Ningbo Qinglong Mountain

Ningbo Qinglong Mountain

To the south of Hemudu in Ningbo, nestled among the Siming mountain range, lies a small mountain village called Qinglong Mountain Village. One year, a severe drought struck the area. For several months, not a single drop of rain fell within tens of miles, leaving the land cracked and the crops withered. The villagers carried a shrine to pray to the Dragon King for rain. The Azure Dragon timely brought rainfall, saving the local people. To commemorate the dragon, the mountain and village were named Qinglong Mountain. Among China’s Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the Azure Dragon is the collective name for the seven stars of the east.

Why did Goujian establish his stables at the foot of Qinglong Mountain?

After being defeated by King Helü of Wu, Goujian endured humiliation while plotting his comeback. Fifty li east of the capital, Kuaiji, along the Yao River, lies Qinglong Mountain. Goujian chose the foot of this mountain to station his troops and raise horses. The location is backed by mountains and faces water, with flat hillsides and lush vegetation—ideal for providing water and fodder for horses and materials for building chariots. Later scholars, drawing on the Five Elements theory, believed that the Azure Dragon represents the seven eastern lunar mansions and symbolizes imperial destiny. The phrase “the Azure Dragon appears in the suburbs” is considered an auspicious omen, perfectly aligning with the historical fact of Goujian establishing his horse stables and chariot depot at the foot of Qinglong Mountain.