Rooster Comb Peak

　　Rooster Comb Peak is located in Jiguanlazi Village, Shidaigou Town, Changbai County. Originally part of a continuous ridge in Shidaigou, it lies at the southern end but is broken in the middle, forming Jiguanlazi Island. The entire mountain slopes downward from north to south, extending all the way to the Yalu River. The Changbai–Linjiang Highway cuts through the mountains along the riverbank.

　　Rooster Comb Peak is oblong in shape, with its highest point at an elevation of 725 meters. The mountain gradually narrows from the base to the top, where its irregular, sawtooth-like ridgeline stretches out in a line, resembling a giant rooster comb standing by the river. The Yalu River flows from east to west, then turns south, and continues westward, brushing past Jiguanlazi. From a distance, it looks just like a rooster drinking water. The mountain is reflected in the water, creating a seamless blend of mountain and river—Li Bai’s poem “Gazing at Tianmen Mountain” (“Heaven’s Gate is split through Mount Ching, / Blue water pours east then rounds to the north”) fits this scene perfectly. In spring and summer, the brown rocks on the ridge are set off by the vibrant blooms of azaleas and mountain roses in various colors, making it look even more like a huge rooster comb. By September, the ridge takes on autumn hues, with maple leaves turning blood red, resembling the comb of a hen sitting on her eggs. In winter, when everything is blanketed in white, Rooster Comb Peak takes on a yin-yang appearance, sharply divided between sunlit and shaded sides—an amusing sight. The sunny side is completely snow-free, while the shady side is buried in knee-deep snow. The towering pines standing proudly atop the comb against the snow highlight the peak’s majestic beauty.

　　Rooster Comb Lazi is truly a stunning and peculiar peak. Local people have bestowed upon it beautiful legends. Some say the comb-like teeth at the peak were formed when the Dragon King’s third son, battling a serpent demon to save the people, swept the area with his tail. Others say a ginseng maiden turned into a rooster to wake people up and help them keep regular hours. Though the stories vary, they add a layer of beauty and wonder to Rooster Comb Lazi. Perhaps it is these very legends that make Rooster Comb Lazi a truly moving painting and a beautiful poem.