Baihe Yuan Scenic Area

Baihe Yuan Scenic Area

Baihe Yuan is the source of the Gu River, located 30 kilometers southwest of the county town. It originates from Xiwang Village in Xiaochang Town, Guyuan County. The source is formed by the convergence of nine mountain springs, hence it is called Jiulong (Nine Dragons) Spring. Regardless of the season—spring, summer, autumn, or winter—or the extremes of heat and cold, the clear and cool spring water flows ceaselessly, gushing out from the mountain stream, gathering into a pool, and then rushing southward through Yunzhou before entering Miyun. It is a major source of drinking water for Beijing, and in gratitude, local residents have erected a monument here inscribed with the words “Water Nourishes the Capital.” Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, on his way back to the palace from the imperial hunting grounds (Weichang), he and his horse were exhausted, thirsty, and unable to find water. In desperation, the emperor’s horse suddenly became spirited, pawed the ground and let out a loud neigh, leading them to a spot where spring water burst forth. Both the emperor and his officials were overjoyed, and Kangxi’s thirst was immediately quenched. Thus, the beautiful legend of the divine horse digging the spring to save Emperor Kangxi spread widely across the frontier, and the spring was thus named “Dragon-Saving Spring.”