Confucius’ Rain Shelter

Confucius’ Rain Shelter

Confucius’ Rain Shelter is located on the southern slope of Mount Fuzi to the southwest of the main peak of Mangdang Mountain. It is a natural cliff with a semi-dome-shaped stone chamber beneath it, measuring 6.5 meters in depth, 20 meters in width, and about 4 meters at its highest point. Legend has it that in the late Spring and Autumn period, Confucius traveled among the states to spread Confucian teachings, leading his disciples “from the State of Cao to the State of Song.” When he reached a mountain ridge on the western side of the main peak of Mangdang Mountain, sudden heavy rain forced him and his followers to take shelter in a natural cave in the mountainside. After the rain stopped and the sky cleared, Confucius had his disciples dry their books in the sun in front of the cave, and he gave a lecture under a large apricot tree on the hillside. For over two thousand years, this “Confucius’ Rain Shelter” has remained a sacred site of Confucius’ teachings and has been preserved to this day. Locals call the mountain “Mount Fuzi,” the cliff “Confucius Cliff,” and the village in front of the mountain “Confucius Cliff Village.” During the Tang Dynasty, locals carved a stone statue of Confucius taking shelter from the rain. The statue depicts him sitting cross-legged with hands clasped in a bowing posture, facing south, though his face is now damaged. There are many stone carvings outside the cave, but today only two fragmented Ming Dynasty steles remain on the eastern side of the stone chamber, with blurred inscriptions, erected during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. In front of Confucius Cliff is the Book-Drying Platform. Legend says that after Confucius and his disciples took shelter here and the rain cleared, they dried their books on this platform—hence its name. Locals say dew never forms on this platform at night, making it suitable for drying grain overnight. Confucius Cliff is also one of Yongcheng’s ancient Eight Scenic Spots, known as “Dripping Emerald Cliff.”