廬山記 2.2.5

2.2.5

They are likewise on the west of Qixian Ravine. The elders call them the various hermitages and cliffs west of Qixian Ravine. Shiren Peak (Stone Man Peak) of the Qixian Cloister lies to its north. It is now called Baojue, an honorific bestowed during the Xingguo era. In the beginning, in the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Southern Qi, Zhang Xi, Army Supervisor of Consultative Debates, memorialised to establish a temple twenty li southwest of Xunyang. Early in the Baoli era of the Tang, Li Bo, Prefectural Governor, moved it to this mountain, settling the monk Zhichang there. Zhichang had several hundred disciples; in spring and summer they resided at Qixian, and in autumn and winter at Guizong. During the Huichang era, the temple was abolished. During the Jingfu era, the monk Huaiyou restored it, calling it Qixian Baoguo Chan Cloister. During the Qianning era, it was named Huguo Qixian Temple. Its plaque was written by Zhong Kuangshi, Investigating Courier, Gentleman for Service, and Acting Palace Scrivener for the Crown Prince. Kuangshi was sixteen years old at the time, which is why people today treasure and preserve it. Passing through the Baoda era of the Southern Tang, the temple flourished even more greatly. Over ten Imperial Edicts from that time are still preserved. Among them is one issued in the seventh month of the first year of the Qianning era granting the plaque for Qixian Temple; it is signed by thirty-three officials, ranging from Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites and Joint Manager of Affairs of the Secretariat-Chancellery Zheng, up to the Imperial Father, Acting Palace Attendant, and Director of the Chancellery. Another one was issued in the eleventh month of the fourth year of the Qianning era, granting Huaiyou's stūpa the name Chuandeng Stūpa (Transmission of the Lamp Stūpa) and bestowing on him the title Great Master Xuanwu. The imperial decree was signed by thirty-two officials, ranging from Vice Director of the Secretariat and Joint Manager of Affairs of the Secretariat-Chancellery Cui, up to Grand Preceptor and Director of the Secretariat. At that time, Zhong Chuan, Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangxi, executed it. Early in the Jianlong era, when Yuanzong moved the southern capital, he toured and lingered here for a long time; hence there is the Zhuluan Pavilion (Resting Simurgh Pavilion). Some say that on the rocks beside the ravine there is Yuanzong's stone carving, but it has now sunk away and can no longer be seen. The Sanxia Ravine (Three Gorges Ravine) emerges to the left of the temple; its source is very distant. In the ravine are three or four dragon pools, the depths of which no one knows. Just when summer rains repeatedly arrive, the numerous gorges of the mountain thunder down together like crashes of lightning. The large and small rocks of the ravine, countless tens of thousands of them, are all dumped into the pools; from ancient times to the present, not the slightest blockage has ever been seen, leading people to suspect that it connects below to the sea. Beside it, a dragon shrine was erected, where prayers are made during droughts. In the Xiangfu era, the Fujian monk Wenxiu constructed a stone bridge above it. It measures sixty feet in length and is covered by a spacious hall, standing as the most magnificent sight in the mountain. Beside the ravine is Lu Yu's Well, followed by Hanquan Pavilion (Cold Spring Pavilion) and Yuyuan Pavilion (Jade Abyss Pavilion). From the dragon pool beneath the pavilion, aquatic creatures occasionally emerge; people revere them as divine beings. To the west of the monks' hall are Luohan Cliff (Arhat Cliff) and Baotuo Cliff. Over a hundred paces to its south is Baiyun Hermitage (White Cloud Hermitage). Behind the cloister is the Ai Hall; travelers invariably take rest there. Ten li in front of Qixian is Luohan Chan Cloister. Luohan Cliff lies one li to its north. In the third year of the Xianping era of the present dynasty, Great Master Guangji, Fajian, first founded it. The court additionally bestowed farmland to support his disciples, designating it Shenghui Estate. In the third year of the Xiangfu era, Great Master Zuyin, the monk Xinglin, succeeded him. He began planting pines covering the public road for ten li, reaching as far as the military garrison. Yang Danian, Duke of Letters, composed the 'Record of Planting Pines'. There is a very large drum in the Dharma Hall, twenty-three feet in circumference; when struck, its sound moves the mountains and valleys, making it truly extraordinary among drums. The water west of the cloister is called Yu Ravine (Jade Ravine); it flows east ten li into Lake Pengli. Zuyin is buried north of the ravine; former Grand Councilor Zhang Shixun composed the stūpa inscription. Five li east of Luohan is Zhezhi Cloister Estate. Another five li brings one to White Deer Grotto. During the Zhenyuan era, Li Bo, whose courtesy name was Xunzhi, dwelt in seclusion here with his second older brother. Later he moved to Shaoshi. Summoned to serve as Rectifier of Omissions of the Right, he did not take up the post; he is precisely the 'Hermit of Mount Shaoshi' mentioned in Duke Han of Letters' poem. During the Dahe era, his official career reached Guest of the Crown Prince. Earlier, in the Baoli era, he had served as Prefectural Governor of Jiangzhou; he then erected terraces and pavilions at the grotto, encircled them with flowing water, and planted various flowers and trees, making it a scenic wonder of the time. Liu Mengde (Yuxi) climbed the Qinghui Hall and wrote a poem: 'Xunyang River’s color swells full with the tide, / Pengli’s autumn sounds usher the wild geese in. / Looking south to Mount Lu, ten thousand fathoms high, / Together we praise the timber for fresh-hewn ridgepoles.' Qinghui Hall was located in Jiangzhou; it was also founded by Bo, which is why Yuxi praised it. During the Shengyuan era of the Southern Tang, an academy was established at the grotto, and fields were provided to supply the students. Scholars gathered in great numbers; Li Shandao, Master of the Nine Classics from the Directorate of Education, was appointed Cave Master to oversee instruction. During the Baoda era, fields were bestowed upon the summonable scholar Shi Xubai. Xubai was a man from Beihai who had fled to Mount Lu; Han Xizai recommended his abilities. Yuanzong summoned him to an informal hall and inquired about state affairs; Xubai declined, saying, 'How could a mere fisherman know the grand strategies of state?' He then became drunk and urinated in the hall. Yuanzong said, 'A true recluse indeed!' Thereupon, he granted him fields, sent him home, and exempted him from taxes. When Xubai died, his descendants were impoverished by tax exactions and could not maintain the fields, which eventually passed to other owners. In the fifth year of the Xianping era, an imperial decree ordered its restoration, along with the sculpting of statues of the Declared Sage and the Ten Philosophers. Today it is entirely overgrown with lush weeds. Three li from White Deer Grotto brings one to Chengtian Abbey, formerly called Baihe Abbey (White Crane Abbey). The Jiujiang lu states: 'In the twelfth month of the first year of the Hongdao era of the Tang, it was first established by imperial decree at the foot of Xunyang City. On the third day of the sixth month of the second year of the Shenlong era, an imperial decree ordered the establishment of Longxing Abbey, so it was moved into the mountain and renamed Longxing.' During the Dali era, the Daoists Liu Xuanhe and He Ziyu resided there. The Zhang Hongdao men lingyan ji states: 'Liu Xuanhe was an earthly immortal. Whenever he petitioned Heaven on behalf of the prefectural governors Li Cheng and Xue Bian, all of the memorials received imperial approvals from the Heavenly Bureaus, and matters were verified in every detail.' On the mountain northeast of the abbey is Mugua Cliff (Papaya Cliff). Liu Xuanhe first dwelt within the cliff and once planted them there; even now, offshoots still survive. Within the abbey is a large Chinese fir, over a hundred feet tall and twenty feet in circumference, also planted at that time. In the fifth year of the Xining era, when the court was building the Central Taiyi Palace in the capital, an imperial edict sought banner poles one hundred and twenty feet long; officials were dispatched throughout the empire to inspect the mountain forests, and this fir was almost felled. From the west of Chengtian Abbey to Qixian Cloister is only five li; travelers often pass back and forth between them. To the east of Qixian Cloister, walking half a li along the ravine...