Haokun Lake

Haokun Lake lies on the border between Xiajia Town and Lingzhan Township in Lingyun County, Baise City. Formed when the Chengbi River was blocked by underground caves, the lake stretches 6 kilometres long and ranges from 50 metres to 1,500 metres in width. Its surface area reaches approximately 20 square kilometres during the high-water season.

The Chengbi River, which feeds Haokun Lake from Qinglong Mountain, is one of the headwaters of the Pearl River. Water surges out of the Source Cave and first gathers into an emerald-green lake beneath tangled thousand-year-old banyan trees at the cave mouth. The river then winds through the centre of Lingyun County before flowing out of the town. Passing through Sicheng and reaching Xiajia, the Chengbi River disappears underground at Caijia. It travels 5 kilometres underground before resurfacing at Nongpan. Blocked by terrain between Nongpan in Xiajia and Haokun in Lingzhan Township, the river expands into what is now Haokun Lake.

Haokun Lake is the largest body of water in Lingyun, a land of towering mountains. In ancient times it was known as East Lake, commonly called the Divine Alpine Lake. The lake boasts exquisite mountains and winding shorelines dotted with islets. Dozens of mountain peaks tightly enclose the blue water. Interlaced islands blend the lake with the sky. Steep cliffs rise on both banks, shaped into vivid natural formations: a giant dragon diving into the earth, a pearl resting in a palm, two affectionate frogs facing each other, a herdsman watching for his son’s return, the sound of roosters and dogs echoing across the hills, a divine camel lifting its head, and scenes of longing and fond dreams. Lush bamboo and blooming flowers line the banks. Green mountains and blue skies reflect perfectly on the water, merging mountains, water and sky into one breathtaking picture. The lake has a wide expanse and crystal-clear water with stunning natural scenery. Bamboo sways along the shore, where anglers sit quietly. Children play amid flowering trees, horses and lambs frolic freely, and cattle graze on tender grass. It presents a harmonious idyll of humanity coexisting with nature, making it a rare natural scenic spot in the beautiful southern land of China. It enjoys excellent topographic conditions for aquatic sightseeing and holiday tourism.

In the third year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (1630), Cen Yunhan, the local chieftain of Sicheng, accompanied Xie Zijia from Guilin on a three-day excursion to East Lake. Xie Zijia (1581–1643) wrote a prose travelogue entitled Travel Notes on East Lake, praising East Lake as an otherworldly fairyland. The stone inscription of this article still survives today at the Diaoyutai (Fishing Terrace), a historic site on the Chengbi River in Fenzhou under Xiajia Town government of Baise City.

Travel Notes on East Lake records the journey of Cen Yunhan, his younger brother Cen Xiaohan, his second son Cen Zhaoxi and servants, who toured Haokun Lake with their guest Xie Zijia from Guilin. On the first day, they rode horses more than thirty li to Fenzhou, the country villa of the Sicheng Prefecture. Surrounded by green pines, white stones, green bamboo and steep cliffs, the house was encircled by gurgling streams. Green mountains looked freshly washed, and the river water remained clear all year round. The beautiful scenery of wind, moon, mist, flowers, birds and fish rivalled the famed Wangchuan landscape. Across the river stood an ancient fishing rock carved with a poem: Fishing beneath the moon, ploughing among the clouds. The calligraphy was bold and unrestrained. Cypress, orchid, pine, bamboo, peach and willow trees grew luxuriantly around the stone.

Captivated by the scenery, Xie Zijia wandered until nightfall. They then slaughtered chickens and cooked millet, sharing a couch and composing poems together, each immersed in joy. They had barely lain down when the rooster crowed at dawn. Early the next morning, they boarded a boat and drifted downstream. Lotus flowers and mist shrouded both banks, just like sailing along the Milky Way. He ranked Haokun Lake alongside Dongting Lake, West Lake and Poyang Lake. After the trip, he sighed: Human life is fleeting, worldly affairs shift like clouds, and fairylands are hard to find. Pleasure should not be indulged endlessly. Live in peace, cherish your modest home and tend your small farm — why wander endlessly elsewhere?

When their boat reached Xizhou (present-day Caijia), they spotted several thatched cottages half-hidden among valleys. Cooking smoke curled up amid wind and rain. White angelica flowers floated beside bamboo groves along the river. Villagers walked along woodland paths, greeting one another like figures in an ancient painting. They stayed overnight in Caijia. Warm-hearted locals offered celery, fishermen presented mandarin fish, and cooks steamed water caltrops and sliced boiled chicken. Cen Yunhan bought local liquor and they composed poems while drinking to their hearts’ content. Full and relaxed, they slept deep into the night.

Just as they reached Haokun Lake, a messenger rushed over by boat with news that a family member had fallen ill. Everyone urged Cen Yunhan to return at once. He sighed sorrowfully: Alas, even heaven begrudges us happy moments. Life passes in the blink of an eye, the world changes like floating clouds, and such fairylands are rarely encountered. We must not overindulge in pleasure. Reluctantly, he turned the boat back with Xie Zijia and their followers, retracing their route home.

The three days of unrestrained freedom stirred deep emotions in the chieftain, a man well-versed in both literature and martial arts who governed the most prosperous prefecture in Guangxi at that time. Inspiration flowed freely, and he composed this timeless travel classic.

Today, Travel Notes on East Lake is far more than a travel essay; it also serves as a historical record of the Chengbi River during the Ming Dynasty. Now Haokun Lake has been fully developed, with even more charming scenery than before.

On January 20, 2015, good news arrived from Beijing: the State Forestry Administration officially approved Lingyun County to launch the pilot construction of Haokun Lake National Wetland Park.

The proposed Lingyun Haokun Lake National Wetland Park stretches from north to south, covering the underground section of the upper Chengbi River, Haokun Lake and the limestone mountains within its primary catchment area. It consists of three wetland types: karst cave wetlands, permanent freshwater lakes and herbaceous marshes. The total area reaches 1,312 hectares, including 459.1 hectares of wetland, accounting for a wetland ratio of 35%.

Haokun Lake Wetland Park falls within the ecological functional zone for combating karst rocky desertification across Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou, as well as a key biodiversity reserve in the limestone areas of southwestern Guangxi. It connects upstream with Lingyun Cave Fish Nature Reserve and downstream with Chengbi River Reservoir National Key Wetland. Its ecological position is extremely important. In addition, the wetland park sits upstream of the Chengbi River Reservoir, Baise’s major water source. As a first-grade tributary of the Youjiang River and one of the headwaters of the Pearl River, it plays a vital role in water conservation and guaranteeing safe drinking water supply.

Formed of karst landforms, the wetland park boasts a great variety of karst landscapes including peak clusters, depressions, caves, underground rivers, natural skylights and sinkholes. It features a unique combination of wetland types and a complete wetland succession series. The water area and karst stone mountains jointly form a complete compound ecosystem, making it a typical representative of karst regions across southern China and the whole country.

The wetland park is rich in unique fish species. Five cave fish endemic to Guangxi live in the lake: Sinocyclocheilus lingyunensis, Oreonectes lingyunensis, Sinocyclocheilus anatirostris, Sinocyclocheilus microphthalmus and Nemacheilus lingyunensis. Among them, Sinocyclocheilus lingyunensis and Oreonectes lingyunensis are two rare protected species unique only to Lingyun County.

Modern life is fast-paced, so more and more people travel. Most tourists seek to slow down, embrace nature and reflect on life. Haokun Lake is an ideal destination for self-driving tours and camping.

Furthermore, Haokun Lake is surrounded by numerous through-sinkholes, forming China’s most exquisite interconnected cluster of through-sinkholes and a condensed showcase of classic karst landforms. This cluster comprises Haokun Lake, Yanliu Tiankeng, Tongtian Cave, Yezongdong Tiankeng, Qianzhang Cliff, Tianyan Cave, Bajiaodong Tiankeng, Jinbian Cave, Xiangsi Cave, Zhulong Cave, Niuchang Cave, Whip Mountain, Bamboo Mountain and Mengbi Mountain. Caves connect with sinkholes, and open lakes link with underground rivers. The whole area integrates mountains, cliffs, water, caves and forests, featuring wonder, peril, seclusion, grace, wildness, delicacy and uniqueness.

The bottom of each sinkhole is a botanical kingdom with well-preserved primeval forests dominated by wild palms and wild plantains. It also nurtures ancient giant vines, ramie and many other rare plant species.

All through-caves are bright and extraordinarily spacious. The ceilings are covered with stalactites and stone pillars of fantastic shapes. Cool mountain breezes flow freely through both ends, keeping the air fresh and clean. Hiking through these sinkholes feels like visiting a miniature karst geological museum