Scenic View of Fuzhu Spring

Scenic View of Fuzhu Spring

Fuzhu Spring, also known as Tangfu Spring or Immortal Pond, is located in Donghu Village, about 2 kilometers northwest of Shangtang Town, Nancheng County. The spring pool is circular, with a diameter of over ten feet, several feet deep, and covered with a shallow layer of gravel. The water is crystal clear to the bottom, with water droplets bubbling up like pearls—strand after strand, cluster upon cluster—shining brightly and translucently, hence the name Fuzhu Spring.

Fuzhu Spring, also known as Tangfu Spring or Immortal Pond, is located in Donghu Village, about 2 kilometers northwest of Shangtang Town, Nancheng County. The spring pool is circular, with a diameter of over ten feet, several feet deep, and covered with a shallow layer of gravel. The water is crystal clear to the bottom, with water droplets bubbling up like pearls—strand after strand, cluster upon cluster—shining brightly and translucently, hence the name Fuzhu Spring. The water droplets seem to respond to human presence; whenever there is noise and commotion, they bubble and spray even more vigorously, making the entire pool seem like boiling soup. Countless bubbles rise from the bottom of the spring—one after another—like pearls scattered on a jade plate or like fine streams murmuring softly. The spring remains warm in winter and cool in summer, offering breathtaking beauty. Legend has it that the water here is colder than frost and snow, sweeter than honey, and drinking a cup can instantly cure serious illnesses. Locals who once stayed to drink here eventually relocated and formed a settlement. Woodcutters returning from the mountains often stopped to drink a few cups and would immediately feel their strength double, walking as if flying. It is truly a spectacular sight. According to the Nancheng County Annals: “The spring water boils like soup, glistens like Buddhist beads, neither overflowing nor drying up, and is truly a nectar-like delicacy.” This shows that Fuzhu Spring has long been well known to people.

A brick-and-wood structure was built over the spring pool, facing west and situated eastward, with two floors inside and a construction area of about 50 square meters. The main entrance features a stone lintel engraved with the three characters “Fuzhu Spring” (沸珠泉). On both sides are striking stone-carved couplets reading: “Since when did the spring begin to boil? From where were the pearls tossed?” The rooftop is fitted with an octagonal skylight, adorned with carved eaves and painted beams, presenting an elegant and classic charm. During the Republican era, someone copied Sun Yat-sen’s handwriting “The world belongs to the public” (天下为公) on the central upper part of the pavilion, which can still be faintly seen today.

The spring pool lies right in the center of the pavilion, lined with red stones. The stone rim is inscribed with poems and prose, but unfortunately, these were damaged during the Cultural Revolution. In the sweltering summer, sitting by the spring to rest brings a refreshing chill, and sipping a mouthful of the clear spring water instantly invigorates both body and mind. In the cold winter, mist rises from the spring, and sunlight filtering through the skylight creates the illusion of inverted colorful curtains and celestial robes, offering a delightful scene that captivates and lingers in one's memory.

Legend has it that during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, Bao Chao, a general under Zeng Guofan, led troops to suppress the Taiping Rebellion and arrived in Shangtang. He was struck by the site—a place embraced by three mountains, with a stream flowing beside it, featuring unique scenery and extraordinary spring water. He greatly marveled at its wonder. At the time, he wanted to compose a poem in praise of it, but being not well-read and barely literate, he grew anxious and paced around the spring. Eventually, he ordered his subordinates to write a report, which Zeng Guofan then submitted to the emperor. Emperor Xianfeng was delighted upon seeing it and declared: “This is a wonderful spring under heaven,” personally writing the inscription “The Third Best Spring Under Heaven” (with the first being Baotu Spring in Jinan, Shandong, and the second being Hupao Spring in Hangzhou, Zhejiang), and ordering it to be engraved on a stone tablet and embedded above the spring. Since then, Fuzhu Spring gradually gained fame and became a scenic highlight in Nancheng County.

According to tests conducted by the 270 Research Institute of the East China Geological Exploration Bureau, Fuzhu Spring has a daily flow of 754 tons, never drying up throughout the year. It is a hot spring with a constant temperature of 22°C. The water is deliciously sweet, clear as fine wine, and classified as high-quality mineral water. It contains various trace elements beneficial to health, such as selenium, zinc, magnesium, and beryllium. Regular consumption is believed to help prevent and treat cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and more. The water’s density is also higher than that of ordinary surface water—if poured into a jade cup, it will not overflow even when full, demonstrating great potential for development and utilization. Geologically, Fuzhu Spring is a circulating structural karst water ascending-type hot spring, with a circulation depth of over 350 meters. The water rises along vertical karst pipeline systems within structural zones under reduced pressure in the mountain basin and emerges at the surface as a spring. Because the water intermittently spurts out in a beaded fashion from flat ground, it forms the unique spectacle of “boiling pearls.”

Today, although Fuzhu Spring has weathered storms and some of its structures have aged and been damaged, covered in the dust of history, its magic remains undiminished and its charm undimmed. Visitors come year-round to explore and admire it, with numbers growing steadily. Many experts and scholars have come specifically to conduct research, turning their attention to Fuzhu Spring. Numerous deputies to the People’s Congress, members of the CPPCC, and local residents have submitted proposals calling for the prompt protection, development, and utilization of Fuzhu Spring. With the rapid economic development of Nancheng and the slogan “Building a Famous Tourism City, Creating a Strong County in Eastern Jiangxi,” the government has placed the protection and development of Fuzhu Spring high on its agenda. It can be believed that in the near future, this pearl embedded in the land of southern Jiangxi and northern Fujian will once again shine with captivating brilliance and allure, becoming a top tourist destination that perfectly combines natural scenery with cultural heritage.

According to the Nancheng County Annals: “The spring water boils like soup, glistens like Buddhist beads, neither overflowing nor drying up, and is truly a nectar-like delicacy.” Zeng Guofan relayed this to the emperor, and Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty, during the Xianfeng era, admired its elegance and bestowed upon it the name “The Third Best Spring Under Heaven.”