Divine Spring Scenic Site

Divine Spring Scenic Site

The Divine Spring Scenic Site is located 7.5 kilometers south of Huidong County, situated along the southeastern coast of Guangdong Province, bordering the South China Sea to the west and backed by Wenchang Mountain. It serves as the estuary where the county’s Longjiang, Yanling, and Leiling rivers converge before flowing into the sea, and was historically a renowned seaport in eastern Guangdong. Built in the 33rd year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1554), it has a history of over 400 years, with numerous attractions, including the legends of the “Three Wonders” and “Eight Scenic Spots.” (The “Three Wonders” refer to a unique object—the “Golden Bell Hung on a Silk Thread,” a unique fish—the “Paying Fish,” and unique water—the “Sweet Spring.” The “Eight Scenic Spots” include the Mirage Sea Market, the Seaside Sweet Spring, the Beacon Tower Overlooking the Sea, the Jade Tablet Facing the Sky, the Scholar’s Brush Pointing High, the Evening Sails Returning at Sunset, the Academy’s Green Pines, and the Ancient Well Connecting to the Sea.)

Legend has it that during the Sui Dynasty, Divine Spring was surrounded by sea on all sides and was an isolated island. By the Tang Dynasty, residents had already settled on the island, making a living through fishing. Later, due to sediment accumulation, the island became connected to the mainland, forming a landscape of mountains behind and the sea in front. The population increased significantly, and gradually, 13 villages including Shenqian (Front of Divine), Shenhou (Back of Divine), and Shenshan (Divine Mountain) were established around the ancient Shenshan Temple, collectively known as the “Great Divine Mountain Town.”

The Seaside Sweet Spring is located at the southeast corner of the Divine Spring town area. During the Song Dynasty, it was a freshwater spring on the beach. In the Ming Dynasty, it was built into a well. At that time, the child prodigy Su Fu from Chaoshan composed a unique single-line couplet for it: “Draw it swiftly or slowly, yet it never runs dry; steeped in brine and vapor, it stands uniquely bland.” This became a celebrated riddle, greatly enhancing the spring’s fame, and many mythical tales were woven around it, eventually transforming it into the “Divine Spring.” During the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong reign, County Magistrate Wang Wei built a pavilion beside the well, inscribed Su Fu’s couplet on the pavilion’s pillars, and erected a stele with an inscription. A Qing-era poem about Divine Spring Temple includes the line, “A marvel lies at the world’s edge, where sweet springs emerge at the sea’s corner,” giving rise to the elegant name “Seaside Sweet Spring.”

The Narcissus Palace is one of the ancient sites of Divine Spring, built in the 8th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1803). It is dedicated to Emperor Yu of the Xia Dynasty. The palace features a main hall, central chamber, side rooms, a rolled-canopy worship pavilion, and a flush-gable roof, offering the scenic view of “Ascending the Terrace to Watch the Boats.”

The Jade Tower is located at the southern end of the Divine Spring harbor. Originally a navigation marker for passing fishing boats, it was built during the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong reign. This seven-story, octagonal solid tower, constructed with lime-shell compacted material, stands 26.4 meters tall, representing the ancient “Eight Scenic Spots” element known as the “Scholar’s Brush Pointing High.”

Mirages often appear on the southwestern sea surface of Divine Spring Harbor, mostly around the transition between spring and summer, just before heavy rain. Each mirage is unique—some feature ancient pavilions and grand halls, others showcase modern skyscrapers, and there have even been sightings of scenes from the Japanese invasion of China. A single mirage can also shift unpredictably, presenting a myriad of visions: sometimes brave warriors clad in armor with swords drawn, galloping horses; other times curved gardens, wine banners, and ladies frolicking, appearing and disappearing, near and far, truly spectacular. Mirages may occur once a year, every few years, or even twice a year. They can last several hours, just over ten minutes, or vanish in an instant. On March 19, 1957, a mirage appeared from 1:00 PM until 6:45 PM, marking the longest-lasting occurrence in recorded history. Local fishermen have summarized mirage observation into weather wisdom: “If the mirage seems distant, wait for the wind; if it appears nearby, expect rain.”