Famous cultural mountains in Wanshan, Xiangyang

Wanshan has rich cultural heritage and numerous historic sites, which are admirable. Here you can not only enjoy Wanshan’s splendid cultural heritage, but also appreciate the unique natural landscape of Wanshan’s many scenic spots. Wanshan is famous for its former residence of Wang Can and Wang Can Well. Wang Can, whose courtesy name was Zhongxuan, was originally from Shandong. He came to Xiangyang almost at the same time as Zhuge Liang, a fellow Shandong fellow, and took refuge with his fellow countryman Liu Biao, who was the governor of Jingzhou at the time. However, he was not reused, so he lived in seclusion in Wanshan for 15 years. Later, he returned to Cao Cao, became Prime Minister, and was given the title of Marquis of Guan Nei. He followed the Cao family into the court and became a servant. "Ode to the Climbing Tower" written by him has been praised throughout the ages and is famous all over the world. Therefore, it is recognized by future generations as "the crown of the Seven Sons of Jian'an". Later generations also compared Wang Can and Cao Zhi, and they were collectively called "King Cao". He is the author of "Wang Shi Zhongji". People are named by literature, mountains are passed down by people, and Wanshan has Wang Can’s former residence, which naturally attracts literati to pay tribute to it. They wrote poems and rhymes, which added to the cultural heritage of Wanshan.

There are no traces of his former residence and well in Wanshan, but its location is certain to be on the Han River at the eastern foot of the mountain. According to research on the top of Wanshan Mountain, there is indeed an ancient well extending northwest from the main peak of Wanshan Mountain to about 30 meters east of the saddle of Yazui. According to nearby farmers, the ancient well has long been sealed, and the current site is a "V" shaped earth pit about 3 meters deep and 5 meters in diameter. Lying at the bottom of the pit is a half-moon-shaped milky white wellhead stone about 2 meters long, 1.3 meters wide and 15 centimeters thick. The inner mouth is round and smooth, and there are groove marks from the years of grinding of ropes when lifting water from the well. There are two theories about its destruction till now. The first is the theory of fall. According to the official annals during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty: "Wanshan Mountain is north of the river, and there is Zhongxuan Tower under the water." This indicates that Wang Can's former residence was demolished in the Ming Dynasty and fell into the water. The second is to destroy the theory. According to Xi Xingquan, a well-known prose writer in Xiangyang and vice-chairman of the Municipal Writers Association, in his article "A Talented Man Is Pityed by a Famous Mountain": "According to records, Wang Can's thatched cottage was located at the east foot of the mountain. It is now a factory building...", he said. This means that the destruction of Wang Can's former residence was not done by one generation, and "now (it is) a factory building." This is confirmed by the fact that since the Tang and Song Dynasties, historical records and poems and poems only have stone wells and no former residence. As early as the Song Dynasty, "Wei Shizhong Wang Can Shijing Lan Ji" included in "Yuanfeng Lei Manu" said that in the third year of the Tang Dynasty (674 AD), Jiedushi moved the Shijing Lan (the fence that protected the stone well) to the governor of Xiangzhou in the future. Official residence for safekeeping. Zhen Ji, the prince's family member, also wrote "Shijing Lan Ji". In the 17th year of Zhenyuan (801 AD), he was appointed governor of Xiangzhou and was recorded again. In the second year of Huichang (AD 842), Jiedu envoy Lu Jun wrote "Shijing Lan Ji" again. Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, clearly said in "Poetry of Return": "My family monument is not unknown, and Wang's well remains the same." These historical figures and poems only record that Wang Canjing is still well preserved, but do not mention his former residence. After visiting nearby old farmers, it was said that an ancient well still existed at the foot of the eastern foothills of Wanshan Mountain more than 30 years ago. According to our country's living tradition, the well must be near the house and cannot be too far away from the house. Therefore, Wang Can’s former residence should be located in the area of ??the original ceramics factory at the foot of the eastern foothills of Wanshan Mountain, and the theory of its destruction is also reasonable. As for the "falling theory" of Wang Can's former residence in the Wanli Mansion Chronicle of the Ming Dynasty, it was more than 1,360 years ago when Wang Can lived in Wanshan in the late Eastern Han Dynasty (Jian'an period). The record may be just a legend and may not be credible. The beautiful mountains and rivers of Wanshan are not only the mountains that countless literati and bachelors love; not only the goddesses and emperors (Liu Xiu, Liu Bei) are fascinated by the mountains; but also many warriors and generals also love Wanshan. Du Yu, the general of Zhennan and the governor of Jingxiang in the Jin Dynasty, is the most representative one.

Who is Du Yu? According to the "Book of Jin? Biography of Yang Hu", in the 5th year of Taishi in the Western Jin Dynasty (269 AD), Zhennan General Yang Hu (who was in charge of military and political affairs in Jingzhou and left the town of Xiangyang) had an unfulfilled ambition to unify the Sun Wu regime in the south of the Yangtze River and suddenly fell ill. Lying in bed, Sima Yan, the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty, who came to visit him before his death, "deadly remonstrated" and recommended the right general Du Yu to succeed him. After Yang Hu's death, Emperor Wu Sima Yan cried and worshiped Du Yu as the general of Zhennan and the governor of Jingxiang's military and political affairs. After Du Yu was appointed, he lived up to the recommendation of his predecessor Yang Hu and the trust of Emperor Wu Sima Yan. He supervised the training of the army and achieved outstanding political achievements. In just two years, in the first year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 280), he "gathered all the generals to replace Wu and destroy it." " ("Tongjian" quote), realizing the eternal great cause of "three points unified". In the 120th chapter of the last chapter of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Luo Guanzhong recorded this magnificent historical fact in Chinese history with "recommending veteran general Du Yu (referring to Yang Hu) to offer suggestions, and surrendering to Sun Hao for three points to unify". . During the Western Jin Dynasty, the people of Xiangyang built a "Du Yu Temple" in Xian Mountain to commemorate him.

However, Du Yu, the founding father of the Western Jin Dynasty and a famous general who made great achievements in China, also had a unique affection for Wanshan. He often led people to climb Wanshan, go on spring outings to view the mountains and rivers, drink wine and write poems, and finally ended up He was so obsessed that he erected a "Du Yu Monument" on the east side of Wanshan River with infinite awe of Wanshan. What should be introduced to everyone is that this monument is not an ordinary tombstone or memorial monument, but a cultural monument that praises Wanshan. According to historical records, on this monument, Du Yu used mountains to represent people and water to represent the world. He expressed his feelings about literature, thought, and philosophy to his heart's content, expressing his feelings about life, the universe, and mountains and rivers. Life is finite, but the landscape and the universe are endless. Rivers and mountains reincarnate, warehouses and seas are mulberry fields, high mountains are valleys, and the bottom of the sea is mountains. We should erect monuments to warn future generations, striving to be transcendent and refined, and respect them as mountains and rivers. How vast, broad and generous his mind is. Later generations commented that his monument was more significant and valuable than Su Shi's "Red Cliff Ode". Because Su Shi's "Chibi Ode" only records the historical facts of the battle between Cao and Wu, while Du Yu's stele expresses his views on the universe, nature, and life, including literature, thought, and philosophy. In ancient Chinese culture Very famous in the circle. Unfortunately, there is no complete record of the inscription on this Du Yu stele in historical materials, and it collapsed in the Han River not far to the east of Wanshan Lake hundreds of years later. According to "Nan Yongzhou Ji" (from the time of Emperor Wu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in 389 AD to the end of Emperor Yuan of Liang in 554 AD, Xiangyang overseas Chinese settled in Yongzhou in 165 years), every time the weather is clear, fishermen and woodcutters can often see the water at the bottom of Wanshan Pond. Du Monument. Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, said in "Return to Poems": "My stele is not ambiguous, and Wang's well remains." He said that he and Du Yu were the same ancestors, saying that it was not Du's fault that Du Yu's stele was placed at the bottom of the river. He praised Wang Canjing for still being preserved at the top of the mountains. Zeng Gong, a poet of the Song Dynasty, also said in his poem "Wanshan": "The undressing of the cape is already quiet, and the stone monument will eventually cut down." On the one hand, the romantic myth of the goddess "undressing the cape and conferring pearls" praises the antiquity and beauty of Wanshan. At the same time, he expressed his infinite regret that the Du Monument sank to the bottom of the river as the mountain collapsed. Cao Lin, a poet of the Ming Dynasty, also said in the poem "Climbing Wanshan Mountain in Spring to Reminisce about the Past": "The name of Concubine Xiang's interpretation of the pendant is empty, but the monument of Du Yu's sinking has faded." This confirms the fact that Du Yu's stele sank at the bottom of the river at the northern foot of Wanshan Mountain. . I think if the ancient river channel of the Han River is cleaned up and the Du Yu stele is salvaged, it will be a blessing in the cultural history of the Chinese nation, and Xiangyang will become more famous in the land of China. According to "Xiangyang County Chronicles" in the third year of Tianshun in the Ming Dynasty (1459 AD): "The Old Dragon Temple is located 10 miles northwest of the city. It was built in the previous generation and rebuilt by Jiayin of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1347 AD)." It is also said that "Laolong Embankment" In the west of the county, it is adjacent to the Han River in Jiangxi Province and reaches Wanshan Mountain in the west. There is the Laolong Temple, hence the name. "From this record, the location of the Laolong Temple and the Laolong Embankment can be seen. "Ten miles to the west of the city", while Laolong Dike is "eleven miles to Wanshan Mountain in the west", that is, Longtou Dike reaches directly to the foot of the eastern foot of Wanshan Mountain, eleven miles away from Xiangyang, but the Laolong Temple is not at the foot of Wanshan Mountain, only a few miles away from Xiangyang. Ten miles, that is, one mile away from the foot of the eastern foot of Wanshan Mountain. Therefore, the Old Dragon Temple is not the same as the ancient Xumi Temple, Youlan Temple and Zaibaoti Temple on the top of Wanshan Mountain. It was "created from the previous generation" specifically to protect the Han River embankment. It collapsed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Regarding Laolong Temple and Laolong Embankment, there is a folk story near Wanshan. It is said that Wanshan is the leader of the Xiangyang section of the Han River, standing majestically in the upper reaches of the Han River to the west of Xiangyang. Before the construction of the Laolong Temple, the Han River flooded every year. Even from the time when "Hu Lie was the governor of Xiangyang during the Three Kingdoms, he built embankments to resist the floods" ("Xiangyang Prefecture Chronicles"), "Since the Song and Yuan Dynasties, all those who guard Xiang have used embankments to resist flooding." "For the sake of security", but because Wanshan, the leader, turned a blind eye, the floods became more severe, and the embankments built were "increasingly numerous." Later, the local officials in Xiangyang realized that in order to control the river water, they must first respect it. Wanshan is the leader, so the Old Dragon Temple was built at the head of the Hanjiang embankment at the foot of Wanshan, and the embankment along the river was called Laolong Embankment. From then on, Wanshan Longtou was very happy and happily restrained the Han River with force, so that the embankments along the river were as strong as gold. Outside the old dragon embankment, the Hanjiang River flowed eastward gently and with vast blue waves; inside the old dragon embankment, it was lush green and peaceful with singing and dancing. ”

The above story is naturally a beautiful legend, but it embodies the awe and admiration of Wanshan Mountain by the people of Xiangyang since ancient times. This is also one of the reasons why literati in the past dynasties must visit Wanshan Mountain when visiting Xiangyang. Throughout the ages, there are countless Dignitaries and poets praised it and wrote many "Dadi Songs" in the Southern Dynasty Yuefu "Xiangyang Music". Among them, "Dadi Song" reads: "Go to Xiangyang City in the morning and stay at Dadi in the evening." "All the sons and daughters of the embankment, the flowers are astonishingly beautiful," is said to have been written by Xiao Gang of the Liu Song Dynasty (i.e., Emperor Jian Wen of the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasty, who reigned from 550 to 552 AD). During the Song and Liang Dynasties, it was a song and dance with musical accompaniment.

When Liu Yuxi visited Laolong Embankment, he sang "Three Poems on the Embankment" at one breath. The third poem said: "The spring embankment lingers around the water, and the flags and pavilions of wine houses are opened one after another. In the evening, customers are invited upstairs, and the sails of Ke'e are dropped. Come". Li Bai also wrote many "Dike Songs", one of which sang: "I used to be a guest on the embankment, and I once went to the Shanggong Tower. The windows were full of green peaks, and the river was flowing in the mirror." Meng Haoran wrote: "The entertainment place on the embankment, the car Horses gallop together, grass grows every year, and two or three months go out." According to nearby old farmers, there was originally an unnamed hill protrusion between Wanshan and Liuzi Mountains (now the Xianglong Landscape Avenue is at the commanding heights of Gangliang, and the Wanshan Brick and Tile Factory dug it out and turned it into a road). The Qinba Ancient Road That is to say, it passes between the south of the nameless hill convex and Liuzi Mountain. It is the throat of the pass heading east to the ancient city of Xiangyang, so it is named Liuzi Pass.

According to the current geographical situation, the road west of the commanding heights of Gangliang on the Xianglong Landscape Avenue is not the original Qinba Ancient Road, but was built just on the ancient Han River "Qukun" and the old road. This was only done after liberation. And the highway has been reconstructed several times in the past ten years. The real remains of the ancient Qinba Ancient Road route still exist. It runs from west to east through the high mountains south of the current Xianglong Landscape Avenue, passes by the office building of the current Vocational and Technical College, ends at the original Xiangyang County Ceramics Factory, and then climbs up Wanshan Mountain. To the south of the unknown hill between Liuzi Mountain and Liuzi Mountain, you reach Liuzi Pass. The exact location of Liuzi Pass should be at the gate of today's Aerospace Company (formerly known as Hongwei Factory). In ancient times, Liuzi Pass was not as dangerous as it is today, and it was calm and peaceful. According to local historical records, the area around Liuziguan was originally wild, steep and dangerous, with tigers and wolves often seen. Cao Lin, a poet of the Ming Dynasty, said in the poem "Climbing Wanshan Mountains in Spring to Reminisce about the Past" that Wanshan "faces the isolated city to the south and faces the Han River, and the main road to the west rests on Qinguan." Here, "Qinguan" refers to Liuzi Pass, which means the station. Standing high in Wanshan, you can see from afar. Wanshan faces the ancient city of Xiangyang in the southeast and the surging Han River in the north. The ancient Qinba Road from the west rests on Liuzi Pass. It can be seen that Liuzi Pass during the Ming Dynasty was much higher than the mountains passed by the Qinba Ancient Road from the west, which shows how spectacular, tall and towering Liuzi Pass was at that time; and when climbing Liuzi Pass and looking east, It is located high up next to the ancient city of Xiangyang, ten miles into the wilderness, and a flat river, which further highlights the majesty, precipitousness and majesty of Liuzi Pass. Su Shi wrote a poem praising: "It takes only a hundred steps to cross the pass, and the vastness swallows the Chu River. When I climb high, I suddenly feel melancholy, and there are unexpected surprises. Who knows what I am worried about? I regret my life after suffering. There are cypress trees on the mountains, and I read the elms and willows every year." ”

There are many more scenic spots and stories in and around Wanshan, such as Hangao Terrace, Yangshi Temple, Taishan Temple, Bawangjianding, etc., which require our efforts to collect and organize. Wanshan is a series of historical and cultural books that can never be finished or read; Wanshan is a treasure house of mysterious culture that cannot be excavated or excavated; Wanshan is a gallery of natural scenery that cannot be finished or painted. It is the pride of Xiangyang people, the pride of Xiangyang land, and the enjoyment of Xiangyang’s future.