Like Shishahai Lake in Beijing, West Lake in Hangzhou and Erhai Lake in Dali, there is also a special lake in the heart of Kunming, which speaks the city’s past and future.
Green Lake Park, or Cuihu Park as locals call it for years, has witnessed the history of Kunming. It bears fond memories of its people in this history-laden spring city.
For locals, Green Lake Park is probably the closest park in the city centre that offers green space for people to enjoy a peaceful time; for tourists, Green Lake Park has always on the “to-go” list. It is no wonder that a park, which is as old as 700 years could draw visitors from home and abroad each year. For decades, Green Lake Park has been closely related to major historic events in Kunming. But there are also several cultural landmarks around it that we would like to share with you.
Don’t be surprised to see groups of people dancing and singing folk songs within each corner of the park. Many locals, especially those elderly, gather around in the park and to enjoy the green environment and the companion of their peers. Visitors could join them and also it is a great place to take photos in the park. The park depicts different seasons in a lovely way.
Ticket: Free
Opening Time: 7:00 am – 11:00 pm
Address: No. 67 South Cuihu Road, Wuhua District, Kunming
Transport: Bus No. 1, 100, 103 to Yunnan University or South Cuihu Road
Yunnan Provincial Library was built in 1909. It situated within the so-called “cultural circle near Green Lake”, surrounded by renowned universities and other cultural landmarks.
In nearly 100 years, it had observed different stages of the history of Kunming: from the end of the Qing Dynasty, Republic of China (1912-1949) to People’s Republic of China. The provincial library boasts rich collection of books about Yunnan and its people.
Opening Time: 9:00 – 17:00 (Sunday is closed for Foreign Languages Library)
Address: No. 141 South Cuihu Road, Wuhua District, Kunming
On the southeastern side of Green Lake, a delicate French style mansion hides itself with lush green plants. Take a closer look, we found that it is the Mansion of Lu Han, who was once the provincial governor of Yunnan during the Republic of China. After opening the ports, especially after the Yunnan - Vietnam railway was completed in 1915, local architectural style was obviously influenced by the French style. Therefore, there was a wave of new French style buildings flourished in Kunming. But the Mansion of Lu Han is said to be the well-protected one.
Address: No. 4 South Cuihu Road, Wuhua District, Kunming