Luofu Pool

Luofu Pool

Luofu was one of the Eighteen Beauties of ancient times and a symbol of beauty in Handan, the capital of the Zhao Kingdom. Since ancient times, Handan has been a land of beauties, blessed with outstanding people and a place where beauties abounded. In addition to embodying the classic images of beauty — with her enchanting singing, graceful dancing, elegant walking, and stunning appearance — Luofu was especially admired for her inner virtue. She feared nothing and had no ambition for power or status. She was a beautiful and kind-hearted folk maiden, pure as ice and jade. Loyal to love, she cherished her hometown and life. When she was chased by King Zhao Qian to Heilong Pool, in utter despair, she chose death over dishonor and leapt into the pool. In the past, hundreds of acres of mulberry fields surrounded the pool, with forests of pine and cypress and rows of willows. Upstream, springs were found everywhere, with water flowing year-round. The gentle sound of the water falling into the pool was like beautiful music. During the rainy season, rainwater rushed down from the mountains, converged at the pool’s source, and then plunged down with a thunderous roar that could be heard miles away, forming the spectacular Luofu Pool Waterfall.

According to local farmers in Sanling Township, Handan County, the beautiful Luofu was from Jiangyao Village, northwest of Handan City, the capital of Zhao. Her grandfather, Qin Yihé, was a farmer all his life and known for his upright character. Her father, Qin Min, was straightforward and eager to learn. He often sought advice from a local scholar and became literate, eventually being hired as the village’s teacher. Despite his knowledge, his family remained poor throughout his life. Her mother, Lady Zhang, was from the Zhang family of Huangyao. Luofu had two siblings: an elder brother, Qin Bao, and an elder sister, Qin Lian. Her childhood name was Xiaoying. Thanks to her father’s guidance, Luofu was exceptionally intelligent — she could compose poetry and write by age four, and by seven, she greeted guests with polite and graceful manners that were far beyond her years. At the age of ten, due to flooding, her home was destroyed and the family moved to the west wing of Wulong Temple on Wolong Hill in the western part of the village. The nuns at the temple, seeing Xiaoying’s extraordinary grace, took her in as a lay disciple and gave her the name “Luofu.”

The ancient text of the Handan County Annals records: “The sun rises in the southeast, shining upon the tower of the Qin family. It is said that there was a woman from Handan surnamed Qin, named Luofu, who was the wife of Wang Ren, a local official of Qiancheng. Later, Wang Ren became the household steward of the King of Zhao. One day, when Luofu went to pick mulberries in the fields, the King of Zhao saw her from a tower and was captivated by her beauty. He set up a feast intending to take her by force. Luofu, skilled at playing the zheng (a Chinese zither), performed the song 'Mulberry on the Path' to express her refusal. The lyrics describe how Luofu, while picking mulberries, was invited by a nobleman. She praised her husband, claiming he was a court attendant, to rebuff the advance — differing from the traditional version. As for poet Lu Ji of the Jin Dynasty, in lines such as ‘The sun rises over Fusang,’ he sang merely of beautiful women and fine gatherings, similar in tone but not in theme to the older ballad.”

Legend has it that Luofu’s husband, Wang Ren, was from Nangaotong Village. The two were childhood sweethearts, growing up together with innocent affection. When Wang Ren went to the frontier to fight against the Qin, they exchanged gifts of a qin (musical instrument) and sword, pledging eternal vows. Why did Luofu love Wang Ren so deeply? It’s said he even once saved her life. One tale says that while she was swinging, she lost her grip and would have fallen if Wang Ren hadn’t caught her. Another story claims she was being chased by a tiger and was rescued when Wang Ren shot the beast with an arrow. There are various versions of the legend, making it hard to verify.

Legend says that northwest of Jiangyao Village, west of the ruins of Longxing Temple, there used to be a small stream with a pool known originally as “Heilong Pool” (Black Dragon Pool). Every summer and autumn, white mist would rise from the pool, reaching into the clouds and lingering for a long time without dissipating, resembling a black dragon drinking water — hence the name. After Luofu died by throwing herself into the pool, later generations renamed “Heilong Pool” to “Luofu Pool” in her memory.

The Guangping Prefecture Annals from the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “It is said that every summer, white mist rises from the pool, ascending to the clouds and lingering for a long time, just like a dragon drinking water.” Today, a “World’s No. 1 Dragon” has been discovered at Luofu Pool. This, along with Wolong Slope and Wulong Temple, further enriches the mystical legends of the “Five Dragons” representing the musical notes “Jiao, Zhi, Shang, Yu, and Gong.”

The great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai wrote a poem about visiting the pool. Back then, after getting drunk in Guangping, Li Bai rode on horseback for over sixty li to visit Luofu Pool — a paradise on earth known for its picturesque scenery, misty clouds, and emerald waters winding through the land. He composed the exquisite verse: “Singing as I walk into the valley’s mouth, the path ends where none climb. I scale cliffs across yawning chasms, splash in streams that twist and twine. Clouds rise from stones above, visitors lose themselves amid blooms. I linger, not yet done with joy, as sunset gilds the western peaks.”