Dongliu Spring

Dongliu Spring

Dongliu Spring

One of the new seventy-two famous springs in Jinan. It was first recorded in the *Commentary on the Water Classic* and was originally named Dongliu Spring. Located at the foot of Tianchi Mountain, east of Shuyuan Village in Hongmianchi Town, it was also called Shuyuan Spring because Liu Yu, an imperial censor of the Ming Dynasty, once built a study near the spring. The spring water gushes out from the crevices in the rocks at the foot of Tianchi Mountain and flows into a square stone pool, with a daily water discharge of approximately 8,700 cubic meters, making it the spring with the largest water volume among the springs in Hongmian. Surrounded by mountain springs, the area boasts an elegant and tranquil environment, being warm in winter and cool in summer. With its small mountain village, waterways, bridges, and flowing streams, it has been known since ancient times as the “Little Spring City.”

The *Commentary on the Water Classic* states: “At the foot of Tianchi Mountain, there is a spring called Dongliu Spring.” Dongliu Spring got its name because it is located one kilometer east of Hongmian Pool. It is also called “Shuyuan Spring” because Liu Yu, an imperial censor of the Ming Dynasty, built a study here. Yan Shi, the military commander of Dongping Road during the Yuan Dynasty, built a villa here. The area is surrounded by mountain springs, with an elegant and tranquil environment, being warm in winter and cool in summer. With its small mountain village, waterways, bridges, and flowing streams, it has been known since ancient times as the “Little Spring City,” making it an ideal summer retreat.

Dongliu Spring is a square-shaped pool. The water overflows from the crevices in the rocks at the foot of Tianchi Mountain, east of the village, and gathers into a square stone pool with sides about eight meters long. Algae sway in the crystal-clear water. The spring flows year-round with a very strong current, making it the most abundant spring among the springs in Hongmian, with a daily water discharge of over 800 cubic meters. The spring water emerges from numerous small springs at the bottom of the pool, then cascades from the mouth of a carved stone dragon on the southern wall of the pool into a smaller square pool, before flowing into a semi-circular pool. From there, it sparkles and splashes, winding through the village along a stream, nourishing the woods and trees, and eventually joining the Langxi River.

In the past, there was Hongfu Temple to the north of the spring. Inside the temple were four Buddha statues, built by the eminent monks Qingzhen, Wuming, Huisan, and Yuanseng from the White Horse Temple in Luoyang during the Tang Dynasty. Today, only the ruins and two stone steles inscribed with the poem “Dongliu Spring” from the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty remain. According to locals, these four Buddha statues represent the incarnations of the four monks who founded Hongfu Temple. They dredged the spring pool and built water channels to benefit the villagers, and after their passing, the villagers created the statues in their memory.

An ancient poem describes the scenery of Dongliu Spring: “A mountain screen cradles the cold pond, / Thousand-layer jade ripples with emerald scent. / The sea-cave spring flows from a distant source, / Earth’s veins weep deeply, nourishing all. / Waves stir the waterweed, wetting shoes and clothes, / Coolness refreshes hearts, laughter rings out. / Yet I marvel that Wang Xizhi of Shanyin / Did not know this place for wine-cup floating.”

Yu Shenxing, a great literary figure of the Ming Dynasty hailed as the “literary leader of his time,” visited Dongliu Spring with his friend Zhu Weijing and other companions, leaving behind a poem: “Wind and rain echo in the crimson valley, / Pavilion and woods lean on the verdant ridge. / A cup of wine today, / The hearts of old friends a thousand miles away. / Trees wear autumn’s hues with diligence, / Springs sing through myriad ravines. / As the night turns cool, flutes rise, / I long to hear the dragons of water sing.”

Hongmianchi Town: “Hongmianchi Town is located at the southwestern tip of Pingyin County. It is named after the historic famous spring, Hongmian Pool, situated in the town center. Covering an area of 115 square kilometers, with 2,096 hectares of arable land, it governs 34 administrative villages. There are 8,263 households and a population of 28,016, with a birth rate of 8.29‰ and a natural growth rate of 5.43‰.

Economic Overview

Gross Domestic Product is 255.9 million yuan, an increase of 10.6% over the previous year. The primary, secondary, and tertiary industries are valued at 98.22 million yuan, 104.13 million yuan, and 53.55 million yuan respectively, showing year-on-year increases... Detailed information on Hongmianchi Town++