Hupao Spring (Tiger Running Spring)

Hupao Spring lies at the foot of Daci Hill in the forested hills southwest of West Lake, a short taxi ride from the main lake area. The spring itself is set in a classical Chinese garden built around a series of pools and pavilions. It produces remarkably pure water, and local tea enthusiasts make pilgrimages here to collect it for brewing Longjing.

The park contains the memorial to Li Shutong, the monk and painter who is credited with bringing modern art education to China. His former hermitage is preserved on the hillside. The spring garden is quiet and wooded — a good antidote to the crowds at West Lake. The water is still safe to drink and the pools allow the old party trick of stacking coins on the surface tension of the spring water.

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A story
The spring's name comes from a legend that two tigers came from the mountain to dig the spring with their paws, so that a homesick monk would have pure water and not need to leave. Geologically, the spring bubbles up through rock strata that filter it to an unusually low mineral content — Longjing tea brewed with Hupao water is considered to have a sweeter, cleaner taste than tea made with tap water. The combination is sometimes called the "two wonders of Hangzhou."

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