Photo adjustments
Proportionally resized and converted to WebP without cropping, retouching or changing the photographed subject.
Explore the region
About Dianshan Lake
Its broad shoreline supports waterside recreation and a different sense of scale from the nearby canal towns.
Choose a specific shore destination rather than navigating to the centre of the lake. The eastern side can be approached through the Oriental Land area; Zhujiajiao offers a separate canal-town visit nearby in the wider Qingpu district. These are distinct stops requiring planned local connections.
Dianshan Lake was originally called Xuedian Lake (薛淀湖) and is one of many lakes within the Taihu Lake system (太湖水系), located in the Shangta area (商榻地区). It is a source of the Wusong River (Suzhou Creek) (吴淞江) and the Huangpu River: part of its water flows east through the Caogang (漕港) channel and then north into the Wusong River, while some flows southeast through the Lanlu Gang (拦路港) into the Huangpu River.
The lake adjoins Yuandang Lake (元荡), most of which lies in Jiangsu province, on its west side, and connects to the Taipu River (太浦河) to the south. Nearby attractions include Zhouzhuang, Zhujiajiao, Dongfang Lvzhou and the Shanghai Grand View Garden (上海大观园), with surrounding towns including Xicen, Jinze, Shangta and Jinxi.
The lake is designated a national water conservancy scenic area (国家水利风景区) and named one of the 'new eight views of Shanghai' (沪上新八景); it covers an area equivalent to 11.5 West Lakes. Its clear water supports rowing, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and dragon-boat racing, and it served as the water-sports sub-venue for the 5th National Games of China. On the left bank of the Lanlu Gang's mouth stands Guanwang Temple (关王庙), built in 1640; it was rebuilt as Baoguo Temple (报国寺), a subsidiary of Shanghai's Yufo Temple (上海玉佛寺), in the 1990s.
What to look for
- The broad freshwater lake contrasts with Qingpu’s narrow canal-town waterways.
- The eastern shore near Oriental Land provides a defined area for a lakeside visit.
Background & history
Dianshan Lake (simplified Chinese: 淀山湖; traditional Chinese: 澱山湖; pinyin: Diànshān Hú) is a freshwater lake west of Zhujiajiao, Qingpu District, in Shanghai, China. Measuring 62 square kilometers (23.9 sq mi), it is the largest freshwater lake in Shanghai and the upstream of the Huangpu River. The Shanghai Water Sports Centre was supposed to be the venue for the 2021 World Rowing Championships, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. It was the venue for the World Rowing Championships in September 2025.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: Dianshan Lake · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.
Location & getting there
Getting to Dianshan Lake
Use Oriental Land station for the eastern side of Dianshan Lake, then take the appropriate local connection to your selected public shore destination.
Combine your visit
A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.
-
Selected eastern-shore viewpoint
Begin with the open lake landscape at a confirmed public access point.
-
Zhujiajiao朱家角
Compare the lake setting with a canal town after a separately planned local transfer.
This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.
Find Dianshan Lake
淀山湖 · 青浦区
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Oriental Land 东方绿舟
5 km awayOriental Land is a large youth-education and recreation park in Qingpu near Dianshan Lake. Its themed spaces combine landscape, model architecture and scientific or cultural interpretation.
View guide →Zhujiajiao 朱家角
8 km awayZhujiajiao developed as a water town trading in rice and cloth. Stone bridges, canals and buildings along the banks preserve the physical relationship between commerce and waterways.
View guide →Former Residence of Chen Yun 陈云故居及纪念馆
14 km awayThe Chen Yun Memorial in Liantang combines the former residence with a larger exhibition complex about his life. The site includes the main museum, an objects gallery and a corridor displaying reproductions of his handwriting.
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “Dianshan Lake” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1365987634.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, listing “Dianshan Lake” · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "淀山湖", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92183645.