Shijing Rock

Shijing Rock

Shijing Rock is located on Shijing Mountain in Yuyi Village, Guanbu Town, Chaoyang District. The mountain rises several hundred meters high and features a natural stone chamber overlooking a major river (the Han River and the Rong River).

In the sixth year of the Zhenyuan era during the Tang Dynasty (790 AD), the renowned monk Dadian once resided here, referring to the place as Fengmei Cave.

In the first year of the Zhenghe era during the Song Dynasty (1111 AD), monks built temple quarters against the stone chamber, using the chamber itself as the Mahavira Hall, and named it “Sanfeng Temple.”

Legend has it that beside Fengmei Cave there was a stone hole, beneath which stood a stone mortar. Every morning, white rice would flow out from the hole into the mortar, providing enough for the resident monks' daily meals. It was said that any boat passing through the river had to throw rice into the water to ensure safe passage; otherwise, the boat would be hindered by wind and fail to move. Hence the legend “Ships sink at Shuangxi Mouth, but rice emerges from Fengmei Cave.” After the construction of Sanfeng Temple, the number of resident monks increased. One of the cooking monks, thinking the rice hole was too small and worried about insufficient supply, enlarged the opening, hoping to increase the rice flow — only to find that the rice stopped flowing altogether.

During the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1628–1644), the scholar-official Cheng’an became a monk and came here. He renovated Sanfeng Temple and expanded the temple buildings on the site, naming it “Meifeng Temple.”

The mountain rock features eight scenic spots: Jade Rabbit Watching the Moon, Golden Rooster Announcing Dawn, Lotus Offering to the Buddha, Immortal Path Softly Crossing, Stone Turtle Yielding Rice, Flying Phoenix Listening to Scriptures, Sunset Lighting Incense, and Bamboo Receiving Spring Water. Currently, the cave preserves the reliquary stupa of the Ming Dynasty eminent monk Cheng’an, commonly known as the Scholar’s Pagoda. Inside Fengmei Cave, there are inscribed stone tablets such as the founding record dated “the third day of the first lunar month in the first year of Zhenghe, the year of Xinmao.” The temple’s mountain gate is a Hall of Imperial Edict, built by decree of Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty. The rocky landscape is full of wonders, with hidden springs and emerald cypresses, surrounded by verdant mountains — a truly enchanting sight.