The Book of Songs is the oldest of the Chinese classics and dates back to the Shang period (17th-11th BCE). These songs held huge importance in Confucianism and in Chinese literature. Within its text are numerous tributes to birds, animals, insects, fish, flowers, trees, and plants, many of which can be found in Haizhu Wetland.

"The white egrets fly in a row over the west marsh." This famous sentence from the Book of Hymns in the Book of Songs describes egrets, an important biological species in wetland ecosystems. In ancient times, egrets with pure white feathers were seen as noble and sacred, with their external beauty matched by their internal noble spirit.

An egret feeds in the water. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]

Today, Haizhu Lake and Bird Island in the center of Haizhu Wetland provide a vast water surface for egrets, herons, and night herons. Many migratory birds are attracted by their environment and settle there.

The egrets' beauty not only attracts bird lovers, but they also integrate seamlessly into the natural scenery of the forest and water to create stunning images. The slender body of the egret in the sunset is particularly elegant.

Egrets in Haizhu Wetland. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]