On the western shore of Erhai Lake, at the closest point where Gusheng Village meets the water, stands the Gusheng Dragon King Temple. Built during the Qing Dynasty, this low-profile, single-eave structure faces directly east, greeting the morning sun across the deep blue lake.

The temple's origin links to a legendary voyage. On the twenty-third day of the seventh lunar month, the monk Xuanzang crossed Erhai Lake. When his sacred scriptures tumbled into the water, local loaches pushed the texts back to the shore. To thank these creatures, the Bai ethnic community established the annual Life-Releasing Assembly. Every year on this lunar date, villagers gather at the water's edge, their hands holding slippery, wriggling loaches before releasing them into the cold lake. The air fills with the acoustic, reedy melodies of traditional Bai Dongjing music, played by local musicians.

Inside the main hall, the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas and other maritime deities watch over the water. Outside, a stone railing platform projects toward the lake. Carved onto the temple structure, a poetic couplet reads: "The deep blue sea is clear, all manifestations of nature return to spring, singing of a prosperous age; Rain and dew moisten, all living beings obtain blessings, enjoying peace."

On January 20, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping stood at these very stone railings. He took a commemorative photo, noting his hope that the water would be cleaner upon his return. This moment catalyzed a major ecological shift. The local government completed a 3,300-square-meter lakeside wetland protection project, transforming the surrounding shoreline.

Today, the temple is protected under the Gusheng Village Protection and Management Measures, preserving its status within a designated National Traditional Village. It serves as a key stop along the Erhai Ecological Corridor. The temple remains a quiet sanctuary where the scent of lake moisture, the ring of ancient music, and the smooth touch of weathered stone connect the Bai people to their ancestral waters.