Legend of Ciqikou – Brief Introduction

Ciqikou Ancient Town has created and inherited the Ba-Yu Culture, which is regarded as the treasure-house of the legendary and historical stories, some of which have disappeared in other places while been handed down here, such as Boy's Urine and Hulong Water, Touch the Good Fortune, etc.

Legend of Ciqikou Ancient Town – Boy's Urine and Hulong Water

In Huajia village of Ciqikou Ancient Town, a small lovely sculpture attracts people's attention. There is a legend goes with it.

To take shelter from his uncle Zhu Di's persecution (Zhudi became the emperor of Ming Dynasty during the year of 1402-1424), Emperor Jian Wen fled to Ciqikou Ancient Town (emperor Jianwen was the grandson of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, a founder of Ming Dynasty of). Tired and frightened, he was suffered from many diseases. One night, he dreamed about a fairy, who told him that the urine of a 7-year-old boy could save his life. So he went out next day and chanced to meet a lady holding a boy of 7 in her arms. He asked for a bowl of the boy's urine. After drinking it, all his illnesses were gone. The story spread quickly. Later, boys' urine is called Hulong (protect the emperor) water.

According to modern scientific analyses, drinking boy's urine is conductive to people's health. Its curative effects have been recorded in ancient Chinese medical books. It even became a fashion in Japan and some Southeast Asian countries.

When you come to visit Ciqikou Ancient Town, do try the "urine" which is actually water, you may have good luck.

Legend of Ciqikou – Touch the Good Fortune

There is a big Chinese word Fu (Which means good fortune) written upside-down in Ciqikou Ancient Town. It is the other legend of ancient Chinese culture. You need to stand 10 meters away from it, then walk straight to touch Fu with your eyes-closed. If you touch it at the first time, you will have a good luck later. But it does not matter if you miss it because Fu is already near you! And you are able to try again as you like! Touching the good fortune is a Chinese tradition.

Let's date back to the period of Zhu Yuanzhang of Ming Dynasty. One day, the Emperor of Zhu Yuanzhang ordered that all residents who didn't paste Fu in their houses would be killed. The empress worried and tried to inform everybody of this message. So that there was nobody else would be killed except one person who put it upside-down next day. The Emperor of Zhu Yuanzhang got furious but the empress told him that the upside-down Fu was a sign of good fortune too. An upside-down word of Fu called "Dao fu" in Chinese which means "the good fortune is coming soon". The empress told the emperor that the upside-down word of Fu was a will from the God and you should take good fortune to your people. Finally, the Emperor of Zhu Yuanzhang accepted the explanation and liberated the families who actually were unlettered fortunately.

After that, people think an upside-down word of Fu is auspicious. On festivals, they pasted it on their doors and touched it. It is also been a tradition and legend in Ciqikou Ancient Town.