Poria Spring

Poria Spring

Known as the finest spring north of the Yangtze River, the ancient Poria Spring is located on a mountain terrace on the eastern foothills of the highest peak of Dàyishan Mountain. This terrace is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sunrise on the other.

The scenery here is exceptionally beautiful. A clear stream winds its way down from the mountain’s Old Dragon Pool (which shares the same name as the one south of the mountain). Occasionally, petals or willow leaves float along the water, swirling briefly around the ancient spring before drifting eastward. During the Qing Dynasty, Yang Xifu, Minister of War during the Qianlong era, visited this place and composed a poem in its praise: “A path behind Mount Yishan, where the sky is high and the land stretches flat; traces of burnt grass linger, while the silent ice emits a gentle trickle.” The poem describes the stunning landscape that soothes the soul of every visitor. The surroundings are tranquil, the sunset bathes the meadows in light. As spring thaws the ice, the sound of flowing water beneath the frozen surface can already be heard. Such beauty captivates and lingers in the heart.

Walking along the path by the stream for just a few dozen steps, you’ll come face to face with the ancient, time-honored spring that has stood for a thousand years. It is enclosed by over a hundred meters of decorative walls, forming a courtyard. At its center lies the ancient spring itself, built from layered stone, stretching over twenty meters vertically and about two meters in diameter, topped with a well cover. In front of the spring stands a massive stele inscribed with the words “Poria Ancient Spring.” The entire structure is quaint and elegant. Historical records indicate it has a history of a thousand years. It was excavated and dug out over three years by Wang Xianggong, the founding monk and abbot of the ancient Gufo Temple, in the second year of the Huangyou era during the Northern Song Dynasty, in order to solve the local drought and water scarcity.

According to the "Qiyang Records" from Haizhou: “Outside the mountain gate of the ancient Gufo Temple on Dàyishan, there is a parasitic tree, its roots nourished by Poria cocos, giving rise to Poria Spring. Its water is sweet, delicious, and life-extending.” The water here is sweet, pure, and refreshing—drinking it invigorates the spirit and promotes longevity. Recent medical texts note: “Poria, also called Fu Ling, has an oval-shaped root that grows attached beneath pine roots. It is a porous fungus, with sclerotium forming dense, hard chunks. These chunks are two to three decimeters in diameter and weigh over ten pounds, with a white interior and red veins. It requires specific environmental conditions to thrive. It tastes sweet and has a neutral nature. Consuming it benefits the spleen, calms the mind, promotes diuresis and drains dampness. It is mainly used to treat spleen deficiency, palpitations, insomnia, and edema.”

During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, the renowned border defense general Feng Zicai stationed troops at Yishan and developed a particular fondness for Poria Spring water. Later, when he was transferred to Zhenjiang to serve as the garrison commander, he had people travel from Yishan over a thousand miles away to ship Poria Spring water for his personal use. He even wrote to Ma Xuansan, the Qing garrison officer at Lüyingshan in Dàyishan, saying, “The Poria Spring of Dàyishan can truly be called the finest spring north of the Yangtze River, surpassing even Zhenjiang’s so-called ‘finest spring under heaven.’” (This is recorded in Ma Xuansan’s grandson Ma Shaoqing’s "Collected Family Letters.")

During the Republican era, at the southern end of Dàyishan Street, near Qinglong Bridge, there lived a man named Lu Shenfu who opened a bathhouse. He specifically adopted Feng Zicai’s praise of Poria Spring as “the finest spring north of the Yangtze River” as the bathhouse’s trade name. On the screen wall opposite the entrance, each character of the giant words “Finest Spring North of the Yangtze Bathhouse” was written in huge brush strokes, and lanterns hanging above the door also displayed the words “First Spring,” attracting customers in droves. The place was always packed, leaving no room to spare. This caused the neighboring Yulan Pavilion Bathhouse at the northern end of the street and the Zhongda Street Xin Ting Bathhouse to suffer from poor business.

During the Anti-Japanese War, Poria Spring seemed to have a spirit of its own. Whenever Japanese puppet troops drew water from it, the water often turned murky. But when ordinary people fetched water, it remained clear, cool, and sweet. In the winter of 1944, Sun Liangcheng, commander of the puppet Second War Zone, led tens of thousands of troops through Yishan. Drawn by the fame of Poria Spring, he sent men to draw water for drinking—but once again, the water turned murky. Enraged, he intended to destroy the spring, but before he could act, the sound of artillery from the Eighth Route Army drove him away. Eventually, his entire army was annihilated by the New Fourth Army in Funing County. Hence the folk rhyme: “Poria, or Fu Ling—loyalty clearly defined. Good people draw water, and it runs clear and bright. Bad people draw water, and it turns murky and dim.”

In the autumn of 1956, Qian Zhengying, then Minister of Water Resources and Electric Power of the Central Government, visited Guanhe Estuary for inspection and stayed briefly at Yishan. She toured Dàyishan and tasted the water of Poria Spring, finding it pleasantly sweet. She remarked to the reporter accompanying her: “Though this spring may not cover much land, it has deep roots. Silently and unassumingly, it seeps out such fine, clean water. It contributes endlessly to the people without asking for anything in return. We should honor it!”

Qian’s words left a profound impression. They carry deep philosophy for both objects and people alike—a truth to be remembered forever.

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