The Twelve Great Famous Springs of China hold a prominent position in tea culture. Good tea requires good water to bring out its full flavor. These springs include:
1. **Yulan Spring in Beijing**
Located at the foot of Yuluan Mountain in the western suburbs of Beijing, the Yulan Spring has been the imperial spring for the royal family since the early Qing Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, the Qing court built the Chengxin Garden on the southern side of Yulan Mountain, which was later renamed Jingming Garden. Emperor Qianlong was also an expert in tea appreciation. In his writing *Records of the Yulan Spring as the Best Spring in the World*, he wrote: "Among all the springs that flow from beneath the mountains and are refreshingly cold, none surpasses the Yulan Spring of the capital city. Hence, it is designated as the 'Best Spring in the World.'"
According to legend, Emperor Qianlong conducted an interesting test to verify the lightness and quality of this water. The results were as follows: the Yulan Spring water in Beijing weighed one liang (an old Chinese unit of weight) and three qian per silver dou (an ancient measuring container), while the Huishan Spring in Wuxi and the Hupao Spring in Hangzhou both weighed one liang and four qian. This confirmed that Qianlong's criteria for evaluating the best springs was based on the lightness of the water.
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