Binyang Eight Immortals Rock

Binyang Eight Immortals Rock

Binyang Eight Immortals Rock is located on a rocky mountain behind Xianyan Village, Zhouxu Township, about 20 kilometers north of Luxu. The cave sits halfway up the rocky hill, with a winding zigzag path leading to its entrance. The cavern is over 20 meters high, more than 10 meters wide, and over 20 meters deep, shaped like an ellipse. A large banyan tree at the entrance covers most of it, and inside the cave is cool and refreshing, featuring two levels of worship platforms and a statue of Guanyin. Originally, a lame Taoist priest surnamed Liu lived in the cave long-term, and now four Taoist priests reside there. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, visitors come in an endless stream. A chessboard is carved into the stone platform inside the cave, and legend has it that in ancient times people often played chess here. One day, an old man went up the mountain to gather firewood and saw eight people spending all day playing chess and enjoying themselves, paying no attention to eating or drinking. The old man was very surprised and went closer to watch, noticing that they were eating peaches while playing. He asked them for a peach, and after eating it, he no longer felt hungry. Soon after, they rode the clouds and mist away, and he realized he had encountered eight immortals. When the old man returned and told the villagers, everyone went back to search for the immortals’ traces, but they were nowhere to be found. Later generations named the rock “Eight Immortals Rock.”