Jingzhou Feishan

　　Feishan is located 5 kilometers northwest of the county town, at an altitude of 720 meters. Legend has it that in ancient times, a peak "suddenly flew here," which is why it was named Feishan. Yet, Feishan rises abruptly, with steep cliffs standing tall on all sides, sheer drops all around, and a flat, open summit resembling a bell or a tripod, making it one of the scenic highlights of the Wuxi region. It has long been a destination for literati and poets throughout the ages. During the Five Dynasties period, Ma Yin controlled Hunan and declared himself the "King of Chu." He sent troops to suppress Chengzhou (now Jingzhou County), but the tribal leaders of Feishan, Pan Jinsheng and Yang Chenglei, used the mountain’s natural defenses to rally resistance. Trenches from that time can still be found on the mountain. Toward the end of the Five Dynasties, Yang Zaisi was revered as the governor of Chengzhou. After his death, people built a temple at the summit of Feishan to worship him, referring to him as "Feishan Ye Ye" (Grandpa Feishan). The mountain features numerous caves, temples, and historical relics. The First Precious Tripod, Second Precious Tripod, and Third Precious Tripod stand proudly atop the peaks. Among them, the First Precious Tripod is the foremost on Feishan, known as the "Summit," surrounded by cliffs on three sides, and featuring

　　a rock jutting out beyond the cliff face, inscribed with the two characters "Ling Yun" (Soaring Clouds), commonly called the "Self-Sacrifice Cliff." The temple on the mountaintop was built during the Song Dynasty's Yuanyou era, burned down in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (1899), and rebuilt in the 39th year of the same reign (1903). Both versions were constructed from blue stone with arched roofs. Jingzhou’s TV transmission station is now located here. The Second Precious Tripod is slightly lower in elevation than the First and serves as the necessary path to reach it. Legend has it that during the late Yuan Dynasty, Ding Shenzai, an ethnic minority rebel, used this spot as a base to lead an uprising. According to the Kangxi-era "Jingzhou Annals," there were military camps on the mountain where “grain pits” remained—the grain inside had turned black and stone-like, referred to as "Black Rice," and black rice grains can still be found today. Though smaller in size, the Third Precious Tripod is entirely built of stone, with a meticulous and delicate structure, constructed in the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693) and remaining well-preserved to this day.

　　Below the three Precious Tripods lies a flat, expansive area, home to the Fangguang Temple, also known as the Feishan Grand Hall, built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. To the left of the main hall stands a stone tablet inscribed with the poem "Climbing Feishan" by Ming Dynasty general Deng Zilong, who visited the mountain and left behind a powerful ode to righteousness—the calligraphy is bold and vigorous. To its right is a stele engraved with a couplet written by Tan Yankai, Chairman of the Nationalist Government and Premier of the Executive Yuan in the early Republican period. Directly south of the hall is the South Heaven Gate, about ten feet high and built from blue stone, with four large characters on the archway reading "South Heaven Scenic Spot." On either side are exquisitely carved images of the Eight Immortals. Behind the hall are the Three Pure Ones Temple, Lingguan Palace, and Wangxu Pavilion. In front are the Half-Immortal Pavilion, Small Heaven Gate Temple, Big Heaven Gate Temple, and Mozheng Nunnery. The mountainside of Feishan hosts many caves. The Baiyun Cave is a large cave, with its entrance situated on the southeast cliff face. Originally, there was a refined hut built at the entrance, now in ruins, but the four characters "Baiyun Dongtian" (White Cloud Cave Heaven), engraved by Wu Wenzong, a Sima official of Jingzhou during the Ming Dynasty, still shine brightly on the cliff face above the cave. Faint traces remain of the earlier characters "Tian Kai Lie Zhang" (Heaven Opens Its Array of Peaks). Not far to the right of Baiyun Cave is the Feizhu Rock, also known as "White Ox Cave," where a waterfall hangs high. Though not deep, the cave walls are smooth, and mountain spring water flows down them. In the sunlight, the cave resembles a white ox from afar. About 130 steps upward is the Baozhu Rock, featuring a prominent round rock about 20 centimeters in diameter, also known as a "Swan Egg." Nearby, several lines of text are inscribed—legend says they were written by immortals (in reality, it is the Yu Stele written in tadpole script). It is said that anyone who can read it in one breath will cause the rock to crack and treasure to emerge. On the northeast side of Feishan is the Lianhua Cave, a wide and deep cavern that once housed exquisitely crafted rooms inside. In 1962, the provincial cultural bureau allocated funds for its maintenance, but it was later destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Additionally, Feishan features the Tianchi (Heavenly Pond) on Tianchi Ridge, which never dries up year-round, and the bizarre rocks of Linlong’ao. When the setting sun casts its glow, Feishan presents a majestic silhouette, appearing particularly spectacular and mystical under the embrace of the colorful clouds—this is the "Feishan Sunset," one of the "Ten Scenic Spots of Jingzhou."

　　Information source: Jingzhou Chronicles Office

　　Jingzhou Feishan