Clear Clouds over the High Temple

Clear Clouds over the High Temple

Clear Clouds over the High Temple

The temple stands tall, a world apart, where ancient trees rustle and cold kites descend. Weary travelers gaze together at the spring mountain rain, while poets once sought the autumn water’s mist. Liu, who excelled in policy debates, chose to age in solitude; Jia, though skilled in poetry, left only empty verses. In the alchemy chamber, traces of azure haze remain—since when did Guolou ever study alchemy?                            

The "Clear Clouds over Gaomiao" scenic spot is located at Cui Fugong Temple, five li southwest of the county town. This temple was built on a platform over three zhang high between Xilu Village and Jiazhuang, hence it is commonly known as Gaomiao (High Temple). The top of the platform covers an area of over one mu, with a three-bay main hall to the southwest and meditation rooms in the east and west wings. In front of the main hall stands an ancient locust tree, beneath which there is an old well. The hall enshrines the statue of Cui Fugong. A native of Fuzhou, during the early years of Emperor Taizong’s Zhenguan reign in the Tang Dynasty, Cui was recommended as a virtuous and capable official and appointed as the magistrate of Zhangzi County, where he demonstrated keen insight. On the first day of the third lunar month each year, the Gaomiao Grand Gathering attracts merchants, pilgrims, and tourists in great numbers. Situated in the open countryside, Gaomiao offers a vast and unobstructed view. Climbing onto the platform and looking out, you instantly feel the wilderness stretch far and the sky seem lower, creating a transcendent sense of being above the mundane world. Gazing upward, you see blue skies with slowly drifting white clouds. The clouds sometimes gather thick as cotton wadding, other times thin as cicada wings; they may cluster together like overlapping mountain ridges or solitary peaks, or disperse like fishing boats on a lake or scattered white sails. When the wind rises and clouds surge, they resemble ocean waves, and when the wind scatters them, it is like autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves. The cloud formations can also take the shapes of lions, tigers, galloping horses, or startled oxen—ever-changing, with infinite illusions. At such moments, you can’t help but marvel at the miraculous artistry of nature, feeling a sense of wonder and longing. Looking down from the platform, the land below is crisscrossed with fields full of millet and grain crops. Gazing into the distance, you can catch glimpses of the shimmering stream in front of Xilu Village. To the north and east of the platform lie the tomb of Wei Wenyi, a Qing Dynasty grand secretary, and his ancestral burial grounds, covered with dense, solemn cypresses. Hidden among them are stone sheep, stone tigers, stone horses, and stone statues of officials—vast in expanse. After visiting Gaomiao, many tourists come here to explore and pay their respects to this virtuous Qing Dynasty statesman. Nowadays, Gaomiao has been destroyed, and even the high platform has been leveled to the ground.