Feng Shui of Mao Zedong’s former residence (what’s the story behind the Feng Shui treasure land)

Dishui Cave in Shaoshan, Hunan, where Chairman Mao once lived in seclusion for 11 days. Chairman Mao's grandfather Mao Yichen was buried on the big stone drum in Dishui Cave. Dishui Cave Huxieping is surrounded by three peaks in the west of Shaoshan Mountain. The peak in the south is called Longtou Mountain, the north is Huangfeng Mountain, and the west is Niuxing Mountain. The three peaks are towering and facing each other. The gap in Dishui Cave is the Shaoshan Reservoir, which is not only very quiet, but also picturesque. The trees are standing tall all around, and the rhododendrons are red. There used to be a bridge here, with a gurgling stream under the bridge, and a cave beside the bridge. Even if the weather is severe, the cave will still drip water all year round. This is where the name of Dishui Cave comes from. Because Chairman Mao came from the east, it was also called the "Western Cave". As for the origin of Huxieping, it was gradually called that in the 1960s. It was not called Huxieping at first. Because South China tigers often rest and bask in the sun in this place. So the locals call it Huxieping.

In Huxieping, Dishui Cave, Shaoshan, Hunan, there is only one road leading to the cemetery of Chairman Mao’s grandfather. On the balcony outside the cemetery, there is a protected tombstone. This tombstone is Chairman Mao’s grandfather. It turns out that the tombstone is relatively well preserved. It was discovered accidentally in 1986 when the Shaoshan Administration Bureau was repairing the tomb of Chairman Mao's grandfather. The tombstone is engraved with: Renzi Xia Yueji, the first year of the Republic of China, is the tomb of the old man Xian Kao Mao Gong's Yichen. There is a mountain inside Xin Mountain and outside the mountain. Male Yichang, Sun Zedong, Ming and Lin stand in respect. Zedong naturally refers to Chairman Mao. Zeming and Zelin refer to Chairman Mao's two younger brothers, who later changed their names to Zemin and Zetan.

There is a tiger engraved under the tombstone, with its head facing Huxieping. Walking up from the balcony, there is a 30-meter flight of steps. The steps are surrounded by green trees on both sides. From time to time, there will be wooden signs in the shape of tigers erected among the trees. They are engraved with famous aphorisms spoken by Chairman Mao, as if to alert you. People worshiping here

After climbing the steps and crossing a wooden bridge, they officially arrived at the tomb of Chairman Mao’s grandfather, which covers an area of ??about five square kilometers. There is a very tall ancient tree in front of the tomb. The ancient tree is covered with red ribbons for blessing. It is fluttering in the wind and is very beautiful. Under the ancient trees, there are many long wooden benches for tourists who come to worship here to rest. There is a very small pavilion next to the old tree, which is also used for blessing. The pavilion is covered with wooden signs for blessing, with various wishes written on them. Basically everyone who comes to the gravesite of Chairman Mao’s grandfather hopes to be blessed by this geomantic treasure.

There is a stone tablet next to the tomb. The marble inlaid on it is engraved with the life story of Chairman Mao’s grandfather. This was not erected by Chairman Mao for his grandfather during his lifetime, but by the Shaoshan Administration Bureau of Hunan Province. , on the platform in front of the tomb, there is a pair of golden stone tigers. Two tigers stand and lie down, facing each other with their mouths wide open, making people seem to hear the roar of tigers, which is very majestic. In addition, there is a tiger pavilion built on the north side of Chairman Mao's grandfather's grave, accompanying the stone tiger.

Why was Chairman Mao’s grandfather buried in Huxieping, Dishui Cave, Shaoshan? There have always been many related legends. Among them, the most widely spread theory is that Chairman Mao’s ancestors have worked hard here for generations. In the late Qing Dynasty, Chairman Mao’s great-grandfather Mao Siduan went into the mountains to chop firewood with a friend who was a little familiar. During the break, I came to Huxieping and found that this place was very dry and could not get wet by rain at any time. After a brief exploration, Mao Siduan's friends told him that this was a geomantic treasure. Mao Si Duan, who loved his son deeply, did not choose this place as his final resting place a hundred years later, but planned to leave it to his son. But there is only one Feng Shui treasure land, but there are two sons, and the palms and backs of the hands are full of flesh. Who should I give them to? For the sake of fairness, Mao Siduan discussed with the two brothers Mao Dechen and Mao Yichen and decided that whoever died first would be buried in this geomantic treasure land. After all, death is a natural law that no one can control. It is the most fair.

In 1904, Mao Yichen, the younger brother and Chairman Mao’s grandfather, passed away first. However, Mao Yichen's son Mao Shunsheng still has reservations about whether to be buried in Huxieping. After all, decades have passed and who knows whether Feng Shui has changed. So Mao Shunsheng first parked the coffin of Chairman Mao's grandfather next to the cemetery, and then asked a famous Feng Shui master to perform divination for 11 days. It was not until 1912 that I was officially buried. This matter is not fabricated out of thin air, but Chairman Mao himself said it.

Seen from above, "Huxieping" looks like a blooming lotus. The local legend of the Eight Immortals blowing the wind is the eight rising peaks around it. This tomb happens to be among the eight peaks. In the mountains. It is said that during the burial, the cemetery was surrounded by stone tiger rocks on Hugeping, which were very hard and could not be dug at all. Only the soil where the coffin is placed is very soft, and when you dig it down with a hoe, you will find a hole. But when the hole is dug as big as the coffin, it can no longer be dug. What's even more amazing is that when the coffin was being buried, there were faint sounds from all around. As soon as this legend spread, people thought that a real dragon emperor would appear in this place. It is said that Chiang Kai-shek later wanted to dig up the grave of Chairman Mao's grandfather, and he heard this legend. On June 29, 1932, Chiang Kai-shek, who had been defeated repeatedly, began to engage in heresy. He ordered a group of Kuomintang troops to run to Huxieping in the dark, intending to dig out the "dragon vein" of Chairman Mao's house.

But before it started, there were bursts of thunder in the sky, and there were echoes in the mountains and forests. It was so evil that it frightened the Kuomintang troops who were digging graves. In a panic, the Kuomintang troops dug a few graves at will, stole the bones and returned them for delivery, then settled the matter hastily. The tomb of Chairman Mao’s grandfather has not been dug. When Chairman Mao learned about this, he said sarcastically, "Chiang Kai-shek wants to dig up my ancestral grave. This is losing the support of the people. Those who lose the support of the people will lose the world."

In June 1959, Chairman Mao returned to his hometown after 32 years and built a villa in Dishuidong, Shaoshan, imitating the structure of the house in Zhongnanhai, Beijing, intending to use it as a place for his retirement. In June 1966, Mao Zedong returned to Shaoshan and lived here alone for 11 days. While thinking about the current situation, I also wanted to commemorate my grandfather.

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Text/Dai Yuting