Gu Gu Pavilion

Gu Gu Pavilion

Walk through the gate of the Ancient Yi Scenic Area, turn and climb the steps. Pass by the Armory Cave, visit the Universal Love Pavilion, cross the Old Dragon Ravine, and arrive at the Stone Buddha Temple. Then walk westward for over a hundred steps, where emerald-green peaks stand like screens, as if entering a paradise on earth. Follow the rugged and winding mountain path to the summit of the Sunrise Peak. Surrounded by drifting clouds and bathed in radiant sunlight, it feels like ascending to the heavens with the legendary immortals Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao. Push through vast stretches of wild grass, and camellia flowers bloom smilingly before you. The ancient cliff painting of the Sea Ship Rock comes into view.

On the cliff where the rock painting is located stands the "Gu Gu Pavilion," its roof like an umbrella, planned and built by Mr. Shi Shuming. The original "Record of Gu Gu Pavilion," spanning over a thousand characters, outlines the long history of Mount Dayi. It reads: “The cliff paintings depict the sails and garments of the boats of the Youyu and Yi peoples; masts stand tall and oars dance, ferrying Chang’e as she bathes in the moonlight of heaven.”

Undoubtedly, these two lines of parallel prose provide a new key to unlocking the historical mystery of the ancient Sea Ship rock painting. This helps us understand why the ancients chose to carve the sea ship not on the countless rocks at the foot of the mountain, but solely on the lofty peak high above.

The Sea Ship rock painting is located on a protruding cliff between two facing peaks within the embrace of the Great Mountain Range. The crescent-shaped cliff face, covering an area of about five or six square meters, bears carvings of two elongated stone ships—one large and one small. The masts, oars, rudders, and lotus-like sails are faintly visible, rendered in simple and vivid lines. The ships appear to sway as if caught in motion, ready to ride the waves and soar into the clouds, symbolizing the ancient people’s aspiration to reach the heavens.