Dachong Kamen

　　Located below Tiger Cave in Kehe Ping Village, Dachong Kamen is also one of the key western fortifications constructed by Shui Wen Ankun at Baimi Tun along with Budong, Hou'er Pass, and Lanma Wall. This area is steeped in fascinating legends.

　　The Dog Bridge Made of Seven Large Stones

　　Below the Kamen, the section of the Dimu River in the upper reaches of the Nayong River serves as the boundary between Nayong and the Shuicheng and Liuzhi special districts to the southwest of Baimi Tun. Here, the slopes are steep and the valleys deep, with swiftly flowing waters. Mountain ranges such as the Eighteen Arhats Mountain, Giant Panda Mountain, Duonni Small Spire Mountain, and Tiegai Liangzi stretch for dozens of miles along the western side of the river. These mountains are majestic and towering, standing grandly across the river before the Kamen. Viewed from atop Tiger Cave, they resemble a great general deploying his troops. The Zhengjia Ferry on the river was a vital waterway for transportation between Shuicheng, the Liuzhi special district, and Baimi Tun. When Ankun established the Eighteen Fortifications, he built a post road that passed from Nuoxi Maya, through the Kamen and down to the Zhengjia Ferry, leading directly to Azha Tun in Shuicheng. This post road could then continue northeastward via Hou'er Pass, Guizong Nazhi, Woze, across Mukong River, and on to Dading City, the capital of the Shuixi region during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

　　(

　　Present-day Dafang County

　　)

　　The Jiuceng Ya (Nine-Level Government Offices) served as a key land and water thoroughfare running from the northeast to the southwest within the Shuixi region at that time.

　　Back then, the Zhengjia Ferry was a large turning pool with deep and fast-flowing water. When the post road reached this point, Ankun had a stone bridge built here.

　　The bridge was

　　5

　　zhang (approx. 16.67 meters) high,

　　16

　　zhang (approx. 53.33 meters) long, and

　　1

　　zhang

　　2

　　chi (approx. 3.33 meters) wide. Skilled stonemasons were hired, and all stones used were bluestone. Each day, over a thousand workers labored on the site. In less than half a year, a single-arch stone bridge was erected between the foot of Luohan Mountain and the large turning pool. Just as the final capstone was about to be placed to complete the bridge, an elderly man suddenly appeared—dressed in tattered clothes, leaning on a cane, with white hair and beard. He declared to the overseer that he wanted to cross the bridge. The overseer, seeing the old man’s emaciated appearance resembling that of a beggar, looked down on him and said the man was unfit to cross the bridge. No sooner had the overseer spoken than the old man vanished. Instantly, fierce winds blew, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and heavy rain poured down, causing the river to swell rapidly and sweep the bridge away. Once the storm subsided and the skies cleared, the river returned to its normal level, and the old man reappeared at the construction site. He murmured to himself, “People’s hearts are no longer what they used to be, hence this punishment. Let me just pick up a few stones and build you a simple footbridge to see.” With that, the old man waved his cane, and in the blink of an eye, seven huge stones of varying sizes and shapes—each weighing tens of thousands of pounds—flew in from all directions. They leaned against one another and floated steadily on the water’s surface where the bridge had been, with clear water flowing beneath them and the river remaining undisturbed. The old man then pointed to the seven stones and said to those present, “My footbridge is so sturdy that not only can people cross it, even dogs can jump over it.” With that, he vanished into thin air, leaving the overseer and workers stunned and staring at each other in shock. From then on, the place became known as “Dog Bridge.”

　　Later, it was said that the celestial Taibai Star Lord had made an appearance. Ever since, travelers who crossed the bridge marveled at how such heavy stones floated on the river without sinking—an incredible feat beyond human capability and rarely seen in the world. To this day, the foundation of the stone bridge built by An Xuanwei still remains, and there are also unused construction stones from back then that were never washed away by the flood, still lying on both riverbanks. During the dry seasons in autumn and winter when water levels recede, people indeed walk across the seven large stones.

　　1981

　　year, Wang Dexue and Wang Zufa from Wangjiazhai in Shuicheng pooled funds to build a wire cable plank bridge here.

　　1988

　　year, the plank bridge was replaced with an iron cable suspension bridge, using hanging buckets for crossing, making it even more convenient for pedestrians traveling between the two riverbanks.

　　Stone Dragon Spouting Water

　　On the mountain west of Dog Bridge, there are eighteen peaks that resemble eighteen uniquely shaped giant Buddhas, commonly referred to as the Eighteen Arhats. Legend has it that upon hearing the miraculous tale of the Taibai Star Lord building the bridge, the Eighteen Arhats, in a moment of excitement, rode a stone dragon to the Dimu River to see the spectacle for themselves. They were deeply impressed by the uniqueness of Dog Bridge, which was unlike any ordinary structure.

　　Indeed, right next to the west side of the bridge is a towering cliff that resembles the open mouth of a dragon’s head, complete with vividly realistic horns, eyes, whiskers, and claws. About a zhang (approx. 3.3 meters) above the river surface, a spring gushes out as thick as a bucket, like a silver ribbon. The water remains unchanged in color year-round, cascading directly from the dragon’s mouth into the river, merging with the waters of the Dimu River. It is said to be the dragon’s saliva spouted by the stone dragon ridden by the Eighteen Arhats, creating a delightful contrast with Dog Bridge and forming a spectacular sight known as “Stone Dragon Spouting Water.”

　　The Rhinoceros Water near Jiafeng Rock flows straight up along the eastern bank of Dog Bridge.

　　200

　　meters away, there stands a towering cliff that reaches into the clouds. Legend has it that in ancient times, a phoenix flew from afar and landed on the cliff. Suddenly, the cliff split apart and crushed the phoenix to death, and people named it “Clamped Phoenix Rock.” To the right of Clamped Phoenix Rock lies the Li Family Woods, a towering rocky mountain. Shaped like a mighty ox rearing up proudly, it stands on the eastern riverbank. Near the shore, there is a cave that extends deep inside. The cave entrance is two meters high and unfathomably deep. At about

　　10

　　meters above the ground, on the “ox’s head,” there are two nostril-like openings, one on the left and one on the right. From these openings, spring water gushes out and cascades down through the air like a fairy scattering blossoms. The water does not flow from both nostrils at the same time but alternates—water spurts from the left nostril for seven days, then from the right nostril for seven days. This alternating flow is truly puzzling.

　　Above the Li Family Woods lies Jiake Pinghe, which during the Qing Dynasty belonged to the Eighth Sub-district of Jiahe Li in Dading Prefecture. The river slope to the right of the woods served as the year-round grazing land for cattle in the village. The slope is covered with tender green grass, as well as fragrant trees and small bean bushes, while the riverbank is full of reeds. It is said that during the Kangxi era, villagers from Pinghe Plain herded their cattle onto the river slope. When it was time to drive the cattle home in the evening, a calf-like animal mixed in with the herd, and no one dared to claim it. Later, the local headman

　　(

　　an ancient rural official

　　)

　　locked this calf-like animal together with his own water buffalo in the pen. The villagers found this strange. The next day, when they took the cattle out to graze, everyone followed to the river slope to see what would happen. As soon as the herd reached the Li Family Woods, the calf-like animal suddenly darted into the cave and disappeared. Only then did the people realize that it was actually a rhinoceros. Henceforth, the spring water flowing from the “ox’s nostrils” came to be called “Rhino Water.”