Naihe Bridge (Road of the Dead)

Road of the Dead

After passing through the Ghost Gate Pass, you will arrive at the Road of the Dead. The walls along the path feature thirteen stone steles, including one from the Tang Dynasty, three from the Ming Dynasty, eight from the Qing Dynasty, and one from the Republic of China. According to the "Yu Di Ji Sheng" (Records of Famous Sites) from the Song Dynasty, there were ten Tang Dynasty steles at the Jingde Taoist Temple on Pingdu Mountain, namely: Chancellor Yin’s "The Stele of the Renovation of Xian Du Temple," Chancellor Yin’s Junior Supervisor’s "The Stele of the Renovation of Fasting Rituals," Li Jifu’s "The Stele of the Portrait Hall of the Yin Immortal" and "The Stele of the Two Immortals," Li Qianzhi’s "The Stele of the Two Immortals’ Feast," and others. However, due to lack of protection, by the Qiandao era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the famous patriotic poet Lu You visited the renowned mountain and left behind the verse: “Most Tang steles are broken and eroded, the beams of the hall half leaning.” Moreover, some local people, mistakenly believing these to be sacred sites, burned paper and candles there, further obscuring the inscriptions. Today, only the text of Yin Wenchang’s "The Record of the Renovation of Xian Du Temple" remains, cited in the "Sichuan General Annals" of the Jiaqing reign and the "Fengdu County Annals." It was reproduced here in 1993. Yin Wenchang was a chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, having served as the imperial examination supervisor, Left Vice Director of the Secretariat, and concurrently as Chancellor of the Secretariat with equal authority, as well as Military Commissioner of Jiannan and Western Sichuan with the title of Duke of Zouping Commandery. In the 15th year of the Tang Zhenyuan era (799 AD) and the 7th year of the Taihe era (833 AD), he visited Pingdu Mountain twice, donated one month of his salary, and sent his son, Yin’s Junior Supervisor, to renovate the Xian Du Taoist Temple. He also wrote "The Record of the Renovation of Xian Du Temple." In this record, he described Pingdu Mountain as: “Cliffs a thousand ren high, overlooking turbulent waves; myriad ancient trees reaching up to the mountain peaks, with divine lights and colorful feathers... ever-changing from dawn to dusk, truly not of this world.” He noted that while ascending and enjoying the view, he heard the sound of springs and slowed his pace, and loved the color of the pines so much that he found it hard to leave. Truly, he was reluctant to depart. There is also a stele engraved with the words of Cai Yurong, the Governor-General of Sichuan and Huguang in the early Qing Dynasty and later Minister of War, titled "The Stele on the Renovation of the Two Immortals’ Tower on Pingdu Mountain – Every Word Based on Fact." It describes the renowned mountain as: “A solitary peak carved from the mountain, piercing the clouds... boundless azure waves piled like glittering glass, with golden vine roots entwining the rocks casting shade over several acres, and ancient cypresses numbering a thousand — none planted in recent times — divine flowers and colorful feathers, dripping emerald and flowing crimson... Upon arriving here, one’s heart is refreshed and spirit lifted, the beautiful scenery veiled in mist, like the celestial Chicheng and Yuanpu gardens, a world apart, not of the mortal realm!” At the head of the Road of the Dead are the Earth Immortal Shrine and the City God Shrine. The City God here is the Supreme City God, who governs all local city gods — essentially, the Metropolitan City God.