Minsheng’s natural spring – A secret water hole in Longtan

Located in Taoyuan’s Longtan District, Lingyun Community is blessed with a natural spring connected to the Laojie River Basin, a rarity in today’s world. Local Hakka people, who refer to the water hole as “The Empty Hole (洞為空),” have preserved the age-old outdoor laundry culture for generations. That in this era of widespread washing machine use, a group of people still insists on hand-washing clothes is fascinating enough, but hearing about the continual stream of newbies that have become hooked on the experience and find themselves returning each day to do their laundry, leaves many with a mixture of wonder and curiosity.

Today, four of the five natural springs in the tiny Lingyun Community are still in regular use and retain their original appearance, even with over a century of history. The spring’s constant temperature throughout the year ensures that regardless of the season, there is a steady flow of people night and day; but it is the water’s soothing warmth on those cold wintry days that perhaps comes as the most pleasant surprise for visitors. Though the surface water remains calm, water flowing up from underground provides a constant flow, thereby keeping the water clean and clear. Whether it is doing one’s laundry or washing vegetables, the spring provides an important alternative hang-out space and the precious laundry culture maintains a traditional element in this big modern city of Taoyuan.

Minsheng’s natural spring – A secret water hole in Longtan 

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/341299

(以下是中文對照)

龍潭的秘境水庫 敏盛泉水空

照片

桃園龍潭凌雲社區的「泉水空」，為老街溪流域少見的湧泉穴，客家人稱為「洞為空」，至今仍保存著露天的洗衣文化。在這個洗衣機普及的年代，還有著一群人堅持手工洗衣，而每位前來洗衣的居民更一試成主顧，天天來報到。

小小的凌雲社區內總共有五座泉水空，目前有四座持續被使用，使用率相當頻繁，它們都有著百年的歷史，但始終維持淳樸原貌。有趣的是不管白天還是晚上，夏天還是冬天，這邊依舊人氣不減，關於冬天洗衣泉水的恆溫效果更是讓人讚嘆不已。在這裡不只洗衣，洗菜也相當受歡迎，看似平靜的水面，靠著水底下湧泉不斷流動循環，更是維持池水的乾淨清澈。如今泉水空已也成為居民的另類集會所，而珍貴的洗衣文化更是為桃園這個大城市注入傳統新生命。