Diary of a Tour to Taihe Mountain (Excerpt)

From then on, walk along the mountain, going down and up again, for a total of twenty li. After passing Taizi Slope, go down into the valley again. There is a stone beam spanning the stream, which is the lower part of Jiudu Gorge. The upper part is the platform of eighteen bends, which leads to Zixiao and the Taihe Avenue. Entering the stream from the left, one follows the Jiudu Gorge and heads towards the Qiongtai Temple, as well as the Eight Immortals and Luogongyuan. After climbing ten li, the Zixiao Palace lies there. Zixiao is located in front of the Yuji Pool, backed by the Zhanqi Peak, with a high platform and the Jie Hall, which is spacious and unique. Enter the hall to pay a visit. From the upper right of the hall, go straight to the west of the Zhanqi Peak. On the peak, there are the Prince's Cave and the Seven-star Rock, both of which are too numerous to inquire about. It's five li in total, passing through the South Heaven Gate of the South Rock. To the west of the Shezhi Mountain, one can pay homage to the Langxian Shrine. The shrine faces the South Rock. In front of it stands a huge Langxian tree, with no skin at all, its red trunk standing tall and its slender buds yet to sprout. Beside the plum tree, it is also tall, with flower colors of varying shades like peaches and apricots, and its stem drooping like silk, resembling a crabapple. There are two kinds of plum blossoms and nut trees in the mountain. It is said that Emperor Xuan inserted plum blossoms and sent nut trees, thus creating this strange kind of cloud. It's five li in total, passing through the Tiger Head Rock. Another three li leads to the slanting Bridge. The sharp peaks and cliffs keep emerging, and many paths follow the crevices of the peaks. From the fifth li Gate to the Third Heaven Gate, passing through the Chaotian Palace, all are winding stone steps leading up, with iron pillars and ropes hanging on both sides. From the Third Heaven Gate to the Second Heaven Gate and then to the First Heaven Gate, lead the path through the peak hollow and ascend the steps directly. Although the road is steep, the stone steps are neatly arranged and the railings and ropes are linked together, unlike the suspended and soaring Mount Hua. The Taihe Palace is located inside the Three Heavens Gate. The sun will 晡, and with great effort, build a golden summit, which is called the Heavenly Pillar Peak. All the peaks on the mountain top stand like bells and tripods, standing separately and upright, hanging in the middle of the celestial pillar, standing out prominently on the surface of each peak, and standing out in all directions. At the level of the peak, both the longitudinal and transverse directions extend to seek zhang. The golden hall stands above it, with the Xuan Emperor and the Four generals enshrined in it. The stove and table are all made of gold. To demand incense and gold for a thousand households and a single point of command is no less than a seizure. I hurriedly knocked on the door, but it was already closed. So I went down to stay at the Taihe Palace. On the fourteenth day, I changed my clothes and climbed to the Golden Summit. Looking down, the sky is clear and bright. Looking down, the nearby peaks stand tall and proud, while the distant ones are lined up. It is truly a mysterious and profound area. So I went down the path to the right of the Three Heavenly Gates into the gorge. This path has no steps or ropes, with numerous peaks standing apart. As the road passes through it, one feels a sense of seclusion and beauty. Three li or so, to the right of the Candle Peak, a spring trickles out from the roadside, and below it is the Candle Stream. Following the right side of the ravine for about three li, the peak turns around the mountain. Below, one can see Pingqiu open in the middle, which is the Shangqiong Terrace View. Beside it, there are several plum trees, all embracing each other. Their flowers float in the air, reflecting the mountains, and are resplendent on the rocks. The place is secluded and secluded, and the scenery is unique and extraordinary. Yu asked for the fruit of the plum blossoms, but the Taoist priest in the temple remained silent and dared not answer. Then he said, "This is a forbidden item." "Someone brought out three or four pieces earlier, and the Daoist school successively defeated several people." " I did not believe it and asked for help. I gave several of them to you, but they were all rotten and no one knew about it. When I approached Zhongqiong Terrace, I asked for it again, but the abbot still declined and said there was no such thing. Because of the thought emerging from the Lower Jade Terrace, one can forget the Jade Void Rock and thus lose the Purple Sky and the South Rock. Alas, one gains and two lose. It would be better to still follow the old path. When I reached the overflowed spring by the roadside, I crossed the Candle Peak to the left. It should be closer to the South Rock. Suddenly, there was someone chasing me from behind. It was the small yellow crown of Zhongqiong Terrace, urging me to return by my master's order. The abbot shook hands and said, "You have been longing for precious plants. Fortunately, I have obtained two of them. It may have comforted you a little, but if they are leaked to someone else, it is a serious sin." When seen from the outside, it resembles a kumquat. After being soaked with bee SAP, it has a golden appearance and a jade-like quality, truly an extraordinary delicacy. Zhen Xie left and went up for more than three li, straight to the Candle Bee Hollow. The peaks are uneven and sharp, and the figures are moderate, yet still seem about to move. After crossing, he followed the winding path along the cliff, crossing several layers in succession. The soil and rocks at the peak often have different colors everywhere. Then, upon hearing the chanting of the Buddhist scriptures, I looked up and saw the peak hanging far above, having already left the Chaotian Palace. Eight li further up, a south rock and the South Heaven Gate were built to pay homage to the main hall. Turning right into the rear of the hall, the lofty cliff is embedded in the void, like a suspended corridor and a winding path, winding halfway up the mountain, with an endless view below. It is called Nan Rock, also known as Zi Xiao Rock, and is the most prominent among the thirty-six rocks. Tianzhu Peak was right in front of him. From the rock to the left of the hall, in the successive terraces, several pine and cypress trees are embraced, standing tall and elegant under the shade. The solitary platform hangs alone, and looking around from the peak, it is called the Ascension Platform. He returned to the palace in the evening, bribed his young disciple and got six more plum blossoms. If I ask for it again tomorrow, I won't get it. On the 15th, from the left of the South Heaven Gate Palace, head towards the Leigong Cave. The cave is between the cliffs. I wish to return to Zixiao, pass through the Buer Nunnery at Taizi Rock, and reach Wulong. The local people say that it is tortuous and inconvenient. It is not as good as going down the bamboo bridge from the South Rock to enjoy the wonders of Dashi Rock and Xianlu Rock. From the North Heavenly Gate, a path is gloomy and eerie. On the left side of the road are the two rocks, Dashi and Xianlu. The cliff rises abruptly, and the spring water drips into the middle, which can accommodate a room. Both are dedicated to Zhenwu. When reaching the bamboo fence Bridge, the sound of a flowing spring can be heard, but it does not follow the stream. It follows the mountains and crosses the ridges, with many sudden rocks and dangerous rocks along the way. Occasionally, it is scattered among the lush greenery, with plum blossoms blooming from time to time, shining brightly near and far. After passing through the Baiyun and Xiangui Rocks, which are over twenty li long, and following the steps straight down to the bottom of the ravine, you will reach the Qingyang Bridge. The stream is downstream of the bamboo bridge. The two cliffs 蓊 block out the sun. The clear stream flows back. The bridge spans over it. No one knows where the stream has gone. Looking up at the blue sky, it seems like the mouth of a jar. Cross the bridge and head straight up to Zantian Ridge. Five li to the Five Dragon Palace, its layout is on par with that of Zixiao and Nan Yan. Behind the temple, after climbing a mountain for a while, one turns into a dry dock and arrives at the Natural Hermitage. We have returned to the right side of the hall, turned down into a dry dock, and for two li, we have reached Lingxu Rock. Nestled against the towering mountains and facing the sheer valleys, it confronts the various peaks of Taoyuan Cave. The fine trees are especially dense and deep, with their purple and green colors complementing each other like a picture, creating a serene and secluded place. Ahead, there is a platform for transmitting scriptures. Standing alone in the ravine, it can rival the ascension platform. After passing through the left side of the hall, climb up the Langmei Terrace and then descend to Caodian.