Liu Yi Well and Stele

Liu Yi Well and Stele

Liu Yi Well and Stele is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou.

Liu Yi Well is located by Qiyuan Garden in Xijiahu, Dongshan, adjacent to an orange grove and less than 200 meters from Taihu Lake. Legend has it that Liu Yi, the protagonist of the mythological tale “Liu Yi Delivers a Letter,” entered the Dragon Palace through this well, hence its name. The well has a history of over a thousand years and was documented in the Southern Song Dynasty work *Wu County Annals*. Its well curb is carved from floating stone, covered in mottled moss, exuding an ancient charm. Though the well doesn’t appear deep, one can bend down and scoop water from it. Its water level remains stable regardless of drought or flood, and it never becomes turbid in windy weather. The water is sweet and refreshing, distinct from other wells, and historically ranked as one of Dongshan’s famous springs. In the ninth year of the Zhengde era (1514) during the Ming Dynasty, the scholar-official Wang Ao of Dongshan inscribed the three characters “Liu Yi Well” on a stone stele, which remains well-preserved to this day.