The Niukouyu Reservoir, located in the south of the Yanshan Mountains, is a very attractive place to visit, not only for its beautiful views and pleasant scenery but also for the fascinating story that has been passed down.

One story has it that Mu Guiying, a fictional female general who fought against the army of Liao, was leading a force marching south and wanted to find a place to rest her weary troops when she came upon this place. Looking around, she discovered that the site was surrounded by mountains on three sides and faced a road on the last side. The terrain at the foot of the mountain was flat and thus offered an unobstructed view. The location also was also easy to defend and difficult to be conquered, and provided room for maneuvers. Therefore, she had the troops camped on the mountainside. The next day was a lovely day with a shining sun, high sky, and crisp air.

Mu Guiying and her soldiers descended the mountain by horse and came to a large tree. With lush foliage, the tree was so enormous that it took several people holding hands to encircle the trunk, and green grass stretched on every side, all of which made it a great place to enjoy the coolness. Mu Guiying asked everyone to dismount and take a rest under the tree. People were carefree and joyful for the gently blown fresh breeze and the sound of music from afar. Mu Guiying was in a relaxed and delighted mood. She gave the order to let go of the horses, allowing them to gallop freely and frolic about on the meadow. The time had come to noon swiftly, and the military cooks were worried about where to get water for cooking. Unexpectedly, at this time, a warhorse dug out a spring with one of his front hoofs. With a loud sound, the water instantly gushed out in waves and became a pool of clear water in no time. The soldiers were overjoyed at the sight, and all leaned over to drink. The water was so unusual that they felt refreshed after drinking it, at which they were all amazed. News of the discovery soon spread throughout the countryside. As the water was of such premium quality, people loved to go to the spring for fetching water, and later it became the main water source for the nearby villages. Its discovery was associated with the horse; hence the spring was named after it. Nowadays, the spring has become a popular spot for tourists.

(Source: Fangshan District Bureau of Culture and Tourism)