Cliff Inscriptions at Shimen Cave

Cliff Inscriptions at Shimen Cave

The Cliff Inscriptions at Shimen Cave are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Cliff Inscriptions at Shimen Cave are located at Yuedong Qigu Mountain in the Shimen Cave Scenic Area, Gao Shi Township, Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province. The two peaks of Qigu stand upright and face each other like a gate. The cave area is surrounded by mountains, covered in lush forests, and scattered with historical relics, most notably for its towering waterfall that seems to hang from the sky. “High enough to offer a view, clear enough for bathing, deep enough for seclusion, serene enough for comfort, fragrant enough for gathering, and wondrous enough for poetry…” — this is a vivid depiction of the scenery at Shimen. It was ranked as the twelfth divine cave of Taoism in China during the Tang Dynasty. The cliff inscriptions are distributed across 16 sites on Qigu Mountain, 64 at Yue Cave, and 25 stone stelae. Among them, there are 2 from the Liu Song Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, 4 from the Tang Dynasty, 31 from the Song Dynasty, 6 from the Yuan Dynasty, 22 from the Ming Dynasty, 16 from the Qing Dynasty, 4 from the Republican Era, and 1 from contemporary times, with another 17 yet to be verified. The content includes inscribed names, records, and poems. Various calligraphic styles are represented, including regular script, clerical script, Wei-style script, running script, cursive script, and seal script. The inscribers include renowned figures such as Xie Lingyun, Guo Mizi, Shen Kuo, Ruan Yuan, Lu Yi, Wang Chongming, and Guo Moruo. Most of the inscriptions are well-preserved.

Gao Shi Township: I. Geography and Population

Gao Shi Township is located in the northwest of Qingtian County, 32 kilometers from the county seat and 39 kilometers from the downtown area of Lishui City. The terrain here is uniquely shaped by three branches of the northern section of the Donggong Mountain Range. The township seat, Gao Shi Village, is surrounded by mountains on three sides, faces south across the river, and is traversed by the Gao Shi Stream. The township covers a total area of 52 square kilometers, with 1,600 mu of arable land, 66,400 mu of forestland, and a forest coverage rate of 82.9%. It governs 9 administrative villages with a population of over 7,600.

II. Cultural Heritage

Gao Shi Township is a place of outstanding people and rich culture, home to many notable figures… More details about Gao Shi Township ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units