Zhong Nanshan, located in the south of Xi, is a famous historical mountain with world cultural significance. With a long history and profound accumulation, it has always been praised by the world. Zhong Nanshan is also called "Zhong Nanshan" because it lives in the sky and is located in the south of the capital. The Book of Songs and The Classic of Mountains and Seas are called "Nanshan". In the second year of Yuanfeng (BC 109), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty dedicated to Taiyi God and built Taiyi Palace here, so it was also called Taiyi Mountain (also known as Taiyi Mountain). According to textual research, the name of "Zhongnan" was first found in Shangshu Gong Yu. The Chronicle of Chang 'an County written in the Song Dynasty records: "The south runs through the south of Guanzhong, starting from Qin Long in the west and Lantian in the east, with a distance of 800 miles. People used to say that the mountain is very big and too far away, which is the end of the south. "
The Zhongnan Mountain, which we usually say today, refers to one of the main peaks of the Qinling Mountains, especially the middle part of the Qinling Mountains. It starts from Lantian in the east and passes through Chang 'an, Huxian and Zhouzhi in the west, with an east-west direction of about10km and an altitude of more than 2,000m, with a total area of about 32km2, including dozens of famous mountains such as Taixing Mountain, Jiawutai Scenic Area, Cuihua Mountain, Nanwutai Mountain, Xiaowutai Mountain, Qinghua Mountain, Guifeng Mountain, Zige Mountain and Wanhua. The terrain of Zhongnanshan is steep and the road is rugged. There are five big valleys and hundreds of small valleys, stretching for hundreds of miles. The mountains are stacked and the ravines are deep. The Buddhist temple in the ancient temple rides a cloud on the mountain, carries water with the lake, and is shaded by bamboo.
Many famous people in the history of China are "hermits from the South". According to legend, Jiang Ziya, the founding father of the Western Zhou Dynasty, lived in seclusion in the Panxi Valley of Zhong Nanshan before he entered the DPRK. He caught Zhou Wenwang's attention with a hook-free fishing, and then came out of the mountain at the age of 80, ending his seclusion career, assisting the king of Wu in cutting down the Zhou, making great achievements and becoming a generation of famous soldiers; At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, there were Dongyuan Gong, Qili Chicken and four gentlemen, who were over eighty years old and all had white hair and beard. They are called the "Four Nobles", who lived in seclusion for goodness first, then lived in seclusion in the south, and finally achieved great things; "three outstanding heroes of early han dynasty" Zhang Lianggong retired and "crossed the valley" in Bai Zi, the southern foot of Zhong Nanshan, and was able to die well; Wang Jia in the Jin Dynasty, Silla Kinkeji in the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, Sun Simiao, the drug king, Zhong Liquan, Lv Dongbin and Liu Haichan in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Wang Zhongyang, the founder of Quanzhen Road, and Jiang Benshi in the Ming and Qing Dynasties all lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan.
In the history of Zhong Nanshan, there are many eminent monks, including Zheng Zhi, Jingyuan, Pu 'an, Ai Jing, Yu Ling and Xu Yun. However, Zhong Nanshan has never been valued by modern people. Bill Porter, a famous American sinologist, wrote Lonely Valley to let more people know that our Mount Zhongnan still has such charm and value, which can be compared with the Greek Mount Olympus.
Today, Zhong Nanshan has become one of the few places in the country and even the world where there are still hermits. Every year, many people come here from thousands of miles to practice in seclusion. According to incomplete statistics, there are about 300 to 400 hermits in Zhong Nanshan. These people come from all over the country, in addition, there are practitioners from Taiwan Province Province, Japan and South Korea. Some of these hermits have come to study Buddhism, some have come to cultivate their self-cultivation, and some have just found a quiet place to study. So, why do so many people choose to live in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan? What is the mystery of Zhong Nanshan compared with other places? Chang Ming, a late monk, member of the Advisory Committee of the Chinese Buddhist Association, former executive director of the Chinese Buddhist Association, vice president of the Shaanxi Buddhist Association, president of the An Buddhist Association and abbot of the Xingjiao Temple in Chang 'an, said: "Since Buddhism was introduced to China, people have been practicing. Even monks and nuns from southern China come here to practice. They stayed for three or five years, and then returned to the south to set up their own practice center. This is the place where monks and nuns who became monks for Buddhism came. Practice can't be done in a day or two. It will take you many years to really get something. It is not easy. But people who come here to practice are not afraid of suffering. That's why they are here. Many of them are enlightened on this mountain, and many others continue to practice and will become masters in the future. In modern times, Xu Yun and Yinfa once lived in Jiawutai; Yin Guang and Laiguo live in Nanwutai. This is where they are enlightened. Everyone knows that these mountains are good places to practice. This is why I chose them. " Old monk Xu Dong, the former vice president of Xi Buddhist Association and abbot of Ji Xiang Temple, visited Dayuan Temple, Caotang Temple, Wolong Temple, Zhong Nanshan Damapeng Temple, Guanyin Cave, Xianren Tea Temple and Shengshou Temple in Huxian County, and knew Zhong Nanshan like the back of his hand. The monk said, "When the first monks came to China, they settled in Zhong Nanshan. In addition, most China masters have practiced in Zhong Nanshan. But that was in the past. The reason why so many family members still come to Zhong Nanshan is that it is easy to find a secluded place here. Also, there are still many people at home who are willing to support their practices. " De San, the former abbot of Nantah Maopeng, said: "The most important thing for a monk is to practice, so he needs a quiet place. This mountain is very quiet. In China, we have several mountains where most monks practice. This is one of them. Here, monks practice by themselves. Since the Tang Dynasty, this area has become a gathering center for those who want to devote themselves to religious practice. " Master Guo Xuan, director of Chinese Buddhist Association, vice president of Shaanxi Buddhist Association and abbot of Kannonji, said: "Zhong Nanshan is the birthplace of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Hermit culture is very developed, especially in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. There are three main types of hermits in the history of Zhong Nanshan. One is a scholar-bureaucrat who is unwilling to cooperate with the new regime; One is to escape the war. There is also a kind of person who is open and put down. " Master Ben Ru, a disciple of Mr. Nan, a master of Chinese studies, and abbot of Zhong Nanshan Buddhist Law School, said, "Zhong Nanshan reaches the Yellow River in the north, the Yangtze River in the south, Kunlun in the west and the sea in the east. He is a great teacher, gathered here. Standing on the Mount Zhongnan, I looked at Chang 'an, where the world of mortals was rolling and bustling like a dream. Look at the Qinling Mountains, the bells of ancient temples. Behind the mountain, in front of the Buddha, this is like this, practicing Buddha. Now some people say that Zhong Nanshan is the back garden of Xi (or Shaanxi). I don't think this understanding is enough. In the eyes of China people, Zhong Nanshan is a mountain and the birthplace of China culture. Zhong Nanshan is the backbone of China traditional culture, and the spirit of China culture is in Zhong Nanshan. Zhong Nanshan is a clean home. I personally feel that living in the mountains here is very useful, and I have real feelings both physically and mentally. Why are so many people willing to live in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan? There are four reasons: First, Qingcheng Mountain is secluded, Emei Mountain is beautiful, Huangshan Mountain is strange, Huashan Mountain is dangerous and Taishan Mountain is majestic, so it is the king of Zhong Nanshan. The qi of the king is Dao qi. Practice is in the world, and the south is the crown. Secondly, Zhong Nanshan has a mild climate with four distinct seasons, which is very important for spiritual practice. Third, Zhong Nanshan is full of "spirit". Fourth, Zhong Nanshan has a hermit tradition since ancient times, and many people come from' Mu Dao'. " Master Wu Xuan, the abbot of Kannonji, Zhong Nanshan, practiced in Meihuadong in Bian Shi Valley, Zhong Nanshan for three years. He is a representative of contemporary hermits in Zhong Nanshan, and he has his own personal experience in the practice of seclusion. He said: "Monks living in the mountains mainly seek an environment, an environment without external interference. The mountains in the south are exquisite, but people can't hide. Motorcycles can be brought in directly. More importantly, the southern mountainous areas are humid and warm, and there are many mosquitoes, which are not suitable for seclusion. The northeast mountain is too high, the weasel is fine, and there is a lack of sage education. Zhong Nanshan is different. Zhong Nanshan will hide people. The charm of Mount Zhongnan lies in its Tao. Although Tao is everywhere, Zhong Nanshan's Tao is easily understood, felt and absorbed. Zhong Nanshan has an aura that can reach people's hearts directly. In addition, Zhong Nanshan has aura and can represent the spirituality of China culture. " Xu, former president of Shaanxi Buddhist Association, said: "There have been hermits in Zhong Nanshan for at least 3,000 years. But there are several kinds of hermits: Taoist hermits, Buddhist hermits and intellectual hermits. Intellectual hermits, in order to study or write, like quiet and loneliness. Many people live in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan, some for social reasons, some for religious reasons and some for academic reasons. " Xin Yiju, Deputy Secretary-General of Zhong Nanshan Buddhist Association in Chang 'an, said: "You can't live in a mountain without breaking your roots, and you can't close your doors. There are three main reasons why so many people with lofty ideals gather in Zhong Nanshan: First, Zhong Nanshan is endowed with unique geographical location and mountainous environment. In heaven, the capital is the south, hence the name Zhongnan, also known as the final South. The watershed between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River is the north-south boundary of China's geography and climate. High mountains and deep valleys, abundant water resources, dense trees, full of wild fruits, distinct seasons and dry climate provide an ideal objective environment for mountain life. Second, the tradition of living in Zhongnanshan has been maintained for a long time without interruption. From the end of Sui Dynasty, Ai Jing led his disciples to live in seclusion in Nanxi Valley and built 72 Mao Peng. Up to now, the wind of seclusion in the deep mountains has never stopped, either avoiding arrogance or rashness, or avoiding the law, or collecting evidence in seclusion, or hiding in the dark, with many mountains and forests. There are many grottoes in Mao Peng, and their inheritance is uninterrupted, which is beneficial for monks to build confidence and learn from each other. Thirdly, the mountain people in Zhong Nanshan have a good atmosphere to protect people living in the mountains. Building a thatched awning in Zhong Nanshan is often supported by local villagers, because the living atmosphere in Zhong Nanshan is very prosperous, and the local people are used to it, and the forestry department will not interfere too much. According to a mage who has been to Dojo all over the country, the phenomenon that Zhong Nanshan can build Mao Peng at will without interference is probably the only one left. It can be seen that the humanistic environment in Zhong Nanshan provides basic protection for mountain residents. "A lover of Central South culture who has been concerned about Central South culture for many years said:" Zhongnanshan has a hermit tradition since ancient times. Hermits in Zhong Nanshan have high specifications and are generally Buddhist teachers; In addition, there is a so-called "secret field" in Zhong Nanshan, where it is easy to cultivate, because Zhong Nanshan has "blessing power". "In ancient times, people who lived in seclusion for the purpose of being an official were different. Today, most hermits in Zhong Nanshan are real hermits. They live in seclusion not to seek official positions, not to get rich, but to cultivate one's morality, cultivate one's character and preach Buddhism, to get rid of secular entanglement and pollution, to obtain purity and tranquility of the soul, to understand the true meaning of life and nature, and to purify and sublimate the soul.