Filial Piety Mountain

Filial Piety Mountain

Filial Piety Mountain, located more than six li northeast of Xinmin Village. The mountain is named "Filial Piety" because, in the early Qing Dynasty, a man from Shandong named Yan Buleng followed his father across the Liao River and made a living as a hunter. He built a shelter with birch bark by the Dalan River in what is now Changbai County. One day, his father went to visit friends in the Neiyan Tribe and passed by the foot of the mountain, where he was attacked and killed by a tiger, leaving behind only some hair, bones, and a hunting pack. When he did not return for several days, Yan went looking for him but could not find him and grew suspicious. Upon returning to the foot of the mountain, he spotted a hunting pack lying askew in the grassland. On closer inspection, he recognized it as his father’s belongings. Searching around, he found some hair and bones, and realized that his father had been killed by a tiger. Overcome with grief, he cried and carried his father’s remains back to bury them. Day and night, he sharpened his knife, prepared medicine, fixed his gun, and mended his shoes, all with one goal in mind. His hunting companions were unaware of his intentions. Three days later, he told people, “There is a ferocious tiger on the northern mountain that has been harming people along the path. You all know about it. My father died at the hands of this tiger. I vow not to go on living—I will go and kill it. If I do not succeed and die, please gather my bones and bury them at the foot of the mountain. I would be deeply grateful.” Many wanted to go with him, but Yan stopped them.

Before dawn the next day, he headed straight up the mountain. When his hunting companions woke up and found him gone, they followed him. In the distance, they saw two tigers leap out from behind the mountain and charge toward Yan. He fired three shots in succession, killing one of them. The other tiger roared and lunged at him. Yan didn’t have time to fire and tried to fight the tiger with his gun, but the tiger knocked it away. With one swipe, the tiger clawed at Yan’s left arm. Yan quickly drew a short knife and stabbed wildly. The tiger kept pouncing relentlessly and let out a long roar at Yan. Yan fell and then sprang up, leaping forward and driving his knife into the tiger’s mouth. His wrist also got stuck inside and couldn’t be pulled out. They remained locked in struggle. His hunting companions raised their guns but, fearing they might hit Yan, dared not shoot. More than an hour passed. Finally, the hunting companions rushed up from below the mountain and found the tiger had been killed. They still heard Yan saying, “The tiger is dead. I’ve avenged my father. My good friends, please bury me.” Before he could finish speaking, Yan also died. Everyone saw one tiger shot dead at the foot of the mountain, and the other wounded over seventy times. Yan’s arm was severely injured, his right hand still stuck in the tiger’s mouth along with the knife. Noticing that Yan’s eyes remained open and his face still had a lifelike expression, they cut open the hearts of both tigers as an offering, and then Yan’s eyes finally closed. Everyone admired his filial piety and gave him a grand burial. To this day, the mountain is called Filial Piety Mountain.