Lake No Worries (Mochou 莫愁湖), located west to Qinhuai River with a total area 32 hectares, was a man-made waterway created about 1,500 years ago.
It was initially called Stone City Lake and assumed the current name in tribute to a local woman maned Mochou known for her beauty, talent and miserable life.
As a huge pond in the urban centre of Nanjing, the ancient capital of Wu Kingdom (Three Kingdoms Period), Liang Kingdom (as shown in TV drama Nirvana in Fire) and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was particularly popular since Southern Song and Ming dynasties when the political and cultural centres moved back to Yangtze River delta region.
There were numerous poems depicting and praising its enchanting scene, hence we can get some ideas on how the landscape looked during the ancient time.
Here is a Ming Dynasty couplet:
粉黛江山留得半湖烟雨
王侯事业都如一局棋枰
In the misty rain, the lake is so pretty like a dressed-up beauty with half of her face hidden.
In the shifting world, all noble figures are just pieces on a chessboard in a game played by the time.
Lotus blossoms are blooming in a traditional Chinese style building by Mochou No Worry Lake
COMMENTS FROM GOOGLE PLUS
Arien N. Hammell
The natural world around us is a constant reminder of how, no matter how important we are to other people, we will always be small beings in the eyes of a vast, mysterious universe.
In just a few short verses, such a fact is expressed with such poetic beauty; I can see why you enjoy that couplet~
All Things Chinese
You are so right. We are so preoccupied with the tiny portion of ourselves, that we forget the vast universe is also part of each of ourselves.
Arien N. Hammell
This is such a lovely view for a lovely flower~ Did this area once have a garden in the past?
All Things Chinese
Its location used to be outside of city gate but now it becomes an inner-city lake.
Arien N. Hammell
Thanks~ I wonder how much of the area still remains unchanged from the way it was in the past? It’s an interesting idea to think that the people from ancient times might have admired the beauty of this area the same way that we do today 🙂