Scenic Hills by the Mountains

　　Linshan is a beautifully scenic small hill. As early as the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, the poet Wang Erjian wrote in his "Miscellaneous Poems on Historical Sites": "Linshan has since ancient times encircled Lincheng; its verdant hues warmly welcome and bid farewell. Most tender are the willows along the official road, which grow back again after being broken at Mujiji Bridge." This shows that in those days, Linshan was covered with green grass, with rows of verdant willows lining Mujiji Bridge. The annotation to this poem also explains Lincheng: "Lincheng, four li in circumference, lies to the east of Linshan. Since previous dynasties, a post station was established here, with Mujiji Bridge to the north" (excerpted from "Teng County Annals · Literary Records"). This places Linshan to the east of the former Lincheng. The "Teng County Annals · Literary Records" also includes a poem by Wang Texuan about his visit to Linshan, titled "Visiting Linshan with Hu Wenxue and Zhongcai":

　　 Arriving at Linshan, one does not sense its seclusion;

　　 yet upon coming here, one finds oneself in a realm of spiritual beauty.

　　 The mountain ridges suddenly part wide, winding around Yushan Ridge.

　　 Monkeys guide you across deep streams, with melon fields along bumpy paths.

　　 Venturing deeper, the valleys grow denser, with cool breezes brushing both sides.

　　 Reaching the summit, one attains the finest view.

　　 To the south, South Lake stands clear, vast and shimmering over thousands of acres.

　　 Among them, the blue-spiraled official hills and the serene immortal isle of Liuhou stand out.

　　 Villages near and far appear affectionately, like an unfinished chessboard.

　　 Laughing heartily, I bid farewell to the setting sun, my heroic spirit set free.

　　 I regret leaving my new bride’s carriage behind, failing to cherish the green shadows.

　　 We vow to tour together on a fine night, when the bright moon outshines candlelight.

　　 Yet I lament the ancient King of Lin, whose tomb is now overgrown with grass.

　　 A lone stone moved from the mountain—stroking it clears all worldly dust from the mind.

　　 From this, we can imagine the splendor of Linshan in those days: a winding path climbing up along field ridges, with clear mountain stream water growing deeper the further you go, and refreshing breezes bringing a sense of leisure and ease. From the mountaintop, one could gaze upon thousands of acres of the Weishan Lake, dotted with white sails and bustling with boats. Eagles soared low, fish hid in underwater caves, fishermen stood at the bows of their boats casting golden nets onto the lake surface, while lotus leaves floated and flowers swayed with the ripples. The entire vista of Weishan Lake spread out before your eyes. Nearby villages encircled the hills like remnants of a scattered chess game, highlighting the lush beauty of the mountain. Though overgrown with wild grass, the ancient tomb of the King of Lin still exuded the mountain’s spiritual essence. One can only imagine how majestic, spectacular, and beautiful Linshan must have been. Today’s Linshan is no less splendid: majestic monuments stand tall above the clouds, with cinema pavilions and terraces winding around the hills, interspersed with several ancient tombs that add an air of mystery. In 1980, during a citywide cultural relics survey, it was recorded that the Linshan ancient tomb cluster is located on the southeastern slope of Xuezhuang Village, Xingren Township, now within Linshan Park, covering an area of approximately 20,000 square meters. The currently exposed tombs are all stone casket tombs, including single-chamber, double-chamber, and triple-chamber structures. The unearthed stone reliefs feature carvings of diamond patterns, cross-ringed designs, and hanging curtain motifs. In May 1991, due to the construction of a boiler room by the Zaozhuang Mining Bureau, the Zaozhuang Museum excavated the site, clearing a total of 23 tombs. Among them, Tomb M8 is a rare Han Dynasty tomb in southern Shandong adorned with murals. However, as the north and east walls had been damaged, the original appearance of the murals could no longer be seen. The west wall mural measures 2.90 meters in length and 2.30 meters in width, with a pillar painted on each side and in the center, each resting on stepped column bases. The tops of the pillars and the areas below the bases feature railings and platforms, respectively. The south wall, 3.00 meters long and 1.87 meters wide, has a pillar on each side, with the western pillar on a stepped base and the eastern pillar partially damaged. The upper parts of the pillars have railings. The central mural depicts four parallel vertical pillars, with a horizontal beam connecting the middle two. Below are drawings of pavilions and horses—the pavilions have triangular roofs with tile ridges, and horn-like objects resembling mythical creatures on either side. The base under the pillars is a high stepped platform, and to the right of the pavilion is a horse with its head slightly raised, a plump body, and a drooping tail. The east wall retains remnants of pillars and railings. The painting process involved applying a 2–3 cm thick layer of grass-mixed fine mud to the flat tomb walls, smoothing it, then using red ocher to broadly brush the images. The entire excavation took over a month. Detailed records of the unearthed artifacts, tomb structures, and dating were included in the report, but due to space limitations, they are not fully excerpted here. For specifics, refer to the "Brief Report on the Clearance of Han Tombs at Linshan, Zaozhuang, Shandong." Through these two rescue excavations, we learned that the numerous tombs scattered across Linshan date from the early Western Han to the late Eastern Han Dynasty, forming a comprehensive Han tomb complex of varying sizes and specifications. These include cave-style tombs and mural tombs, showcasing unique features and representing the first discovery of such distinctive styles in southern Shandong. The entire tomb cluster provides valuable material for studying Han Dynasty burial practices and can be considered a treasure trove of Han-era tombs.

　　 Looking at Linshan today, its scenery is even more magnificent. A television transmission tower stands atop the peak, truly inspiring a feeling of breaking out of Xuecheng and reaching the world. When you climb to the summit and look into the distance, though Weishan Lake may no longer be fully visible, the crisscrossing asphalt roads gather like a spiderweb toward the urban area, with vehicles bustling about like ants transporting goods for the nation’s construction. Skyscrapers of varying heights are built around the hill. Standing at the peak and looking northeast, the grand new city of Zaozhuang emerges, nestled among the surrounding mountains. Gazing in all directions from the top, to the west lies the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, with trains speeding like dragons in motion, and to the east is the Beijing-Fuzhou Expressway, where cars race past in a blur. All in all, Linshan can truly be described as:

　　 Majestic monuments towering between the hills,

　　 Cinemas and terraces winding halfway up.