Songliao Rock

Songliao Rock

The Songliao Rock scenic area is located within Donghekou Town, Jin'an District. It stretches from Tanglianyan in the north to the Zhu Family Ancestral Hall—Donghekou Highway in the south, connects to Xianglushi in the east, and borders Maoyan in the west. The elevation ranges from 90 to 150 meters. Its geographical coordinates are between 116°30′16″ to 116°30′56″ east longitude and 31°25′27″ to 31°26′02″ north latitude, covering an area of approximately 1 square kilometer.

The Songliao Rock scenic area is a Danxia landform landscape zone. Around 150 to 170 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic period, the area was part of a lacustrine basin. Large amounts of weathered and eroded debris from the surrounding basin were transported by water and deposited within the basin, forming purple-red feldspar quartz sandstone, sand conglomerate, and conglomerate layers over 2,000 meters thick. From about 65 million years ago to the present, as the area underwent crustal uplift, it was subjected to external forces such as weathering, erosion by water flow, wave erosion from ancient lakes, dissolution, and differential weathering. These processes created unique Danxia landforms such as caves and inselbergs. The most typical features are the Twin Toad Stones and a cave that can accommodate hundreds of people. The interior of the cave features honeycomb-like and swallow-nest-like rock formations in bizarre shapes, making it of significant scientific research and sightseeing value.

On November 9, 1887 (the 13th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty), Zhu Yunshan was born in the backyard of the Zhu family at Songliaoya (Songliao Cliff), Dongliangkou, Lu'an County, Anhui Province. Songliaoya is a remote mountain village located 80 li (approximately 40 kilometers) south of Lu'an City. In ancient times, stone houses were referred to as Songliao. According to the Grand Chinese Dictionary, "song" means grand and tall—for example, in "Shiming · Shishan": “Song refers to a grand and lofty mountain,” and in "Guangyun · Dongyun”: “Song means a high mountain.” It also broadly means tall or lofty—for instance, in "Erya · Shigu Shang”: “Song means high.” "Liao" refers to a steep or towering appearance, while "ya" means either the edge of a mountain or highland or the high bank of water. The name “Songliaoya” as a place name sufficiently illustrates the towering and steep nature of the mountain. “Peaks all bow in salute; the exquisiteness is wrought by ghosts.” Songliaoya consists of two cliffs with a paddy field valley between them. The two cliffs stand abruptly opposite each other on the eastern and western mountains, resembling a pair of lovers gazing across the valley or two tigers and leopards lying in the mountains. Locals have given these two cliffs the beautiful name “Twin Toads (one male, one female).” The cliffs are smooth and round, barren of any vegetation, and brown like the back of a crucian carp. The mountain is majestic, rugged, and spectacular, with breathtaking scenery and marvelous craftsmanship. “Songliao’s Cascading Chaos” was one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Lu'an Prefecture in ancient times.

Songliaoya had already gained fame throughout the country as early as the Han Dynasty. According to historical records such as "Records of the Grand Historian · Biography of Emperor Wu," after Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, quelled the uprisings in Huainan and Hengshan, he sought to pacify the region and assert imperial authority. In 106 BC, he personally visited Qian (modern-day Huoshan area) to conduct an imperial tour and visited Nanyue Mountain, granting it the title “Deputy Southern Sacred Mountain.” He also ascended Fulan Mountain twice and pointed to another mountain, praising its grandeur. “Fulan Mountain” and “Zhifeng Mountain” thus received their names. Finally, he toured Songliaoya and conferred upon it the title “The Number One Cliff of the South.”

The eastern cliff is called Shishi Mountain, believed to be the male mountain, with a small path leading directly up to it; the western cliff is the female mountain, with a huge cave in its belly shaped like a “crescent moon.” To its left is the “Dragon Pool Heavenly Lake,” and to its right is the “Dripping Water Gully.” The overall natural environment is extremely serene. Looking into the distance, you see thousands of lush green mountains and valleys stretching out as far as the eye can see. Reflecting on ancient times, you can almost hear the chants of a temple and the evening drumbeats echoing softly. Ancient trees stand densely, and the sound of the pine forest roars like thunder. In spring, grass grows and orioles fly; delicate orchids and fragrant flowers abound; azaleas blaze red, filling the air with their fragrance. In summer, cascading springs and waterfalls flow, lotuses reflect in the blue water, eagles soar in the setting sun, and frog croaks resemble musical performances. In autumn, river maples turn crimson, sweet osmanthus fragrance wafts through the air, accompanied by the occasional evening drum and wisp of cooking smoke, highlighting the tranquility and serenity of Songliaoya. In winter, snow blankets the land, everything turns white, and the earth freezes over—a scene truly like “not a bird flies amid the thousand mountains, no human trace in ten thousand paths.” Songliaoya then becomes a veritable kingdom of snow. The cave ceiling is marvelously rugged, adorned with naturally formed patterns and designs in diverse shapes—some like colorful clouds, others like soaring birds, lifelike and seemingly moving; some like pearls or grapes, incredibly vivid and spectacular. The cave walls feature grotesque rocks with fierce expressions, “roaring like tigers,” so that standing before them, one can almost hear the growls of tigers and wolves. To the left front of the cave entrance, there are two hanging rocks that are the most peculiar, “shaped like crescent moons emerging from the clouds”—one large, one small; one thick, one thin. When struck, they produce resonant sounds—one crisp and clear, the other deep and mellow; one dull and heavy, the other bright and resonant. The deep, heavy, and mellow one is called the “Stone Drum,” which still exists today; the clear and far-reaching one is commonly known as the “Stone Gong.” On the right side of the cave wall, there is a peculiar cavity where lighting a single lamp causes light to emanate from seven spots—known as the “Seven-Star Lamp.” Above and to the right front of it, on the cave ceiling, there is a roughly two-square-foot depression—that is the source of the “Songliao Milk Flow.”

Legend has it that long ago, a white liquid continuously dripped from the crevices of the cliff year-round, gurgling softly. Since it flowed out from the rocks and resembled human milk in color, it was called “Stone Milk.” It served as a delicious drink—not only used by monks for meals and tasted by visitors—but could also be used as lamp oil. The “Seven-Star Lamp” was fueled by this substance. Because the “Stone Milk” could keep the “Seven-Star Lamp” burning continuously, it was also called the “Eternal Lamp.” The "Lu'an Prefecture Annals" contains records of “Stone Milk Splashing.” Yang Sizhi of the Ming Dynasty described it in his "Record of a Tour to Songliao": “The Stone Milk gurgles, drifting with the wind. If you face it, the coolness seeps into your skin, refreshing your spirit.”

The cave is large and deep, capable of holding a thousand people, with a pleasant climate that is warm in winter and cool in summer. After the Tang Dynasty, a “Buddha Chamber” was built inside the cave. Passing through Luoma Ridge and Feihong Bridge to reach the cave entrance, through the foliage of vines, bamboo, and cypresses, one can faintly see the carved decorations of cloud canopies and banners from the Buddhist Temple Yunju, dating back to before the Tang Dynasty. The three great Buddhas of Yunju Temple are enshrined above, with the Eighteen Arhats lined up on both sides, creating a solemn atmosphere. Devotees come to worship, the incense never stops, and the chanting of scriptures echoes endlessly. A couplet left by ancestors is hung on the wall. The upper line reads: “What more solemn and wondrous visage is there? Gazing into the vast heavenly cave, boundless joy exists solely because of the great virtue that nurtures all things.” The lower line says: “All worldly ties have ended; alas, the affairs of the world are but illusions, laughable are those shackled by fame and profit, toiling busily.” This couplet interprets the Buddhist concept of “all is void.” Precisely for this reason, Songliaoya became a scenic jewel of the Jiangnan region, attracting many literati, officials, monks, nuns, devotees, commoners, and scholars. Facing the splendid scenery and pure land of Songliaoya, they were inspired and eagerly put pen to paper, leaving behind many widely celebrated and splendid poems.

According to the "Lu'an Prefecture Annals," during the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty, the famous poet Pi Rixiu traveled through Lu'an and Huoshan and visited the Yunju Temple on Beixuefeng Cliff at Songliaoya twice. On his second visit, he wrote the poem "Passing by the Old Residence of Master Xuanku at Yunju Temple."

The poem reads:

Returning to Yunju alone in silence,

Peeking through the window, I still suspect Zen.

Meeting an old man in the rocks who came to listen to the Dharma,

I see a neighboring monk drawing water.

New stone ear fungus has grown on the shrine,

The old tea smoke still clings to the walls.

Disciples of the Southern School come often,

Shedding tears as they lay mountain flowers on the altar.

Jin Dynasty's Tang Liangchen left the inscription “Songliao’s Grandeur” in the “Buddha Chamber.” The three characters “Taoyuan Road” are said to have been written by Zhan Jieyuan of the Southern Song Dynasty’s Chunxi era. “A pavilion in the sky seems to have no ground; clouds and rosy clouds in the cave create another world.” This couplet captures the essence of its beauty. Yang Sizhi recorded in "A Tour to Songliao": “In a moment, a monk emerged from the mist, walking toward us, and we reached the cliff after crossing the Feihong Bridge.” This is also a fine phrase praising the serene beauty of Songliaoya. It is evident that it was one of the earlier culturally developed areas in Lu'an.

Most of the people living around Songliaoya are descendants of the Zhu family. Their ancestors were from Chashuyuan (Huizhou Huangcun) in Shezhou. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, when Fang Guozhen rebelled and the imperial court launched a brutal suppression, slaughtering innocents indiscriminately, Zhu Xiaoyi, the eighth-generation descendant of the Chashuyuan Zhu family, fled north across the river with his family to escape the chaos, arriving at Songliaoya in Lu'an. At that time, “our Lu (Lu'an) was the ancient land of Gaoyao, with distinctive customs. Since ancient times, it has been home to many notable figures. For example, Cheng Yi of Yichuan, Zhou Dunyi of Lianxi, Zhang Zai of Hengqu, and Su Shi of Meishan—all gathered their clans here. … Xiaoyi moved to Lu, where to the south lies the beauty of Mount Heng and Zhifeng, to the west the wonders of Wuzhi and Jiugong, along with the abruptness of Longxue Cave and the spiritual uniqueness of Songliao. The land is suitable for mulberry and tea, the soil arable, the customs rich, and the people honest—thus he chose to settle beneath Songliaoya.” Over the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Zhu family population gradually grew. Although it was relatively remote and located in the mountainous countryside, far from Lu'an City, the influence of Songliaoya at the time, its majestic landform, and its beautiful scenery may have been why Zhu Xiaoyi, the ancestor who migrated from Wuyuan Huangcun to Lu'an, chose to settle here instead of near Lu'an County or the flatlands. And so, Zhu Yunshan was born at Songliaoya.

Precisely for this reason, Songliaoya became a scenic jewel of the Jiangnan region, attracting many literati, officials, monks, nuns, devotees, commoners, and scholars. Facing the splendid scenery and pure land of Songliaoya, they were inspired and eagerly put pen to paper, leaving behind many widely celebrated and splendid poems.

According to the "Lu'an Prefecture Annals," during the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty, the famous poet Pi Rixiu traveled through Lu'an and Huoshan and visited the Yunju Temple on Beixuefeng Cliff at Songliaoya twice. On his second visit, he wrote the poem "Passing by the Old Residence of Master Xuanku at Yunju Temple." The poem reads: Returning to Yunju alone in silence, peering through the window, I still suspect Zen. Meeting an old man in the rocks who came to listen to the Dharma, I see a neighboring monk drawing water. New stone ear fungus has grown on the shrine, the old tea smoke still clings to the walls. Disciples of the Southern School come often, shedding tears as they lay mountain flowers on the altar.

Jin Dynasty's Tang Liangchen left the inscription “Songliao’s Grandeur” in the “Buddha Chamber.” The three characters “Taoyuan Road” are said to have been written by Zhan Jieyuan of the Southern Song Dynasty’s Chunxi era. “A pavilion in the sky seems to have no ground; clouds and rosy clouds in the cave create another world.” This couplet captures the essence of its beauty. Yang Sizhi recorded in "A Tour to Songliao": “In a moment, a monk emerged from the mist, walking toward us, and we reached the cliff after crossing the Feihong Bridge.” This is also a fine phrase praising the serene beauty of Songliaoya. It is evident that it was one of the earlier culturally developed areas in Lu'an.

Most of the people living around Songliaoya are descendants of the Zhu family. Their ancestors were from Chashuyuan (Huizhou Huangcun) in Shezhou. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, when Fang Guozhen rebelled and the imperial court launched a brutal suppression, slaughtering innocents indiscriminately, Zhu Xiaoyi, the eighth-generation descendant of the Chashuyuan Zhu family, fled north across the river with his family to escape the chaos, arriving at Songliaoya in Lu'an. At that time, “our Lu (Lu'an) was the ancient land of Gaoyao, with distinctive customs. Since ancient times, it has been home to many notable figures. For example, Cheng Yi of Yichuan, Zhou Dunyi of Lianxi, Zhang Zai of Hengqu, and Su Shi of Meishan—all gathered their clans here. … Xiaoyi moved to Lu, where to the south lies the beauty of Mount Heng and Zhifeng, to the west the wonders of Wuzhi and Jiugong, along with the abruptness of Longxue Cave and the spiritual uniqueness of Songliao. The land is suitable for mulberry and tea, the soil arable, the customs rich, and the people honest—thus he chose to settle beneath Songliaoya.”

Although it was relatively remote and located in the mountainous countryside, far from Lu'an City, due to its distance from the state and county seats, the imperial court’s governance was hard to enforce during wartime. The mountainous terrain made hiding easier, and the locals, being of the same clan, could support each other. When Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty brutally suppressed Fang Guozhen’s rebellion, Xiaoyi’s decision to move north from Jiangnan to Songliaoya was the right one. And so, Zhu Yunshan was born at Songliaoya.

Donghekou Town: Located at the junction of Shucheng, Lu'an, and Huoqiu counties (cities), Donghekou Town is a typical large mountainous agricultural town. The town covers a total area of 160.5 square kilometers, governs 38 administrative villages, 1 street, and 574 villager groups, with a total of 12,443 households and 51,503 people, including 49,250 agricultural residents. It has 123,991 mu of mountainous land, 50,697 mu of cultivated land (including 40,332 mu of paddy fields), and 5,947 mu of water surface available for aquaculture.

Donghekou Town is a place rich in talent and natural beauty. China’s outstanding patriotic democrat and renowned political activist... More details about Donghekou Town++