The Hupao Spring is in the side courtyard of the Huichan (Wise Zan) Temple (also known as Hupao Temple) beneath the Baihe (White Crane) Peak of Mt. Daci (Great Mercy) in the southwest of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. According to the legend, after tasting the tea brewed with the water from the Hupao Spring, Emperor Qian Long of tiie Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) called the spring "the No.3 Spring in the World".
The water of the Hupao Spring gushes out after seeping through quartz sand. If poured into a bowl, the water won't overflow even if the water level is two to three millimeters higher than the edge of the bowl. The water is sweet and mellow and contains rich mineral substances that are conducive to human health. It is indeed a precious mineral water. The Hupao Spring and the Longjing Tea are called "the Two Treasures of the West Lake" They are often mentioned together.
Close to the Hupao Spring are some buildings built in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), including the Hupao Temple, Hupao Pavilion, and Dicui (Dripping Green) Windowed Veranda. There is also the Master Hong Yi Pagoda in honor of Li Shutong, one of the earliest stage play activists and art educators in modem China. He became a monk at the Hupao Temple. These buildings and the Hupao Spring contrast finely with each other and together, they add appeal to local tea culture.
