Laiyuan Juma Source

Laiyuan Juma Source

The Juma Source is located to the south and east of Laiyuan County. Among them, the Lai Water Source (Beihai Spring) is situated in Dongguan Village in the eastern part of the county, the Yi Water Source (Nanguan Spring) is located in Nanguan Village in the southern part of the county, and the Juma River Source (Qishan Spring) lies at the foot of Qishan Mountain near the county town. The most famous are the Lai Water Source and the Yi Water Source. The Juma Spring Cluster is the source of the Juma River and also its main water supply. A large volume of springs emerges from the ground around Laiyuan County, forming the Juma River. It flows through Zijing Pass in Yixian County, Yesanpo in Laishui County, Shidu in Fangshan District of Beijing, and eventually joins the Haihe River before reaching the Bohai Sea. Flowing from west to east into the North China Plain, the river stretches 70 kilometers in length and is the only river originating in Hebei Province that does not dry up. The Juma River has a strong current and high water volume, which deeply carves through the mountains it passes, often creating steep-walled gorges.

The water quality of the Juma Source is excellent, classified as Class I freshwater according to national drinking water standards. It is of the calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type, with relatively high mineral content—boiling water from this source often results in significant limescale buildup. The temperature of the Juma Source remains around 7 degrees Celsius year-round. In summer, the water feels ice-cold and can cause muscle cramps if one swims in it; placing beer in the water for a while makes for a refreshing drink. In winter, when outdoor temperatures can drop to minus ten or even minus twenty degrees Celsius, the water temperature stays around 7 degrees. This creates a stark contrast with the outside air, causing thick mist to rise from the spring pools. On breezy days, hoarfrost can even form on nearby trees. It is precisely this cool-in-summer, warm-in-winter spring water that, even in the depths of winter, flows dozens of kilometers without freezing, forming the longest non-freezing river in northern China during the coldest months.

The Juma Spring Cluster is highly scenic, featuring bubbling "Pearl Springs," sands swirling up from "Sand-Shifting Springs," and "Hand-Dug Springs" where water gushes forth simply by digging a small hole... and more.

During the Ming Dynasty, local literati such as Wang Dianyue once gathered at the Temple of the Eastern Peak for a moonlit gathering and poetry session by the Juma Source. They left behind a poem that reads: “To keep our tryst with the clear springs, we come to the Jade Maiden’s Palace; the empty pool holds misty moonlight, the slender stream whispers with the breeze; willows on the bank shroud in emerald haze, mountain blossoms send their fragrance through the gloom; all worldly dust washed away, we feel as if in a painted scene.” Centuries ago, people came here to drink and compose poetry under the bright moon and gentle winds. Time has passed, generations have gone, but the pagodas stand tall and the waters remain clear. What remains unchanged is people's longing to “wash away the dust of the world in a painted paradise.”

In the early years of the Republic of China (1912), the Lai Water Source—also known as the Juma Source—was cleaned and renovated. Silt from the southern pool was piled up in the water to construct an octagonal pavilion named “Shuixin Pavilion” (Water Heart Pavilion). The pavilion features plaques on all four sides, with the central one on the west side inscribed with “Beihai First Spring,” written by the progressive military leader Fang Zhenwu at the time, meaning: this is the largest spring that flows into the Beihai (the Bohai Sea). After the liberation, a martyrs’ memorial monument was erected in Shuixin Pavilion, so it is now also called “Martyrs’ Pavilion.”

The spring pool to the north is named “Zhongshan Pool” in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The deepest point of the pool is about 3 meters, though it generally ranges between 1.5 and 2 meters. The water temperature is relatively low, and there are no naturally occurring large fish—just some small ones. The spring’s discharge rate is 0.35 cubic meters per second. In the past, the county’s drinking water was sourced from here, but with improved living conditions, increased water usage, and recent environmental degradation, the spring’s flow has somewhat decreased.