Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple

Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple

The Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing.

Traveling west from the Summer Palace along the Wenyi Highway beside the Jingmi Canal, after passing Lengquan Village, you enter the territory of Wenquan Town. Along the broad road, you’ll see a lush green hill called Huamei Mountain. Atop the hill stands a magnificent temple with red walls and yellow tiles, which comes into view—a place of renown: the Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple. According to *Scenic Spots of the Imperial Capital*, “The Black Dragon Pool lies north of Jinshan Pass, where a hill shelters a Dragon King Temple with green halls and red walls. In front of the corridor lies the pool. Locals say a black dragon dwells within, hence the name Black Dragon Pool.” Legend has it that the black dragon was the son of the Dragon King of the East Sea. One year, upon returning home, he found his pool occupied by a white dragon, who often transformed into a scholar in white to harm the people. The righteous black dragon fought the white dragon in midair and eventually hurled it to death on Huamei Mountain, reclaiming the pool. It’s said that a large rock on Huamei Mountain still bears deep grooves, known locally as the “Dragon-Slaying Stone.”

The Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple faces east and is built against the mountain. The temple gate is inscribed with “Imperially Commissioned Black Dragon King Temple,” but no date is recorded, so the year of the inscription remains unknown. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tubular tiles and features a ridge adorned with mythical beast ornaments. The single-bay gate is 5 meters wide and 1.8 meters deep. To the north of the gate lies the Black Dragon Pool, surrounded by a semicircular corridor over 1 meter wide. The inner side is divided into 33 sections by more than 30 wooden pillars, with gray tiles and white walls, and various shaped lattice windows—square, round, diamond, and fan-shaped. The pool of water shines like a bright pearl. Local records state that the pool spans ten acres, with water flowing from rock crevices that never dry up, overflowing into the fields with a gentle gurgle.

Forty years ago, villagers washed clothes in the pool outside the red walls, where the water was clear and delightful. In recent years, due to excessive groundwater extraction, the pool now holds less than a foot of water. Climbing 11 steps up the granite stairway, you’ll find stele pavilions to the north and south, with wooden structures and double-eaved hipped roofs covered in yellow glazed tubular tiles. The steles bear imperial inscriptions from Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, detailing the history of the Dragon King Temple and the emperors’ visits to pray for rain. The pedestals of the steles feature the motif of two dragons playing with a pearl. Ascending seven stone steps through a glazed gate leads to the courtyard of the Dragon King Hall. After climbing 11 steps to the platform and then three more steps, you reach the Dragon King Hall, a three-bay structure with a double-eaved hipped roof and a rolled-up front porch, topped with yellow glazed tiles. The central shrine houses a seated statue of the Dragon King. Beside the hall stands a white marble stele from the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, recording the construction of the temple. According to the stele, the Dragon King Temple was built in the 22nd year of the Chenghua era (1486) and rebuilt in the 20th year of the Kangxi era (1681). In the 3rd year of the Qianlong era (1738), the Dragon God was bestowed the title “God of the Manifest and Bountiful Dragon King.” The Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple is built against the mountain, with a neat and rigorous overall layout. The stele pavilions and halls rise layer upon layer, with a prominent architectural theme. The roof ornaments atop the halls are all dragon-shaped, set amid lush greenery, creating a majestic sight. In the past, during droughts, when water sources dozens of miles away dried up, the Black Dragon Pool remained flowing year-round. Amazingly, no matter how heavy the rain, the pool’s water level never rose; during droughts, no matter how dry it got, the water level never dropped. Thus, the black dragon became the divine ruler of clouds and rain, believed to grant rain prayers with unfailing efficacy. Of course, this is an unscientific legend, but it reflects the villagers’ longing for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. In gratitude, nearby villagers contributed money and labor to support the Dragon King Temple.

Emperors such as the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli Emperor and the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors all came here to pray for rain and admire the pool. When the emperors visited, their grand processions, with retinues and parasols, created a spectacular, sun-blocking scene. For this reason, dozens of resting quarters were built south of the hall for imperial use. Legend has it that the Qianlong Emperor, even at the age of 88, personally visited the temple to kowtow to the Dragon King in respect. As a result, Qianlong exceptionally replaced the temple’s green tiles with the yellow tiles reserved for the imperial family.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the rain-praying activities at the Black Dragon Pool were large-scale and high-profile. First, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau would select a date, draft a list of participating nobles and officials, and propose the scale of the ceremony, which would then be submitted to the emperor for approval by the Ministry of Rites, followed by the drafting of a prayer text by the Hanlin Academy. To show piety, the emperor would not ride in a palanquin or have an entourage, but personally offer silk and prayers. Every April, the Dragon King Temple also hosted grand temple fairs, where local folk performance troupes—such as stilt-walking groups, cart processions, five-tiger-stick performers, and flag processions—would take the stage. Sometimes external theater troupes were invited to perform, attracting thousands of onlookers, making the place bustling with crowds. Back then, the Black Dragon Pool was a gathering place for villagers far and wide.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Black Dragon Pool was turned into a sanatorium. In May 1984, it was designated

as a key cultural relic protection unit of Beijing. In 1991, the Beijing Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and Health Bureau raised funds for renovation, giving the halls a fresh look and turning the site into a tourist attraction in western Beijing.

Wenquan Area: Wenquan Town is located in the northwest suburbs of Beijing, in the southern part of Haidian District’s northern new area. Blessed with a prime location surrounded by mountains and water, it has historically been rich in landscapes and dotted with gardens and villas.

Historical records indicate that before the Ming Dynasty, the current Wenquan Town area largely belonged to Changping County (formerly Jundu County), with the southwestern part possibly under Yuhé County from the late Tang to the early Jin Dynasty. In the late Ming Dynasty, roughly along the boundary of today’s Baiwang Mountain to the Wenquan road, the area north of this line—including Taizhouwu, Yangjiazhuang, and Dongbutou—belonged to Changping County (prefecture), while the area south—including Baijiatuan, Wenquan, Gaolizhang, and Xinzhuang—belonged to Wanping County. By the early Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty… Detailed information on the Wenquan area++

Further reading:

· The Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing