Five-Story Mountain

Five-Story Mountain

“A single seal hangs high, all peaks lie beneath it; five springs surge upward, the five-story pavilion stands supreme.” This ancient stone couplet, engraved at the Five-Story Temple—a relic from the Three Kingdoms period—captures the majestic and mystical natural and cultural scenery of the temple. With its balanced parallelism, grand momentum, and profound imagery, it is hailed as the “Number One Couplet of Zizhou.” After visiting the Five-Story Temple, Professor Lan Jusheng—a disciple of Guo Moruo, author of *Modern Translation of the *Book of Songs*’ ‘Guofeng,’ member of the Sichuan Provincial Academic Historical Research Institute, and historian—penned the praise: “Heaven and Earth bear the seal, Five Stories shine bright; Buddhist wisdom knows no bounds, the Triple Gem’s merit is light.”

Five-Story Mountain and Five-Story Temple

Five-Story Mountain is located three kilometers north of Jianshe Town, Santai County. From the main peak of Five-Story Mountain, visitors can gaze out to see rolling mountains stretching as far as the eye can see, like countless immortals forming a grand array, with peaks surging forth in all directions. To the south of Five-Story Mountain lies Inlay Mountain, beneath which rises the Phoenix Holding the Seal. Together, Five-Story Mountain and Inlay Mountain form the Five-Story Mountain Range. Surrounding this range are four mountains shaped like dragons—one facing forward, one looking back, and the other two turning their heads to gaze upward—giving rise to the geomantic saying, “A Phoenix Holds the Seal” and “Four Dragons Guard the Treasure.” The mountain’s terrain is uniquely rugged and strikingly elegant. “Tiered ridges stacked upon one another, forming five distinct levels,” hence its name, Five-Story Mountain. The mountain also boasts five springs whose waters remain cool in summer and warm in winter, with a sweet and refreshing taste, earning it the alternate name of Five Springs Mountain. Each spring has a well dug beside it, and the water “never dries up in winter or overflows in summer,” providing drinking water for up to a thousand people. Among them, the Octagonal Well and Hexagonal Well are said to have been dug by Liu Bei and Zhang Fei during the Three Kingdoms period. The mountain is covered with lush pine and cypress trees, ancient and towering timbers, creating beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate. In spring, myriad flowers bloom competitively, birds sing, fragrances waft through the air, and both devout worshippers and tourists flock to the area. In autumn, yellow flowers carpet the ground, fruits hang abundantly, the scent of rice fills the air, red leaves cover the mountains, and the scene invigorates the spirit. In summer, the pine and cypress trees provide dense shade, blocking out the sun, while cicadas chirp in the tranquil woods, mist shrouds the landscape, evening drums and morning bells ring out, and the clear sound of herdsmen’s songs echoes through the air, bringing peace to the soul. Amid these magical and mysterious landscapes stands an ancient temple, grand in scale, uniquely designed, facing south and built against the mountainside. It consists of five tiers and is dedicated to the founders of the “Three Teachings” and the “Brothers of the Peach Garden.” Known as the Five-Story Temple or Five Springs Temple, it is more commonly referred to by the former. Its architecture masterfully combines the natural “five” with the human-made “five,” making it an outstanding representation of the unity of heaven and man, and it holds extremely high architectural art value.

The Natural Seal

Regarding the natural seal of Five-Story Temple, some say it is Inlay Mountain. This explanation has been around for many years. Atop Inlay Mountain lies a massive seal lying horizontally to the south. Beneath the great seal, a mountain shaped like a phoenix appears to cradle the seal, lifting it high. The head is visible in the west and the tail in the east, remarkably vivid. The phoenix is said to have flown from Qishan, performing the elegant move of “a Vermilion Phoenix Facing the Sun,” full of motion and beauty. The natural world is full of landforms resembling objects, but such a well-defined and perfectly positioned formation on both sides, top, and bottom of a mountain is incredibly rare and peculiar. Inlay Mountain has a lower elevation than Five-Story Mountain, which may not align with the meaning of the couplet. Perhaps the ancients had something else in mind. In March 2004, the author conducted a detailed survey around the Five-Story Mountain Range and discovered that, when viewed from the northern side of Inlay Mountain, the fourth and fifth tiers of Five-Story Mountain perfectly resemble a massive seal standing upright on the third platform. The base of the seal is about 300 meters long, the top about 200 meters long, the height of the seal body approximately 50 meters, and the handle about 50 meters tall. Looking from the northern side of Five-Story Mountain, the fourth and fifth tiers also appear as a giant seal similar to the Great Seal Mountain. With an elevation of 658 meters, the highest peak of Five-Story Mountain is precisely the top of this seal. The immense seal is extraordinarily lifelike, standing tall and majestic under the sky, its presence piercing the heavens. In line with the meaning of the upper line of the couplet, the natural seal of Five-Story Temple should be the seal of Five-Story Mountain.

The Human-Created Seal

The human-created seal of Five-Story Temple refers to the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal.” “A zither atop the Buddha’s head, eighteen arhats guarding Fucheng. A golden hook hangs inverted at Bodhi Temple, the Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal lies at Five Stories.” For centuries, this folk rhyme has circulated in areas such as Jianshe, Huayuan, and Anning towns in Santai County. The words “the Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal lies at Five Stories” are definitive, suggesting that Liu Bei and Zhang Fei stationed at Five-Story Temple on Five-Story Mountain, and in gratitude for the divine protection they received, and moved by the spiritual power of the natural seal of the Five-Story Mountain Range, they entrusted the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal” they wore to the Octagonal Well in the temple as a proxy. The union of the seals of heaven and earth created a resonance, praying for imperial prosperity. According to folklore, along with the seal, a precious sword was also placed in the well, which housed a white dragon. The divine aura of the sword and the white dragon protected the seal. The seal being a treasured object, many sought to claim it. On one occasion, someone attempted to steal it, digging dozens of feet deep until they reached the large stone cover of the well. Just as they were about to lift it, suddenly dark clouds gathered overhead, lightning flashed, thunder roared, sand and stones flew wildly, and after a violent storm, the hole they had dug was filled with dirt and sand, and the thief was struck dead by lightning. People say the Imperial Uncle’s seal possessed righteous energy, and that heaven and earth had spirits. From then on, no one dared lay a hand on it again. Folklore aside, did Liu Bei really visit Five-Story Temple? The *Records of the Three Kingdoms* states that in the winter of the 16th year of Jian’an during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Bei entered Sichuan from Jingzhou, traveled along the Fu River, and met Liu Zhang at Fule Mountain in Mianyang. From the time Liu Bei entered Sichuan until the fall of Shu Han in the 4th year of the Jingyao era, a span of half a century, Shu Han left behind numerous relics in Mianyang, with at least forty known sites. During the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties and the Shu Han period, Five-Story Mountain was part of Fuxian County. The temple and its surroundings still preserve relics such as the Octagonal Well, Hexagonal Well, Flag-Stepping Stone, General-Pointing Platform, Horse-Exercising Ground, Training Field, Shelter Cave, Zhang Fei Rock, and Golden Stake Branch. According to the *Tongchuan Prefecture Annals*, “Five-Story Temple is located ninety *li* north of the county on Five-Story Mountain, also called Five Springs Mountain. There used to be a stele over ten feet long, inscribed with ‘Liu Bei, the Exalted Martial Emperor, Trained Troops Here.’ No date is recorded. The stele has since been buried in an overgrown ridge and cannot be found. Someone kindly erected a smaller stele to the right of the temple, inscribed with the same text. Also, by the roadside, there is a stone step, about three feet square and two feet high, with a round hole in the middle as big as a peck, said to be the flag-stepping stone of Emperor Zhaolie.” The Republican-era *Santai County Annals* states: “The Five-Story Mountain Stronghold, eighty *li* north of the county, features tiered ridges stacked upon one another, forming five levels, with a flag-stepping stone said to be where Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han observed his troops. It is now fortified into a stronghold, and its posture is very majestic.” Considering the deities worshipped in the temple, Five-Story Mountain’s proximity to the Fu River, and Liu Bei’s route into Sichuan, I believe Liu Bei did visit Five-Story Mountain, and this should be another Three Kingdoms-era relic he left in Mianyang. So, what was Liu Bei’s “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal”? The “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal” is the “Imperial Jade Seal.” It is synonymous with the emperor, the supreme symbol of imperial power, and proof of the divine right of kings. In ancient times, without it, one could not rightfully become emperor—if one did, it would be opposed by all under heaven, and “everyone would be justified in condemning and executing them.” It would be impossible to hold onto power. With it, even a baby held in one’s arms would be a legitimate “True Dragon Emperor,” upheld by millions of subjects. According to the *Book of Han*, when Qin Shi Huang obtained a piece of jade presented by Bian He, he ordered Prime Minister Li Si to inscribe the eight characters “Received Mandate from Heaven, Longevity and Eternal Prosperity” in seal script and commissioned skilled artisans to carve it into a jade seal. This became the first imperial jade seal in Chinese history. After Qin Shi Huang’s death, his son offered it to Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. When Wang Mang usurped the Han dynasty, the Dowager Empress Xiaoyuan used it to strike down treacherous ministers, chipping off one corner, which was later repaired with gold, hence its name “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal.” Reviewing historical records from the *Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Qin Shi Huang*, *Book of Han: Annals of Emperor Gaozu*, *Zuo Zhuan*, *Book of Han: Annals of Emperor Gaozu*, *Biographies of Empress Dowager Xiaoyuan*, *Biography of Wang Mang*, *Book of the Later Han*, *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, *Rites Volume Five of Book of Song*, *Nancun Chugeng Lu*, and *Yuan History: Annals of Chengzong, Biography of Yang Huan, Biography of Cui…*, the “itinerary” of the “Imperial Jade Seal” shows more than fifteen hundred years of history from the 26th year of Qin Shi Huang’s reign—when the jade was obtained and carved—until its return to Emperor Chengzong of Yuan, involving over twenty instances of being lost and reclaimed. Liu Bei never came into contact with the “Imperial Jade Seal,” and therefore, it is impossible that he brought it to Sichuan and placed it in the Octagonal Well of Five-Story Temple. Thus, it is clear that this is a misunderstanding. However, this does not rule out the possibility that Liu Bei placed a seal in the Octagonal Well. Wearing seals was a common practice in ancient times, and as the Imperial Uncle, Left General, Governor of Yuzhou, and Administrator of Jingzhou, Liu Bei should have worn a gold seal by Han regulations, and certainly not just one. Entrusting one as a proxy to the temple did not mean he had “lost his golden cudgel—no stick to play with,” as the saying goes. The Guangde Temple in Suining still preserves the seals of two emperors from the Tang and Song dynasties, serving as excellent evidence. As for the disappearance of the “Imperial Jade Seal” and the mysterious legend of the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal” at Five Stories, it will, like Five-Story Mountain itself, “endure as long as heaven and earth, shining as brightly as the sun and moon,” forever passed down through the ages.

Legend aside, whether the “Imperial Jade Seal” left by Liu Bei is real or just a rumor is no longer important.

“The Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal Lies at Five Stories”

As a symbol of power in feudal dynasties, the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal” has staged countless historical dramas of pursuit, war, and bloodshed. “Received Mandate from Heaven, Longevity and Eternal Prosperity.” This notion of “divine right of kings” is merely a guise—the true goal is “longevity” and “eternal prosperity.” But is it for the sake of the people, for oneself, or both? Only the emperor truly knows. Yet, good or bad, all emperors claim it is for the people. And there is no absolute “eternal prosperity”—it is only relative. Despite the mysterious accounts surrounding the “Imperial Jade Seal,” they only add to its mystique. The fact that “eternal prosperity” is not eternal, and that the “Imperial Jade Seal” sometimes even hides and refuses to shine, is a great joke played on its own mystery and dignity. We note one fact: after the “Imperial Jade Seal” was “lost,” countries remained, dynasties continued to change and cycle. In this sense, the meaning it represented disappeared. For today, it is at most a witness, a cultural relic, an antique.

Instead, the phrase “The Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal Lies at Five Stories” speaks the truth, possessing timeless charm. At Five Stories—in the realm of the people—it does not come from heaven, but from the earth; it is not intangible, but real. The land is with the people, the land is among the common folk, conveying the Zen-like message of “mandate from the earth, longevity and eternal prosperity.” “A single seal hangs high, all peaks lie beneath it; five springs surge upward, the five-story pavilion stands supreme.” This couplet describes the natural seal of Five-Story Mountain, and also serves as the annotation of the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal.” One understands it intuitively without needing an explanation. The high suspension of the natural seal is supported and set off by the vast mountains below. Without this support and backdrop, there would be no sense of height. This suspended highness and the mountains below are interdependent, flesh-and-blood connected, coexisting and flourishing together, which is why, despite enduring wind and rain, it still proudly stands under the sky—this is true supremacy. How much dialectical philosophy of materialism is contained within this natural seal. The association of the “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal” with Liu Bei, with Five-Story Mountain, this “misunderstanding” is actually a spiritual realm and aspiration of the unity of heaven and man. Liu Bei is a symbol of “benevolence and virtue,” and the number “five” is the foremost. The temple enshrines Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, imperial authority, and shamanism—the “imperial” stands “supreme.” “Supremacy” is not about Liu Bei’s empty banner of the Shu Han dynasty, but about “benevolence and virtue.” The Shu Han banner is respected because it carries the content of “benevolence and virtue”; otherwise, no matter how orthodox the Han banner or how loud the slogans, it would all be meaningless. It reflects, from one side, a gentle satirical advice toward the “Imperial Jade Seal,” or more precisely, toward those who possess the “Imperial Jade Seal.” In this sense, it is truly fitting to say, “The Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal Lies at Five Stories!”

Thus, isn’t the cultural significance of Five-Story Mountain no less than that of the historic “Golden-Inlaid Jade Seal”! By this point, whether the “Imperial Jade Seal” is traceable or remains a mystery, it no longer matters.

Heaven and Earth bear the seal, Five Stories shine bright. (End) (from the Jianshe Primary School website by Qian Chengguo and Yan Sibai)