Jade Lake in Yuhu Village, Lijiang

Chinese Name:玉湖村玉湖水库
English Name:  Yuhu Reservior or Jade Lake in Yuhu Village, Lijiang
Chinese Pinying: Yu Hu Cun Yu Hu Shui Ku
Keywords: Jade Lake, the wonderland, Naxi culture
Location: Located in Yuhu Village, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City
Admission Fee: Free for village and lake visiting, but charge 15 for Locke’s formal residence,
Scenic Area Level: AA
Opening Hours:  08：00-18：00

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About Yuhu Village

The Jade Lake, located in Yuhu village, is a man-made lake dug by Chieftains Mu family before the Ming dynasty in ancient China. Yuhu village is named after the local lake “Jade Lake”. In naxi language, it is called Wuluke (乌鲁可), meaning “the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain”. Yuhu village is also called Xuesong village（雪嵩村） because of the nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Chieftain Mu built the Summer Palace, Yulong Academic School, and deer farm by the lake. The earliest inhabitants in Yuhu village were people who kept deer for the king of Naxi. Naxi folk songs often refer to the Jade Lake and the deer field on the snow mountain. Locke, who first introduced Ljiang to the world, completed many of his works here.

Main Attractions

The snow water is clear with the swaying water grass in the Jade lake, blue sky and white clouds with the tall Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reflected in the lake, in which the nature is in the bottom of the lake. This “Jade Lake reflection” is one of the famous “twelve scenes of Yulong County”.

There are hectares of beautiful and endless meadows here around the Jade Lake. Grass and wild flowers are flashing among them in spring and summer, with the fair-sounding music of the cowbell and the shepherds. In the late autumn and winter, the meadow grass turns yellow and the large reeds in the lake are heaving with the wind. At the Jade Lake, there was an orange tree that can fruit sweet as honey fruits every year. People said it was the daughter of the dragon in the heaven, and hence called it the “dragon tree”.

The  Former Residence of Joseph Rock

An Austrian-American scholar, Rock who first foreign introduced the Lijiang national culture to the western world, once came and lived here for 27 years in the name of a explorer, writer, and photographer for National geographic. Here also set the headquarters of the National Geographic Society Yunnan Expedition. Visitors here in his former residence can see a collection of his remains, such as the woolen coats, shotguns, dental equipment, carpenters and aluminum leather rivets, from which reflects the livily and mysterious Naxi Dongba culture and the beauty and simplicity of Yuhu village as well as the Jade Lake.

Attraction Transportation

1. Visitors can charter a bus direct to the village for 10 Yuan per person for 10 kilometers.
2. Visitors can also take the tourists bus at Red Sun Square, get off at the ticket booth of the snow mountain, and then walk to the lake.
3. Take the bus to Yufeng Temple, get off at Dongba Divine Yard, and walk towards northeast to Yuhu village.
4. Ride bike to the village.

Yuhu village Accommodation

Stay in Yuhu village for overnight is amazing. Although it is a small village situated at the foot of the Jade Dragon Mountain, there are some well-equipped hotels that can meet you needs. Here we recommend best Yuhu village hotels in Lijiang for you, including Yuhu Village 5 Star Hotels, 4 Star Hotels and 3 Star Hotels. 

Attraction Travel Tips

1. Best traveling seasons: summer
2. Local special food: Naxi toast Tofu, highland barley wine, roasted whole lamb