Goose Lake Mountain

Goose Lake Mountain

[Overview of Goose Lake Mountain]

Goose Lake Mountain, also known as Lotus Lake Mountain, is located fifteen li north of Yongping Town in Yanshan County, Jiangxi Province. The *Yanshan County Annals* records: "Goose Lake Mountain lies to the northeast of the county, spanning over forty li in circumference. Its reflection extends into West Lake to the south of the county, with its peaks interconnected, resembling lions, elephants, and rhinoceroses. The tallest among them are the three prominent peaks at the summit." The *Poyang Records* states: "There is a lake on the mountain with many lotus flowers, hence the name Lotus Lake. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a man surnamed Gong raised geese, and his two geese hatched hundreds of goslings. Once the goslings grew feathers, they flew away, and thus the lake was renamed. The late Tang poet Wang Jia wrote the famous seven-character quatrain 'Shrie Day': 'At Goose Lake Mountain, rice and grain grow fat, / Pigsties and chicken coops half-close their gates. / As mulberry and tung shadows slant at Shrie’s end, / Drunken folks are helped homeward, one by one.'"

[Goose Lake Temple and Goose Lake Academy]

At the northern foot of Goose Lake Mountain originally stood Goose Lake Temple. In the second year of the Chunxi era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1175), four scholars—Zhu Xi, Lü Zuqian, Lu Jiuling, and Lu Jiuyuan—held a scholarly discussion at Goose Lake Temple, historically known as the "Goose Lake Assembly." After the passing of the four, Yang Ruli, the Prefect of Shangzhou, erected a memorial shrine west of Goose Lake Temple to honor the four sages, which became the predecessor of the academy. In the tenth year of the Chunyou era (1250), Cai Kang, the Criminal Justice Intendant of Jiangdong, inspected Shangzhou and visited the site of the "Goose Lake Assembly." Deeply impressed, he petitioned the imperial court to bestow the name "Wenzong Academy."

In the second year of the Huangqing era during the Yuan Dynasty (1313), the "Huizhengtang" was added.

After reconstruction in the fourth year of the Jingtai era of the Ming Dynasty (1453), it was named "Goose Lake Academy." In the fifty-sixth year of the Kangxi era (1717), the academy "expanded from its original site." Emperor Kangxi personally inscribed the plaque "Pursue Truth and Cultivate Reverence" and the couplet "On Zhangyan Rock the moon shines bright as a mirror; From Shijing Spring the waters divide the Taiji source." In the twenty-seventh year of the Daoguang era (1847), it was renovated into its current architectural layout: the courtyard wall faces a screen wall, inside of which there are a Left Righteous Gate and a Right Righteous Gate. The complex consists of six courtyards: first, the Main Gate; second, the Blue Stone Archway; third, the Pan Pond, over which stands an ornamental stone arched bridge, with a stele pavilion on each side of the pond; fourth, the Ceremonial Gate, with three bays and side corridors; fifth, the Huizhengtang, with five bays; sixth, the Imperial Book Tower. Each of the east and west corridors houses 20 study rooms. Within the east and west stele pavilions of the academy and along the corridors on both sides of the Ceremonial Gate, over a dozen steles from the Ming and Qing dynasties are preserved, including one inscribed with "Imperial Grant Record of Goose Lake Academy" by Bai Huang, Governor of Jiangxi, detailing the grand occasion of Emperor Kangxi’s calligraphy being bestowed and hung. In the fifteenth year of the Chunxi era (1188), Xin Qiji and Chen Liang rested together at Goose Lake, shared drinks at Pi Quan Spring, sang long songs in response to each other, and passionately debated worldly affairs, marking another historically renowned Goose Lake Assembly. Since then, the fame of Goose Lake has spread across the land.

[The Historically Renowned Goose Lake Assembly]

First Goose Lake Assembly — Zhu–Lu Scholarly Debate

In the second year of the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1175), in May, after completing the compilation of *Reflections on Things at Hand* with Zhu Xi in Fujian, Lü Zuqian invited Zhu Xi to Goose Lake Temple to engage in an academic discussion with Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Jiuling, aiming to reconcile the differences in scholarly views between Zhu Xi and the Lu brothers. At the time, Zhu Xi was living in seclusion in Chong’an. He accepted the invitation and went to Goose Lake Temple with Lü Zuqian. In early June, the two Lu brothers also gladly accepted the invitation. The two sides engaged in intense debates at Goose Lake. Scholars such as Liu Zicheng, Zhao Jingming, Pan Shudu, Zhu Hengdao, and Zou Bin, disciples of Lu Jiuyuan, attended as listeners. This became the famous "Goose Lake Assembly" in the history of Chinese philosophy.

At the Goose Lake Assembly, Zhu and the Lu brothers debated the "method of teaching people." Zhu Xi advocated "attaining knowledge before cultivating the mind," emphasizing the enlightenment of innate conscience through the observation of external things. The Lu brothers advocated "first revealing the original mind of humans."

"First cultivate the mind and pride oneself on simplicity," opposing excessive reading and reasoning, believing that reading was not the only path to becoming a sage. Lü Zuqian, on the other hand, "listened to both sides with great openness." His evaluation of Zhu and the Lu brothers was: "Yuánhuì (Zhu Xi) is heroic, bold, and incisive, and his practice is solid and meticulous—his potential is immeasurable. Zijìng (Lu Jiuyuan) is also firm and forceful, but lacks breadth." Zhu Hengdao, a disciple of the Lu brothers, recorded in Volume 36 of his *Collected Works*: "The discourse at Goose Lake was truly a grand event of our time. Bogong (Lü Zuqian) was concerned that the views of Zhu and Lu still differed and hoped to unify them and determine the right path. The Goose Lake Assembly discussed methods of teaching. Yuanhui (Zhu Xi) intended for people to read extensively and observe broadly before returning to essentials. The two Lu brothers intended to first reveal the original mind of humans before encouraging broad reading. Zhu thought Lu’s method of teaching was too simplistic, while Lu thought Zhu’s method was fragmented. There was considerable disagreement. The master (Zhu Xi) wanted to further debate with Yuanhui, asking what books could be read before Yao and Shun? Fuzhai stopped him. Zhao, Liu, and others just listened quietly." Zhu Xi later recalled, "At first, it resonated within my chest, but in the end, it became tangled in the talk." This shows how earnest and intense the masters’ debates were.

In the winter of the fifteenth year of the Chunxi era (1188), Chen Liang came specially from his hometown Yongkang in Zhejiang to visit Xin Qiji in Jiangxi. At the time, Xin Qiji was ill, and "My illness lifted when you came, and I danced joyfully, startling the snowflakes from the rooftop." The reunion of these two passionate and talented patriotic poets lifted their spirits. The two rested in the cool shade of Goose Lake, drank from Pi Quan Spring, sang long songs in response, and debated worldly affairs with great fervor, even drawing their swords to dance as their emotions took over. They poured out their aspirations to serve the country. Chen Liang "stayed for over ten days before leaving." The day after he left, Xin Qiji, still unsatisfied, chased after Chen Liang. When he reached Luciuxiu, the snow was deep and the mud slippery, preventing him from continuing. Unable to persuade Chen Liang to stay, Xin Qiji drank alone at Fangcun. In the middle of the night, he stayed at the Wanhú Huiwang Tower of the Wu family, where he heard the mournful sound of a neighbor's flute and composed the poem *Congratulations to the Groom*, expressing his sorrow at parting and comparing himself and Chen Liang to Tao Yuanming and Zhuge Liang. Later, Xin and Chen composed many poems in response to each other, their stirring and tragic songs leaving later generations sighing with emotion. The Goose Lake meeting between Xin and Chen, a tale of lofty ideals and deep bonds, has been passed down through the ages.