Golden Thread Willow Mist Scenic Area

　　The Golden Thread River is an ancient waterway. It originates from Longgong Village in Hebi City, flows through the front and back Shu Villages, and enters at Wujia Cave Village in Longquan Town, Long'an District, before flowing into Longquan Reservoir. Downstream, it passes through Pingji Village in Longquan Town, as well as Hongyan, Zhangdeng, Qugou and other villages in Anyang County, and joins the Huan River north of Xiahan Village. The river stretches approximately 7 kilometers through the area.

　　After the construction of Longquan Reservoir in 1956, the river water was stored in the reservoir, used mainly for irrigation during normal times and for flood discharge during the rainy season to prevent flooding. The reservoir controls a catchment area of 32 square kilometers. The dam stands 15.5 meters high, with a crest length of 588 meters and a width of 4 meters. The total storage capacity is 3.3 million cubic meters, with an effective capacity of 1.37 million cubic meters. The spillway has a maximum discharge capacity of 852 cubic meters per second, and the flood control standard is designed for a 200-year event. The reservoir irrigates over 1,000 acres of farmland.

　　In 1970, the Golden Thread River was dredged to enhance its flood prevention capacity. After the major floods of 1982, efforts were strengthened to conserve soil and water in the Golden Thread River basin, including desilting and management. These measures not only improved flood control but also emphasized comprehensive treatment. In recent years, sightseeing paths have been built along both banks of the Golden Thread River, and wooden boardwalks have been erected deep in the dense woods. The original appearance of the Golden Thread River has been restored, and the wetlands, vegetation, animals, and other natural elements within the scenic area have been well preserved. It has become an ideal destination for leisure, fishing, living, sightseeing, and tourism during holidays.

　　The name "Golden Thread Willow Mist" comes from its location by the Golden Thread River and the willow trees that shade both riverbanks. Here, the river is wide, with murmuring streams and crystal-clear shallow waters that serve as a natural playground for children to play in the water. Among the willow groves on both sides of the river, small wooden cabins—named Willow Mist Cabins—are designed for visitors to rest. These cabins are connected to roads via wooden boardwalks, preserving the native grass beneath the willows and maintaining ecological balance, creating a harmonious atmosphere between humans and nature. Here, you can take a walk in the woods or fish by the shore, fully immersing yourself in the rural charm of weeping willows swaying in the breeze.

　　Traveling upstream along the Golden Thread River will bring you to Lingquan Temple.

　　Lingquan Temple is located south of Longquan Village, facing south with the murmuring Golden Thread River flowing in front of its entrance. The temple was built during the Sui Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty in the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Today, cultural relics such as steles from the Qianlong era can still be found in the temple, serving as evidence of its history. During its peak years of incense offerings, the temple housed hundreds of eminent monks and cultivated three to four hectares of farmland. It currently covers an area of about 30 acres.

　　Here, you can offer incense and make a wish, or take a short rest while exploring rural memories.

　　In ancient times, Longquan Village was not called Longquan but Lingquan. There were also settlements known as North Lingquan, West Lingquan, and South Lingquan. Lingquan County was once an actual county seat. Historical records indicate that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Northern Zhou Dynasty established Ling (County) southwest of present-day downtown Anyang around the year 577 AD. After conquering the Northern Qi capital of Ye, the Northern Zhou sought to strengthen control over the former Qi capital and set up several commanderies and counties in the surrounding area, with Lingquan County being one of them. In the early Sui Dynasty, Lingquan County was under the administration of Wei Commandery in Xiangzhou. In the third year of the Kaihuang era (583 AD), after Wei Commandery was abolished, Lingquan County came under the direct jurisdiction of Xiangzhou. In the first year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD), Wei Commandery was disbanded, and Xiangzhou was re-established, placing Lingquan County under Xiangzhou. In the fourth year of Wude (621 AD), Lingquan County was abolished. Historical data shows that by the Northern Song Dynasty, Lingquan had become a sizable village. The 1738 Anxin County Annals record that Lingquan Village was renamed Longquan during the Qing Dynasty. During the Republican era, it reverted to its original name, and in 1956, it was renamed Longquan Village again. Thus, the current Longquan was historically known as Lingquan and was also the seat of Lingquan County. According to local residents, shortly after the liberation, a large brick inscribed with "Lingquan County North Pass" was unearthed in Mengjiazhuang. At that time, due to the recent liberation, villagers did not recognize the value of cultural relics and discarded it.

　　During the Ming Dynasty, the Golden Thread River was a vital waterway for transporting grain to Tianjin. On the east side of the temple’s entrance was a dock, and remnants of it still remain. In 1956, during the construction of Longquan Reservoir, a large iron anchor weighing over 400 jin (approximately 200 kilograms) was excavated, serving as the best evidence.

　　Huaxiang Longquan (Flower Township Longquan) has over 1,700 years of history in flower cultivation. The most famous flowers include An Gui (An Osmanthus), Lan Song (Orchid Pine), and Yin Xiuqiu (Shaded Hydrangea). Among these, An Gui was bestowed its name by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the Zhao family had developed their own unique school of flower cultivation. Zhao Rizhen from Longquan Village had a particular passion for growing osmanthus. After decades of dedicated research, he successfully cultivated osmanthus using grafting techniques—resulting in plants with short leaf nodes, dense foliage, stable flowering, abundant blooms, strong fragrance, and elegant shapes. In the 43rd year of Qianlong’s reign (1778 AD), when Zhao Rizhen was selling flowers in the capital, he was spotted by Emperor Qianlong, who was traveling incognito. The emperor greatly admired his osmanthus and immediately bestowed upon it the imperial title "An Gui" (Peaceful Osmanthus), rewarding Zhao Rizhen with fifty taels of silver. Since then, the flowers of Long’an gained national fame. Longquan also produced many skilled floriculturists. Due to the exceptional craftsmanship, reputation, and quality of the flowers grown by Long’an’s horticulturists, in 1950, 27 of them were invited to cultivate flowers in Beijing’s Zhongnanhai, 20 of whom came from Longquan Village alone.