Angler’s Terrace

　　In the Dongshan Wind-Rocking Stone Scenic Area, nestled amidst lush greenery stands a massive stone platform — the “Angler’s Terrace.” It attracts domestic and international tourists who flock here to climb up and gaze into the distance, expressing their emotions. During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, Ma Zhaolin, a renowned calligrapher and painter from Dongshan, composed a piece in his work "Eighteen Scenic Spots of Dongshan" dedicated to the "Fishing for the Turtle Stone," singing its praises: “An immortal’s foot strides alone through the clouds...”

　　Climbing up the spiral staircase to the “Angler’s Terrace,” you’ll notice the stone surface tilts slightly southwestward, giving the impression that it might slide or tip over, resembling a ship leaning as it rides ocean waves. On the front face of the stone is a “fairy’s footprint,” shaped like a human foot, approximately 0.30 meters long, about 0.15 meters wide at the front, and around 0.08 meters at the heel. Interestingly, the footprint fits the feet of visitors of all ages and genders. The outer circle of the footprint is roughly circular, with a diameter of 0.90 meters and a depth of less than 0.30 meters — this is the “Fairy’s Foot Tub.” Legend has it that during the late Southern Song Dynasty, when the capital sank and the South Australia region emerged, an immortal surnamed Sun witnessed the earth cracking and mountains collapsing. After bathing and fasting in the “Fairy’s Tub,” he ascended to heaven with a young boy, leaving behind only this “fairy’s footprint.” From atop the Angler’s Stone, you can gaze in all directions: to the east, the misty, vast expanse of water; to the south, the graceful beauty of Sufeng Peak; to the north, the lush embrace of Mount Liang; and to the west, the renewed visage of the ancient town. On the left wall of the massive Angler’s Rock is a cliff inscription in semi-cursive script reading “Angler’s Terrace,” carved by the earlier figure Sun Yaotian. The term “fishing for the turtle” reflects the lofty aspirations and scholarly ambitions of literati in ancient times. During the Ming Dynasty, three academies — “Chongwen,” “Nanming,” and “Dongbi” — stood proudly in the vicinity of the Angler’s Terrace. Scholars and literati would ascend here, toast to the moon, sing while striking the rocks, and dream of one day achieving top honors in the imperial examinations. Thus, from this once-remote fishing island, several local youths rose to become prominent officials. On the eastern stone wall, shaded by verdant pines and cypresses, are four inscribed characters in regular script — “Hai Yan He Qing” (Sea Calm, River Clear) — each about 2 meters tall, written by Zhu Xi from Hanshou County, Hunan Province. These characters vividly depict the boundless view from the terrace, where the sea lies flat as a mirror, and also express a beautiful wish for national stability and peace under heaven. Below these large characters lies a shallow rock well inscribed with the two characters “Long Quan” (Dragon Spring), which was once a spring but has now dried up. Nearby are two ancient solar petroglyphs resembling the sun, symbolizing the ancients’ longing for light and their hope for the continuation of life.

　　For millions of years, the Angler’s Stone lay quietly.

　　Interestingly, on May 19th, 1992, under a clear blue sky and without any external force, a deep, dull boom suddenly shook the earth like the legendary Monkey King bursting out of the mountain. The massive Angler’s Terrace stone split in two on its own, forming the unique spectacle known as the “One Line Sky.” To this day, the reason for the stone’s spontaneous cracking remains a mystery, drawing numerous experts, tourists, and literati from both China and abroad to visit this wonder, explore, observe, and satisfy their curiosity.