ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the history and modern restoration of several of China’s many sacred springs and wells. Chinese widely used wells to capture groundwater, and the village well was often a site where villagers venerated the God of Water represented as a dragon. Today, sacred wells are still commonly found in Daoist and Buddhist temples and monasteries, and their waters are described as having spiritual efficacy and curative powers. The Communist Party discourages the so-called feudal superstitions, but some spring waters venerated as sacred have been proven by science to have demonstrable health benefits. The Hangzhou local government has developed Running Tiger Spring and Dragon Well Village as tourist destinations, and also maintains a site for the public collection of spring water. Those who doubt its sacrality still value well and spring waters for their purity and flavor, and drink them seeking to enhance their health and longevity.
