Minjun Mountain

　　Minjun Mountain is located 1.5 kilometers south of Xihe County and is commonly known as "Saye Temple." It is a renowned Taoist temple in Longnan and even the whole province. The Yangshui River and Zhao Wu River converge in front of the mountain and flow northward. Amidst the vast landscape, a solitary peak stands out, covered in lush greenery, with the Temple of the Immortal Sai towering at the summit.

　　Minjun Mountain was originally called Dutou Ridge, but was renamed Minjun Mountain during the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, the Jin dynasty had conquered the Northern Song, and all six routes of Guanlong fell under Jin control. The seat of the Mizhou prefecture was moved south to Baishi Town (now north of the Baishui River, on the outskirts of northern Xihe), which lacked natural defenses, so the administration was then relocated to Minjun Mountain. Later, after peace was negotiated between the Song and Jin, the character “岷” (Mín) was changed to avoid offending the Jin dynasty’s founding emperor, Wanyan Aguda, as it sounded similar to part of his name. Thus, Mizhou was renamed “Hexi.” However, there was another “Hexi” between the Yangtze and Huai rivers, so to avoid confusion, the character “西” (Xī, meaning “west”) was added, making it “Western Hexi” or “Xihexi.” Although the name of the prefecture changed, the name Minjun Mountain has been used by the locals ever since.

　　The Temple of the Immortal Sai is one of the scenic highlights of Xihe. Its exact founding date is unknown, but the existing structures were built during the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong era. The temple is home to ancient cypresses and grand locust trees, along with exquisite carvings, offering an atmosphere of serene seclusion. In front of the temple, slopes are covered with wildflowers, birds sing melodiously, and shaded green paths wind through the cool mountain air. A ridge resembling a dragon’s spine stretches into the clouds, where halls and pavilions can be faintly seen. Morning bells and evening drums resonate for miles, and during spring and autumn, visitors come in an endless stream. Throughout the year, incense smoke lingers in the air. Standing before the temple and looking into the distance, one can take in the misty woods and the cityscape spread out below. The mountain gate faces south and is backed by the north. To its east lies the burial ground of the Immortal Sai, with a tombstone erected by Wang Mingke, the magistrate of Xihe County during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Entering the gate and passing through the ground floor leads to a performance courtyard. To the south of the courtyard, between the bell and drum towers, there is a passageway hall with a flush-gable and rolled-awning roof. Below the front eaves hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with “Apricot Grove Spring Rain,” calligraphy by Zhao Songling, a master of the Longyou region. In front is a humorous banner reading “Have you arrived?” The hall behind the passageway faces south and enshrines a statue of the Immortal Sai—kind-eyed and white-bearded, clad in an eight-trigram robe and seated solemnly on a Sumeru pedestal. The west side hall enshrines the God Wang Lingguan, with a red face, golden armor, a huge crimson mouth, three fierce eyes, and a divine whip in hand, appearing majestic and awe-inspiring. The east side hall houses Yang Siye, who, despite being a military figure, has a gentle and scholarly appearance. It is said he was the “White Horse General” of the ancient Chouchi Kingdom. Behind this courtyard lies a Buddhist complex with statues of Sakyamuni, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, and Skanda.

　　The Immortal Sai, whose name was Shoujian and whose Taoist name was Quanyangzi, was a native of “Shu, Xihe” (an error for “He”) during the Northern Song Dynasty. In his youth, he accidentally caused a person’s death due to a medicinal mistake while studying medicine, which led him to become a monk and pursue Taoism. He studied Taoist magic under the renowned Taoist masters Lin Lingzhu and Zhang Jixian, learning the so-called “Five Thunders Secret Method.” He also took Wang Shan, a man from Xiang, as his disciple. Later, after Wang Shan achieved immortality through bodily transcendence (Shijie), he took charge of monitoring both heaven and earth, holding a status similar to Skanda in Buddhism, and became a Taoist deity of justice, revered as “Wang Lingguan.” Sai Shoujian was honored as the “Immortal Sai,” and his disciples formed a major sect within Taoism’s talismanic tradition. Later, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, further bestowed titles upon Sai Shoujian as the “Zong’en True Lord” and Wang Lingguan as the “Long’en True Lord.” The *Xihe County Annals* record: “Sai Shoujian once presided over the Longxing Temple in Shaoyu’s Bilii area, and in his later years, he managed Minjun Mountain south of the county town. He raised funds widely to renovate the temple. Upon completion of the work, he achieved immortality here on the mountain.”