Qixia Mountain in Nanjing, known as "the first Ming Xiushan in Jinling", is one of the four major maple scenic spots in China. Since ancient times, due to the unique geographical environment, this famous mountain in the south of the Yangtze River is not only rich in natural wild vegetables, but also has thousands of Feng Dan plants mainly based on Liquidambar formosana. Witnessed the historical rise and fall of the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, leaving behind the vicissitudes of the ancient temple for thousands of years. Of course, it is also a tourist attraction that I have long heard of and longed for.
In this depressed season, how many lush lives are fascinating. However, in my eyes, a strong and fiery color shines at the corner of the season. When I finally stand in front of you suddenly, will it be a grand performance to meet me?
As it is Sunday, you can see the traffic flow like water and tourists weaving away from the mountain gate. On both sides of a road that is not too wide, rows of tall and straight French phoenix trees stand. Those big leaves have changed from flat green to curly brown, standing in the afterglow of life, facing passers-by with warm eyes, greeting and sending them off smartly.
When I entered the gate, the first thing that caught my eye was not a rosy red maple as I imagined, but just some camphor, loquat and bamboo, and of course some maple trees in the frost-red garden. The yellow and green were not connected, and the mountains were covered with mist. I know that the most gorgeous red leaves have not yet appeared, and people who want to see them can always see them. And I believe that destiny takes a hand's fate will definitely meet me at a certain peak. From Mingjing Lake to the east, listening to the sound of bells and drums, I came to Crescent Lake, where there was fragrance and Zen. Further in the pool is qixia temple. This ancient temple in the Southern Dynasties, surrounded by mountains on three sides, was destroyed and renamed several times in the wars of past dynasties. The renovated red walls and black tiles are simple and solemn. Although the entrance of the temple is full of red dances and thunder, which seems to disturb the purity of Buddhist holy places, you can still feel the respect of tourists for the inheritance of ancient culture. Not far away, a tour guide is telling some naughty children to keep their feet up and not step on the threshold. Admission, in front of Pilu Temple, are two beautiful and elegant ginkgo trees, small fan-shaped leaves, with ethereal Zen, gently falling under the trees and corners, dreamlike, how beautiful!
Climbing up the stairs, we walked out of the temple with cornices and corners, a pagoda made of white stone, with exquisite relief and gorgeous beauty. The nearby Thousand-Buddha Cliff is a Buddhist shrine dug from the stone wall beside the mountain, with extraordinary bearing and vivid image. From a distance, it looks like a pigeon house with a peak room. From a close distance, it makes people feel nostalgic. This ancient imperial city with a heavy history and culture has gone through bitter storms and absolute beauty. Today, when the wind and smoke are clean, these precious grotto heritages come from the wind and rain in the Southern Tang Dynasty. Although they are already incomplete, some Buddha statues have no heads and some have broken arms, we can still see the elegant stone carving art of the ancients and their brilliant achievements in the history of ancient architecture in China.
Return to absolute being, half a day has passed. Looking along the winding mountain road, the mountain road is getting steeper and steeper, the air is getting better and better, and the ancient trees on the hillside are uneven. Many flowers and trees cannot be named. What a quiet virgin forest. Passing through Xiaoyingpan ruins, some seabuckthorn fruits are particularly eye-catching, small and red, and crowded. Some people say it's Lycium barbarum, others say it's red beans. That's interesting. It seems that nature has secrets that we can never discover. Along the way, all kinds of maple trees began to be colorful, even if one or two trees with less bright colors occasionally appeared, they stood out from the crowd. Yes, at this time, no matter how big the forest is, the maple leaf is also the most beautiful protagonist. I finally climbed to the top of the mountain, and the mountain breeze was refreshing, but the mist still refused to disperse. On the hillside, it may be related to a continuous rain a few days ago, or it may be related to the location. Maple leaves are not all over the mountain. However, this colorful beauty is also shocking. Looking into the distance, the pines burst, the fourth Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge looms, the ships pass through the rolling Yangtze River water intensively, and the whistle lengthens my thoughts. I think that my six trips to the south of the Yangtze River and five trips to Qixia Mountain are not only sightseeing, but also poetic meditation, which should have a far-reaching impact on an emperor.
Along the Panshan Highway, in Hong, one thing finally made me avoid it. These three or five pleasing plants are enough to make me glad you came. The appearance of a seed coming out of the ground is like the beginning of a heart. Then, the way a red leaf falls is not to forget your active attitude. Standing in front of a row of flaming maple trees, I watched pieces of palm-shaped torn leaves floating gracefully in front of my eyes, slowly approaching the soil with a calm heart, concise but not boring, with a green dream, waiting for the spring to bloom. At a glance, from the heart-shaped base to the sharp cracked teeth, the pulse is clear, the color is transparent, more like a human palm, full of warm life breath. Because of photosynthesis, not every leaf is red, but also dark green, blue purple, light yellow, orange yellow and so on. Every tree has a different color, and even every leaf has several colors. Some start to change color from the edge, leaving a circle of green hearts at last, and some start to change irregularly from the top, with distinct colors. These unique red leaves, in the dense and alternating space, capture the sunshine, proudly face the wind and frost, burn themselves in full swing and leave freely. As if at the last moment of my life, I tried my best to complete an elegant curtain call posture.
The mountain road is winding, and there is always an unexpected bright future at the end of each side-by-side oblique path. Those Chinese tallow, beech, Acer truncatum, triangle maple, feather maple, Pistacia chinensis, red maple, octagonal maple, red oak, cotinus coggygria and so on. Both tall trees and low shrubs are overwhelmingly mixed between straight Metasequoia glyptostroboides and green pine and cypress, which is dazzling and unstoppable. They represent a vigorous spiritual symbol, distributed in every corner of Qixia Mountain, such as Linfeng Lake, Taixu Pavilion, Royal Garden, Dielang Cliff, Shamao Peak and some sites. Beside Taohuaxi, besides the fiery Acer truncatum, the most striking thing is the Peach Blossom Fan Pavilion with unique shape. According to legend, this is the site of Baozhen Temple where Li, the eight beauties of Qinhuai, became a monk. A woman who washed away all the lead, for the loyalty of love and patriotic integrity, resolutely chose the blood-spattered peach blossom fan. At this moment, time cut off the pain of history, and only the red maple leaves fell alone.
Maybe I walked up the mountain too fast and missed a lot of beautiful scenery. Fortunately, I haven't gone far. I found many surprises on the way down the mountain. Of course, not everyone suddenly turns back, and there will be times when the lights are getting dim. Just like the autumn in my life, I suddenly found those people or things that passed me on the spring road. Even if I slow down, I have nowhere to look. Time still flows like a long river, leaving only silence in the distant mountains and rivers. Buddha said, "Indifference is a growth of life." It turns out that flowers bloom and fall, which is the process of perfect life.
As dusk approaches, the sky is still overcast and the sun is flickering. Standing in front of a maple tree, I will float away, at your most beautiful moment. A gust of wind blowing, red leaves flying, Zen ethereal, gorgeous as a touch of Xia Hong on the horizon, caught off guard and fell into my empty mind. Not every trip is perfect, but it must be beautiful. This mountain, a temple, a lake, a pavilion and colorful "maple" feelings, all the enlightenment and attachment, do not need more languages. I am still me. I'm not me anymore. Looking back, turning around, my heart is on the road, and I will turn to the distance again.