Ancient Danjing Garden

Ancient Danjing Garden

The scenic Ancient Danjing Garden derives its name from the Western Han Dynasty, when Liu An, the King of Huainan, and the Three Immortals once drew water from this well to make elixirs. The garden features cloud-patterned walls and moon gates, courtyards with a osmanthus garden, plum garden, and other attractions, as well as the Eight Scenic Spots of the garden and a stele corridor. At the entrance courtyard stands a statue of Liu An, the King of Huainan—elegant, otherworldly, and deep in thought, exuding the demeanor of a scholar-king. To the left is the Guanyin Lotus Pond, and to the right is the Danjing Pavilion, where the ancient well inside is known as the Huainan King’s Elixir Well. According to the *Fengtai County Annals* compiled by Li Zhaoluo in the Qing Dynasty, “At the northeastern foot of the Three Peaks Mountain lies an ancient well called ‘Danjing.’ Its water is clear and sweet, never drying up even in prolonged droughts. It is said that Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Han Dynasty, and the three brothers of the Mao family once drew water from here to make elixirs.” Since the relocation of the Chu capital to Shouchun in 241 BC by King Kaolie of Chu, this area has been the center of Chu culture. It reached its peak during the reign of Liu An, the King of Huainan in the Han Dynasty. Liu An inherited the Daoist thought of the early Western Han and synthesized diverse schools of thought, exerting a profound influence on later culture. As a result, renowned poets throughout history such as Li Bai, Wang Anshi, Su Dongpo, and Ouyang Xiu all visited to pay their respects, leaving behind many widely celebrated poems.