Bailu Spring

Bailu Spring

Bailu Spring has a mouth diameter of 1 meter and a depth of 3 meters, shaped like a cone. It gushes year-round, with water droplets splashing like pearls and jade, flowing eastward into a stream that is crystal clear and nourishes the surrounding area. Surrounded by mountains and lush forests, the area is cool and pleasant. The "flying pearls of Bailu Spring" is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Huolu, praised in poems by literati throughout history.

The renowned liquors such as Bailu Daqu, Bailu Nongxiang, and Bailu Ye have gained fame thanks to this spring. There are many beautiful legends about Bailu Spring. One says that when the Queen Mother of the West was on her way to the Peach Banquet, she dropped her jade hairpin, which pierced the ground and formed the spring—just then, a white deer dashed past the spring, hence the name. Another tale tells of a fairy banished to the human realm who, when recalled to heaven, threw down a precious pearl out of longing for her husband, and the pearl became the spring.

Historical records state that in the third year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (204 BC), the Han general Han Xin led tens of thousands of troops to defeat the Zhao army, setting up the battlefield between present-day Jingxing and Luchuan. This is the historically famous Battle of Julu.

Originally, the Han army had traveled a long distance and was vastly outnumbered compared to the Zhao army. Moreover, the Zhao army had abundant supplies and rested troops, making it very difficult for the Han to win. However, Han Xin skillfully applied the philosophical principle from calligraphy—"place them in a desperate situation and they will survive; put them in a deadly spot and they will live"—and managed to annihilate the entire 200,000-strong Zhao army. He beheaded the Zhao commander Chen Yu on the spot and captured King Xia of Zhao.

Legend has it that during the Han army’s pursuit of the Zhao forces, the soldiers were parched, and the villages in the area lacked water, leaving the troops suffering from extreme thirst. Just then, they spotted a white deer darting by, and the soldiers, as if finding a treasure, chased after it eagerly.

The white deer ran swiftly, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. Han Xin drew his bow and shot an arrow with all his might, hitting the deer. The soldiers were overjoyed and rushed forward, but the deer had vanished without a trace. Instead, at the spot where the arrow landed, a clear and sweet spring gushed forth. After drinking, the soldiers felt their fatigue vanish instantly. It is said that the place where the deer was shot was originally called Baijiayao. Since then, the name “Bailu Spring” has endured to this day. The Bailu Spring in Bailu Spring Village, west of the city, has also become one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Luchuan. The poetic line “Bailu Spring gushes as if pearls are spilling” has been passed down through time.