Zongjiao Lukang Park - Great Place to Shoot Water Reflection of Potala Palace

Zongjiao Lukang Park (宗角禄康公园) is the most famous water area near the Potala Palace. Most of the photos of the Potala Palace reflected in the water are taken from here. In Tibetan, "Zongjiao" means “behind the palace”; "Lukang" means Lushen (God Lu) Temple. Lushen in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion is the general name of a kind of gods living in the underground and water. It resembles the pronunciation of “Longshen” (Dragon King) in Chinese, so the pool in the park is called Dragon King Pool and the park is also called Dragon King Pool Park.

Apart from being a good spot to appreciate the Potala Palace, the park itself is well planned and has pleasant scenery. You can feel a harmonious combination of culture, nature, and creature in the people, architecture and animals here. After visiting the Potala Palace, it is a good choice to have a nice walk at Zongjiao Lukang Park.

In the 17th century, a large amount of gravel and earth here were used to expand the Potala Palace. Then the transudatory groundwater accumulated and formed a pool (Dragon King Pool). During the period of the Sixth Dalai Lama, a pavilion was built on the small island amid the pool according to the mandala in Tibetan Buddhist rituals, and a five hole stone arch bridge with a width of more than 3 meters and a length of more than 20 meters was built to connect the island with the outside world. Later, the eighth and thirteenth Dalai Lama also renovated this area.

In 2006, Lhasa municipal government re-planned the park. Now it is an free open park with gravel paths, stone tables and chairs, lawns and fountains, trees and flowers. Lhasa people come here to do morning exercise, feed the birds and ducks, and spend some quality time with their families or friends. It is also the nearest Kora place to the Potala Palace.

Zongjiao Lukang Park Highlights

Take a Photo of the Water Reflection of Potala Palace

Have you seen the beautiful photos on the Internet about the water reflection of the Potala Palace? Do you want to take one by yourself? Here is where most of those pictures are taken. This is also the main reason of a great number of tourists who pay a visit here. When there is no wind, you can see the clear reflection of the red and white Potala Palace on the mirror-like Dragon King Pool. The best time to catch the sight is in the early morning when the pool surface is calm with no tourists having come yet for a boat ride or birds playing on the water.

Have a Leisure Stroll around the Park

Zongjiao Lukang has everything you would expect for a park. The willows are swaying lightly in the breeze along Dragon King Pool. Ducks and migrant birds are enjoying themselves on the water or road. You can easily find a bench to sit down and have a rest or chat with your friends. At the same time, the white pagodas, colorful pavilions and people with prayer wheels are constantly reminding you that it is a Tibetan-style park. There is a three-storey temple that mainly worships God Lu. Every year on April 15th in the Tibetan calendar, which is Saga Dawa Festival, people will come here to offer hada, offerings and light butter lamps.

Blend into the Daily Life of Local Tibetan

Though Zongjiao Lukang is not a big park, it is one of the favorite places local people like to go. In the morning or at dusk, you can join in the joyful Guozhuang dance in the sunshine. Or on a comfortable afternoon, step into a sweet tea house and have a cup of sweet tea and a bowl of Tibetan noodle. It seems that everyone here is at ease; no matter it’s pious pilgrims or just someone wandering around, no matter it’s men, women, the senior or the kids. So maybe you can also put aside your busy life for a while and take the time you need to feel the authentic plateau life in the sun.

Zongjiao Lukang Park is in the northern part of Lhasa and you can take a bus or taxi to get there easily. It is located only about 300m behind the famous Potala Palace, about 3 km (15 minutes’ drive) from Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street.

● From Lhasa Gonggar Airport: about 60 km, 70 min by car. Airport shuttle bus is available to Lhasa city near the eastern gate of Potala Palace.

● From Lhasa Railway Station: about 9 km, 30 min by car.

● Ticket & Opening Hours: Zongjiao Lukang Park is admission free and opens all day.

● Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 hours is sufficient to tour around Zongjiao Lukang Park. But if you are not in a hurry, it is a relaxing experience to spend more time here.

● Best Time to Visit: Zongjiao Lukang Park is suitable to visit all year round. You can come here in spring to meet the pink flowers, in summer to take part in Saga Dawa Festival or Shoton Festival, in autumn to see the painting-like yellow trees, or in winter to have fun on the frozen pool. The best visiting time depends on what views you’d like to encounter.

Potala Palace: Potala Palace, the must-visit site of Lhasa, regarded as a landmark and the symbol of Tibet, is a great giant palace consisting of many houses, towers, chapels, etc. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Potala Palace is the highest palace in the world. Because of its spectacular architectural style, it is honored as one of the most beautiful architectural buildings in the world. As the historic ensemble of Lhasa, Potala Palace, together with the exceptional Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka is the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jokhang Temple: Jokhang Temple (or Jokhang Monastery) is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims. Situated at the heart of the old town of Lhasa and surrounded by Barkhor Street, this 4 storied building, was built in the 7th century by Songtsan Gambo, with gilded bronze tiles covering the roof, and demonstrates a combination of the architectural style of Han, Tibetan, India, and Nepal, as well as a Mandala world outlook of Buddhism.

Barkhor Street: Barkhor Street is the popular circumambulation for pilgrims and a commercial center. Being “a saint road” in the eyes of Tibetan, you can feel the local spiritual belief when you see different pilgrims from all over Tibet in different dresses and dialects to pray devoutly along Barkhor Street. Like a miniature of Lhasa, it shows you another aspect of the Tibetan life. There are an eyeful of fantastic stores and shops to display most characteristic items and commodities such as thangkas, prayer wheels, prayer flags and milk tea. Barkhor Street is such a great place to buy some souvenirs and suck up the local Tibetan lifestyle.