Imperial Pool Site of Tang Dynasty

Among the 2700-odd hot springs in China, Huaqing Pool hot springs top the list for the water-quality and the touching love story of Tang Emperor Xuan Zong and his favorite Yang Guifei. The springs have a constant temperature of 43℃. The water contains silicon dioxide, fluorine, and other minerals, which makes it suitable for bathing and the treatment of quite a few diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis etc. Therefore, the spa had been a tourist destination for many emperors. For example, for ten years from 745 A.D. to 755 A.D., Emperor Xuanzong would lead Yang Guifei and her sisters to Huaquing Palace to spend his winter days. They would stay there from October of the lunar calendar to the next spring. As Bai Juyi, a famous Tang Dynasty poet, once wrote a few lines to describe how Yang Guifei took her bath: It was early spring. They bathed her in the Lotus Flower Pool, which warmed and smoothed the creamy-tinted crystal of her skin, and, because of her languor, a maid was lifting her when first the Emperor noticed her and chose her for his bride. Thus Huaqing Pool's hot springs became famous and were entitled “The Oriental First Springs” ranking with the Thermae of Caracalla in ancient Rome and the Bath Hot Springs in Britain.

The ruins of the Imperial pools in the Tang Dynasty Huaqing Palace were discovered in April, 1982. After three years efforts of excavation and sorting out, five royal pools were discovered in an area of the 4,600 square meters. Archaeologists proved them to be, the Lotus Flower Pool, Lady Yang's bath pool, the Crabapple Pool, Emperor Xuanzong's, the Star Pool, Emperor Tai Zong's, the Crown Prince Pool and the Shangshi Pool. In addition, during the excavation tricolor backbone animals, lotus-shaped tiles and other cultural relics of Neolithic period, Qin and Han Dynasties were unearthed. This discovery is another important achievement in China's archeology about Sui and Tang Dynasties. China's bath custom, the feudal ranking system and the palatial architecture of Tang are further well documented.

Publishes at : 07-08-21 00:24

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