Nuquan Ancient Town

Nuquan Ancient Town

Nuquan Town is located in the western part of Yu County, Hebei Province, at 114°02′6″ east longitude and 39°048′ north latitude. It is just 3 kilometers west of the provincial border between Hebei and Shanxi. The town comprises 16 administrative villages with a total population of 16,649, including 2,342 non-agricultural residents, covering an area of 57.3 square kilometers. The town area includes 8 administrative villages with 10,411 residents and a residential zone spanning 1.3 square kilometers.

Nuquan Town enjoys convenient transportation: it is 10.4 kilometers east of Yu County seat, 15 kilometers west of Guangling County seat in Shanxi, and 4 kilometers north of the Xiaoguang Line secondary highway. Communication is efficient, with 2,370 fixed-line telephone subscribers, 4 mobile communication towers, and 100% signal coverage. Education and healthcare are well-developed: there is 1 middle school with 102 teachers and 860 students; 5 complete primary schools with 133 teachers and 1,406 students; 1 central health center, 3 outpatient clinics, and 17 health stations, employing 53 medical personnel. There are currently 263 township enterprises, including 201 individual businesses, generating a total business revenue of 129.05 million yuan. In 2004, the rural economic total income was 42.28 million yuan, with an average per capita net income of 1,400 yuan for farmers. The town celebrates vibrant festive folk performances and is known for its distinctive local snacks such as huhu noodles, fen tuo, dried tofu, chili oil, and sugar pancakes.

Nuquan Town has favorable natural conditions. Spanning hills and river valleys, the terrain slopes from north to south, with an average altitude of 940 meters. The soil is predominantly chestnut-calcium type, while the riverbanks feature meadow soil and paddy soil. The area falls within the mid-temperate sub-arid zone of the East Asian continental monsoon climate, receiving an annual precipitation of 390.9 mm, with an average temperature of 6.5°C, a July average of 22.0°C, and a January average of -12.2°C, and an annual effective accumulated temperature of 2,967°C. The town enjoys 2,921.1 hours of sunshine annually and a frost-free period of 131 days. The total arable land area is 2,285 hectares. Major crops include corn, millet, rice, tobacco, and vegetables, forming a planting pattern described as “forests in the north, grains in the middle, tobacco and vegetables in the south.”

Nuquan Ancient Town has a long history. Archaeological findings such as Paleolithic stone tools and numerous Neolithic sites discovered in the Hulu River Valley suggest that humans settled in the Nuquan area as early as the late Paleolithic period, over 20,000 years ago. Historical records indicate that during the Yao and Shun eras, the ancient town belonged to Jizhou; in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, it was part of the Dai Kingdom; and during the Warring States period, it was contested territory among states like Zhao and Qin. From the Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, and Jin dynasties, it was under the jurisdiction of Dai Commandery, with Nuquan administered by Pingshu County. The tall earthen tomb mounds still standing to the west of the town are the burial sites of former officials and nobles. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the area was a battleground between Han Chinese and ethnic minorities. The town was established in the Yuan Dynasty, and by the Ming and Qing dynasties, it developed into a settlement with “three forts, six lanes, and eighteen villages,” becoming a transportation hub and commercial center in western Yu County. In 1958, the Nuquan People's Commune was formed, and the town system was reinstated in 1984, continuing to this day.

Nuquan is rich in water resources and has a unique water culture. The sources of Nuquan’s water are twofold: one is the Fengyuan Pond at the town center, with a water storage capacity of 1,536 m³ and a flow rate of 0.089 m³/s; the other is the Buddha Mirror water in front of Huayan Temple, with a storage capacity of 742 m³ and a flow rate of 0.028 m³/s. The water temperature at both springs remains at 16°C year-round, producing steam-like vapor on the water surface even in the depths of winter. The Yu Zhou Zhi · Qu Dao Tu (Yu Prefecture Records · Canal Map) states: “Thirty li west of the city in Nuquan Fort, the spring’s source divides east and west via a stone urn,” and also describes “its water being as clear as a mirror, not freezing even in the three coldest months, hence the name.” Hence the name “Nuquan” (Warm Spring). The most famous of the two springs is Fengyuan Pond, where water flows out from dragon mouths on the east and west sides, gently meandering around the village. South of Fengyuan Pond lies the Liangting Academy, whose main structure is an approximately 80 m² pavilion. The spring water flows underground through the pavilion, with a flowing water well in front of the pavilion, built with stone.

The octagonal well, named for its shape, is thus called the Octagonal Pavilion Well. “Water flowing past the pavilion and octagonal well” is one of Yu County’s “Eight Scenic Spots.” The spring water irrigates hundreds of acres of vegetable fields and rice paddies south of the town through open channels along the village perimeter before finally flowing into the Hulu River Reservoir southeast of the town. Even in the bitter cold of winter, the spring water does not freeze within 1.5 kilometers downstream. The Hulu River Reservoir within the town’s jurisdiction has a catchment area of 1,717 square kilometers, a maximum capacity of 8,070 m³, an average depth of 14 meters, a water surface area of 12 square kilometers, and an effective irrigation area of 200,000 mu. It integrates agricultural irrigation, aquaculture, tourism, and leisure, offering beautiful scenery.

Nuquan Town is rich in cultural heritage. It is home to the provincial-level key cultural relics protection units Xigubao and Huayan Temple. These two sites have been submitted as candidates for the sixth batch of national key cultural relics and have passed expert review organized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, awaiting official release. County-level protected cultural relics include four sites: Nuquan Academy, Beiguangbao, the Han Tomb Cluster, and the Ancient Porcelain Kiln. Town-level protected cultural relics consist of six sites: Chaoyang Tower, Guansheng Temple, Cangzhu Study Courtyard, the “Nine Linked Rings” compound, the Ancient Flower Hall, and the Ancient Pawnshop Shopfront. The town preserves more than 200 ancient structures with well-maintained features and unique styles, including ancient temples, residences, shops, fortresses, and theaters, among which over 180 are ancient residential compounds. Historical and cultural legacies also include the Lantern Festival, tree flower fireworks, folk paper-cutting, paper sculpture art, and various folk performances. In August 2003, Nuquan was awarded the title of “Hometown of Ancient Residential Folk Customs” by the Hebei Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Hebei Folk Artists Association. The town has produced many renowned historical figures, the most famous being Wang Min, Minister of Works in the Yuan Dynasty; Zhang Bangqi, Assistant Defense Minister in the Ming Dynasty; and Su Dami, a literati figure of the ancient town during the Republic of China era. Before 1953, upon the death of Soviet leader Stalin, Mr. Su Dami composed a heartfelt elegiac couplet: “Ambition spans the world / Only regretful not to have delved deeper into scriptures; / Prescriptions fill the earth / Who would pity not seeking a good doctor sooner?” This couplet, forwarded via the Soviet Embassy in China, earned commendation from the Soviet government.

Only regretful not to have delved deeper into scriptures;

Prescriptions fill the earth

Who would pity not seeking a good doctor sooner?

Known as “Hebei’s No. 1 Village of Folk Culture,” Xigubao is a typical ancient fortress in Yu County and even in Hebei Province. Initially built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, it combines four major cultural landscapes: ancient fortress, ancient temple, ancient theater, and ancient residence, and holds significant value in history, folklore studies, and architectural art. Xigubao, Zhongxiaobao, and Beiguangbao, together with well-preserved sites such as Laojun Temple, Liangting Academy, Huayan Temple dating back to the 32nd year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty, and the Hulu River Reservoir within the town area, form the core itinerary for a one-day tour of western Yu County.

In recent years, the authentic Ming and Qing culture of Nuquan has attracted film and television celebrities such as Jiang Wen, Chen Qiang, Liu Bei, and He Bing. Over ten films and TV dramas, including Devils on the Doorstep, Unaware of Time Flowing By, Guerrilla Forces Behind Enemy Lines, and Mother Is a River, have shot scenes here. Feng Jicai, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and folk expert, Shan Jixiang, Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, as well as provincial and municipal cultural heritage officials and experts, have visited Nuquan multiple times, giving high praise to the town’s cultural relics.

Currently, the unique water resources, historical and cultural heritage, and tourism potential of Nuquan Ancient Town have drawn widespread attention from leaders at all levels. The ancient town is brimming with vitality. The Nuquan Town Party Committee and government have carefully crafted a development blueprint and introduced a series of preferential policies, warmly welcoming visitors, investors, and partners from all walks of life to explore, invest, and develop together.