Nanzheng Shengshui Temple

　　The ancient Shengshui Temple is situated on the southern bank of the Han River, approximately 20 kilometers east of Nanzheng County. Inside the temple, the Dragon Spring shimmers with multicolored light, and the Han Osmanthus fills the air with fragrance. Towering ancient cypresses stand in front of the temple, while the rustling pines behind it bring refreshing coolness. The scenery is beautiful and the landscape enchanting. It is named Shengshui Temple because five springs surround the main hall, resembling “five dragons holding up the sacred.”

　　Shengshui Temple lies to the south of Lingquan Mountain and faces the Han River to the north, across which lies the historic and cultural city of Hanzhong. With a long history dating back to before the Western Han Dynasty, the temple has been repaired repeatedly through the dynasties despite periods of decline. Its current scale largely originates from the Ming Jiajing era. According to the Continued Chronicles of Nanzheng County: “Shengshui Temple is located at Zhongqiliba… and features five springs—green, white, yellow, black, and dark. The black spring flows from beneath the Buddha’s seat, while the others are situated to the east and west of the temple. Thus, when water from these springs is poured into vessels, one can immediately identify which spring it is.” At that time, the entire temple complex was divided into three courtyards: east, central, and west. The central courtyard housed the Mahavira Hall, alongside the Dragon King Hall, Baiyun Hall, Niangniang Hall, and Guan Yu Hall. At the mountaintop behind the temple were the River-Viewing Tower, Moon-Viewing Tower, and Dragon-Suppressing Pagoda. The mountain gate in front of the temple was a two-story pavilion, flanked by “Nine-Dragon Walls” on both sides. On the eastern hill stood the Qiaofeng Pavilion, a double-linked structure, while the western hill had the Jingshao Pavilion and the Marquis Xiao (the title conferred by Emperor Gaozu of Han to Xiao He) Pavilion. The entire temple complex featured elegant architecture, grand scale, and flourishing incense offerings.

　　Within Shengshui Temple stands a lush osmanthus tree revered as the “Divine Osmanthus of Hanzhong” and “China’s Oldest Osmanthus,” known as the Han Osmanthus. The osmanthus tree is considered a treasure in its entirety. As the ancients said, “Osmanthus petals fall from the moon,” making it a celestial gift with a cultivation history of 2,500 years in China. Legend has it that this osmanthus tree was personally planted by Xiao He, the Chancellor of the Western Han Dynasty, hence its name “Han Osmanthus.” In 206 BC, Xiao He assisted Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, in founding the Han Dynasty. He developed water conservancy projects and promoted agriculture, leaving many relics in Hanzhong, among which the Han Osmanthus of Shengshui Temple is one. In 1980, the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Research Institute conducted a C14 test on a slice of the Han Osmanthus, determining its age to be 1,840 ± 350 years. In 1982, botanist Zhang Jian from Xi’an conducted another test, estimating its age to be 1,964 ± 125 years. Taking the positive values from both tests, the tree is over 2,000 years old.

　　According to the Continued Chronicles of Nanzheng County: “The osmanthus tree in the temple measures four to five people’s hugs in circumference. When it blooms, its fragrance spreads for miles.” This ancient osmanthus tree now stands 13 meters tall. Originally having three branches, only two remain, yet it still stands upright with lush foliage. Every Mid-Autumn season, it blooms three times in succession, displaying red, yellow, and white flowers, each with three to over ten petals. Its fragrance is rich and intoxicating, detectable from miles away. A poem describes: “Among autumn trees, its blossoms surpass all others, with its fragrance wafting across the land.” Next to the Han Osmanthus were nine stone inscriptions by historical figures, featuring elegant calligraphy. The current “Han Osmanthus” stone inscription was inscribed in the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920) by Chai Shouyu, the then magistrate of Nanzheng County and compiler of the county chronicles. Today, the Han Osmanthus has been designated by the Hanzhong Municipal People’s Government as the “City Tree” of Hanzhong, becoming an important symbol and proud emblem of this historic and cultural city.

　　The five springs—green, white, yellow, black, and dark—encircle the temple. They never dry up in droughts nor overflow in rains, flowing ceaselessly to nourish the fields. Locals call them the Five Dragon Springs, presenting a spectacle of “five dragons holding up the sacred,” forming a unique wonder of the ancient temple. Dai Qiyuan, the magistrate of Nanzheng in the Qing Dynasty, praised in his poem “Shengshui Spring Tide”: “Since when did the dragon rise? Only these springs remain, startled into flight. A thousand layers of silver cascades in the rain, a single thread of water curtain in the sky.” The waters of the Five Dragon Springs display various colors: “The Azure Dragon Spring is crystal clear; the White Dragon Spring gleams white against the sky; the Yellow Dragon Spring shines golden; the Black Dragon Spring glows darkly; the Dark Dragon Spring is pitch-black like charcoal.” Since Xiao He developed water conservancy and agriculture in Hanzhong, locals have used these springs to irrigate their fields. As such, the springs are vital to the survival and prosperity of nearby residents, giving rise to numerous legends and mythological figures such as Zhong Heng. Legend has it that the Dragon King of the East Sea brought his five dragon sons—white, black, dark, yellow, and azure—into the Han River basin, causing devastating floods. The skilled archer Zhong Heng, witnessing the suffering, shot and killed the old dragon, captured its sons, and imprisoned them under Lingquan Mountain. He then ordered the five dragon sons to dig a passage to the East Sea to nourish the surrounding lands. These legends reflect people’s aspirations to reward good and punish evil, uphold justice, and pray for favorable weather. The osmanthus tree, said to have been planted by Xiao He, grows beside the Black Dragon Spring, nourished by its waters, thus thriving for millennia.

　　If the Han Osmanthus is the symbol of Shengshui Temple, then the Five Dragon Springs are its lifeblood.

　　The Black Dragon Spring flows right next to the Han Osmanthus, emerging from beneath the Buddha’s seat. Its water is ink-black, adding to its mystique. The Yellow Dragon Spring contains trace amounts of sulfur, which is therapeutic for skin ailments. The Azure Dragon Spring is as clear as jade, rich in various trace elements essential to the human body, making it a high-quality natural mineral water. Regular consumption is believed to benefit cardiovascular and digestive health, and it is called “Sacred Water” by locals. The area around Sacred Water Town has even been dubbed the “Land of Twins” by CCTV’s Travelogue program. The Dark Dragon Spring is deep black and mirror-like, used primarily for irrigating crops and nourishing all things. The White Dragon Spring is as clear as a mirror, originating from fractures in the Jurassic granite layer more than 200 meters below the surface. It has since been developed into a commercial mineral water product. Analysis confirms that the White Dragon Spring and Azure Dragon Spring have the best water quality and great potential for development and utilization.

　　The Mahavira Hall of Shengshui Temple, surrounded by the Five Dragon Sacred Springs in a crescent shape like “colorful auspicious clouds,” features a Ming-style five-hidden-seven hip-and-gable roof with five ridges and six peaks, covered in cylindrical tiles. Inside the hall are colorful murals depicting stories from the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, such as Wang Xiang Lying on Ice and Meng Zong Weeping for Bamboo Shoots. The center of the hall originally housed a large bronze statue of Sakyamuni and an ancient bronze chime, 1.8 meters tall. Unfortunately, they were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s.

　　The east courtyard of Shengshui Temple now houses over ten simple rooms that should not be underestimated. Several prominent figures in modern Chinese history once resided here. When the War of Resistance against Japan broke out in 1937, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the First Branch of the Central Military Academy to relocate to Shengshui Temple in 1938, where it remained for six years. In May 1944, Chiang Kai-shek personally presided over the graduation ceremony here and stayed in the east courtyard hall. Li Zongren, Yu Youren, and Chen Cheng also visited. Li Zongren’s former residence remains well-preserved. A calligraphy stele by Yu Youren is also preserved at Shengshui Temple, holding significant artistic value.

　　In 1992, Shengshui Temple was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit by the provincial government, accelerating its preservation and restoration. The Mahavira Hall, gate tower, and secondary gate were renovated. With its integration of historical relics and natural landscapes, along with the fame and unique appeal of the Han Osmanthus and Five Dragon Springs, the temple naturally captivates visitors.

　　Scenic Area Address: Shengshui Town, Nanzheng County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province