The First Marvelous Inscribed Stone of Western Beijing: The Hidden-Character Stele on Dahong Mountain

The First Marvelous Inscribed Stone of Western Beijing: The Hidden-Character Stele on Dahong Mountain

The First Marvelous Inscribed Stone of Western Beijing: The Hidden-Character Stele on Dahong Mountain is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Hidden-Character Stele on Dahong Mountain is located on Dahong Mountain in Xiayao Village, Houdagou Township, Jiaoshihe, Shangyi County. Though not high, Dahong Mountain is steep and rugged. It gets its name from the abundance of purple sand shale in the area, which gives the rocks their predominantly red hue. The mountaintop is strewn with grotesque and striking rocks that jut boldly and majestically into the sky. As you climb up, you’ll have to push through waist-deep mugwort, thorny brambles, and wild jujube bushes. On the summit lies an enormous rock embedded in the mountain face — this is the Hidden-Character Stele of Dahong Mountain. The stele bears ink inscriptions left by people of old that only appear when wet and vanish when dry, an astonishing phenomenon. When the writing becomes visible, the characters are bold and forceful, seemingly carved deep into the stone — some as small as tiny regular script, others as large as two-inch squares, exhibiting the expressive styles of Liu Gongquan and Yan Zhenqing. Among them, two relatively complete phrases can be discerned. One reads: “This mountain holds a treasure unknown to men; a top scholar came here and left a message...”

△△ Here, wishing to cultivate oneself in solitude △

One must first meet the noble person who says △△” The other reads: “Stone face, stone men, stone horses, stone monks — if anyone asks you, △ it’s you △△.” There are also words like “咻哙” and “不佳” (Note: As no in-depth research has been conducted, the △ symbols represent undecipherable text).

Observing this hidden-character stele, one is left in awe and wonder, with many questions lingering in the mind. When were these ink marks left, and by whom? What kind of ink was used? How have they endured for hundreds or even thousands of years through wind, sun, rain, and erosion, yet appear only when wet and vanish when dry? Because the area is semi-arid with little annual rainfall, sightings are rare, so neither official dynastic histories nor local chronicles make any mention of it. Only local residents have some knowledge of it. For now, it remains a historical mystery, waiting to be studied and explored.

Jiaoshihe Township: Jiaoshihe Township is located at the southeastern tip of Shangyi County, at the junction of Shangyi, Zhangbei, and Wanquan counties. The township government is based in Nan Dian of Jiaoshihe, approximately 55 km from Zhangjiakou City and 49 km from Shangyi County. The terrain of the township slopes from northwest to southeast, characterized by hilly plains and river valleys, with an average elevation of 1,300 meters. The highest peak in the area, Yuer Mountain, rises to 1,713.4 meters. The region has a continental monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 4.6°C, annual precipitation between 330–420 mm, and a frost-free period of about 120 days.

The township administers 13 administrative villages and 28 natural villages. The registered population is 7,864 people... More detailed information about Jiaoshihe Township++