Changping: Water and Canal Heritage in the Regional Area

In the wider area around Changping, the connection between Baifu Spring, the Grand Canal, and several temple and park complexes tells a story of water engineering, grain transport, and cultural memory. During the Yuan dynasty, Baifu Spring was the source of the Grand Canal between Beijing and Hangzhou and fed the Tonghui River section. For a trip focused on cultural history, this theme offers a practical guide: you may be especially interested in the history of water engineering, temple art, or the design of the park landscape.

Baifu Spring and the Grand Canal

The Baifu Spring Ruins were designated a national key cultural relic protection unit in 2013. They are part of a water supply project that served shipping to the capital, Dadu, during the Yuan dynasty. At this site, therefore, engineering history and the use of water for transport are closely connected. The Grand Canal Source Ruins Park preserves the memory of the water supply for grain transport at the northern end of the Grand Canal during the Yuan dynasty.

The park includes several named landmarks: “运河源” (Canal Source), “引水台” (Water Diversion Platform), “聆泉处” (Place to Listen to the Spring), and “读泉圃” (Spring Reading Garden). The historic scene “龙泉漱玉” has also been recreated in the park. The names and design evoke the canal’s source and water diversion, giving the grounds a distinctive narrative focus.

Temples, Inscriptions, and Murals

The Dulongwang Temple was built on Longshan in the mid-Yuan period to safeguard the water source and stabilize grain transport. It is considered Beijing’s only imperially built Dragon King temple whose name begins with the character “都.” Behind the temple are a stele bearing the name “龙泉岛” and six memorial steles from the Ming and Qing dynasties. They record temple repairs and prayers for rain.

The Dulongwang Temple’s murals also focus on water: they depict people searching for water during a drought, with wells dried up. They are dated approximately to the period from the end of the Qing dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China, and have been restored. Those interested in the religious and cultural interpretation of water will find a different perspective here than in the canal’s engineering history.

Longquan Chan Temple was rebuilt at its former site in the 1980s, retaining the original layout and building arrangement. During a restoration, the Front Hall, Main Hall, and north and south side halls were repaired. The exhibition on the historical culture of the Grand Canal, unveiled in 2024, comprises three main rooms. It presents the history of Guo Shoujing’s water diversion for grain transport through interactive question-and-answer features, holographic projections, and multimedia interactive screens. Check current visitor access before your visit.

Water as a Design Element

The Kowloon Pool is a rectangular basin that collects water from Baifu Spring. Stone dragon water spouts are set into its walls. The scene “龙泉漱玉” depicts water flowing from the mouths of nine dragons. In this way, the pool connects a specific landscape feature with the broader theme of water management that also defines the Grand Canal Source Ruins Park.

The park was connected with Changping New Town’s Riverside Forest Park to create a landscape shaped by mountains and water. The Grand Canal Source Ruins Park has a planned total area of 63.16 hectares. The first construction phase covered 11.6 hectares and opened in April 2023. If you are planning a visit, check current visitor access in advance. This helps you keep the distinction between the sites’ historical legacy and their current visitor offerings in mind when planning your trip.

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