Changshou Lake is located in Changshou District, Chongqing City, 58 kilometers away from the main urban area of Chongqing and 18 kilometers away from Changshou Urban Area. It is a national 4A-level scenic area and has been selected as one of the top ten tourist resorts in Chongqing. It is an artificial freshwater lake formed after the completion of the river-blocking dam of Shizitan Hydropower Station. With a water area of 65.5 square kilometers (about 100,000 mu) and a reservoir capacity of 1 billion cubic meters, it is the largest artificial lake in Southwest China. There are 203 islands of various shapes scattered throughout the scenic area. The natural resources are exceptionally advantageous, renowned for the lake scenery, island reflections, fresh fish, and beautiful fruits, and the cultural resources are unique.
History and Culture
Changshou Lake is one of the 156 key construction projects aided by the Soviet Union during China's "First Five-Year Plan" period. It was formed by the interception of the Longxi River during the construction of the Lion Beach Hydropower Station, setting a precedent for cascade development in China's hydropower history. It has cultivated, created, and transported a large number of construction talents and management talents for China's hydropower industry, and is known as the cradle of hydropower experts in New China. In the early 20th century, Marshal Liu Bocheng of the People's Republic of China recuperated by Changshou Lake after the bloody battle in Fengdu. After the founding of New China, Party and state leaders such as Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Li Fuchun, and Li Xiannian have left their footprints here, forming a red culture with water conservancy as the manifestation.
Main Attractions
Bai Shou Yuan (Hundred Longevity Garden)
Located at the entrance of the scenic area on the west bank of Changshou Lake, it covers an area of 190 mu. It is the only theme park in China that interprets the "Longevity Culture," integrating calligraphy, sculpture, stone appreciation, literature, and many other art categories.
Sister Garden
It was built after the First Cross-Strait Sister Lakes Industry Cooperation Annual Meeting was grandly held at Changshou Lake on September 14, 2018. It is divided into five areas, respectively reflecting the themes of integration, harmony, return, blessing, and root. When viewed from the air, it is like a budding sprout, symbolizing the vitality of the sister lakes and indicating that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same origin.
Donghai Temple
It integrates the Buddhist culture and fishing culture of Changshou Lake. It was originally built in the Southern Song Dynasty and suffered significant damage during the Cultural Revolution, with only the front hall remaining. After restoration, it basically maintains its original style. One part is the reproduction of the living scenes of the people by the Longxi River, and the other part is the restored temple style.
Baihua Island (Hundred Flowers Island)
The scenery is wonderful throughout the four seasons. In spring, you can enjoy peach blossoms; in summer, you can taste plums; and in autumn and winter, you can admire the red maple. There are many arbors such as cherry blossoms and peach trees planted on the island, matched with large areas of ground cover flowers and dotted with ornamental grasses. A total of 77 peach trees are planted, symbolizing the Qixi Festival.
Romantic Magpie Bridge
The bridge is 100 meters long and 2 meters wide. When looking up from under the bridge, it is like a colorful ribbon in the air. When overlooking Changshou Lake from the bridge, you can see the clear water reflecting the rainbow. It is said that two people holding hands and walking across the bridge will fall in love and never be separated.
Romantic Flower Field
It forms a striking viewing scenery with seasonal flowers such as marigolds, salvia splendens, coreopsis, and dianthus in different seasons. Carefully matched with colors such as green, yellow, and purple, large patches of color are inlaid in the endless green, which is colorful and beautiful.
Lover's Slope
It is the preferred place for lovers to talk about love. From a distance, there is an extraordinary and lush "Wishing Tree." When looking from the viewing platform, in fact, the roots of two trees are intertwined, just like a pair of lovers embracing and kissing. It is said that making a wish and hanging a red ribbon on the wishing tree will make the wish come true.
Heaven-Bestowed Longevity Island
It is the core landscape of the Changshou Lake scenic area, surrounded by 19 islands of different sizes and 9 lake bays and inlets. It is about 1,299 meters long, about 699 meters wide, and covers an area of about 499 mu. It is the largest natural Chinese character "Shou" (meaning longevity) in the world. More amazingly, when the character "Shou" is viewed in reverse, it is very similar to the Chinese character "Chang" (meaning long life), having the meaning of "both longevity and long life," which is a wonder of the world.
Power Plant Dam
It is an experimental power station of the Three Gorges Power Station, aided by the former Soviet Union. The dam is 1,014 meters long and 52 meters high. It is the only existing hollow stone dam in China, and Party and state leaders have left their footprints here.
Gaofeng Island
It is composed of Gaofeng Island, Wanjin Mountain, Changling, and Diaozui. The whole island covers an area of about 1,000 mu, surrounded by water on three sides and connected to the land on one side. The natural forest on the island is dense and green, with a variety of animals, and there is a hiking route around the island of nearly 10 kilometers.
Daping Island
Located south of Gaofeng Island, it is the largest island in the lake, covering an area of 2,500 mu. It is the prototype of the cover image of the novel "Red Rock."
Delicacies
Changshou Lake Fish Noodles
It originated in 1986. Using the most precious pure natural fish such as the topmouth culter in Changshou Lake, the fish bones are removed, and the fish meat is made into a fish paste. Then it is made into fish noodles about the thickness of ordinary noodles and cooked through special cooking methods. It has a smooth, flexible, fresh, fragrant, tender and fine taste, and there is no fishy smell at all.
Changshou Rice Noodles
It is a favorite food of the people in Changshou. For many Changshou people living outside, the first thing they do when they return home is to have a bowl of rice noodles.
Changshou Pig Intestine Rice
It is a genuine delicacy in Changshou that is no less famous than Changshou rice noodles. It got its name because it is served with white rice.
Changshou Blood Tofu
It has a long production history, with a delicious taste, a savory and fragrant taste, a spicy and refreshing flavor, and a dry, fragrant, moist, and chewy texture. It is an excellent accompaniment to wine.
Entrance Tickets
The current entrance ticket price for the Changshou Lake scenic area is 35 yuan. You can take the sightseeing car, trackless small train, and water amusement facilities at your own expense.
You can search for the official WeChat public account of the scenic area, "长寿湖旅游度假区", to obtain the latest information or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are from 08:30 to 17:00; in summer, the opening hours are from 08:30 to 17:30, subject to the announcements of the scenic area.
Tour Routes
Tourists can start from Changshou Lake Square, take a boat from Changshou Lake Tourist Wharf to each island. First, visit the Heaven-Bestowed Longevity Island to feel the wonder of the largest natural Chinese character "Shou" in the world; then go to Baihua Island to enjoy the romantic flower scenery; next, go to Lover's Slope to experience the romantic atmosphere; then go to Bai Shou Yuan to learn about the longevity culture; after that, you can take a leisurely walk in the West Bank Park, and finally leave the scenic area from the main gate. The whole tour process takes about 4 to 6 hours, and the specific time can be adjusted according to personal tour speed and interests.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Chongqing, passing through the Jiangbei Toll Station, along the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, diverge at the "Changshou Lake" intersection, and finally arrive at Changshou Lake (Shizitan Town). The whole journey is on a highway, and the journey takes about 1.5 hours. Starting from Shanghai or Wanzhou, along the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, diverge at the "Changshou Lake" intersection about 1,690 kilometers away, and directly reach Changshou Lake (Shizitan Town).
- High-speed Railway: Go to the North Square of Chongqing North Railway Station and take the Yuwan Intercity High-speed Railway. Get off at Changshou Lake Station (the whole journey takes 33 minutes, with 10 pairs of trains per day, and the second-class seat ticket price is 33 yuan). After getting off the train, transfer to the tourist shuttle bus to Changshou Lake, and the journey takes about 20 minutes, totaling about 50 minutes. Note that when purchasing train tickets, the destination should be Changshou Lake Station, not Changshou North Station.
- Coach: Starting from Hongqihegou Bus Station in Chongqing, take the bus to Changshou Lake (there are two buses per day, and the ticket price is 35-38 yuan), and the whole journey takes about 2 hours.
Must-visit Attractions
- Heaven-Bestowed Longevity Island: The core landscape of Changshou Lake, the largest natural Chinese character "Shou" in the world, surrounded by 19 islands and 9 lake bays and inlets, about 1,299 meters long, about 699 meters wide, and covering an area of about 499 mu. The meaning of "both longevity and long life" is a wonder of the world.
- Bai Shou Yuan: The only theme park in China that interprets the "Longevity Culture," covering an area of 190 mu, integrating many art categories.
- Donghai Temple: Integrating Buddhist culture and fishing culture, originally built in the Southern Song Dynasty. Although it was damaged, it retains its original style after restoration, allowing people to feel the cultural characteristics of Changshou Lake.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to visit in spring or autumn. At this time, the climate is pleasant, and the scenery in the scenic area is beautiful, with lush vegetation and blooming flowers.
- If you want to experience the water amusement projects, you can learn about the opening hours and charging standards of each project in advance and arrange your time and budget reasonably.
- Bring a camera or mobile phone. The lake scenery, island landscapes, etc. in the scenic area are very suitable for taking photos as souvenirs.
- If you are interested in the history and culture of Changshou Lake, you can consult relevant materials in advance to better understand the cultural attractions in the scenic area.
Notes
- Comply with the regulations of the scenic area and do not randomly damage the vegetation and public facilities in the scenic area.
- When by the lake and participating in water projects, be sure to follow the instructions of the staff, wear a life jacket, and pay attention to safety. Especially, tourists with children should take good care of their children.
- If you choose to camp, pay attention to environmental protection, take away the garbage when leaving, and keep the campsite clean.
- When visiting in summer, pay attention to sun protection and mosquito prevention measures.