Xuxi Stream in Jiande, Hangzhou: A Beautiful Stream with a Story

The name Xuxi originates from Wu Zixu, a famous military strategist from the Wu Kingdom during the late Spring and Autumn Period. Legend has it that while fleeing from the Chu Kingdom to the Wu Kingdom, Wu Zixu lived in seclusion and farmed in Qiantan, Jiande, Hangzhou. The stream flowing through Qiantan was thus named Xuxi. Xuxi Stream is 44.2 km long and flows into the Fuchun River from its left bank. It is a mountain stream that maintains Class I and Class II water quality standards year-round, making it a rare ecological treasure. The original Qiantan settlement was located at the confluence of Xuxi Stream and Fuchun River. Here, Xuxi formed a pond that would dry up during severe droughts, hence the name Qiantan (gan tan, now simplified to "dry pond"). Due to concerns about drought, people prayed that the pond would never run dry. The character "qian" was later changed to mean "endless flow," transforming gan tan to qian tan. Clearly, Wu Zixu's legendary dwelling place must have been at the original settlement, not the new location established after the reservoir relocation. At the confluence of Xuxi and Fuchun River, there was a ferry crossing called Zixu Ferry. Legend says Wu Zixu crossed the river here while fleeing to the Wu Kingdom. The ferryman took his own life rather than reveal Wu Zixu's whereabouts to pursuing soldiers. In the 1960s and 70s, the Fuchun River Hydroelectric Station was built. The reservoir transformed the gorge into a lake, submerging the original Qiantan settlement, which was then relocated 4 km upstream. Xuxi Stream, once varying in water volume, became a wide, gentle river, never to experience "dry pond" conditions again. Zixu Ferry, also known as Zixu Wild Crossing or Xu River Wild Crossing, now overlooks a vast expanse of water in a serene environment, with ancient paths winding along the shore and occasional boats passing by. Though I only spent one day there, I witnessed Xuxi Stream in rain, fog, and sunshine. The most beautiful moment came just before sunrise. In the early morning, I walked 1.4 km from Fuchun Resort along the Xin'an Greenway to reach Zixu Ferry, where Xuxi meets the Fuchun River. As gentle mountain breezes blew, the mountain silhouettes gradually became clear. A thin layer of mist floated on Xuxi's surface, growing thicker at the confluence. Boats appeared as silhouettes, egrets could only be heard calling, and everything appeared as delicate as a Chinese ink painting. When the sun finally rose, its brilliance was initially blocked by thick fog. After half an hour, sunlight penetrated the clouds, the river mist gradually dispersed, and Xuxi revealed its fresh and beautiful face. 📍Address: Xuxi Stream, Jiande City, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province