The Jade of Kunming - Cuihu Park

Cuihu is located at the foot of Luofeng Mountain in the center of Kunming. It was once a part of Dianchi Lake, but became a separate small lake due to the decline in the water level of Dianchi Lake. In the early years of the Republic of China, it was transformed into a park. With willow trees planted throughout the park and a variety of lotus flowers in the lake, it earned the beautiful name 'Cuihu'. The waters of Cuihu are sparkling, surrounded by green trees and a beautiful environment, making it a green gem within the city of Kunming, worthy of the name 'The Jade of Kunming'. Its central location also makes it the first stop for people to learn about Kunming. The park covers an area of 21 hectares and is divided into five scenic areas by the Ruan Causeway running north-south and the Tang Causeway extending east-west: the Lake Center Island scenic area is dominated by Qing Dynasty garden buildings such as the Lake Center Pavilion and the Fish Viewing Tower; the southeast side features the Shuiyue Pavilion and Goldfish Island; the northeast side has the Bamboo Island and the Jiulong Pond; the south side includes the Gourd Island and the Nine-Turn Bridge; and the west side is home to the Haixin Pavilion. There is also an unassuming little house in the park, which is the pump room of Kunming's earliest waterworks, now the Kunming Water Supply History Museum, which briefly tells the history of Kunming's water supply. Particularly worth mentioning is that since 1985, a large number of seagulls have flown from Siberia to Kunming to spend the winter every year, and some of them settle in Cuihu, making it a great place in Kunming to watch seagulls.