As the summer heat deepens after the summer solstice, the lotus ponds at Jinyazi in Lingjiang Town, Cangxi County—known as the Moonlit Twin Ponds—have entered their prime viewing season. Stretches of lotus flowers are blooming in succession, and the tranquil waterscape has become a favorite spot for locals seeking leisure outings, photography, and sketching trips on the city’s outskirts, adding a bright summer charm to the county’s rural cultural tourism.

The Moonlit Twin Ponds feature a distinctive lotus landscape built around the natural twin-pond waterscape. Above the clear green water, layered lotus leaves spread out in lush, verdant carpets, dotted with pink and white blossoms at varied stages—some still in bud, others fully open, standing gracefully with an air of purity untouched by worldly dust. A gentle breeze sweeps across the ponds, carrying faint wafts of lotus fragrance, while the reflections of swaying blooms on the water create a scene of understated elegance and serenity.

The site is equipped with a lakeside slow-trail system, allowing visitors to stroll or cycle along the ponds, escaping the urban bustle and immersing themselves in the pastoral tranquility. The views differ charmingly between dawn and dusk: bees flit among the flowers collecting nectar, while the interplay of emerald leaves and shimmering water paints a healing summer countryside tableau.

In recent years, Cangxi County has steadily enhanced its modern public cultural service system, tapping into rural ecological and cultural tourism resources. Leveraging natural landscapes such as lotus ponds and wetlands, it has developed a number of short-haul micro-vacation destinations. With its quiet, off-the-beaten-path lotus scenery, Moonlit Twin Ponds avoids the crowds of major tourist attractions and caters to diverse needs—family outings, photo shoots, and short leisure getaways—effectively enriching the county’s summer tourism product offerings.

(Photos by Zhang Wenzhong, Gou Deqiang, and Zhao Hongwen.)

【原文】苍溪月映双潭荷叶田田

夏至过后，暑气渐浓，苍溪县陵江镇金垭子月映双潭荷塘迎来最佳观赏期，连片荷花次第绽放，清幽水景成为市民近郊休闲、摄影采风热门点位，为全县乡村文旅增添夏日亮色。

月映双潭依托双潭水景打造特色荷塘景观，一汪碧水之上，层层荷叶连绵铺展、青翠欲滴，粉白荷花错落点缀其间。有的花苞含苞待放，有的花朵全然舒展，亭亭玉立不染尘俗。微风穿塘而过，淡雅荷香徐徐飘散，水面荷影摇曳，尽显温婉清幽。

园区配套环湖慢行步道，游客可沿塘散步、骑行，远离城区喧嚣，沉浸式感受田园静谧。晨昏景致各有韵味，蜜蜂穿梭花间采蜜，碧叶水光相映，勾勒出治愈感满满的夏日田园画卷。

近年来，苍溪县持续完善现代公共文化服务体系，深挖乡村生态文旅资源，依托荷塘、湿地等自然景观打造一批短途微度假点位。月映双潭凭借小众清幽的荷景，避开热门景区人流，适配家庭出游、摄影打卡、短途休闲等多元需求，有效丰富县域夏季旅游产品供给。

（魏文进）