Inscription: "Eternally Guarding the South of the Yangtze"

Inscription: "Eternally Guarding the South of the Yangtze"

At the summit of Da Wu Mountain stands an ancient temple, said to have been built in the first year of the Shenlong era (705 AD) during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty. Having endured the passage of centuries and numerous upheavals, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The entire temple is constructed from granite strips, presenting a magnificent scale. The main hall is the Jade Emperor Hall, housing a collection of Buddhist statues—some cast in iron, some carved from stone, others sculpted from wood, and even some made of pottery—their solemn and majestic appearances exuding divine presence. To the right is the Guanyin Hall, where the Goddess of Mercy sits upon a lotus throne on the altar, her hands gently resting on her knees, her countenance kind and serene. To the left is the Arhat Hall, where the Eighteen Arhats are depicted with varying expressions, all smiling.

There are two accounts regarding the naming of Da Wu Mountain: one is that when viewed from afar, the mountain appears as a vast expanse of dark gray, hence the name "Da Wu Mountain" (literally "Great Dark Mountain"). Another story tells of Xie Jin, a Hanlin academician of the Ming Dynasty during the Hongwu era, who once spent the night in the temple on the mountain. A strong wind blew out the candles, plunging the temple into darkness. Jokingly, he remarked, “This is no longer a ‘Ming’ (bright) Mountain, but has turned into a ‘Wu’ (dark) Mountain.” Since then, people have playfully referred to it as "Wu Mountain."

The Southern Song patriotic hero Wen Tianxiang, who traveled here, was awestruck by the grandeur of Da Wu Mountain and inscribed a plaque with the four characters “Eternally Guarding the South of the Yangtze.” The Ming Dynasty scholar and imperial examination graduate Zou Yuanbiao also left behind the precious calligraphy “Fairyland of Wu Mountain.” Regrettably, the memorial archway inscribed with “Swift to Rise” by Ji Shui-native Zhuangyuan (top imperial examination scholar) Xie Jin was destroyed in the late Qing Dynasty, leaving only its ruins.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units