Half Moon Rock

　　Half Moon Rock is located in Shankou Village, Beijie Town. Towering peaks, sheer rock cliffs, steep mountain streams, and rugged stones form a beautiful natural scene. It is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Xinyi: Misty Rain over Half Moon.

　　The main feature of Half Moon Rock is a huge arc-shaped boulder, 13 meters long and 3 meters high, forming an arch that resembles half a moon, hence the name. The rock wall is engraved with the large seal script characters “半月岩” (Half Moon Rock); below them is a couplet also carved in seal script: “A roc selects the cliff, carving circles deep as entering the Six Peaks Sea; Moonlight shines on the waterfall, viewing the reflection and still calling it Half Moon Rock.” All are seal script intaglios. At the bottom is inscribed: “Named and composed by Lin Yun’gong, local resident, in the year of Jia Shu.”

　　At the base of the rock is an arc-shaped stone chamber, cool, dim, yet bright, which can accommodate dozens of people. Inside is a stone bed called “Immortal’s Bed,” measuring 207 cm in length, 127 cm in width, and 18 cm in thickness. The edge of the bed is inscribed with seal characters: “A noble seat in a pure room, moved here by Yun’gong. Inviting Jia Yi to sit together, not even Emperor Wu of Song could destroy it.”

　　To the left of Half Moon Rock stand two rocks: one resembles a heron ready to take flight; the other is round and flat, wide enough to sit on its eastern side to fish. Thus, the rock walls are inscribed with the seal characters “振鹭台” (Heron-Rising Platform) and “钓鱼台” (Fishing Platform). In addition, there are more than ten other stone inscriptions such as “Central Platform” and “East Cliff.”

　　To the east is the Shankou Waterfall. On sunny days, murmuring mountain springs dash joyfully, splashing thousands of silver beads; during rain, the waterfall cascades, churning up mist and rain. If encountered just after spring rain clears, the scene—green veiled and red floating, water and mountain hues—is especially enchanting.