Longtan Gongyuan, Public park in Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.
Longtan Gongyuan is a park in Beijing's Chaoyang District built around Longtan Lake, a lake formed from former brick kilns. Its layout follows the shores of the lake and its four connected water areas, with Longtan Waterfall and the Longyin Pavilion on the central island. The grounds hold the Wanliu Hall, a children's playground and a fishing area.
The park is in Yufeng District, Liuzhou, Guangxi, not Beijing. Its Longtan is the pool formed where spring water from beneath Lei Mountain's cliff meets the Lei and Long hills; in older times it was called Leitang. Liu Zongyuan prayed for rain here and wrote the "Leitang Prayer for Rain". The Prayer Text Stele Pavilion, the altar and the Leitang Temple remain, along with Zhang Chong's fishing terrace and the Liyuzui site.
The park serves as a gathering place where locals enjoy strolling, socializing by the water, and meeting friends at the tea houses throughout the grounds. It reflects traditional Chinese garden design principles that locals continue to appreciate as part of their daily routines.
The park is easy to explore on foot since paths are well-marked and relatively flat, though some bridges require short climbs. Visiting in early morning during warmer months offers the most comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds.
The park's name comes from the karst spring pools of Longtan and Leitan, whose water stays at 18–22°C year-round; in midwinter the vapour rising off them is known as the "Double Pool Mist and Rain". A cliff inscription by Ming vice-minister Zhang Chong reads: "Clear springs flow beneath the mountain, white hair comes among the woods."
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