Baofeng Lake

Baofeng Lake takes its name from nearby Baofeng Mountain. It is a distinctive high-gorge lake among Zhangjiajie’s sandstone peak forests. Its basin developed where flowing water eroded a depression along three sets of rock joints and water accumulated. The lake follows the mountains in a long, irregular shape.

Unusual peaks and overlapping ridges line the shore. Clear, mirror-like water reflects the green mountains and rock pinnacles, while the mountains frame the water in return. Together they create the poetic landscape for which the lake is known.

After visiting, the writer and poet Wang Zengqi expressed the scene in verse: “A mirror lies hidden among emerald hills, as if the scenery of the Three Gorges had gathered around it. Boats glide into reflections of green mountains, startling pairs of mandarin ducks into flight.”

The Baofeng Goddess stands beside Baofeng Lake as a single quartz-sandstone pillar. Also called Fairy Gazing into a Mirror, the formation is about 10 metres high and is reflected in the water. Its outline resembles a graceful young woman with her hair in a high bun, delicate features and softly hanging sleeves, looking down at the lake as though arranging her appearance. Gazing from a boat, the clear water mirrors her figure; a passing breeze almost seems to carry her quiet laughter, creating an enchanting scene.