Landscape Soul Ren Xiaoyao's Prose Essay

I have heard the legend of the magnificent landscapes of Henan for a long time. On August 5th, we packed our bags, gathered friends, and set off for Huixian County, the southeast of Taihang. The destinations of this trip were Jiulian Mountain and Guan Mountain, known as the water soul of Taihang Mountain.

Looking back at Jiulian Mountain in the smoke

I always feel that the beauty of Jiulian does not belong to the human world, so I can't find the right words to describe it.

At this moment, the scenic sightseeing car is traveling happily along the winding mountain road. Sitting in the car, the moist mountain breeze whispers in my ears, and the thick green spreads in front of my eyes. The two V-shaped canyons look like two giant dragons flying up the mountain. The one on the left is Xilian Canyon. It is named because the upper end of the valley is connected to the Xilian Temple on the Nine Lotus Terrace. The right is called Monkey Canyon because there are groups of people playing in the valley all year round. It is named after the Taihang Monkey. The valleys are adjacent to each other, the water reflects the green mountains, and the clouds and mist over the mountains and valleys are circling like dragons. A wonderful scene of "nine peaks holding lotuses" is about to emerge. Being immersed in the scene, just like in a travel painting, adds a bit of yearning out of thin air, forgetting both things and myself.

Sun Tiao, a novice in the Qing Dynasty, a successor of Guqin, and a Jinshi in the 21st year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1682), praised in "Nine Lotus·Eight Poems" that "the smoke and clouds look back and are blurred" and said, "The journey of silence is boundless. Be still.” Sun Wei is a fellow from Baoding. His grandfather is Sun Qifeng, a great Neo-Confucian scholar in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. His grandfather moved from Rongcheng County, Baoding Prefecture, Zhili Province to the foot of Sumen Mountain in Hui County, Weihui Prefecture, Henan Province. He lectured in Xiafeng Village, Hui County for more than 20 years. Sun Tiao also traveled throughout the mountains and rivers of Jiulian.

The tranquility of Jiulian is due to its beauty. It is a kind of artistic conception of "looking quietly at the beauty's dressing table", which cannot bear to be startled, as if the beauty will suddenly disappear with every breath. So Sun Quan had no choice but to sigh, "Who knows the mountains so well?" Perhaps it is this reason of being "raised in a boudoir that no one knows" that allows the natural beauty and original beauty of Jiulian to remain intact to this day. Therefore, Korean tourists, who have always been known for being picky, moved their footsteps from the noisy Zhangjiajie and Jiuzhaigou to Jiulian Mountain. They spread the word by word of mouth and gathered in groups, like discovering a new Shangri-La. There is also an urgency to go sooner rather than later, as if Jiulian Mountain will become another lost Shangri-La.

Jiulian Mountain is named after its nine peaks that resemble nine blooming lotus petals. The 999-step "Ladder to Heaven" is the only way to climb to the top of Jiulian Terrace on foot. To climb the "Ladder to Heaven", first swim around Jiulian Pond, take the steps down to the bottom of the valley, first go around the first pool, and then around the second and third pools. ... Nine pools are connected to each other. The water in the pools is not big, but the water colors are different, some are blue, some green, or azure... It is amazing. It is said that this is the Nine-Colored Pool where Mother Jiulian healed people's sufferings. The Blue Pool can cure skin diseases, the Green Pool can cure infertility, and the Bittan can heal eye diseases... It is so impressive that all visitors are pious. Walk along the stream, play in the water and ride the waves. Walking around the pond, the cool breeze fills your sleeves, the refreshing air enters your arms, the spring water jingles melodiously, the path has eighteen bends, and the stream turns thousands of times, it is a unique experience.

Jiulian Mountain is like many famous mountains and rivers, with ancient temples hidden deep in the mountains. Xilian Temple is located on the Jiulian Platform with floating clouds and water, known as "Little Western Heaven". Xilian Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty. According to legend, it was built by Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty Liu Xiu to repay the life-saving grace of Jiulian Mother. The well-documented history dates back to the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty. It has become a folk incense resort in the Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan areas. It is as famous as Xiaoxi Mountain in Beijing and is praised in the north and south of Taihang. Although Xilian Temple is called a temple, it is different from the regular system. There are temples but no courtyards. With the cliff as the wall, it is a wonder in China that a folk temple with the same name lives together. As for Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism being worshiped in the same hall, the folk temple wears the yellow glazed tile "hat" that is only found in royal temples, and the earth god is on the mountain gate. , Avalokitesvara sits upside down, which is even more difficult to find in ancient times.

According to the tour guide Xiao Li, in fact, Jiulian Mountain has become popular in most of China in the past two years. What has attracted the attention of countless scholars and literati is not just these, but Jiulian Mountain, which is known as the "narration of the soul". Shanxiaoxitian "Account Book" - a unique, mysterious, magical and sacred text, picture and belief that has not been recognized by society for a long time. The "Account Book" belief is a ritual for pilgrims to worship and offer sacrifices to gods. The words and pictures in the "Account Book" were written by ordinary pilgrims and believers. Are they "given by gods and gods", or are they self-taught? Are they inherited from primitive beliefs, or are they pretentious? There are different opinions whether it is praise or criticism. However, there is an indisputable fact that its pilgrims and believers are spread over half of China. There are so many temples in the entire South Taihang, and the total number of people who worship the mountain are not as large as Jiulian. Xiao Li said that the ninth day of the ninth lunar month every year is the "Account Book Festival". If you witness pilgrims and believers "writing accounts" with your own eyes, experience the ceremony of pilgrims "exhibiting accounts" and "hand over accounts", and hear with your own ears how believers "write accounts" during the ceremony. "Crying and chanting sutras", you will feel that so many mysteries are irrelevant. Your soul has already been purified and sublimated, and the spiritual platform is empty. Is there anything more important than this?

The mountain collapsed and the ground split into "Guan Shan"

If Jiulian Mountain is compared to a lively and pretty cardamom girl, then Guan Shan is a majestic general with a sword and a horse.

Take a scenic tour bus and follow the winding mountain road to the top of the mountain. Get off the car and stand in front of Xiaoyaoyuan viewing platform. In the clouds and mist, a peak rises from the ground, like a pillar that supports the sky, straight into the clouds; like a general in armor, he looks majestically and proudly at the thousands of troops ready to go. For a moment, in my mind and ears, I could hear the sounds of gold and armor, the neighing of war horses, and Guanshan, which gave me a real sense of power.

In shock, tour guide Xiao Li introduced that Guanshan is a geological relic wonder formed by landslides and earth fissures 2.5 billion years ago.

Its majesty and depth are unmatched by Mount Tai, and its majestic shape can compete with Mount Huayue. Looking from the north of the plain, it looks like a giant stone rising from the ground, stretching more than 20 kilometers from east to west. From a closer look, it is even more majestic and heart-shaking. The 250-meter-high Tianzhu stands on top of the cliff; the Xiaoyaoyuan formed by landslides, with collapsed boulders swaying this way and that, like a group of drunkards; the line of sky formed by the cracking of the earth is 2,500 meters long, with the narrowest point only 20 centimeters.

Zhang Liang, the great strategist in Chinese history, had an indissoluble bond with Guan Shan. Zhang Liang's original surname is Ji. He is a descendant of Korean aristocrats during the Six Kingdoms period. His ancestors were in Korea for three generations. Qin Shihuang swept across the six kingdoms and unified the world. Carrying the hatred of his country and his family, Zhang Liang devoted himself to reviving his country, squandering his family assets and plotting to assassinate Qin Shihuang. In 218 BC, Qin Shihuang visited Bolangsha in Yuanyang during his tour of the world. Zhang Lianggu's assassin used a big hammer to block Qin Shihuang, shocking the world. However, he accidentally hit the auxiliary vehicle and the assassination failed. Zhang Liang had to flee northwest to the mountains and lived in seclusion in a ditch in Guanshan Mountain, namely Zhangliang ditch, which is today's Pangu River. It is said that Zhang Liang, the counselor of the Han Dynasty, lived in seclusion in Guanshan for three and a half years. He studied military books and hundreds of scholars, kept a low profile and acquired the spirituality of Guanshan's mountains and rivers, and the quiet mind that gathered the essence of all things, and finally accumulated great achievements. Later, he assisted Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty and defeated Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, and became the most successful emperor of the Han Dynasty. Historical and cultural sites related to Zhang Liang are scattered on Gufeng Mountain and in Zhangliang Valley: Zifang Palace, Cangshu Pavilion, Fuqin Terrace, Yitai, Prince Consort's Tomb... Historical legends with Zhang Liang as the background are widely circulated among the people.

I hear the legends in my ears, and I look at the peaks standing high, the clouds and mist are steaming, and the peaks are silent. Are these all soldiers following Zhang Liang? Gathering here, waiting for the general to order his troops again? Not daring to look up, he walked cautiously through it. As you walk down the stairs, you will see unnamed shrubs, mountain flowers, and wild grasses beside you. They are extremely ordinary but very friendly. From time to time, they will playfully touch your arms and kiss your feet. Birds stood on the branches and chirped crisply, butterflies and dragonflies danced among the flowers and leaves, and everything was green as far as the eye could see. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. The fresh flowers and plants with dewdrops are like little elves, running into the soul in an instant. For a moment, my mind and heart felt happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the air like this, and I haven’t enjoyed such a pleasant state of mind for a long time. Suddenly I realized, is this still the "general" who awe me in the first place? Could it be that his "silence" is just to let us put down the noise and glitz in our hearts and calm down to listen to the wisdom of nature? And what we are touching at this moment is the most alive soul in Guanshan?

Accompanied by the breeze and the chirping of insects in the mountains, my steps became faster and faster. Walking through the forest of stone pillars, "surviving from desperate situations", two mountain walls stand in a straight line, passing through the "Sideway Gorge" and "One Meter of Sunshine", passing through the wild bamboo forest, and changing scenery as you move forward. While you are marveling at the uncanny workmanship of nature, you gradually hear "Hua Hua Hua Hua" in your ears. "The sound of water. The sound of the water became louder and louder. After turning a corner, it suddenly became clear that Red Rock Canyon was here. On one side of the valley, the wall stands thousands of feet tall, and the Wolong Waterfall pours down into the Pangu River in three levels. The river flows downhill, forming a pool every three steps and a waterfall every five steps.

Among the red rocks and clear water, people seemed to shrink in an instant, and then were magically placed in the huge Guanshan landscape painting...