Luffa Well

Luffa Well

Ancient Changde boasts many historic wells, among which the Four-Eyed Well, Luffa Well, and Sunflower Well are the most renowned. Luffa Well is located at the intersection of Wentiao Lane and Luffa Well on Panchi Street in Changde. It has gained widespread fame due to the numerous stories and legends associated with it, which lend it an air of mystery and spiritual energy.

Observing the well up close, its mouth is over five feet in diameter and about thirty feet deep, tapering at the top and flaring at the bottom like an upside-down jar. The water is crystal clear, cool in summer and warm in winter, and never dries up even during prolonged droughts. Luffa Well has a long history; its exact construction date is unknown, with no records in historical texts. However, judging from unearthed artifacts, it is believed to have been built before the Ming Dynasty or even earlier.

The reason the well is named after a luffa stems from a tale involving a young girl who threw herself into it. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a spoiled and wicked young man in Changde City who idled his days away, indulging in debauchery. One day, a beautiful young farm girl came to the street to sell luffas. The girl was petite, lovely, and extremely charming. The wicked man, overcome with lust, tried to harass her, but she refused. The local residents also condemned him harshly. Unable to use force due to public outrage, the man resorted to deceit under the guise of collecting taxes and lured the girl into his house. Humiliated beyond endurance, the girl took her own life by jumping into the well. From then on, the man’s home was plagued by eerie drafts and constant creaking of furniture. Frightened into illness, he eventually died. Soon after, people drawing water from the well reported seeing a golden, shimmering luffa floating inside. When they tried to scoop it out with a bucket, they saw only the shadow of a golden luffa, and the same happened each time. People believed the golden luffa was the spirit of the girl, and thus the well came to be known as Luffa Well.

The belief that Luffa Well is imbued with spiritual energy originates from the devoted love story of Liu Hai and Hu Xiuying. Legend says there was a golden toad in the well that would emit a beam of white light through the well opening at night, piercing straight into the heavens. Enlightened individuals could ride this light to ascend to paradise. Liu Hai, a poor but kind-hearted young man who lived near the well and was deeply filial to his mother, made a living by chopping firewood in nearby mountains and selling it to buy rice. One day, a fox spirit in the forest transformed into a beautiful maiden named Hu Xiuying and blocked Liu Hai’s way home, demanding to marry him. After their marriage, Hu Xiuying wanted to help Liu Hai ascend to heaven. She spat out a white pearl for him to use as bait while fishing in Luffa Well. The golden toad bit the bait, and Liu Hai seized the opportunity to climb onto its back. Leaping into the air, he ascended to immortality. To commemorate Liu Hai’s filial piety and enlightenment, later generations built Chanquan Temple beside the well, enshrining a statue of Liu Hai. After liberation, the temple was destroyed. However, the Hunan Huagu Opera "Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad" and "Liu Hai Chops Firewood," based on this legend, have been performed across the country.

When elders speak of Luffa Well, their voices brim with nostalgia and endless stories. The well has not only nurtured generation after generation but also recorded the joys and sorrows of their lives. Because of the well, people settled around it, leading simple and harmonious rural lives. On summer nights, elders would bring children to sit by the well, spreading out bamboo mats and fans under the starlit sky, where children would beg for stories. During the day, women washed clothes by the well, men fetched water, and when they grew tired, they teased the women—only to be met with a splash of water and a hasty retreat. Elders also recall that there used to be a river and a temple near Luffa Well. Before liberation, Changde was a small city, and to the south of the well lay a moat with clear water teeming with fish and shrimp. In summer, children and adults swam and played in the river; in spring, blooming flowers and murmuring streams created a picturesque scene. To the east of the well stood a grand temple with magnificent architecture, carved beams, painted rafters, and glazed tiles. In front of the temple was an ornamental archway, and before that, a turtle pond. The entire temple complex was even larger than the Confucius Temple in Nanjing. Sadly, the temple no longer exists, or it would have added even more cultural charm to Changde’s tourism.

With the passage of time and rapid urban development, the moat in front of Luffa Well has been transformed into a bustling street, surrounded by tall residential buildings. The surrounding community is named after the well—Luffa Well Community—housing 1,767 households and a population of 4,399. To the east of Luffa Well lies Changde No. 1 High School, which sends large numbers of students to universities across the country each year, producing many talents for the nation—a true testament to the region’s auspicious land and gifted people.

In modern life, Luffa Well is no longer a source of drinking water, yet people still cherish it and hope it will endure forever. The municipal government is now preparing to implement protective measures for the well, and surrounding residential buildings have been demolished. An elderly man, nearly eighty years old, faithfully volunteers to guard the well.

Ancient Wells of Changde Urban Area

Changde Four-Eyed Well

Cui Po Well

Sunflower Well

White Dragon Well