White Camel Spring

White Camel Spring

White Camel Spring

White Camel Spring is located in Sanlanbahai Village, Jiezi Township, about 5 kilometers from the county town. It is a sacred site at the birthplace of the Salar people.

Legend has it that the ancestors of the Salar people migrated from Samarkand in Central Asia in the early Yuan Dynasty, leading their clansmen and bringing along a white camel that carried soil and water from their homeland as well as a copy of the Quran. After traveling through Xichang Gully, crossing the Mengda Mountain, and ascending the Wutusi Mountain, night fell and the camel went missing in the vast wilderness. The next day, they found the camel lying in a clear spring, having turned into white stone. Upon testing, they discovered that the soil and water were the same as those in their homeland, so they decided to settle there and named the place “Camel Spring.”

In the early 1980s, the government allocated funds to renovate the walls and gate of Camel Spring. Granite was used to carve three uniquely shaped camel statues by the spring, and flowers, grass, and trees were planted. A waterside pavilion and a stele pavilion were also built. The renovated Camel Spring is as clear as a mirror, with ripples gently lapping; the blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the water. The exquisitely carved stone camels stand beside the spring, heads held high, majestic and lifelike. Within a hundred steps of Camel Spring lie the ancestral Jiezi Grand Mosque of the Salar people and the tombs of their founding ancestors, Kalman and Ahman. Verdant ancient elm trees complement the scenery, creating a unique charm that attracts many visitors. A poem reads:

Fossil legend spans seven hundred years; Through countless changes, it has witnessed all.

Head held high, it neighs toward the sweet dew; Pavilions and green lawns display nature’s hue.

Ancestors founded their home on Salar Plain; Their tombs’ sealed tops bear words profound and plain.

Brick carvings and jade work connect earth’s veins; The serene scenery feels like heaven’s domains.

The grand mosque rose anew after trials and strife; Majestic and solemn, it shows great life.

A moon and star shine through heaven and earth; The Quran’s scrolls pass on through ancient and modern worth.