Black Dragon Pool, Cultural park in Gucheng District, China
Black Dragon Pool is a spring-fed pool at the foot of Elephant Hill in Lijiang, Yunnan, China, set within a park that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A white marble bridge crosses the water, and on clear days the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reflects on its surface.
The complex was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty, and an imperial visit shortly after led to the official naming of its temple. That recognition gave the site a lasting spiritual and political role in the local area.
The park is home to a research institute focused on Dongba culture, where Naxi manuscripts and objects are kept and studied. Visitors can see how these materials are displayed within the grounds of the site itself.
The park sits about 1 kilometer north of Lijiang Old Town and can be reached on foot from there. Most paths inside are flat and easy to walk, so visitors of most ages and abilities can move around without difficulty.
The Five-Phoenix Tower on the grounds brings together architectural elements from four different groups: Naxi, Tibetan, Bai, and Han. It is rare to find a single building that so clearly shows how intertwined the cultures of this region once were.
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