Jingjiang Four-Eye Well

Jingjiang Four-Eye Well

The Four-Eye Well is located in the northwest corner of Bell Tower Square, right next to the Bell Tower, just a few meters away. It was built in the tenth year of the Chongzhen reign during the Ming Dynasty (1637).

The Four-Eye Well is actually a single well, shaped inside like a “Shaoxing wine jar.” The well is about 7 meters deep, with a maximum diameter of around 3 meters at its center. Above the well, four well holes are arched using blue bricks, allowing water to be drawn from all four holes simultaneously—hence the name “Four-Eye Well.”

Above the well stands a four-cornered pavilion. Its roof ridge is over three feet high, adorned with carvings of auspicious creatures such as phoenixes, bats, and qilins. The four corners rise high, each topped with a Buddha statue standing guard. The surrounding crescent-shaped wall is elegant, serene, and rich with antique charm.

The marvelous structure of the Four-Eye Well puzzles many people. Sometimes, if you quietly gaze at the water’s surface, you may see “five reflections including your own,” with your figure mirrored in all four well holes. If you shout at that moment, the well will echo loudly, as if a lion were roaring. Other times, you may feel utterly alone, with only your shadow for company, while the other three wells remain shrouded in darkness, exuding a faint chill. If you sigh regretfully, the response you get is a mournful low moan. Why does this happen? It turns out that when the water level in the well exceeds the top of the arch, the arch divides, making the four well holes seem like four separate wells—so you’ll only see one reflection and receive one gentle echo. When the water level is below the arch, although there’s still only one reflection, it can be seen through all four holes, creating an optical illusion and the magical sight of “five reflections including your own.” Since the well shares the same wall and interconnected arches, when sound travels down into the well, it reverberates powerfully, echoing back and forth like rolling waves.