Dushu Lake
{{Short description|Fresh water lake in Suzhou, China}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Dushu Lake
| native_name = {{Native name|zh|独墅湖}}
| image = 独墅湖教堂日落Dushu Lake Christian Church Sunset.jpg
| caption = Dushu Lake
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = Suzhou, Jiangsu
| coords = {{coord|31.273|N|120.700|E|type:waterbody_region:CN-32|display=inline,title}}
| lake_type = Freshwater Lake
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| pushpin_map = China Jiangsu
| basin_countries = China
| length = {{convert|18.07|km|abbr=on}}
| width =
| area = {{convert|9.19|km2|abbr=on}}
| depth = {{convert|6.5|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth = {{convert|8|m|abbr=on}}
| volume = {{convert|620,000,000|m3|abbr=on}}
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| cities = Suzhou, Jiangsu
}}
Dushu Lake ({{zh|s=独墅湖}}) is a freshwater lake in the southern part of Suzhou Industrial Park. It is located in the junction of four towns: Guoxiang (郭巷), Chefang (车坊), Xietang (斜塘) and Loufeng (娄葑). The area of Dushu Lake is 9.19 square kilometers with an average depth of 6.5 meters.{{Cite web|title=苏州市水务局|url=http://water.suzhou.gov.cn/slj/hhjj/201711/e9468aecbdda44a0b9d9a6bc29994b73.shtml|access-date=2022-02-12|website=water.suzhou.gov.cn}}{{Cite web |date=2011-12-19 |title=五、湖泊-苏州地方志 |url=http://www.dfzb.suzhou.gov.cn/zsbl/1465627.htm |access-date=2022-02-12 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219025207/http://www.dfzb.suzhou.gov.cn/zsbl/1465627.htm |archive-date=19 December 2011 |url-status=dead}} The lake connects the Jinji Lake (金鸡湖) at its north end, the Fengmen Pond (葑门塘) at its west, and is fed by the Wusong River (吴淞江) from the south-east. The earliest proof of possible human activity around Dushu Lake can be traced back 5500 years, according to an archaeology report conducted in 2001. The findings were significant in analyzing Suzhou's climate, geography, and environment in ancient times.{{Cite web|title=新华网--江苏频道|url=http://www.js.xinhuanet.com/htm2/102614.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040602093532/http://www.js.xinhuanet.com/htm2/102614.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2004|access-date=2022-02-12|website=www.js.xinhuanet.com}} Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town is located by the east bank of the lake, and two tunnels run through the lake, connecting the east and west bank.
History
In 2001, archaeologists from the Suzhou Cultural Relics Committee (苏州市文物管理委员会) and the Suzhou Museum (苏州博物馆) found more than 300 (1379 in total) wells from ancient times underneath Dushu Lake, further verifying historical records that indicate human activity from the Neolithic era to the Northern Song dynasty around the area.{{Cite web|title=独墅湖湖底古村落 - 档案管理中心|url=http://www.sipac.gov.cn/szdaglzx/yqfzrwls/202102/60cae105428140ffae0918ff8c0c741f.shtml|access-date=2022-02-12|website=www.sipac.gov.cn}} Evidence of wells were first found accidentally by workers digging under the lake. The findings proved human activity in the Fanxietang Area (泛斜塘地区) 5500 years ago. The two-month archaeology study also found and repaired 155 pieces of cultural relics which were collected and stored by the Suzhou Cultural Relics Committee and the Suzhou Museum under the instruction of the Suzhou government.
Geography
Dushu Lake is connected to Jinji Lake from the north, Fengmen Pond from the west and Wusong River from the south-east. The lakebed is generally flat, and is relatively harder on the east side where the depth of water is shallower. The water gets deeper in the northern part with a softer lakebed. The maximum depth of Dushu Lake is {{convert|8|m}}, with an average of {{convert|6.5|m}}. The total water volume of the lake is {{convert|620,000,000|m3|}}. The average water level is {{convert|2.9|m}} from 1993 to 2005. The maximum length of Dushu Lake is {{convert|18.07|km}}, separated by Wuzhong District ({{cvt|5.88|km|disp=sqbr}}) and Suzhou Industrial Park ({{cvt|12.19|km|disp=sqbr}}).
Transportation
= Dushu Lake Tunnel (独墅湖隧道) =
Construction began in May 2006 and has been open to traffic since October 2007.{{Cite web|title=苏州工业园区新闻中心 - 南环东延工程再得大奖|url=http://news.sipac.gov.cn/sipnews/jwhg/2012yqdt/01/201201/t20120102_133729.htm|access-date=2022-01-24|website=news.sipac.gov.cn|archive-date=2022-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124053636/http://news.sipac.gov.cn/sipnews/jwhg/2012yqdt/01/201201/t20120102_133729.htm|url-status=dead}} The Dushu Lake Tunnel is the first and longest project that connects the city bridge to the underwater tunnel in mainland China. Dushu Lake Tunnel connects East-South-Ring Highway Interchange and Xinghu Street in Suzhou Industrial Park with a full-length of {{cvt|7.37|km}}.{{Cite web|title=苏州工业园区新闻中心 - 苏州的道路隧道|url=http://news.sipac.gov.cn/sipnews/jwhg/2015yqdt/06/201506/t20150623_361477.htm|access-date=2022-01-24|website=news.sipac.gov.cn|archive-date=2022-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124053636/http://news.sipac.gov.cn/sipnews/jwhg/2015yqdt/06/201506/t20150623_361477.htm|url-status=dead}} This connection enables future transportation and also encourages growth throughout Suzhou Industrial Park.
= The Second Dushu Lake Tunnel (独墅湖第二通道) =
Aiming to ease the traffic flow in Dushu Lake Tunnel, the Second Dushu Lake Tunnel was estimated to be open to traffic by the end of 2021.{{Cite web|title=独墅湖第二通道开建 计划2021年底建成通车 - 苏州市人民政府|url=http://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/szyw/201810/GHVN11UGMG47DGA84QRE20Z51QIA26CR.shtml|access-date=2022-01-24|website=www.suzhou.gov.cn}} Connecting Wuzhong District (吴中区) and Suzhou Industrial Park, The Second Dushu Lake Tunnel has a full-length of {{cvt|3.93|km}}, and is a dual-direction underwater tunnel. The tunnel could shorten the commuting time from Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town to Guoxiang (郭巷) from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. By the end of August 2021, the progress of the tunnel's main body was 87% and the bridge pier was 70% completed.{{Cite web|title=独墅湖第二通道开始围堰回水 - 苏州工业园区管理委员会|url=http://www.sipac.gov.cn/szgyyq/mtjj/202108/fe9a38aa4ff745b883c983314a6aa2ab.shtml|access-date=2022-02-12|website=www.sipac.gov.cn}}
Tourist Attractions
= Dushu Lake Christian Church =
Ten thousand Christians reside in Suzhou Industrial Park, half of whom are non-Chinese. Correspondingly, Dushu Lake Christian Church opened in May 2010 and was the first bilingual church in mainland China. The church takes 5,600 square meters to hold 2,100 people.{{Cite web|title=China's First Bilingual Church: Dushu Lake Christian Church in Suzhou|url=http://chinachristiandaily.com/news/church_ministry/2017-03-16/china-s-first-bilingual-church--dushu-lake-christian-church-in-suzhou_4379|access-date=2022-02-07|website=chinachristiandaily.com}}
= Egret Park (白鹭园) =
Egret Park is located by the east bank of Dushu Lake. It was named Egret Park because many egrets reside in the area. The park has 180,000 square meters and 76.5% of the site is covered by landscape greenery.{{Cite web|title=苏州白鹭园|url=https://sz.ustc.edu.cn/2021/0603/c2974a511562/page.htm|access-date=2022-02-07|website=sz.ustc.edu.cn}}
= Dongwu Temple (东吴寺) =
Dongwu Temple is located on Xinghu Road in the southwest part of Dushu Lake. It was built between the end of the Yuan dynasty and the beginning of the Ming dynasty. It was destroyed during the Second Sino-Japanese War and was later rebuilt.{{Cite web|title=中国大运河虚拟展示平台|url=https://dyh.canalmuseum.net/travel/5bafd0a2dd09119122/5ded1bd043e5b69b10/5e05a6e8d9eece1a70/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=dyh.canalmuseum.net}}
Gallery
File:独墅湖（白天）.jpg|Dushu Lake (Daytime)
File:苏州独墅湖.jpg|Dushu Lake
File:独墅湖教堂（福音台）.jpg|Dushu Lake Christian Church
File:Dushu Lake Sunset.jpg|Dushu Lake Sunset
File:独墅湖教堂日落Dushu Lake Christian Church Sunset.jpg|Dushu Lake Christian Church Sunset
File:独墅湖教堂（广场）.jpg|Dushu Lake Christian Church (Square)
File:独墅湖基督教堂牧师楼.jpg|Dushu Lake Christian Church
File:白鹭园（公园一角）Egret Park.jpg|Egret Park
File:白鹭园（蜿蜒的小路）Egret Park (Meandering path).jpg|Egret Park
References
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