Sanguan Well

Sanguan Well

The Mysterious Thousand-Year-Old Sanguan Well

Sanguan Well is situated about 35 li southwest of Heze City, at the eastern end of Lizhaohua Village (formerly known as ancient Liguiliangzhuang), an ancient village in the millennia-old town of Malinggang. It is located by the roadside of the ruins of the Sanguan Temple. Legend says the well is a thousand years old. With a depth of approximately 15 meters, even during extreme droughts when the water level of nearby mechanized wells drops to around 30 meters, the water level of Sanguan Well remains just 3–4 meters from the surface. Its bottom spring is abundant—an extremely rare phenomenon. The well’s remarkable preservation over a thousand years is no small feat, and its existence serves as one of the key pieces of evidence for the long history and culture of the ancient village, as well as the early establishment of the Sanguan Temple.

Legend has it that in ancient times, the mouth of the Yellow River was very close to this area. Lizhuang Village was considered a feng shui treasure land, surrounded by many hills and mounds. One day, a black dragon descended from the heavens and took up residence here, often causing mischief and harming the local people. If the villagers failed to offer timely sacrifices for the dragon’s pleasure, it would summon wind and rain, causing the Yellow River to flood and bringing immense suffering to the people. For a time, the local populace lived in misery, as if in hell. Later, the Three Officials (Sanguan) revealed themselves and saved the people by using magic to create Sanguan Well to suppress the evil dragon. From then on, the dragon no longer plagued the area, and the villagers could farm and live in peace. The Three Officials admonished the villagers that this land was a feng shui treasure, suitable for their descendants to thrive, and that this well must never be destroyed—it was for the people to drink from. Remember this, they said. Since then, the villagers have drawn their drinking water from this well. It became an offering well dedicated to the Sanguan deities for subduing demons, and thus came to be called “Sanguan Well,” also known as “Three Emperors Well.”

Another mysterious trait of the well is that when the southeast wind blows, the water turns yellow—but it is still safe to drink. Under other wind conditions, the water remains clear and sweet. It is said that this phenomenon is caused by the struggling of the evil dragon beneath the well.

Lizhaohua Village: Before the Ming Dynasty, Lizhaohua Village was called Lizhuang or Lizhuang Village. It was built southeast of the ancient Kuikui (one of the twelve scenic spots of ancient Dongming, the site of the Five Lords’ Covenant Platform), and is one of the ancient villages in the millennia-old town of Malinggang. The ancient Kuikui Road was a historical official highway that passed by the western end of Lizhaohua Village. The village is located more than 30 li southwest of Heze City, on the southwestern border of Heze High-Tech Zone, and northwest of the millennia-old town of Malinggang. In 1368, the first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the Li family migrated back from Hongtong County in Shanxi Province to the ancient Lizhuang (Lizhuang Village). By the end of 1485, Li Lizhaohua led his clansmen in establishing a righteous escort agency, and the name Li Lizhaohua gradually became... More details about Lizhaohua Village ++