Xielonggang

Xielonggang

Xielonggang is situated at the southern end of the Jiufeng Mountain Range, the second-largest mountain range in Fujian. It lies at the junction of three towns—Dikou Town in Jian’ou City, Yushan Town, and Fengdu Town in Gutian County—with geographical coordinates at 118.6011°E and 26.7678°N. The scenic area encompasses two cities (Nanping City and Ningde City), two counties (Jian’ou City and Gutian County), three townships (Dikou Town, Yushan Town, and Fengdu Town), and six villages (Yanxia Village, Jixi Village, Feicun Village, Chouling Village, Houxi Village, and Zhongtian Village) arranged from east to west, south to north. The total area of the scenic zone is approximately 30 square kilometers, with about 10 square kilometers within Dikou’s jurisdiction. The main scenic spots are concentrated in Zhongtian Village and Yanxia Village of Dikou Town. The area features undulating peaks with significant elevation differences, ranging from 640 meters at Yanxia to 1,486 meters at Aijiangtougang. It enjoys distinct seasons and a mid-subtropical maritime monsoon climate. The region is rich in natural resources: "the three treasures" of the area—Dajia Di Luohan, Tiandengxin, and Longdancao—are prized medicinal herbs known for reducing inflammation, disinfecting, and nourishing the body. The Aijianggang grassland on the mountain is also home to rare wildlife, including goats. The landscape is dotted with bizarre rocks and towering ancient trees, where peaks, rocks, woods, and streams complement each other. With numerous attractions, the scenery varies beautifully with the seasons, time of day, and weather conditions—whether in rain, fog, frost, or snow—resembling exquisite flowers or potted landscapes. It is an exceptional destination for leisure, tourism, sightseeing, health retreats, exploration, summer escapes, research, and education. A poet, Shi Ziqing, once composed a poem titled *Moyu’er · Ode to the Scenery of Xielonggang* to praise its beauty: *"I’ve praised the wonders of five great lakes, yet turning back, I rue my oversight. Zhongtian and Yanxia, picturesque as a painting, seem carved by gods’ own might. Tracing the path to Tiandu, I uncover a realm of wonder, seeking hidden gems along the way. Exquisite rocks hold unpolished jade, while the face-wall Bodhisattva gazes at the sea, With waterfalls cascading from emerald cliffs. In this fairyland, its charm now revealed, postal stamps preserve its image forever. The mountain spirit guards this land, inviting turtles and elephants to stay, As Xielong and the crag converse through the ages. Greeting the sunrise, I stroll the grassland where winds stir the swaying stones. By the Dragon Pool, I recite poetry, yearning to ascend to the heavens, Dancing with pines, vowing to journey to Mount Tiantai."*

Xielonggang is also a place rich in mythical legends. Among the most legendary are three tales:

The first is the origin of the name Xielonggang. Legend has it that in ancient times, this place was not called Xielonggang, and no one knew what it was called. Halfway along the old path from Zhongtian to Yanxia, there was a pavilion called Longtan Pavilion, beside which stood a small bridge. Under the bridge was a pond inhabited by a young Xielong (crab-dragon). Passersby would rest at the pavilion, farmers often ate lunch there, some played around, and others threw waste or even urinated into the pond. The little Xielong found its home too noisy and dirty, unfit for living, but didn’t know where else to go. So, it transformed into a child who walked sideways and cried by the roadside every day. On the summit of Yanhou Mountain, a goddess named Ma Shi Xian (her temple was burned down long ago, though its foundation and altar remain) saw the crying child from the clouds. Noticing the child walked sideways, she realized it was an enlightened Xielong. She descended from the clouds, transformed into an elderly man with a white beard and cane, and approached the child. “Child, why do you cry here every day?” she asked. The Xielong sorrowfully explained how its home had been destroyed and was no longer livable. After stroking his beard, Ma Shi Xian asked, “What would you like to do then?” The Xielong replied, “I don’t want to live here anymore. Can you help me find a quiet, higher, and more perilous place to reside, where I can live in peace?” Ma Shi Xian smiled faintly and said, “This little Xielong doesn’t ask for much. I happen to know of such a place. Would you like to go?” Overjoyed, the Xielong followed Ma Shi Xian from Longtan, climbed up Mashizi Mountain, circled around the Duanya Waterfall, passed through the Xudi Yang grassland, traversed the Zhangzi Forest, and arrived at Zaiping. There, it emerged from Xielong Cave and settled by a 30-meter-high waterfall pond in Houxi. Henceforth, the hill came to be known as Xielonggang.

The second is the ancient legend of Ye Anshan Stockade. About two li (1 km) south of Xielonggang lies Zaiping, once the main route between Zhongtian and Gutian. Legend says that during the Ming Dynasty, Ye An from Jixi raised thousands of soldiers here and established a stronghold, giving the place its name. It is said that Ye An’s troops once camped in a massive cave where they used chopsticks that could fill three guang (local wooden containers for grain). Later, imperial troops sealed the cave entrance and cut off its water supply, trapping and starving the thousands of soldiers inside. It is believed that countless treasures remain hidden in the cave, attracting treasure hunters for generations, yet the stone gate at the entrance has never been found. During the Qing Dynasty, several gamblers who lost money playing Huahui (a gambling game) invited a charlatan to divine the cave’s location. The charlatan instructed them to fetch paper and pen, declaring, “To claim the cave’s treasures, you must appease its ghosts.” He then read out names while the gamblers copied them. After three days and nights, they filled three bundles of straw paper (each bundle containing 200 sheets), but the charlatan claimed they had barely started. Frightened, the gamblers gave up. Regardless of the truth of these tales, two pieces of evidence suggest the area was indeed frequented by ancient people, possibly even military figures. First, Shen Lao, a former villager of Yanxia (circa 1850–1920), unearthed a sword-like weapon (which he called a “horse saber”) while digging for bracken roots (rich in starch and edible) at Zaiping. The blade was about one meter long, four to five centimeters wide, with a 20-centimeter handle, a upward-curving tip, and twin sharp edges four inches from the end, weighing seven to eight pounds. Shen Lao passed it to his son, who carried it for protection during bandit times, and later to his grandson, who donated it to the production team in 1978 to make plowshares. Second, Chen Lao, former Party branch secretary of Zhongtian Village, accidentally discovered an ancient, hand-carved stone chessboard on the rocky slope of Zaiping in 1976 while guiding military surveyors. It is said the chessboard was near the cave entrance, used by sentries guarding the cave.

The third is the tragic tale of the Mute Emperor. Legend says that long ago, in Shikeng, Zhongtian, was born a mute child of noble appearance and intelligence. Raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law, the mute child never worked, eating his fill before cutting paper horses, warriors, and swords—vividly crafted and stored in jars. On his 18th birthday, the mute child suddenly spoke to his sister-in-law: “Sister-in-law, be sure to wake me at the first crow of the rooster tomorrow.” Overjoyed by his sudden ability to speak, she stayed awake all night and knocked on the chicken coop with bamboo sticks before dawn, making the rooster crow early. The mute child awoke, took out three paper divine arrows, and shot them—but due to the early timing, all missed their marks: The first arrow struck the emperor’s throne in the golden hall, but the emperor had just risen. Realizing something was wrong, the mute child quickly shot the second arrow at the dragon bed—but the emperor was already washing up. The third arrow hit the washstand—but the emperor had already left for court. All three divine arrows failed. Knowing disaster was imminent and troops would come for him, the mute child prepared to fight. Meanwhile, the emperor, shocked to find a giant arrow embedded in his throne, summoned his ministers and ordered the capture of the rebel. Based on the arrowhead’s inscription, his strategist identified the culprit as being from Shikeng, Zhongtian. Days later, imperial troops surrounded the village. Outnumbered, the mute child deployed jars of paper warriors and horses—but since the time wasn’t right, they emerged incomplete, soft-boned, and powerless. The troops slaughtered them like melons. The mute child then asked his sister-in-law to chop leeks, which magically beheaded the soldiers, forcing them to retreat. But when the leeks ran out, she complained, “What nonsense, chopping leeks at a time like this!” When he asked for a second batch, it no longer worked. Troops closed in again. The mute child took the bamboo sticks his sister-in-law used to lure the rooster, tucked them under his arms, and they turned into wings. Just as he prepared to fly away, she asked, “Why are you still holding those sticks?” Her words broke the spell, and he couldn’t fly. He grabbed a stool, which turned into a divine horse, but as he tried to escape, she asked, “Why sit there? Find a way out!” Each of her remarks nullified his magic, leading to his defeat. He was eventually killed by imperial soldiers, and the entire village of Shikeng was massacred. Only a few villagers who had hidden elsewhere survived, later settling in Zhongtian to rebuild their lives. It is also said that in the year of the mute child’s downfall, a celestial being turned stones into animals and tirelessly herded them from afar to Xielonggang to help the mute child build his kingdom. But when they arrived, the child had failed. Enraged, the immortal turned into a large stone—now known as Immortal Rock—and the stone animals froze in place, becoming the bizarre rocks scattered across Xielonggang, resembling oxen, lions, horses, dolphins, dogs, turtles, snakes, chickens, and more, all vividly lifelike. Additionally, near Zhongtian Village are other rock formations like Shaomao Rock (Veiled Hat Rock), Jigong Rock (Rooster Rock), Daodao Rock (Knife Rock), Shifanzeng (Stone Rice Steamer), and Shichuang (Stone Bed). Legend says these were prepared by the immortal for the mute child’s future reign—if he had succeeded, they would have turned real.

Xielonggang is also a historic red revolutionary base. The mute child’s failed assassination of the emperor and his brave but doomed battle against imperial troops embody the indomitable spirit of the working people resisting oppression. During the Second Revolutionary Civil War period, Chen Guifang (also known as Chen Gula), leader of the Red Army guerrillas spanning Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, led forces here to wage revolution. The caves, stone shelters, and bamboo shoot drying sheds used by the guerrillas remain well-preserved. The cave shelters, formed by massive boulders, could house over a hundred people and still feature ancient walls and stone mortars.

Source: Office of the People’s Government of Jian’ou City