildings such as Santai Pavilion, Dasheng Pagoda, and Gexian Temple dot the lakeside like pearls, making people linger. 🔆Recommendation reason The uniqueness of Gexian Lake Park lies in the fact that it reconnects scattered historical fragments, such as Liang Dynasty Taoist temples, Song Dynasty pagoda relics, and Ming and Qing Dynasty academies, using gardens as a carrier. It is very suitable for a supplementary itinerary after a one-day trip to Maoshan. ♨️Highlights of the Park ✔️Santai Pavilion: Climb up and take in the view of the millennium of culture Enter the park from the south gate and stroll counterclockwise along the lake, and you will see an antique pavilion. The pavilion was first built in the 12th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1639) for the purpose of revitalizing literature and was rebuilt on the lakeside in 2004 according to the ancient system. The pavilion is 20 meters high, with three-story flying eaves like wings, and the carved beams and painted buildings fully display the simplicity and grandeur of Ming Dynasty architecture. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this place was an important center for imperial examinations in Jiangnan. Between the buildings, spring flowers are in full bloom, and the fragrance is sweet. ✔️Dasheng Pagoda: Nine floors of Lingxiao, dialogue with the legacy of Song and Ming dynasties A nine-story, eight-sided Song Dynasty-style tower reaches into the sky. This is the Great Sage Pagoda. The ancient city of Jurong originally had the Chongming Temple, an ancient temple from the Jin Dynasty in Xijing. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, there was an eminent monk from the Western Regions who traveled all over the Yangtze River and Huai River regions and was called the "Great Sage of Sizhou." In the Song Dynasty, the people, out of gratitude to the great saint, built a pagoda in Chongming Temple where the great saint preached and worshipped him. First built during the Taiping Xingguo period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the rebuilt Great Sage Pagoda is 89.5 meters high, with a golden roof and red railings, and copper bells hanging from the eaves that ring in the wind. Take the tower elevator directly to the top floor, overlooking the city of Jurong, the sparkling Gexian Lake nearby, and the dark green peaks of Maoshan Mountain in the distance. ✔️Gexian Temple and Ge Hong Memorial Hall: a holy place for Taoist medicine, where the alchemy furnace still exists Gexian Temple on the southeast side of the lake is the core cultural landscape of the park. In order to commemorate the Taoist doctor Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and his great-grandfather Ge Xuan, it was rebuilt in 2004 on the site of the Liang Dynasty Taoist temple. The main hall of the temple houses statues of Ge Xuan and Ge Hong. The adjacent Ge Hong Memorial Hall systematically displays the life and achievements of this "founder of alchemy". The name of the museum was written by Nobel Prize winner Tu Youyou. The museum displays a replica of "Emergency Prescriptions for the Elbow", ancient alchemy instruments, etc., revealing Ge Hong's advanced wisdom in the fields of medicine and chemistry. ✔️Lake view: The curved bridge of the academy, a different view at every step Walking along the lakeside, the green tiles and white walls of Huayang Academy near the west gate and the island in the middle of the lake complement each other beautifully. This academy, which was first built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, was once responsible for the imperial examinations in Jiangnan and is now being rebuilt here.