Jincang Lake

Jincang Lake (金仓湖，pinyin: JīnCāngHú) is not a simple lake but an artificial wetland park completed in 2008 and located in Taicang, in Suzhou, China. It was a public project, and the government's total investment was up to 353 million. Thanks to the successful construction of Jincang Lake, people living in the city have a chance to get close to nature.

Background to the project

Suzhou is largely connected with water and peace. Within the Suzhou region, many districts have their own leisure entertainments. For example, Wuzhong District, Wujiang city and Suzhou New District are sitting beside magnificent Taihu. As for the industrial district of Suzhou, it possesses an old pheasant lake. Then for Changshu, the Shang Lake is equally splendid. Taicang has been a typical water city since ancient times, and with regard to economic development or modernization it is no less good than any other region in Suzhou. However, disappointingly, Taicang had no special public recreation.^[1]

In 2003, the government invested in constructing a new highway connecting Suzhou, Kunshan and Taicang. The soil was mainly taken from Donglin village in Taicang, so after the engineering work, a relatively large space was left, which eventually became the main lake in Jincang Lake.

With a long-standing wish to own a unique public recreation and an appropriate opportunity, the government approved the proposal of project. In November 2007, the huge project was officially started. After about ten months of hard work, in early October 2008, the first phase was finished and a picturesque ecological park was displayed to the residents. Since then Taicang people have had their own recreational area to play, walk, camp and relax.

Environmental function

Wetlands are known as 'lungs of the urban city'. Jincang Lake is a typical wetland park. Wetlands have a unique function like a sponge, which can take in certain harmful substances. Due to wetlands' great contributions, the quality of water, environmental protection and the variety of ecological diversity can be significantly improved. The construction of Jincang Lake also insisted that principle centered in nature. Jincanghu covers an area of 6 square kilometers. In the middle of the park, a central lake covers 600,000 square meters. Surrounding the center, many different sizes of man-made streams cross. Jincang Lake has been approved to enter the provincial list. Until then, Suzhou's provincial wetland parks had increased to six and the total extent exceeded 56000 acres.^[2]

Events

Because the area of Jincang Lake is large enough and the inner environment is beautiful, many big events have chosen it as their location. The table below shows some significant events in recent years.

Attractions

Inside Jincang Lake, some tourist spots are set up for visitors to enjoy and play. Each spot has both natural and delicate features. They can give us a new and different experience which differs from fast urban life.

Barefoot Forest Park

One feature is the Barefoot Forest Park (赤足森林, Pinyin:ChìZúSēnLín).^[8][9] The concept originates in Germany. The original meaning was to get closer to nature and walk barefoot to feel nature's existence. In Taicang, there are many German-invested companies and a lot of Germans live in the city. In order to provide a leisure place for foreign and local people, the government decided to build this barefoot forest park. Now, with the popularity of the park, government takes full advantage and tourism in the city is obviously enhanced.

Photographs

References