Lotus Lake, a popular tourist site in Kaohsiung, attracts more than ten thousand visitors every month for its 'one of a kind' classic and cultural atmosphere and semblance. It used to be one of the eight scenes in Fongshan City, featuring Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Spring and Autumn Pavilions, Wuli Arbor and the Confucius Temple. It is a 75 hectare wide lake with the boardwalk along the tree, located north of Panpingshan (Half-screen Mountain) and south of Turtle Mountain.
Kaohsiung City Government has embarked on many landscape transformation projects in the last couple years. Among these ambitious projects, the newly completed Lotus Lake cultural landscaping (the 1st stage) project in Zuoying District and Beiji Arbor Plaza of Yuandi Temple was the result of the cooperative effort of the city government and the directors of Yuandi Temple. It is also the first fine example of creating a better community environment by the joint effort of the city government and private parties. The total cost of the project was NT 20 million dollars, the board of Yuandi Temple was the only major sponsor beside the city government, who only paid a small amount of construction expenses.
Yuandi Temple plaza now welcomes visitors with its whole new appearance and facilities, such as, parking facilities, paved streets, a fountain. In addition, lotus has been planted in the Lotus Lake to ensure that people can always appreciate the beauty of the lotus while visiting here. In fact, the cultural characteristic has being considered as a crucial element while designing the landscaping of the Zuoying District.
The Scenic Area Administration Office of Economic Affairs Bureau is responsible for Lotus Lake and water-friendly recreation areas, which started in January this year and is expected to be completed by the end of May. The budget will be supplied by the city government, NT 16 million, and the Tourism bureau of Ministry of Transportation and Communication, 55 million.
The construction area covers from the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, the docks behind the Scenic Area Administration Office to the neighborhood around the Confucius Temple.
After the construction has been completed, along the banks of Lotus Lake we will have a boardwalk, stone bank, water recreation for children and parents, water fall and water plants. Each area will be equipped with various features. In the future, it will be managed by private companies. In addition, the completion will bring prosperity to this area. Soon, Lotus Lake will once again be full of lotus and it fragrance.
蓮池潭北依半屏山，南近龜山，潭面廣達七十五公頃，環潭步道夾岸垂柳，綠樹成蔭，潭邊有色彩鮮豔、雕龍畫棟的龍虎塔、春秋閣、五里亭，還有全國最壯觀的孔廟，十分古色古香，過去曾是鳳山八景之一，平均每個月吸引數萬名國內外旅客慕名前往遊覽。
高雄市政府為發展觀光產業，近年進行多項景觀改造工程，最具特色的是去年中剛剛完工的「左營蓮池潭文化地景（第一期）工程暨元帝廟北極亭廣場風貌再造」，由市府與元帝廟管理委員會共同協商推動，首開政府與民間攜手打造社區的先例，工程經費約二千零八十萬元，全由元帝廟管理委員會出資施作，市府只配合分攤極少部份的工程經費。
如今，元帝廟前廣場的停車空間、鋪面、街道傢俱、路燈重新佈設，北極亭前的廣場及兩側公園也重新再造，在入口意象噴泉前可觀賞水舞表演及及開放空間的造景，蓮花復育池畔可品賞蓮池潭的特色蓮花，漫步在北極亭岸邊的蓮畔光廊，則可欣賞蓮潭夕照與潭中美景，在整體文化地景改造過程中，更注入左營在地的文化特質及風俗民情。
由市府建設局風景區管理所負責的「蓮池潭風景區設施整建工程」及「親水性景觀設施改善工程」，在今年元月間動工，將趕在五月底完工，除市府自編經費一千六百廿萬元之外，交通部觀光局另補助五千五百萬元。
施工範圍自龍虎塔、風景區管理所後方的泛舟碼頭、艇庫碼頭及環潭路連接孔廟的半月橋，並規劃了「榕園廣場區」、「親水廣場區」及「光之門區」。
完工後，蓮池潭沿岸將有木棧道、砌石堤岸、親水台階、適合親子戲水的親水設施、水幕高牆及流瀑，同時配置水生植物，讓各區的配置各有特色，既活潑又充滿變化，日後並將委外經營管理，引入商業機能，振興地方產業發展。等蓮池潭底泥完成清疏後，還將進行蓮花復育，讓「泮池荷香」勾勒未來美景。