Hupao Spring

About

Hupao Spring rises in a densely wooded valley south of West Lake and has long been regarded as one of Hangzhou’s finest natural waters. The spring filters through quartz-rich sandstone, producing clear, soft water with unusually high surface tension, a quality traditionally demonstrated by filling a cup above its rim. Stone channels, pools, bamboo and old trees shape a cool, secluded landscape around the source, while reliefs of two tigers recall the legend that animals scratched open the ground to provide water for a monk. The spring is culturally inseparable from West Lake Longjing tea: a famous local pairing holds that Longjing leaves reveal their best character when brewed with Hupao water. The grounds also contain memorial associations with the monk Jigong and with Li Shutong, the influential artist, educator and Buddhist master Hongyi, whose life connected modern culture with religious practice. Temple remains, inscriptions and sculpture make the valley more than a hydrological curiosity. Hupao brings together geology, tea connoisseurship, Buddhist legend and shaded southern woodland in one of Hangzhou’s most distinctive small-scale cultural landscapes.

Highlights

• Legendary tiger-dug spring
• Highest quality tea water
• Lush forest mountain park
• Tribute to Monk Jigong

Amenities

Why go

• Visit Hupao Spring to experience legendary tiger-dug spring.
• Spend time on highest quality tea water rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
• The experience is rounded out by lush forest mountain park.

Know before you go

• Allow about 90m on site, excluding transfers and queues.
• Confirm current opening hours, ticket rules, temporary closures, and entry restrictions before departure.
• Carry the local-language name and address for navigation, taxi, or entrance checks.

Tips

• Morning is the most practical general visit period for this stop.
• Group the stop with nearby places to reduce backtracking and keep a realistic transfer buffer.
• Carry water, weather protection, and the local-language place name when conditions require them.