The Magical Ayuta Pagoda

　　    Longyuan Kou sits at the junction of two mountain ranges, flanked by towering peaks and lush greenery. The winding Zanglong River flows out from between the mountains, said to be the dragon spit from the legendary "two dragons playing with a pearl." At the village entrance stands a famous single-arch bluestone bridge, sturdy and time-honored. On both banks, ancient trees stand thick and dense. According to the Tongzhi-era Yongxin County Annals, “The Longyuan Kou Bridge is located thirty li south of the county and was built by Wu Wenyi.” On both sides of the bridge stand two iron pillars inscribed with characters such as “the seventeenth year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty.” In 1959, it was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

　　    From there, traveling another 2,000 meters southward, you’ll find Moxi Ridge, which faces Qixi Ridge—home to the Moon-Gazing Pavilion featured in the song “Ten Farewells to the Red Army”—from afar.

　　    After climbing the mountain, the path winds through dense forests. Upon reaching a mountain ridge, the view suddenly opens up to a deep, serene valley stretching for miles, surrounded by steep cliffs and rugged rocks, dotted with rare flowers and unusual trees. “The clear river flows as smooth as silk,” the Zanglong River twists like an emerald ribbon through the secluded valley, with rapids swift as arrows and currents fierce as galloping horses, splashing against stones and sending sprays flying. In calmer stretches, the water is mirror-like and crystal clear, with fish and pebbles visible at the bottom.

　　    In the middle of the valley, a massive stone peak rises abruptly and stands majestically—this is the magical Ayuta Pagoda.

　　    Legend has it that in ancient India, King Ashoka, remorseful over the bloodshed caused by his many wars, converted to Buddhism and built temples and pagodas across India. He also sent missionaries abroad. When these monks saw this peculiar stone peak amid the mountains, they built a temple and pagoda here. The Yongxin County Annals from the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era and the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu era describe it as: “The stone peak resembles a pagoda, towering above sheer cliffs and overlooking a deep abyss, with a flying rock nearby. Buddhist scriptures mention 84,000 stupas of sharira; this is one of them.” In reality, Ayuta Pagoda is a spectacular tower-shaped rock formation, 180 meters tall, with a base circumference of approximately [missing data] meters. Its shape is like a bamboo shoot breaking through the earth, with sheer cliffs as if hewn by divine craftsmanship, standing proudly upright. The Zanglong River flows from east to west around its base. Where the ridge connects to the mountain, a natural path leads directly to the mountainside—this is the only way up to the pagoda. Midway up the mountain, there are five meditation rooms, originally inhabited by monks in charge of maintaining incense offerings. The pagoda is entwined with vines and dotted with assorted trees, and visitors use iron chains fixed to the cliffs to climb up. One of the chains bears an iron plaque inscribed with: “Respectfully offered by Madam Yin, wife of Wu Chaojiu from the 56th District of Xixiang, on a lucky day in the winter month of the Bingxu year of the Guangxu reign,” along with her nephew Guangqing’s name. At the top of the pagoda is a small shrine facing south. Due to the high winds, the roof tiles are made of iron, inscribed with text donated by Qing Dynasty worshippers. Behind the shrine door is a sunrise viewing platform. From here, mist swirls densely before you, and facing a steep cliff, a waterfall roars down. Deep within the shadowed valley, the sound echoes like the toll of a great bell, instantly refreshing the spirit and making one linger, reluctant to leave.

　　    Legend has it that every year on the 24th day of the eighth lunar month, women from surrounding rural areas dress in clean clothes and come together to worship when the birthday of King Ashoka (268–232 BCE), grandson of the Indian Maurya Dynasty's King Bindusara and a devout Buddhist, is celebrated.