Ninety-Nine Bends Stone Carvings

Ninety-Nine Bends Stone Carvings

The Ninety-Nine Bends Stone Carvings are a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The Ninety-Nine Bends Stone Carvings are located west of Yufo Hall on Mount Lu, beside the hiking trail. Along the cliffs by the path, there are numerous inscriptions from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties—about ninety-nine in all—known for their bold and striking calligraphy. Examples include: “White Clouds at the Sky’s Edge,” “Pure and Ethereal Terrace,” “Deep in Mist and Rosy Clouds,” “Mid-Sky,” “Namo Buddha,” and “Earth Deity.” The scripts vary and brushstrokes differ, holding significant historical and artistic value for the study of ancient calligraphy.

At the bottom of the Splendid Valley on Mount Lu lies a stream called the Brocade Stream. Across the stream stands a stone bridge named the Brocade Stream Bridge. Beyond the bridge, a path leads directly to the summit of Tianchi Mountain. This winding trail, known as the Ninety-Nine Bends, was a major hiking route during the Ming Dynasty, hence the name “Ancient Ninety-Nine Bends Path.” Legend has it that the imperial stele housed in the Imperial Stele Pavilion, built by the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, was transported up the mountain via this path. Along the cliffs beside the trail, stone carvings are abundant. Among them, the inscription “Lofty Mount Lu,” written by Ouyang Xiu and calligraphed by Wang Shouren, is the most renowned. Both its poetic essence and calligraphic artistry are considered extraordinary.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province