Monkey Ancestor Rock

　　In the past, the Cat’s Leap River was home to numerous monkeys that roamed unpredictably. By the riverbank of the Cat’s Leap River, near Jiaozi Mountain, there is a rock formation called Monkey Ancestor Grandfather, and another called Monkey Ancestor Grandmother — the two bear a striking resemblance. Locals commonly refer to them together as “Monkey Ancestor Rock.” Legend has it that in ancient times, the goddess Nüwa created humans from clay. Some of the humans she made were obedient and well-behaved, while others were mischievous and unruly. To ensure the better continuation of the human race, Nüwa assigned all people to different bloodlines and family surnames. Most of the earliest surnames included the female radical, such as Ji, Si, Yao, and Jiang. Most groups followed Nüwa’s arrangement and accepted their surnames, but one long-tailed figure, acting cleverly, refused to be categorized by bloodline or adopt a surname or clan name. As a result, Nüwa designated all those who accepted the surnames as part of the human race, while those who refused were classified as monkeys. Humans were allowed to leave their caves, build nests and houses, and gradually advance toward civilization, while monkeys could only hide in deep mountains, caves, and trees, separated from humans. The surname-less monkey reproduced many descendants in the forests along the Cat’s Leap River. When it grew old, it transformed into what is now known as Monkey Ancestor Rock.