Statue in Front of the Five Phoenix Pavillion 五凤楼 at Black Dragon Pool 黑龙潭
The Five Phoenix Pavillion is a small temple complex within the Black Dragon Pool Park grounds. It is built on the foot of Elephant Hill. The pavilion was built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, which puts it at around 1601, this served as the villa and family temple of the Mu chieftain. The Mu 木 family was the reigning chieftain of the Naxi dominated society of Lijiang Ancient Town. Actually, the Mu surname only came to be because the invading Ming Forces conferred the surname to the cooperating Naxi chiefs. They even have their own palace complex within the ancient town, but more on that later.
Stairs Up the Five Phoenix Pavillion 五凤楼 at Black Dragon Pool 黑龙潭
The Five Phoenix Pavillion is rather strange if it was really a villa since the ancient town was just nearby, I didn’t even have to take public transportation to get here maybe distance back then was way shorter. Anyway, disregarding its apparent proximity to the ancient town, the location of the pavilion is excellent since this place was really quiet even until this day. The pavilion faces the waters of the Black Dragon Pool and you can see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on a good day as well, no wonder the Mu Chieftain didn’t have to go far to set up his villa.
[xmlgm {http://www.worldwanderings.net/kml/BlackdDragonPool.kmz} zoom=19]