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Huaqing Hot Spring
Location
Huaqing Hot Spring is situated some 30 kilometers east of Xi'an City,
at the foot of Lishan Mountain in Lintong County. The pool is a branch
range of the Qinling Range, and up to 1,256 meters high. The entire area
are covered with green-colored pines and cypresses that looks like a dark
green galloping horse from a long distance.
For years, it turned out to be a must to tourists as a scenery appealing.
It is famed for both its dainty spring scenery and the romantic love story
of Emperor XuanZong (685-762) and his concubine Yang Guifei in the Tang
Dynasty (618-907). Both its long history and romantic-colored atmosphere
are attractive.
History
For centuries emperors and his concubines had came here to bathe and enjoy
the natural beauty, later since the beginning of the Tang dynasty it had
became a wonderful spa as well. In winter days, snowflakes are floating
in the air and everything in sight was white, so it was also named Frost
Drifting Hall. However, they came into thaw at once in front of the hall.
It owed a great deal to the luke warm vapor rising out of the hot spring.
Historically speaking, the Western Zhou dynasty saw the construction of
the Li Palace on the spot. It is said that the Emperor ZhouYou once would
be treat here as his summer palace. Then in the Qing dynasty a pool was
built with stones, and was given the name Lishan Hot Spring. The place
was enlarged into a palace during the period of Han dynasty, and changed
the name into Li Palace, means the Resort Palace. And in the Tang dynasty,
Emperor TaiZong Li Shimin ordered to build the Hot Spring Palace, then
following the Lishan Mountain surrounded walled palace by Emperor XuanZong
in the year 747 that known as Huaqing Palace. Been based upon its location
that on the hot spring, the name Huaqing Hot Spring as well be given.
Four Springs
At this spa there could be again be divided into four separate hot springs,
all of which are possess the hourly water flow of 112 tons, and a constant
temperature of 43ˇăC. One of them was found in the XiZhou dynasty in the
11th BC, about the year 771 BC, the left three ones were impoldered after
liberation.
The spring water contains lime, sodium carbonate, sodium sulphate and
other minerals, which makes it suitable for bathing and considerable treatment
of quite a few diseases such as dermatosis, rheumatism, arthritis and
muscular pain. The Fine Sunset-Bathed Pavilion marks the first source
of the spring water, which was discovered some 3,000 years ago, roughly
in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Its water flow averages 25 tons per hour.
Construction
A tablet engraved with the words "Huaqing Hot Spring" by a famous
Chinese literary Guo Moruo lies on top of the gate. Entering the gate
there are two towing cedars that welcomed the visitors. Two palace-style
plunge baths are in symmetrical positions, with the Nine-Dragon Lake on
the coming right side. The lake is not big and quite like a mirror, limpid
and clean with roes of willows surrounded. Yichun Palace is on the east
bank and north is the building groups with the main structure Feishuang
Palace. Yichun Hall and Chenxiang Hall respectively in the east and west
as well as Nine Bend Corridor and Dragon Marble Boat. Walking southwards
through Dragon Marble Boat and several pavilions, you will find the Site
of Imperial Pool, which is the only one of its kind to be discovered in
China. The five remaining pools are the Lotus Pool, Haitang Pool, Shangshi
Pool, Star Pool and Prince Pool. The lotus-like Lotus Pool was made for
the Emperors' bath, the Haitang Pool resembling a Chinese Crabapple was
intended for concubines, and the Shangshi Pool was designated for officials.
Legends
As its magnificent beauty and enjoyable environment, there still exist
many romantic legends.
The magnificent Frost Flying Hall used to be the bedroom of Emperor Xuanzong
and Yang Guifei, with red supporting pillars and fine-patterned carving.
Living in a place so full of spice must have made the inhabitants invigorated
and pleased.And it is said that the former Star Pool had no roof and nothing
to cover its four sides. There, must have been possible to truly experience
the eternal beauty of Yang Guifei.
History Incident
The Xi'an Incident took place on December 12, 1936, and it is also known
as the Double Twelfth Incident was as well happened here and Jiang Jieshi
was once lived here. After the Incident of September 18, 1936, the Japanese
imperialists seized the three provinces northeast of China, and intensified
their invasion of North China. This was the very moment vital to the Chinese
nation. In order to avoid a civil war and try t establish a national united
front for the resistance against Japan, Mao Zedong on behalf of the C.C.P.C.
insisted on a peaceful settlement of the Incident. Therefore, a delegation
headed by Zhou Enlai was sent to Xi'an. Zhou Enlai and his suite did a
large amount of work there, took everything possible into consideration,
and ultimately forced Chiang Kaishek to accept the proposal by his two
generals. On December 25, Chiang was freed, and flew back to Nanjing.
The Xi'an Incident was so peacefully settled.The peaceful settlement of
the Incident put an end to the internal war that had lasted for ten years,
and accelerated the formation and development of the national united front
for the anti-Japanese drive. Moreover, it showed that the co-operative
relationships between the Communist and Nationalists arrived at a new
stage. It marked a great turning point in modern Chinese history. |
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