Chao Lake is located in the middle of Anhui Province and is one of the five largest fresh-water lakes in China. The lake is named for its resemblance to a bird’s nest. As the legend goes, the site of Chao Lake was once a city called Chaozhou. One day, an old lady named Jiao had a premonition that the city would soon sink. She informed people living in the city of this bad news and led them to safety. To commemorate this great old lady, the lake was also called Jiao Lake later on.
Covering an area of about 750 square kilometers (290 square miles), Chao Lake is a national key scenic spot. The lake is dotted with many tourist sites, such as Laoshan Island, Zhongmiao Temple, the three famous hot springs – Bantang, Tang Pool and Fragrant Spring, four national forest parks and five water-eroded caves.
Located at the center of Chao Lake, Laoshan (Mt. Lao) Island is the most renowned site. Many cultural sites are scattered on the island, such as Wenfeng Pagoda, Shengfei Temple, Nantang Port and some other pavilions. Built in 1631, Wenfeng Pagoda is an octagonal brick building with a height of about 50 meters (164 feet). On the walls of each storey are inscribed some epigraphs and poems. The pagoda also houses about 802 Buddhist figures and 25 horizontal boards.
