Black Dragon Pool
黑龙潭公园
A spring-fed park at the northern end of Lijiang Old Town, where Five-Arch Bridge, Deyue Tower, and the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain appear together. It is a classic photo spot found on the yuan banknote and on postcards.
Black Dragon Pool, also known as Jade Spring Park, sits at the foot of Elephant Hill (Xiangshan) north of Dayan Old Town. It is the source of the old town's waterways and was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty.
Highlights: Suocui Bridge (a five-arch stone bridge), Deyue Tower (with a plaque inscribed by Guo Moruo), the Dragon God Shrine and an ancient opera stage, Wufeng Tower (a Ming-dynasty building moved here from Fuguo Temple), and the Dongba Culture Research Institute in the northeast corner of the park.
The most classic view is from the south bank of the pool, where Five-Arch Bridge, Deyue Tower, and the snow mountain stack up together in the reflection. The best time is 8 to 10 a.m., when the light is good and the water is still.
The park is free to enter and is about a 10-minute walk from the old town. You were once asked to show a receipt for the maintenance fee, but this is rarely checked now.
A walk around the pool takes about an hour. Adding the Dongba Museum (free, introduces Dongba script and Naxi culture, worth seeing) makes a visit of about two hours. You can also climb Elephant Hill from the park (about an hour) for a view of the old town and the snow mountain.
Getting there: from the great waterwheel at the north gate of the old town, walk north along Minzhu Road for about 800 meters.
Note: in the rainy season or drought years, the pool may dry up and the reflection will disappear. The park is busy with locals exercising in the morning, which makes for a lively atmosphere. Do not climb over railings to get a better shot.
Opening hours
07:00–19:00 (Dongba Museum about 09:00–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Lijiang Water Wheels
- Naxi Ancient Music Concert
- Sifang Square
- Wangu Pavilion (Lion Hill)
- Mu Mansion
- Zhongyi Market
- Old Town of Lijiang (Dayan)
- Shuhe Ancient Town
Places to eat nearby
- Apoqing Cured Rib Hotpot (Old Town Flagship Store)
- No. 88 Snack Shop
- Xiaoxike Yunnan Specialty Restaurant (Naxi Courtyard Store)
- Erge Rice Noodles (Lijiang Store)
- Junziyou Wild Mushroom Hotpot & Specialty Courtyard Restaurant (Lijiang Old Town Store)
- Fuxian Xiaoguofan Yunnan Folk Flavor Restaurant (Shuhe Ancient Town Store)