Hupao Spring

Hupao Spring is located 5 kilometers from Hangzhou city, at the foot of Daci (Great Compassion) Hill which stretches between the West Lake and the Qiantang River. A legends said that there is a monk named Xingkong lived in Daci Temple, erected Daci Hill during the Tang Dynasty. Due to lack of water, he planed to leave the temple. He had a dream at one night in which an immortal told him that two tigers from Mountain Hengshan would move a fountain here. The next day, two mighty tigers actually ran around the spot and dug a hole. The spring gushed forth and the name Hupao Spring (Tiger Running Spring) is passed down to the present day.

As a matter of fact, Hupao Spring forms as the result of underground water seeping through veins and cracks within quartz sandstone that will not be eroded by acid materials. The spring water, tasting pure, sweet and cold, is very good for heath, because of its low content of mineralized ingredients and its high percentage of radon. It has high surface tension. Put a coin into a bowl filled up to the rim, and the water rises three millimeters above the bowl edge, but it does not overflow.

Hupao Spring is ranked the third in China, according to scientific research on the quality of the water of the spring, followed by Leng Spring in Zhejiang and Hui Spring in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. Longjing tea made of water from Hupao fountain is highly praised. The tea and Hupao fountain bring out the best in each other and have been known as two wonders in the West Lake.

Today, Hupao Spring and the surrounding twisting valley have been turned into Tiger Running Spring Forest Park.