Photography/Text: Nuo Chen
“Worship the water of Dujiangyan and ask about Qingcheng Mountain.”
This sentence of Mr. Yu Qiuyu not only expresses his admiration for Dujiangyan and Qingcheng Mountain In addition to the characteristics of the two being linked together, it also shows that the two have been adjacent for more than two thousand years, and it is necessary to reach the other at this point.
After leaving the main entrance of Dujiangyan, you can find the bus to Qingcheng Mountain not far away. Dujiangyan is only more than half an hour's drive from Qingcheng Mountain, and it does not pass through the urban area, so the transportation is very convenient.
In fact, I didn’t know much about Qingcheng Mountain before. I saw the previous sentence when I was checking information about Dujiangyan. Apart from these, the one that probably impressed me the most was "The Legend of the New White Snake" There is a sentence in the interlude "Bai Suzhen at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain".
When you think about it, it is indeed a bit disrespectful to this Taoist holy land. After all, Taoism is our native religion. It has a history of more than 1,800 years since the founder of Taoism, Zhang Daoling. In Chinese history, Taoism has saved people from fire and water many times, and has also participated in rewriting the historical process many times. The many works passed down are also indispensable treasures for China.
In the prosperous age of Taoism, he went into seclusion and kept silent. In troubled times, he eliminated evil and spread good deeds. He is worthy of respect and worship.
Qingcheng Mountain is one of the four famous mountains of Taoism and the fifth cave of Taoism. As early as the Qin Dynasty, it was canonized as one of the eighteen sacred mountains and rivers for national sacrifice. It is known as the "city of gods". say.
Later, there was a saying that Qingcheng is the most peaceful place in the world. The trees in the mountains are lush and green all year round.
It was already afternoon when I arrived at Qingcheng Mountain, and the weather was a bit gloomy. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, the wisps of smoke in the mountain were looming and floating, and it was indeed a bit like a divine dwelling.
Take the bus to the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, and then take the scenic tour bus to the mountain gate.
Qingcheng Mountain is backed by the Minjiang River and faces the Chengdu Plain in front. It is divided into two parts: the front mountain and the back mountain. The overall area of ??the front mountain is about 15 square kilometers, and the overall area of ??the back mountain is about 100 square kilometers. Although the front mountain is slightly smaller, it is the main part of the Qingcheng Mountain Scenic Area. The back mountain is vast in area, but has mostly steep cliffs and deep forests. It is the best choice for mountain climbing enthusiasts.
I only visited the front mountain that day and did not get involved in the back mountain, so I had to wait until another day.
The mountain gate of Qingcheng Mountain is very majestic, full of vicissitudes of life, thick and heavy, and seems to have a faint Zen feel. The entire mountain gate and the rich Taoist architectural features are bamboo and wood, and the double eaves form the roof. If you look closely, there are various mythical figures, flowers, birds, fish and insects sculptured on the eaves. You can't help but be amazed when you stand in front of it.
After entering the mountain gate, look back and see the five characters "Qingcheng Tianxia You" engraved on this side of the mountain gate. In the future, I didn’t feel much after hearing these words before, but when I came here and took a closer look, I found that the word "secluded" embodies the artistic conception of the entire Qingcheng Mountain. It's lush and green as far as the eye can see, quiet and ethereal.
Say goodbye to the mountain gate and walk along the road, and you will see the Taoist temple in front of you. The front mountain of Qingcheng Mountain is slightly smaller, and you can see a Taoist temple almost every 100 meters. These Taoist temples are hidden and surrounded by ancient trees, showing simplicity and mystery. Walking on the road, you will brush against the giant bamboos and ancient trees, and the sound of gurgling water will be heard in your ears, which makes the surroundings feel more green and serene.
Continue to move forward, cross the Juanren Bridge, pass by a store selling souvenirs, continue going up, and soon arrive at Yuecheng Lake. Yuecheng Lake is located between Zhangren Peak and Qinglonggang in Qingcheng Mountain. There is Yuecheng Mountain under Zhangren Peak, and the lake is named after this mountain. The water surface of Yuecheng Lake is about 24,000 square meters. It is said that Guigu, the teacher of the Yellow Emperor, once lived here in seclusion. From this, we can imagine how Zen-like spirituality this place must have.
The entire small lake in the mountains is surrounded by green mountains. The surface of the lake is like a mirror, reflecting the green mountains. The green mountains and their shadows are connected through the lake water, which is both real and illusory. Being here, with green mountains lying above, lakes lying beside it, and the occasional chirping of wild birds, it seems that it can make people forget that they are in the secular world.
There is a ferry on Yuecheng Lake that can be taken to the other side. A boat sails slowly on it. The lake is quiet and calm, like a painting.
Of course, if you don’t want to take a boat, you can also walk along the lakeside plank road to the other side. Walking among the lakes and mountains will be beautiful.
(To be continued)