Dongjia Water Well

Dongjia Water Well

Dongjia Water Well

Turtle and Snake Reflected in the Moon (also known as Dongjia Water Well): In the county town, there is a gently flowing well whose water remains full no matter how severe the drought. Beside the well lies a large rock shaped like a turtle and snake. Especially on moonlit nights, passersby can see the vivid reflection in the water. One evening, a scholar passing by stopped to drink from the well and happened to notice how strikingly lifelike the rock looked, just like a real turtle and snake. He composed a poem: “Turtle and Snake Reflected in the Moon light my way home, / The clear, gentle stream flows endlessly; / Should one drink this spring water all their life, / Their descendants shall be high officials for generations.” When a man surnamed Dong in the county read this poem, he immediately moved his residence next to the well and settled there. From then on, it was called “Dongjia Water Well.” It is said that a descendant of the Dong family indeed became a top imperial scholar.