Siqian Well

　　outside the east gate in Yuanyuan Village. The Siqian Well was built during the Jin Dynasty and is an ancient well personally dug and used by the immortal Pan Maoming of the Western Jin Dynasty when he practiced alchemy.

　　From the sixth year of the Xianhe era to the fifth year of the Shengping era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331–361 AD), the immortal Pan Maoming would go to Dongshan Mountain every morning to collect herbs; at noon, he would return to Panpo to sort them; and from evening until dawn, he would refine and extract the elixirs. When refining the medicinal paste, Pan had very strict technical requirements. In addition to ensuring the quality of the sprouts and leaves harvested, he also paid great attention to the water used for alchemy. Polluted mountain stream or river water could not be used—only especially pure dragon spring water would do. To this end, within his herb garden—Yuanyuan—Pan selected a special geographical location and dug a well specifically for alchemical use, called the Alchemy Well. Later generations called it “Siqian Well,” meaning “to remember the sages of old.”

　　The Siqian Well is 25 meters deep with a diameter of 0.8 meters. The spring water from this well is unique, with stable water levels that neither drop by half during droughts nor overflow during rainy days. It is said that when Pan the Immortal chose the location for the well, he used his immortal powers to connect it to the water veins of Dragon Mountain, ensuring that the water flowing from the well was from the Dragon Pool Spring, hence the stable water level and special water quality. When locals use the water from this well to make tofu, each load can gain an extra 2–3 jin (1–1.5 kg); when used to brew tea, the fragrance overflows and no tea stains are left in the cup. Due to the special properties of this water, people from nearby areas flock here to draw water. When the Tang Dynasty eunuch Gao Lishi returned to his hometown for a visit, he also drew a bucket of water from Siqian Well to bring back to the capital and present to Emperor Xuanzong, who was extremely pleased and spoke highly of it. The Song Dynasty’s "Taiping Huanyu Ji" recorded this event: “The water Pan the True Man used for alchemy had a very fragrant and delicious taste. When used to brew tea, it was distinct from other waters. Gao Lishi reported this and took some of the water back to the capital.” Because the water from this well was used by Pan the Immortal for alchemy, and was also the “tribute spring” that Gao Lishi drew and presented to Emperor Xuanzong, Siqian Well is also called the “Alchemy Well” or the “Tribute Well.”

　　Due to its excellent water quality, Siqian Well has long been beloved by the public, which is why it has been preserved to this day. Although the area around Siqian Well has been developed into a residential neighborhood—with streets crisscrossing and buildings standing in dense rows—the well site itself has retained its original appearance. Today, although tap water has reached nearly every household, the water from Siqian Well remains popular among locals. They come to draw the spring water specifically for brewing tea, so among the local people, there is a saying: “Siqian Well water with Xindong tea,” meaning that when Siqian Well water is used to brew Xindong green tea, it becomes the finest tea possible. Whenever relatives and friends gather, serving guests tea brewed with Siqian Well water and Xindong green tea fills the courtyard with fragrance. At such times, the stories of Pan Maoming practicing alchemy and Gao Lishi drawing water naturally become favorite topics of tea chats, enriching the tea culture of Gaozhou.

　　Siqian Well is also an important site of Pan Maoming’s cultural heritage. Every day, many visitors come to see it and enjoy tea here, making it a great destination for cultural tourism.