Face-Pattern Rock

Face-Pattern Rock

Face-Pattern Rock is located on the opposite bank of Mosquito-Free Village in Yingtan. This massive mountain peak features overlapping ridges and a rich variety of colors.

Legend has it that Longhu Mountain is a blessed land where dragons coil and tigers leap, home to 100 tigers and 100 dragons, each with unique expressions and supernatural powers. This rock face conceals the figures of nine tigers and one dragon. See how many we can distinguish. Locals say that if you can identify one tiger, you're a clever person; two to three tigers indicate talent and virtue; four to five tigers suggest exceptional talent and high moral standing; seven to nine tigers mean you're extraordinarily gifted and destined for high office; and if you can spot all nine tigers and one dragon in one go, you're surely meant to be an emperor. It’s said that Zhang Tianshi (the Celestial Master Zhang) once identified nine tigers and the tail of the dragon, earning him the title “Ghost King” among the people. When Emperor Qianlong visited Longhu Mountain during his southern tour, the nine tigers and one dragon appeared vividly before his eyes, full of life. As visitors, why not take a moment to count them carefully and test your own insight? The riverside cliffs on the east bank are dark red in color, with some recessed areas slightly lighter. When three or four cavities cluster together, they form highly expressive facial features. Such combinations are abundant on this mountainside, each with unique expressions—hence the name “Face-Pattern Rock Wall.” There are a total of 108 distinct facial patterns embedded here, believed to represent the 108 heroes from the classic novel *Water Margin*, such as Lin Chong the Panther Head, Lu Zhishen the Tattooed Monk, Yang Zhi the Blue-Faced Beast, and Li Kui the Black Whirlwind. Why are the faces of these 108 heroes preserved here? As most know, the first chapter of *Water Margin*—“Zhang Tianshi Prays to Avert a Plague, Hong Taiwei Accidentally Releases Demons”—is set in Longhu Mountain. At the time, Hong Taiwei was dispatched by Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty to invite Zhang Tianshi to the capital to pray for an end to a plague. Unknowingly, he ventured into the “Demon-Suppressing Hall” at Shangqing Palace and released the 36 Heavenly Generals and 72 Earthly Fiends—108 demon lords—who had been sealed in the Demon-Subduing Well by the immortal Zhang Tianshi. Once freed, these demon lords became the 108 heroes of Liangshan Marsh. Therefore, Longhu Mountain is considered the birthplace of the Liangshan heroes. But legend also says that Hong Taiwei actually released 118 demon lords. After soaring into the sky, they scattered into countless golden beams. Zhang Tianshi, who was praying to dispel disasters in the capital, sensed this and quickly recited spells to capture them. While ten of the demon lords resisted fiercely, the other 108 fled. In the end, Zhang Tianshi subdued the ten rebellious demon lords and transformed them into the “Ten Unmatchables”—unique natural wonders of Longhu Mountain.

As a result, a local folk rhyme goes: “In Longhu Mountain, there are ten things you can’t do—if you manage one, you can conquer the world.” For the other 108 demon lords that Zhang Tianshi couldn’t capture, he drew their portraits and engraved them onto this mountainside so future generations could recognize them. Since this river was a major transportation route in those days with heavy traffic, the story spread. This is considered an “extra chapter” of the folk *Water Margin*, though naturally limited by historical context. This is also the origin of this mountain’s legend.

Location

Mosquito-Free Village, Guixi City, Jiangxi Province