May Day Reverse Travel: Five City Recommendations for Those Who Dislike Crowds
by Aurora Taylor
Apr 8, 2025
In Yangzhou, a cultural city nourished by the Grand Canal for thousands of years, there lies a secret retreat of tranquility amidst the bustle—**Baoxiang Lake**. Like a piece of warm jade, it is embedded at the northern end of the city's green lung, the "Slender West Lake-Shugang Scenic Area," using water as a brush and greenery as ink to outline the poetic undertone of Yangzhou people's "slow life."
🌿 **A Lake of Clear Water, a Contemporary Continuation of a Thousand-Year Cultural Heritage**
The name Baoxiang Lake originates from its historical role as a regulating hub in Yangzhou's water conservancy system, silently safeguarding the city's ecological balance. Today, it sheds its functional role and transforms into a "backyard garden" for citizens: willow trees brush the waves along the shore, pavilions reflect like paintings, and figures strolling or fishing are often seen at dawn and dusk. Occasionally, birds skim the water surface, creating ripples that form a subtle contrast with the bustling Slender West Lake nearby, enjoying a moment of serenity.
🚣♂️ **A Leisure Paradise Where Water and Land Intertwine, Suitable for Both Activity and Calm**
- **Lakeside Strolls**: The lakeside trail winds through shaded areas, with cherry blossoms lining the path in spring and colorful foliage in autumn, making every season a scenic delight.
- **Elegant Water Activities**: Row a boat on the lake or take a gondola to experience the classical charm of "a boat gliding over green waves, people traveling within a painting."
- **Sporting Vitality**: The lakeside features cycling paths and basketball courts where young people sweat it out, embodying the vitality of modern Yangzhou.
🌟 **Enchanting Nightscape, a Gentle Footnote of City Lights and Shadows**
As dusk falls, Baoxiang Lake dons a veil of neon light. The lakeside lights twinkle like stars, intertwining with their reflections in the water to form a dreamy star river. When the evening breeze brushes the face, small groups of citizens jog or chat along the lake, sketching a vivid portrait of Yangzhou as a "livable city."
**Tips**
📍 Address: Intersection of Shouxihu Road and Pingshantang Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou
🎫 Admission: Open park, free to visit
📸 Recommended Photo Spots: North of Twenty-Four Bridge overlooking the lake view, Egret Viewing Platform on the lake island
—Here, the millennium wisdom of Yangzhou’s "water-city symbiosis" quietly continues, and Baoxiang Lake, with its tranquility and inclusiveness, becomes a spiritual haven deep within the city's prosperity.🌊
Post by Chloe~Brooks | Aug 5, 2025













