Flying Stone

Flying Stone

Introduction: The "Flying Stone" can be seen by heading west from Bright Summit or south from Paiyun Pavilion. A 2-kilometer walk along the northwest path leads to Xihai Gate and Paiyun Pavilion. The Flying Stone is a massive rock standing 12 meters tall and weighing 600 tons, whose base is abruptly separated from the mountain peak, making it appear as if it came from the heavens—hence its name. The unpolished stone featured in the TV series *Dream of the Red Chamber* is the Flying Stone. The Flying Stone is also known as "Flying Peak," or "Immortal Peach Peak."

There is a legend about how this peculiar stone "flew" here, involving one of the Eight Immortals, Iron-Crutch Li. It is said that during the Song Dynasty, there was a stonemason named Shan Fu who spent his life building bridges. His lifelong dream was to construct a bridge over the river in his hometown, but he lamented not having any help. He had only one daughter, Xiaojiao, who was smart and beautiful. She understood her father’s wish and begged to assist him. But the backbreaking labor of quarrying stone in the deep mountains and transporting it over hundreds of miles was too much for a young woman to bear, so Shan Fu refused. Xiaojiao knelt and pleaded desperately, and Shan Fu, with no other choice, finally nodded with tears in his eyes. He also enlisted the help of his three apprentices, and soon the work began. However, unable to endure the hardship, the first and second apprentices quietly slipped away one after another. Only Shan Fu, his daughter, and the third apprentice remained, determined to see the bridge built through gritted teeth and hard work. But years passed, and only a small pile of stones had been delivered to the riverbank. No matter how much they suffered, the bridge could not be completed. Xiaojiao steeled herself, asked someone to write the words “Donate My Life to Build the Bridge,” planted a straw marker, and sat down beside the pile of stones by the river. For three days in a row, countless people came to look, but after glancing at the surging river, they all left. One day, a lame man suddenly appeared. Carrying a fan on his back, he removed the straw marker and asked Xiaojiao if she would go with him. Xiaojiao replied, “When all the stones quarried from the mountains are transported to the riverbank, I will go with you.” This lame man turned out to be Iron-Crutch Li of the Eight Immortals. He pushed through the crowd, rode the clouds, and quickly arrived at the distant mountains. Taking the fan from his back, he fanned the stones that Shan Fu and the third apprentice had quarried—and the rocks flew up and landed one after another by the river. Shan Fu and the third apprentice were also blown from the mountain to the bridge construction site. Still fearing it might not be enough, Iron-Crutch Li fanned a huge standing rock three times, then stood atop it and flew to the riverside. Seeing crowds of people below, he didn’t dare let the boulder land. Then he heard Shan Fu shout, “That’s enough stone!” So he rose on a cloud and drifted away. When he reached Huangshan and saw its stunning scenery, he dropped the stone there. Since then, the Flying Stone has taken root in this spot.

Anhui, Huangshan City