Twelve kilometres north of central Kunming, at the foot of Longquan Hill, the Black Dragon Pool is a Daoist temple complex built around a deep limestone spring. The temple is one of the oldest religious sites in the province — a Han-dynasty foundation, repeatedly rebuilt — and is famous for its ancient trees: a Tang-dynasty plum, a Song cypress, and a Ming camellia, all still living and prominently labelled.
The pool itself is the visual centrepiece. The water is improbably clear and dark, and from certain angles you can see the two springs that feed it flowing side by side without mixing. The park around the pool is a popular Sunday outing for older Kunmingers, and in February and March the plum blossom here is one of the best displays in the city.