Xiamen, Fujian Province, China

14. Wanshi Lake in Xiamen

We have strolled along this lake several times with our students. It is a pleasant place to visit. There is a very extensive Bonsai garden here, well worth the visit. Located on the north Lion Hill of southeast Xiamen urban district, Wanshi Botanical Garden is a unique combination of park and botanical garden. With historic remains scattering about, this place became a scenic spot for tourists since ancient time. Xue Qifeng, a famous scholar of early Qing Dynasty, praised it in one of his poems like this---"Hills and rocks combine all the views and the garden has been claiming unparalleled wonder through the ages." Wanshi Botanical Garden heads the list of Xiamen eight views by holding five of them. There are also nearly 100 stone inscriptions in rocks.

The year of 1952 saw the construction of Wanshi Rock Reservoir around which the Botanical Garden was extended. More than 20 plant plots, flower nurseries and display rooms have been classified. They are specializing in palm, bamboo, orchid, potted landscape and medicinal plants, etc. Tens of thousands of tropical and subtropical plants are cultivated there. It is well known throughout the world for its fruitful scientific research.