The Ancient Wells in Jianshui County, Honghe

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🏺 1. The Unique Value of the Ancient Wells

A City of a Hundred Wells

“City of a Hundred Wells”: With 128 ancient wells still intact, Jianshui boasts the highest well density in Yunnan Province. The wells range from single-eye to rare twelve-eye structures, such as the Fan-shaped Well (扇井). These multi-eye wells allow multiple people to draw water simultaneously—an ingenious design rarely seen elsewhere in China.

Diverse Well Forms: The well rims vary in shape—round (e.g., Daban Well 大板井), square (e.g., East Well 东井), crescent, diamond, and more. Some even feature carved poetry or intricate reliefs, like the stone inscriptions at Zhu Family Garden Well (朱家花园井).

A Living Cultural Heritage

Used for Centuries: Many of these ancient wells are still part of daily life. Locals prefer using well water for cooking and tea-making, believing it to be sweeter and purer than tap water. Daban Well (大板井), also called Pubo Spring (溥博泉), remains one of the busiest, especially in early mornings and evenings.

Legendary Water Quality: Daban Well is often hailed as “Yunnan’s Number One Well”, praised in the Ming Dynasty’s Yunnan Gazetteer for its clean and sweet water. It’s 6 meters deep, crystal clear, never dry, and maintains a pleasant temperature year-round.

🌟 2. Must-Visit Famous Wells

Daban Well (大板井 / Pubo Spring)

• Significance: The largest well in Jianshui, dug during the early Ming Dynasty. Its 3-meter diameter and deep rope grooves on the stone rim speak to centuries of use.

• Highlights: Home to red koi fish used to monitor water purity and prevent poisoning. A nearby Dragon King shrine is a site for local worship. The water is used by the famed Banjing Tofu Shop (板井豆腐坊), featured in A Bite of China, known for tofu that’s crispy on the outside, tender inside—only 5 RMB per portion.

Fan-shaped Twelve-Eye Well (扇井)

• “King of Wells”: Its twelve openings are arranged in three rows (3+4+5), resembling a folding fan, symbolizing Jianshui’s literary heritage.

• Cultural Meaning: The fan shape implies infinite water through all 12 hours of the day, making it the only known structure of its kind in China.

Other Notable Wells

• Xiaoban Well (小板井 / Yuan Spring 渊泉): Cool, refreshing water. A local saying goes: “Take a sip in summer, feel the chill in your heart.”

• East Well (东井 / Li Spring 醴泉): Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, it’s the oldest surviving well in Jianshui, with massive stone joints crafted without nails.

• Longjing (龙井 / Dragon Well): Known since the Ming Dynasty, its water rivals that of Hangzhou’s famous Dragon Well; the surrounding area has become a bustling Longjing Market.

🍲 3. Well Culture and Daily Life

Folk Beliefs

• Well Worship Traditions: Most wells have adjacent Dragon King shrines for community offerings. New wells are only dug on auspicious dates selected by feng shui masters through elaborate rituals.

• Public Etiquette: Unwritten rules include “no pouring used water back,” “no washing at the well,” and “no littering.” Locals still hold annual Well Cleaning and Water Blessing Festivals.

A Living Urban Tapestry

• Street Names: Many alleys and roads, such as Red Well Street (红井街) and Dabanjing Lane (大板井巷), are named after the wells, reflecting the deep bond between water and city identity.

• Fetching Water: Locals can be seen pulling carts or carrying buckets to get well water. Tourists are welcome to use communal buckets to try this local tradition themselves.

🚶 4. Visitor’s Guide

Suggested Routes

• Core Route:
  Daban Well (try drawing water and tasting tofu) →
  Banjing Tofu Shop (self-serve soy milk, 5 RMB) →
  Fan-shaped Well (on Lin’an Road 临安路) →
  East Well (Yuan Dynasty legacy) →
  Zhu Family Garden (see the self-filling Fengshui Well)

• In-depth Route:
  Add stops like Xiaoban Well (cool summer water), Crank Well (ancient lifting device), and Honesty Well (廉井)—a unique three-eye well from the Qianlong period.

Best Experience Times

• Time of Day:
  Early morning (6:00–8:00) or evening (17:00–19:00) to avoid crowds and witness locals fetching water.

• Best Season:
  Year-round. In summer, the well water is cooling; in winter, it stays mildly warm.

Visitor Etiquette & Tips

• Respect Local Customs: Don’t pour used water back into the well. Avoid washing or discarding waste near wells.

• Safety: Some wells are located in dim alleys—visit during daylight hours for better visibility and safety.

💎 Cultural Significance Summary

Jianshui’s ancient wells are “living epics.”
The grooves worn into blue stone, the red koi silently guarding the spring, the smoke from street-side kitchens—all speak to a profound symbiosis between people and water.

Exploring these ancient alleys and uncovering each well is like leafing through a fluid local chronicle: from the Yuan Dynasty’s Li Spring to the Ming-era Pubo Spring, each well is a tangible expression of the Confucian ideal that “the benevolent delight in water.”