The Tang Dynasty secretariat tomb appeared on Zhuobao Road.

The Tang Dynasty secretariat tomb appeared on Zhuobao Road.

Li Bi, a long-term source, was born in Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty 10 and died in Tang Dezong for 9 years. He was born in Jingzhao, and his ancestral home is Xiangping, Liaodong. He made great contributions to quelling the Anshi Rebellion. After becoming an official, Li Bi was diligent and honest, patriotic and loving the people, with brilliant achievements, and made great contributions in resisting foreign aggression, defending the country, rehabilitating unjust imprisonment, eliminating evil and disaster relief, and building water conservancy projects. Li Bi usually likes to wear white clothes and often visits people's feelings to solve their worries. After his death, Dezong awarded him a letter as Prime Minister in White. What I want to tell you here is his story of repairing wells for the people of Hangzhou.

During the reign of Qin Shihuang more than two thousand years ago, Hangzhou was just a bay without Hangzhou, and primitive people lived in the surrounding mountainous areas. Later, the sea retreated and people advanced, and gradually there were rural areas and cities. At the time of regression, a lagoon was left between the mountains and the beach because the sediments of Qiantang River blocked the estuary of the bay. Because this lake is in the west of the city, it is called West Lake.

West Lake became famous in the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty is a poetic era. In such a poetic era, people are confident and optimistic, yearning for fame and career, and pursuing a poetic life. Therefore, this lake is fortunate to be a source of inspiration for poets.

Historically, Hangzhou is a city with many wells, and its development is closely related to wells. This can be confirmed from the old place names still preserved in Hangzhou, such as Dajingxiang, Xiaojingxiang, Fangjingnong, Jingnong and Baijingfang. But in the past, the wells in Hangzhou were different from ordinary wells seen in other cities because their water was taken from the West Lake.

Hangzhou was originally the hometown of Qiantang River and East China Sea. Although it has turned into land after vicissitudes of life, the groundwater is still salty and bitter, and people can only go to the West Lake far away to get water, which is very inconvenient.

When Li Migang arrived in Hangzhou as a secretariat, he saw the rivers in the city and could not help but be attracted by the beautiful scenery in the south of the Yangtze River. One summer, there was no rain for a while. One day, Li Bi went out to inspect. When he came to the foot of Wu Shan, he saw many people carrying wooden barrels up the hill.

Li Bi felt very strange. She stopped an old man with gray hair and asked, old man, what are you doing with a barrel on your back? The old man replied: carry water.

Isn't there a lot of water in the river in the city? Why do you have to go to the mountains to carry it so hard? Li Bi still can't understand. The old man said: the water in the city is bitter and salty, and it is difficult to swallow.

The next day, Li Mi took the chief to inspect the waterways in the city. He personally scooped a ladle of water from the river and tasted it. It's really sad. It turns out that all the water in this river is connected with Qiantang River, which is connected with the East China Sea. When the river rises, Qiantang River is connected with seawater and flows back into the river. Therefore, especially in times of drought, people in the city will go up the mountain to carry water.

Where can I get sweet water? Li Mi Pai people explore everywhere. A waiter said to Li Mi, "The water in the West Lake comes from the surrounding mountains and streams. Is it sweet and delicious? His words reminded Li Bi that the Huansha River was close to Qiantang Gate, so he led his men to dig six wells between Qiantang Gate and Yongjinmen Gate. The names of these six wells are Guo Xiang Well, Xijing Well, Jinniuchi, Fang Jing, Baiguichi and Xiaofangjing. This well was built in this way. Li Mi first led people to dig six water outlets by the West Lake, and then laid tunnels and water pipes leading to the city. In places where urban residents live in concentration, six large pools were dug and connected with water wells by bamboo pipes. In this way, West Lake water was introduced to Hangzhou. As long as the West Lake is inexhaustible, the water supply in Hangzhou will not be a problem.

After years of changes, the six wells built by Li Bi at that time only left a symbolic national well at the corner of Jiefang Road and Huansha Road today.

Li Mi's opening of six wells is a great pioneering work in the history of urban construction and development in China. It is with Li Bi's six wells that Hangzhou has become increasingly prosperous.