Peach Blossom Rock

Peach Blossom Rock

Peach Blossom Rock is located in the mountains to the northeast of Zhushan. The *Fengcheng County Annals* from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, under the section “Mountains and Rivers,” records: “Peach Blossom Rock is situated west of the reading platform of Zhushan (where Xu Ruzi studied). The stone cave can accommodate a hundred people, with a stone bed inside that shows no signs of chiseling or carving. Many peach blossoms grow on the rock, and hanging springs drip down, creating a serene and open atmosphere, making it a scenic highlight of the mountain.” The cave is 5 meters deep, 14 meters wide, and varies between a maximum height of 4 meters and a minimum of 1 meter, resembling the shape of a boat. At the top of the cave, a clear spring drips down continuously throughout the year. The water is crystal-clear and cool. The area around the cave is overgrown with shrubs, forming a dense green shade. Every year in the sunny days of March, exotic flowers bloom in vibrant competition, creating a magnificent landscape. Throughout history, scholars and poets have been drawn here, composing poems and verses in admiration of this extraordinary scenery. Xiong Lütíng of the Qing Dynasty visited and wrote the poem “Peach Blossom Rock”: “Bare trees and empty hills, a faint path winds through; / Cool air from the rock brushes against my clothes. / The sound of spring water falls cold before the cave, / While birds flit low among the bushes. / A lone rock holds a wonder, cradling the Buddha’s seat; / A thousand peaks gather emerald hues, embracing the meditation hall. / I talked with the monk for long amidst the forested paths, / Pointing to the idle clouds as dusk fell, ready to return.”

Legend has it that a small cave within the rock once oozed white rice every day—enough to feed a single monk. Later, a greedy monk enlarged the hole, hoping to get more rice, but the opposite happened: the rice stopped flowing altogether, and the monk had to make a living by his own efforts. From the Qing Dynasty to the early years of the People’s Republic, an old monk and an old woman still lived in the cave. In 1959, the two elders passed away one after another, yet the beauty and charm of the cave remained unspoiled. To this day, it remains a wonderful destination for people to visit and rest.