Yuquan Mountain

　　Destination Introduction
　　The Yuquan Spring in Beijing gushes forth from the crevices of rocks on Yuquan Mountain in the western suburbs, producing a delightful babbling sound. The descending spring water, sparkling under the bright sunlight, resembles a rainbow hanging in the air. As early as the Ming Dynasty, it was listed as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Yanjing.” During both the Ming and Qing dynasties, it served as the water source for the imperial court.

　　　　According to legend, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, in order to verify the quality of the water, ordered an eunuch to specially craft a silver weighing vessel to compare the weight of famous spring water samples sent from all over the country to the capital. The results showed that Yuquan Spring water weighed only one tael per silver vessel—the lightest; Jinan’s Pearl Spring weighed one tael and two qian; Zhenjiang’s Zhongzhu Spring weighed one tael and three qian; Wuxi’s Huishan Spring and Hangzhou’s Hupao Spring both weighed one tael and four qian. This confirmed that Qianlong himself had established clarity—lightness—as the key criterion for evaluating springs. Yuquan Spring had the least “impurities,” making the water the clearest and of the highest quality, which, when consumed over time, could cure illnesses and promote longevity. Thus, beside the “Licebo Lake,” whose waters were described as “clear and azure, pure as jade,” he inscribed the imperial essay “Record of Yuquan Mountain as the Finest Spring Under Heaven”: “...

　　　　Among all springs emerging from the mountain with a crisp taste, none surpasses the Yuquan Spring of the capital. Therefore, it is designated as the Finest Spring Under Heaven.” The Yuquan Spring was officially named the “Finest Spring Under Heaven” by Emperor Qianlong, a renowned traveler and connoisseur of spring water.

　　　　At the foot of the mountain lies Jingming Garden, the site of the Liao Dynasty’s Yuquan Mountain imperial palace and the Jin Dynasty’s Furong Hall imperial palace. It is said that Emperor Zhangzong of Jin once spent his summers here. Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty built Zhaohua Temple here, and Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty added the Upper and Lower Huayan Palaces. In the second year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1645), the garden was renovated and renamed Chengxin Garden. In the 19th year of the Kangxi reign (1680), many additional garden structures were built, and in the 31st year, it was renamed to its current name.

　　　　Location: Located in the Western Hills, Haidian District, Beijing

　　　　The garden originally featured sixteen scenic spots, namely: Broad-Minded Public Virtue, Lotus in Sunny Radiance, Yuquan Gushing Forth, Bamboo Stove Mountain House, Sacred Nation Comprehensive Painting, Embroidered Cliff Poetry Mood, Stream Field Farming Lessons, Cool Meditation Grotto, Fragrant Cloud Path, Gorge Snow Music, Jade Peak Pagoda Reflection, Wind-Heavy Clear Listening, Mirror Reflection Embracing Emptiness, Licebo Lake Light, Distant Clouds Bell Sound, and Emerald Cloud Auspicious Shade.

　　　　During the Qianlong reign, another sixteen scenic spots were added: Clear Sound Ribbon, Flourishing Abode, Crown Peak Pavilion, Guanyin Cave, Appreciation Encounter Tower, Flying Cloud Eye, Ink Testing Spring, Divided Mirror Curve, Writing Qin Corridor, Extending Green Hall, Plowing Cloud Pavilion, Arhat Cave, Suchness Room, Layered Bright Universe, Entering Pearl Spring, and Mind-Distant Pavilion. Most were destroyed during the invasions of the Anglo-French Allied Forces and the Eight-Nation Alliance.

　　　　The pavilions, towers, kiosks, halls, temples, and pagodas within Jingming Garden are built against the mountains, harmoniously blending among springs, ravines, rocky outcrops, and forests—exquisite and serene—a successful example of garden design art. Today, the most famous scenic views include Huazang Pagoda and Yuquan Pagoda at Miaogaofeng, Licebo Lake, Huayan Cave, Yulong Cave, Xiangyan Temple, and Shengyuan Temple.

　　　　Take bus 330 or 904

　　 Haidian District, Beijing