Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple

　　    Traveling west from the Summer Palace along Wenqi Highway beside the Jingmi Diversion Canal, after passing Lengquan Village, you enter the territory of Wenquan Town. Along the broad highway, you’ll see a lush green hill called Huamei Mountain directly ahead, with a magnificent temple atop it, featuring red walls and yellow tiles. This is the renowned Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple. According to *Scenic Spots of the Imperial Capital*, “The Black Dragon Pool is located north of Jinshan Pass, with a Dragon King Temple built against the ridge. Its green hall and crimson walls front a pool. Locals say a black dragon dwells beneath it, hence the name Black Dragon Pool.” Local legend has it that the black dragon was the son of the Dragon King of the East Sea. One year, upon returning home, it found its dwelling pool occupied by a white dragon, who often transformed into a scholar in white to commit evil deeds and harm the people. The righteous black dragon fought the white dragon fiercely in midair and eventually hurled it to death on Huamei Mountain, allowing itself to reclaim the Black Dragon Pool. Legend says a large rock on Huamei Mountain still bears deep grooves, referred to by locals as the “Dragon-Striking Stone.”

　　　　    The Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple faces east and is built against the mountain. The plaque above the mountain gate reads “Imperially Commissioned Black Dragon King Temple,” but no date is inscribed, so its exact origin remains unknown. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tubular tiles, topped with a majestic ridge adorned with mythical beast ornaments. The gate consists of a single room, 5 meters wide and 1.8 meters deep. To the north of the gate lies the Black Dragon Pool, encircled by a semicircular corridor over 1 meter wide. The inner side is divided into 33 sections by more than 30 wooden pillars, with gray tiles and white walls, featuring various shaped decorative windows—square, round, polygonal, and latticed. The pool, shimmering like a bright pearl, is described in local records as spanning ten acres, with water seeping through crevices in the rocks and never drying up. It overflows into the fields below, babbling softly.

　　　　    Forty years ago, villagers would wash clothes in the pool outside the red walls, where the water was clear and delightful. In recent years, due to excessive groundwater extraction, the pool now holds less than a foot of water. Climbing 11 stone steps made of granite, you’ll find stele pavilions to the north and south, featuring wooden structures with double-eave hipped roofs and yellow glazed tubular tiles. The steles bear imperial inscriptions from Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, detailing the history of the Dragon King Temple and the emperors’ visits to pray for rain. The pedestals of the steles are carved with the motif of two dragons playing with a pearl. Ascending seven stone steps leads to a glazed gate, which opens into the courtyard of the Dragon King Hall. Enter through the gate, climb 11 steps to the platform, and then ascend another three steps to reach the Dragon King Hall. The hall consists of three rooms, with a front hipped-roof section and a rolled awning, topped with yellow glazed tiles. At the center of the hall stands a seated statue of the Dragon King. Beside the hall is a white marble stele from the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, recording the construction of the Dragon King Temple. According to the stele, the temple was built in the 22nd year of the Ming Chenghua era (1486) and rebuilt in the 20th year of the Qing Kangxi era (1681). In the 3rd year of the Qing Qianlong era (1738), the Dragon God was bestowed the title “God of the Manifesting and Bounteous Dragon King.” The Black Dragon Pool Dragon King Temple is built against the mountain, with an orderly and rigorous overall layout. Stele pavilions and halls are layered upward, highlighting the central theme. The roof ornaments of the temple halls are all shaped like dragons, nestled within lush greenery, presenting a grand and majestic sight. In the past, during droughts, while water sources in the surrounding areas dried up, the Black Dragon Pool’s water continued to flow year-round. Amazingly, no matter how heavy the rain, the pool’s water level never rose, nor did it drop even during severe droughts. Thus, the black dragon became revered as the divine king governing clouds and rain. Legend says those who prayed for rain during droughts had their wishes granted, making it highly efficacious. Of course, this is an unscientific legend, but it reflects the villagers’ longing for favorable weather and abundant harvests. To thank the black dragon, nearby villagers contributed funds and labor to support the Dragon King Temple.

　　　　    Emperors of the Ming Dynasty, such as Emperor Wanli, and Qing emperors like Kangxi and Qianlong, all came here to pray for rain and admire the pool. When the emperors visited, their grand processions were accompanied by numerous attendants, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle. To this end, dozens of imperial rest palaces were built south of the hall. Legend says that Emperor Qianlong, even at the age of 88, personally visited the temple to kowtow to the Dragon King as a sign of respect. As a result, Qianlong specially decreed that the temple’s green tiles be replaced with the yellow tiles reserved for the imperial family.

　　　　    During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the rain-praying activities at the Black Dragon Pool were large-scale and held at a high official level. The process began with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau selecting a date, drafting a list of participating nobles and officials, and proposing the scale of the event, which was then submitted to the emperor for approval by the Ministry of Rites. The Hanlin Academy would write the prayer text. To show piety, the emperor would not ride in a sedan or have an entourage, instead personally offering silk and prayers. Every April, the Dragon King Temple also hosted grand temple fairs, where various folk performance troupes from nearby villages—such as stilts performers, cart-drum teams, five-tiger-stick groups, and flag processions—would take the stage. Sometimes external opera troupes were invited to perform, attracting thousands of spectators, turning the place into a sea of people. Back then, the Black Dragon Pool became a gathering spot for villagers far and wide.

　　　　    After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Black Dragon Pool was converted into a sanatorium. In May 1984, it was designated…

　　　　    as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Beijing. In 1991, the Beijing Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and Health Bureau raised funds for renovations, giving the halls a fresh new look and establishing it as a tourist attraction in western Beijing.