The Second Spring of the South

The Second Spring of the South

The Second Spring of the South is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

The Second Spring of the South

The Second Spring of the South is located on the eastern ridge of Yuhuatai, within the former Yongning Temple, and was originally named Yongning Spring after the temple. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Lu You climbed Yuhuatai and visited Yongning Temple, where he discovered a spring in the temple with excellent color and taste. He highly praised it and ranked it as the “Second Spring.” The spring water gushes out from rockeries several meters high, gathering into a pool. The water in the pool is crystal clear and sweet to the taste.

It is said that during the Qingming Festival, using the water from Yongning Spring (i.e., the “Second Spring of the South”) to brew Yuhua tea, which has a tender emerald color and a fragrant, mellow taste, can bring a sense of relaxation and enjoyment of life’s leisurely pace. Not only does it refresh and invigorate, but it also sharpens the mind. The thick stone well curb of the “Ancient Well of the Second Spring” still bears visible chisel marks, and the clear well water within the blue-bricked walls evokes a sense of historical exploration. The plaque for the Second Spring once inscribed by Ming Dynasty’s Zhao Qian has been lost. The current “Second Spring of the South” plaque embedded in the facing rockery was calligraphed by contemporary artist Xiao Xian.