Mount Bian

　　   Also known as Bian Mountain, it is located 9 kilometers northwest of Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, standing majestically on the southern shore of Lake Taihu. Its main peak is called Yunfengding, with an elevation of 521.5 meters. Mount Bian is divided by its watershed ridge, with the northwest belonging to Changxing County.

　　   Mount Bian originates from the eastern Tianmu Mountains, extends northward from Mount Mogan, passes through Sanshan at the junction of Huzhou, Changxing, and Anji counties, and continues beyond the Xitiaoxi River, where it becomes Mount Bian. It stretches 18 kilometers from Xiaomeikou in Huzhou in the east to Lushan in Changxing in the west, and 12 kilometers from Zhaojiaqiao in Changxing in the north to Xitiaoxi in Huzhou in the south, covering a total area of approximately 80 square kilometers. As the principal mountain of Huzhou, it has long been praised as “Among the rich landscapes of Wuxing, Mount Bian reigns supreme among all peaks.” The Tang Dynasty pastoral poet Lu Guimeng once wrote: “Even more moved by the beautiful hues of Mount Bian, the morning clouds had just dispersed when it already stood before my gate.” The Jiatai-era *Wuxing Annals* of the Song Dynasty noted: “Mount Bian is extremely steep—its summit cannot be seen except under the clear autumn sky and bright moon.” The name “Bian” comes from the fact that “the two peaks resemble a nobleman’s ceremonial cap, hence the name.” The Song Dynasty poet Ye Mengde wrote: “The mountain’s form resembles a noble cap, appearing so from every side.”

　　   Mount Bian boasts numerous historical sites and scenic spots, among which the most famous are those related to the legends of Xiang Yu. The *Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of Xiang Yu* states: “Xiang Liang killed someone and fled with Xiang Yu to take refuge from their enemies in Wu.” During the Qin Dynasty, Wu covered a vast area, including present-day northern Zhejiang such as Huzhou. When Xiang Yu raised his army in the Jiangdong region, Mount Bian served as one of his military encampments. The *Stone Pillar Record* written by Yan Zhenqing, who served as Prefect of Huzhou during the Tang Dynasty, mentions the “Temple of the Hegemon-King Xiang,” whose ruins still exist today. According to old records, after Xiang Yu’s death, he was revered in the Huzhou-Changxing area as the “Deity of Mount Cangbian” or the “King of Mount Bian.”

　　   The best view of Mount Bian can be enjoyed on a clear day atop Yunfengding. From this vantage point, one gazes upon the vast 36,000-hectare expanse of Lake Taihu, majestic and boundless, with mighty winds sweeping across, sails and distant mountains seemingly within arm’s reach; the seventy-two waterways stretching east and west wind away into the distance, faintly visible. The Song Dynasty poet Su Shi once wrote: “Lake Gusu (another name for Taihu) swallows the borders of three prefectures, mightily embracing a thousand streams. Today I chance to climb the summit of Fahua, and from this grand view, the human world seems suddenly narrow.”

　　   According to old records, the northern side of Mount Bian is abundant with peculiar rocks and also produces various medicinal herbs, with ancient broken steles and stones often unearthed from the soil, as noted in the *Wucheng Prefecture Annals*. The unique rocks of Mount Bian are none other than the Taihu rocks used to decorate classical gardens. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Huizong of the Zhenghe era (1111–1117) constructed an artificial hill in the capital and gathered rare flowers and exotic rocks from across the land to adorn it for his pleasure. The Taihu rocks of Mount Bian in Huzhou, with their distinctive shapes—wrinkled, slender, translucent, and perforated—were selected as “special tributes” and sent to the imperial court. After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, these extraordinary rocks were scattered far and wide. Among them are the Green Lingzhi Rock in the front courtyard of the Hall of Joyful Longevity in Beijing’s Summer Palace, the Lion Peak atop the Grand Rockery in Suzhou’s Lion Grove Garden, the Exquisite Jade Rock in Shanghai’s Yu Garden, the Cloud-Adorning Peak in Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Crowned Cloud Peak in the Lingering Garden, the Lotus Peak in Huzhou—all among the finest Taihu rocks, considered rare treasures.

　　   Mount Bian offers many scenic wonders, including Fahua Temple, Golden Well, Jade Stream, Milky Spring, Gypsum Hot Springs, Xiangwang’s Horse-Racing Ground, Drinking Horse Pool, Horse-Tying Stone, the Shen Family’s Hidden Cave, Yellow Dragon Cave, Emerald Cliff, Graceful Cliff, and Dragon Cliff. Legend has it that Mount Bian has three cliffs, six caves, nine temples, and thirteen monasteries. Throughout the dynasties, countless literati have composed poems about it, from the Song to the Qing Dynasty, including Su Shi, Ye Mengde, and Zhao Mengfu.

　　   Today, Mount Bian is also home to the new campus of Huzhou High School in Zhejiang Province, which was put into use in 2004.