Baiquan Scenic Area

Baiquan lies at the southern foot of Sumen Mountain, five li northwest of downtown Huixian City. It gets its name from countless spring outlets scattered across the lake bed; springs gush out of underground caves in strings like pearls, earning it the alternate name Pearl Spring.

Excavation of Baiquan began as early as the Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years ago. In the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750), stone revetments were built around the water to stop leakage, forming a rectangular spring lake. Covering more than 34,000 square meters, the lake maintains a steady water discharge of 4–5 cubic meters per second, with a maximum depth of 3 meters and a constant water temperature of around 20°C all year round. Warm in winter and cool in summer, its water stays emerald green, clear and pure through all seasons. Fish and crabs dart among water plants crisscrossing the lake surface. Pavilions, terraces and towers dot the lakeside, connected by winding stone bridges. Ancient cypresses tower overhead, and weeping willows sway gracefully. Mountains, waters and classical buildings mirror one another to form a picturesque landscape, long hailed as the "Pearl of Central Plains" and a "Miniature West Lake".

The lakeside is lined with pavilions, towers, temples and ancestral halls built through successive dynasties. The Clear Radiance Pavilion, erected in the Yuan Dynasty, stands surrounded by lush ancient cypresses in grand solemnity. Six pavilions line the lake shore — Golden Surging, Jade Spurting, Spirit Source, Fish-Releasing, Heart-Cleansing and Dismount — featuring simple, delicate, exquisite architecture. Golden Surging Pavilion stands out among them, housing over fifty embedded stone steles. During the Yuanyou reign of the Northern Song Dynasty, the great literary giant Su Dongpo visited here and brushed the six large characters "Golden Surging Pavilion on Sumen Mountain". His semi-cursive regular script conceals sharp vigor within soft strokes, winning endless praise from visitors.

The Weiyuan Temple sits on the north bank of the lake, built against the mountain and beside the water as an ancient shrine dedicated to the river god. First constructed in the Sui Dynasty, it underwent renovations in the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Its Clear Radiance Hall, rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, is the oldest and most intact ancient wooden structure surviving at Baiquan.

A Stele Corridor stands northeast of the lake, completed in 1974 to collect 142 scattered stone steles and mural paintings spanning the Northern Wei, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Precious cultural relics include: the Song Dynasty painting Portrait of the Cloth Bag Monk by Cui Bai, praised by Su Shi in his inscription as "superior to Wu Daozi’s art"; four stone screen carvings by national hero Yue Fei; the Yuan Dynasty stele Yuxu Guan Record and Ode to the Pan Valley by Zhao Ziang; a fan-shaped stone carving by Tang Bohu of the Ming Dynasty; imperial calligraphy steles handwritten by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, plus murals by Zheng Banqiao and Wang Suobin of the Qing Dynasty.

Sumen Mountain, a branch of the Taihang Mountains, shares equal renown with Baiquan Lake. Standing roughly 180 meters above sea level, it leans against lofty mountain ranges and overlooks rippling clear waters. Dense ancient cypresses cloak the hillside, concealing numerous historic sites amid scenic, intriguing landscapes. At the summit stands the Roosting Terrace, where the Wei-Jin hermit Sun Deng lived in seclusion and practiced resonant whistling. Sun Deng, courtesy name Gonghe, art name Master of Sumen, resided in an earthen cave. In summer he wove grass for garments; in winter his loose hair fell down to his belly. He excelled at resonant whistling, loved reading the I Ching, and carried a one-string zither. If passersby tried to talk with him, he would utter no reply. Villagers once lifted him high and tossed him into the lake to provoke a reaction; Sun Deng climbed out laughing and left without anger. Ji Kang, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, studied under him for three years yet never drew a single word about his life aspirations from the hermit.

Halfway up the mountain stands a Confucian Temple built in the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. In the 2nd year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Halberd Gate and the stone archway "The Master Standing by the River" were added. At the mountain’s southwest corner lies a walled courtyard with layered gateways, shaded by dense trees and filled with stone steles. Named the Peaceful Abode, it was the former residence and lecture venue of Shao Yong, a master Neo-Confucian scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty. Beneath it is the Longevity Cave, and to its east stands the Starving Hermit’s Tomb.

Baiquan Hotel nestles in a mountain hollow to the right of Sumen Mountain inside the scenic zone. The six-story I-shaped building is fully constructed of bluestone, with glazed tile eaves delivering a timeless antique charm. Two four-meter-high square stone pillars (60 cm per side) stand at the entrance, carved with a couplet: "Baiquan’s long waters connect the four seas; Sumen Mountain’s lofty peaks welcome guests from all five continents". A pair of two-meter-high Qing stone lions guard the gate, lending the hotel a majestic air. Fully equipped with complete service facilities, it can accommodate 1,200 guests for lodging and catering at one time.

Baiquan Scenic Area sits at the southern foot of Sumen Mountain, two kilometers northwest of downtown Huixian. It boasts the largest and best-preserved complex of ancient classical gardens in Henan Province, known as the "Summer Palace of Central Plains" and "Little West Lake of the North". Baiquan Lake was excavated in the Shang Dynasty with a history exceeding 3,000 years, named for countless springs welling up from its bed. Its gushing water surges in strings of pearls, earning it the secondary name Pearl Spring.

Sweet, limpid spring water transparent to the lake bottom earned it the ancient title "Father of Sweet Springs" in local chronicles, covering 34,000 square meters. Celebrities from all dynasties visited or lived in seclusion here, leaving countless poems and odes extolling Baiquan. Famous figures include the Wei-Jin hermit Sun Deng, Northern Song Neo-Confucian Shao Yong, literary giant Su Shi, Yuan Dynasty scholar Wang Pan, late Ming and early Qing great Confucian Sun Qifeng, and the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Their legacies include the Roosting Terrace, Peaceful Abode, Starving Hermit’s Tomb, Three Stele Pavilions, Clear Radiance Pavilion, Weiyuan Temple, Confucian Temple and Master Shao’s Shrine.

Baiquan underwent repeated expansion and reconstruction. In 1750, stone embankments were laid around the lake to form its present rectangular shape. A winding bluestone path runs through the lake center, linking pavilions, towers and small bridges scattered across the water. Fishing Pavilion, Lake Center Pavilion, South Hall, Dismount Pavilion, Sericulture Pavilion, Golden Surging Pavilion, Jade Spurting Pavilion and Spirit Source Pavilion dot the shore and stand elegantly upon the water, exquisite and lovely to behold.

Today’s Baiquan Lake boasts gorgeous, pleasant scenery with rippling crystal-clear waters. Recently restored Jade Spurting, Spirit Source, Fish-Releasing and Dismount Pavilions line the lakeshore. Golden Surging Pavilion preserves Su Dongpo’s iconic six inscribed characters. The towering stone stele "People’s Baiquan" inside Lake Center Pavilion, built in 1928 by patriotic general Feng Yuxiang, records the lake’s long vicissitudes. The Clear Radiance Pavilion, originally a private garden of Guo Zizhong in the Yuan Dynasty, is encircled by ancient cypresses and swaying willows.

Standing on the covered corridor bridge and leaning against the railings to gaze south, visitors command a full view of South Lake. Spanning 29,000 square meters, South Lake holds a national standard swimming pool and a children’s pool, plus yachts, rowboats and a full range of water amusement facilities. The scenic area follows the layout philosophy: "North Lake for sightseeing, South Lake for recreation; North Lake tranquil, South Lake dynamic". The two lakes ripple side by side like twin lotus flowers blooming above water, competing in beauty. During festivals, lantern shows, duck boat races and fireworks draw throngs of tourists crowding shoulder to shoulder.

Baiquan Scenic Area Management Office, Huixian City (Member Unit of Xinxiang Municipal Tourism Association) Person-in-charge: Lü Xin’an Tel: 0373-6238677 Address: Baiquan, Huixian City, Henan Province