A Chinese Famous Garden - Huaqing Hot Springs - By: Grace Fan

The Huaqing Hot Spring is located at the foothill of Mount Li, about 35 kilometers east of Xi’an city, Shaanxi Province. Because the imperial palace was built around the hot spring, so here is also called Huaqing Palace. According to historical records, the hot spring in Huaqing Palace was discovered in Western Zhou Dynasty. In Han Dynasty, here was constructed temporary palace for the emperor and noblemen; the magnificent palace named Huaqing Palace was built in Tang Dynasty. The original buildings were ruined by wars and wind and rains. The extant palace was built in 1959 according to the layout on the historical records. Huaqing Hot Spring has been scenic spot since the ancient time.

The Nine-Dragon Pool, the Lotus Flower Pool and the Frost Drifting Hall are the renowned structures in the Huaqing Palace. The Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty and his beloved Lady Yang made their home in the Frost Drifting Hall. As described in the long poem Song of Eternal Sorrow by Bai Juyi, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty, “One cold spring day she was ordered/To bathe in the Huaqing Palace baths/The warm water slipped down/ Her glistening jade-like body”. According historical records, almost every winter, Emperor Xuanzong took Lady Yang to spend cold days in Huanqing Palace

A horizontal plaque over the main entrance gate bears the building name “华清池” (meaning Huaqing Hot Spring). Entering the entrance, we can see two towering cedars and two zygomorphic palace-like pools. Passing through these two pools and getting to New Pool, the Nine-Dragon Pool come into view. In the east of the Nine-Dragon Pool is Yichun Hall; the north is the Frost Drifting Hall and the west is Chenxiang Hall. Being shaped like lotus flower, the pool comes the name of the Lotus Flower Pool where only emperor can bathe. Traditionally, government officials bathed in the Shandshi Pool. There also is Guifei Pool where Lady Yang bathed.

The staggering Sian Incident happened on December 12 1936 in Huaqing Palace. Xi’an Incident directly caused the second Kuomingtand-Communist cooperation against Japan, which is the important turning point in the history of Sino-Japanese war.

In 1998, the palace was designated as Chinese Famous Garden and as the 5A tourist attraction in 2007.

About the Author

As an English editor, Grace Fan and her colleagues work hard to provide the detailed information about tours in China including top 20 China travel cities, scenic beauties and others. If you are interested in know more about China, click here.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Grace-Fan/93589

Additional Articles From - Home | Travel & leisure | Destinations