The Black Dragon Pool is located at the foot of Wulao Peak of Longquan Mountain in the north suburbs of Kunming (12 km from downtown). Comprising one of the oldest Taoist temples in Yunnan Province, the Black Dragon Pool has for long been regarded as “the Most Ancient Taoist Shrine in Central Yunnan”. The “Four Wonders” inside especially highlight the sights of the park, namely: the Ancient Plum Tree (Tang Dynasty), the Cypress (Song Dynasty), the Camellia Tree (Ming Dynasty) and the Tombs of Martyrs (Ming Dynasty).   

According to “the Geography Volume of Book of Han”, there once existed a temple named “Black Water Temple” (Hei Shui Ci) in Northwest Dianchi County of Yizhou Prefecture (Yizhou Prefecture was Yunnan in the Han Dynasty). The Black Water Temple is no other than the nowadays Black Dragon Pool Taoist Temple because it’s believed that the King Dragon (Black Dragon) of Yunnan locates its palace here. Citizens of Kunming have gotten used to praying for rainfalls here since the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties.   

In the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Mr. Mu who was the governor of Yunnan Province asked to enlarge the temple and renamed it “Hei Long Gong” (Palace of the Black Dragon); and the Taoist temple complex hence began to take shape. The temple also underwent several renovations sponsored by other provincial governors of Yunnan in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Mr. Lin Zexu (1785-1850), who is known for publicly destroying the opium in 1839 in Humen Town of Guangdong Province, is said to visit the Black Dragon Pool to pray for rains for people when he was nominated as the Governor General of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in the Qing Dynasty. 

The Black Dragon Pool Park consists of numerous scenic spots such as the Upper Temple (Shangguan), the Lower Temple (Xiaguan), the Plum Garden, Two Pools, the Osmanthus Garden, the Rhododendron Valley, the Maple Forest and the Martyrs Tombs etc.

Lower Temple

Originally built in 1454, this temple is composed of two yards. The main hall is the shrine for the King Dragon (the Black Dragon) and the side halls are devoted to other deities (in the water world governed by the King Dragon). Inside the main hall, one can find a special stele inscribed by Mr. Fan Chengxun (1641-1714), the Governor General of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in the Qing Dynasty.  

Upper Temple

The entrance to the Upper Temple appears to be an archway on which one can see four big Chinese characters “Zi Ji Xuan Du” (in Taoism, “Xuandu” refers to the place where the Taoist deities live). The Upper Temple includes shrines (halls) such as the Hall of God of Thunder, the Thuban Palace (Hall), the Hall of Jade Emperor, Sanqing Hall, the Shrine of Immortal Changchun (Mr. Qiu Chuji), and the Shrine of Immortal Tongmiao etc. Situated at the mountain slope, the entire temple complex ascends from south to north.   

Plum Garden

Established in 1991, the plum garden covers an area of 28.5 hectares. It is the largest one of its kind in Yunnan Province and is a well-known destination in China for appreciating plum blossoms in wintertime. Tourist itineraries are often enriched by the annual Plum Blossoms Festival held in the Black Dragon Pool Park.  

How to get

Take taxi or Public Bus Nos. 9, 79 128, 159;