Yuelu Mountain

Yuelu Mountain

Yuelu Mountain Scenic Zone connects Hengshan Mountain in south and faces Dongting Lake in north. Its west is a wide field and the east is Xiangjiang River. Yuelu Mountain's altitude is 300.8 meters. The peaks extend for over ten kilometers, constituting a natural barrier across the west of Changsha city. Its main peak Yunlu is with beautiful and powerful rocks. The corridors and pavilions are built against the mountain. Looking afar, the Xiangjiang River is like a ribbon, Juzizhou(an islet in Xiangjiang River) is like in the middle of the river with lush trees, two bridges connect the east and west, and the old city and new corridors are covered in purple air and green smoke.

Yuelu Mountain, gathering together the finest parts of Xiangchu Culture, has many places of historic interest and scenic beauty. It integrates Confucian School (a School created by Confucius), Shi (a religion created by Siddhartha in India) and Taoism (a religion created by Zhang Daoling in China). There are lots of sacred places of revolution and abundant plants. Baihe Spring, King Yu Monument, Flying Rock, Coming-back Bell and Chuanshi Slope etc are distributed among the forests and mountains; the plants in the mountain include 174 families, 559 genera and 977 species. Podocarpus macrophyllus of Jin Dynasty, gingko from the Tang Dynasty, Camphorwood of Song Dynasty, maple and chestnut trees of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty are ancient trees at the age of over thousand years. They are strongly towering under the sky with old trunks and branches. The maple trees, catalpa trees, pines and chestnut trees are lush with powerful branches and trunks; water of spring keeps flowing all the year around and brings you with a peaceful feeling. Every turn of autumn and winter, the maples color the mountain red and red oranges are produced on the branches, which make Yuelu Mountain more beautiful.

Located at Yuelu Mountain, the 1000-year-old Yuelu Academy leads the four great academies in Song Dynasty; Ancient Lushan Temple is known as "the initial famous scenic spot during Han and Wei Dynasty, and the first place for enlightenment in Hunan"; on the peak, there is Yunlu Temple known as Taoist Holy Land of Twenty Streams; Aiwan Pavilion, one of the four famous Chinese pavilions, is located in Qingfeng Gorge and was built in the 57th year of Qianlong Period of Qing Dynasty. It is a beautiful place, and was also a place for comrade Mao Zedong to organize revolutionary activities in early years. Yuelu Mountain Scenic Zone has been famous for its picturesque scenery from ancient times. Its major scenic spots include Qingfeng Gorge Scenic Spot, Yunlu Peak Scenic Spot, Wanjing Park Scenic Belt, Heshipo Scenic Spot, Confucian Scenic Spot, Fositanyou(enjoy the peace in Buddhist temple), Yunlu Taoist Temple, Juzizhou(an islet in Xiangjiang River). Among them, Lushan Scenic Spot is at the heart. There are Yuelu Academy, Aiwan Pavilion, Lushan Temple, Yunlu Temple, and Association for New Democracy etc. Scenic spots set to open are: Tianma Mountain, Taohua Mountain Ridge, Shijia Mountain Ridge and Tuchengtou etc. They cover a total area of 36 square kilometers.

There are many solemn tombs of revolutionary pioneers amid the green pines and verdant cypresses on Yuelu Mountain. Huangxing's tomb and Cai E’s tomb are the most magnificent ones. Here is also the place for elder proletarian revolutionists to hold revolutionary activities in the early years. Mao Zedong, Cai Hesen, Luo Xuezan and Zhang Kundi etc. often gathered at Aiwan Pavilion, Qingfeng Gorge on Yuelu Mountain, and discussed about national affairs and sought for the truth of revolution.

Yuelu Academy

Yuelu Academy locates at Yuelu Mountain Scenic Zone, a National AAAA Scenic Spot in the west bank of Xiangjiang River in Changsha, Hunan Province. In the ninth year of Kaibao Period, Northern Song Dynasty (A.D 976), Tanzhou Taishou (a prefecture chief of Tanzhou in feudal China) Zhudong officially founded Yuelu Academy based on a school run by Buddhists. After Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, it was named as Hunan Higher School in the 29th year of Guangxu Period of Qing Dynasty (A.D.1903). It was successively named as Hunan Higher Normal School and Hunan Professional Industry School. In 1926, it was normally named as Hunan University. Through thousand years, it is still going forward, thus the university is called "one-thousand-year old academy".

Yuelu Academy, as one of the national important historical monuments under special preservation to date, is still engaged in higher education. It is a research base for humanities and social science and studies of Chinese ancient civilization of Hunan University, as well as the Hunan provincial research base for Huxiang culture. It has a scientific research team with a reasonable structure of education background, title and age, as well as prominent research features and achievements. At present, there are 23 full-time teachers. Among them, 18 are professors, 5 are associate professors and 9 are doctoral supervisors. Doctor degree can be granted from 3 majors of History and Philosophy, including Specialized History (Chinese Intellectual and Cultural History), Ancient Chinese History and Chinese Philosophy. There are 9 majors of them qualified to grant master degree. It has the qualification to grant master degree of History (History is a first-tier subject covering  6 second-tier subjects as follows: Specialized History, Ancient History of China, Modern and Contemporary Chinese History, Historical Philology, Historical Philosophy and Historiography, Archaeology and Museology) and master degree of Chinese Philosophy. Museum of Chinese ancient academies is built here. Its Specialized History is a key discipline of Hunan Province. From 2009, Yuelu Academy began to recruit undergraduates majoring in History in the whole country, which perfected its talent development system.

For the current Yuelu Academy, its research over Confucianism of Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, History of Chinese Ancient Academies, History of Huxiang Culture as well as History of Chinese Etiquette is leading its peers both in China and beyond. Yuelu Academy is also striving to build itself into an academically high-level research base for Chinese traditional culture, research base for Chinese ancient academies, and communication center of Chinese and foreign culture, which will be with high academic position at home and abroad.

Juzizhou (an islet in Xiangjiang River)

As early as in Tang Dynasty, oranges were produced abundantly and sold to distant Jianghan areas. Juzizhou had been a famous scenic spot of Hunan Province since the ancient time. It is a place with the scenery of "snow on the river", one of the eight sceneries of ancient Xiaoxiang.

Juzizhou is a bridge where the present meets the past. It adds a profound cultural legacy to Xiaoxiang culture. Zhuzhang Ferry, a ferry for Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi coming from the south to take a boat to Yuelu Academy and Chengnan Academy for giving lectures, describes the grand situation of Hunan students coming for study eight hundred years ago; Shuilu Temple and Gongji Tower are telling the prosperity of religious culture in Yuan Dynasty; the sound of clarion for Zeng Guofan training Hunan navy force is lightly vaguely sounded in the sky above Juzizhou; Weather-beaten foreign consulate and advanced villas witnessed the history after Changsha became a commercial port; When Mao Zedong was standing at Juzizhou, he threw such a question to the vast sky—"asking the vast land, who will determine the ups and downs". He changed the process of Chinese history and showed special preference to Juzizhou.

Ancient Lushan Temple

Lushan Temple, located at the ancient grove on Yuelu Mountain, is one of the oldest temples of Hunan Province. It started construction in the fourth year of Taishi Period of Western Jin Dynasty (A.D.268). Its initial name was Huiguangming Temple, and then was changed as Lushan Temple in the beginning of Tang Dynasty. This temple is known as "the initial famous scenic spot during Han and Wei Dynasty, and the first place for enlightenment in Hunan". Now it is a national key Buddhist temple. During more than 1700 years since the temple was built, it has been destroyed for six times by war. In 1944, it was destroyed by Japanese army. Only the Temple Gate and Sutra Depository had been saved. The palace has been repaired now. The statue of thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy is solemn and kind. The present temple is composed of Temple Gate, Mile Palace, Mahavira Palace, Goddess of Mercy Pavilion and Vegetarian Diet Hall. The Temple Gate is built as a decorated archway. A board inscribed with "Ancient Lushan Temple" is hung on it. Sutra Depository is also called Goddess of Mercy Pavilion. There are two ancient podocarpus macrophyllus standing in front of the pavilion. It is said that they were planted in the Six Dynasties, thus they were also named as Six Dynasties Pine. They are live witnesses of the long history of Lushan Temple.

The stele of Lushan Temple is a precious cultural relic kept by Lushan Temple. It was inscribed in ancient Lushan Temple in the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan Period of Tang Dynasty (730). In Ming Dynasty, it was covered when a pavilion was built. Then it was removed and embedded on the wall of Yuelu Academy during Xianfeng Period of Qing Dynasty. Now it is kept in Hunan University. The stele is with the height of 2.72 meters and width of 1.33 meters. It was inscribed by Li Yong, a great calligrapher of Tang Dynasty. The head of the stele was carved with four characters of "stele of Lushan Temple" with Zhuan style, and the inscription on it is written with Xingkai style. This stele has far-reaching influence among later generations. Su Shi and Mi Fu of Song Dynasty borrowed its basic technique, and the calligrapher Yuemeng of Yuan Dynasty "would carefully imitate it every time when writing characters."

Across the whole history of Chinese Buddhism, Lushan Temple is one of the famous places for enlightenment. Since it was built in Jin Dynasty, it experienced the development during Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, and continued during Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty, and later became a national famous spot of Zen Buddhism in the middle period of Ming Dynasty. In order to recognize the achievement of Lushan Temple, Emperor Shenzong of Ming Dynasty granted it with a name of "Wanshouchan Temple" during Wanli Period. In the end of Ming Dynasty, the temple was destroyed by warfare. Only Temple Gate and Goddess of Mercy Pavilion were saved. In 1986, the Buddhist Association of Changsha City organized a repair project. Master Shenghui, as present Buddhist abbot of Lushan Temple, is the vice-chairman of Buddhist Association of China. As one member of the delegation composed of seven Chinese religious leaders, Shenghui participated in "Millennium World Peace Summit" held by the United Nations in 2000.

Yunlu TempleYunlu Temple is a Taoist temple. Located on the Yunlu Peak of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan Province, it is one of the seventy-two Taoist Holy Lands built in Ming Dynasty. In 1944, it was bombed out by Japanese plane and was rebuilt in 1957. Tourists can enjoy the grand scenery of "climb on the thousand-meter high Yunlu Peak and watch millions of families in Changsha". Walking to Wangxiang Tower within Yunlu Temple, you can feast your eyes on the view of "running Xiangjiang River and Juzizhou(an islet in Xiangjiang River)".

Since then, Yunlu Temple has become a famous scenic spot of Taoism. Taoism advocates self-development and “govern by doing nothing that goes against nature”, so the temples are always built in peaceful and beautiful places where are good for them to cultivate themselves and gather herbs for making pills. These places are also considered as the residences of gods. Therefore, there are ten great Dongtian (places for Taoists to cultivate themselves) and thirty-six small Dongtian and seventy-two Taoist Holy Lands. Yunlu Temple is just the twenty-third blessed land—"Dongzhenxu Taoist Holy Land".

Aiwan Pavilion

Aiwan Pavilion is situated at Qingfeng Gorge at the foot of Yuelu Mountain in Hunan Province. It is located at west with the front facing the east. Three sides of the pavilion are mountains. It was built in the 57th year during Qianlong Period of Qing Dynasty (1792) by Luo Dian, the then headmaster of Yuelu Academy. The original name of the pavilion was Hongye Pavilion. Bi Yuan, the governor-general of Hunan and Hubei provinces (in feudal China), changed its name as Aiwan Pavilion according to the poem "Shan Xing" (a tour on mountain) created by Du Mu, a poet of Tang Dynasty. The poem is as follows: In autumn, I was walking along a stone-paved path toward the mountain and found houses hidden in the depth of the mountain. I stopped my coach amid falling maple leaves already redder than the flowers in February. After several large-scale repairs in Tongzhi Period, Guangxu Period, Xuantong Period, the Republic of China period and P.R.C established, the present pattern has been gradually formed. Present Aiwan Pavilion, as a provincial cultural relic, together with Zuiweng Pavilion (built in 1046) in Chuzhou of Anhui Province, Huxin Pavilion (built in 1552) in West Lake of Hangzhou and Taoran Pavilion (built in 1695) in Taoranting Park of Beijing, are named as the four famous pavilions in China. Aiwan Pavilion is a famous spot for revolutionary activities. Mao Zedong studied in Hunan First Normal School in his youth. He often came to Yuelu Academy with Luo Xuezan and Zhang Kundi, and gathered together at Aiwan Pavilion with Cai Hesen. They discussed the current political situation and sought for the truth.

This pavilion was destroyed during the War of Resistance against Japan. It was rebuilt in 1952 and overhauled in 1987. This pavilion is with double eaves and eight columns. Green glazed tiles are covered on the eaves with each corner protruded. From afar, it seems to be flying. In the pavilion, there are round columns colored with red paint. Four stone columns under the outer eave are made of granite. The plafond with colored drawing is placed on the roof in the pavilion. Two boards inscribed with gilding characters "Aiwan Pavilion" on the red background are hung on the lattice windows in east and west. Li Da, the then President of Hunan University, wrote a letter to Chairman Mao Zedong and invited him to inscribe for Aiwan Pavilion. These Chinese characters were made according to the original handwriting of the Chairman Mao Zedong. A monument was set up in the pavilion with Chairman Mao Zedong's poem "Qinyuanchun. Changsha" carved on it. It was also carved according to his original handwriting. Fluent and free like a moving dragon and a snake, his handwriting makes the ancient pavilion more beautiful and magnificent. 

Aiwan Pavilion, praised as a classic building, is a heavy weight in domestic pavilions and terraces.

Tomb of Huang XingTomb of Huang Xing is located above the Xiaoyueliang platform in the north of Yunlu Peak of Yuelu Mountain. It is behind the Lushan Temple and is directly connected with stone stair. The tomb is situated at west, facing the east. Three stone stairs with nearly one hundred steps are connected with the graveyard. Below the right side of the tomb, there is Huang Xing's mulu (a house built next to the tomb for guarding it), which had been repaired. Huang Xing's deeds are exhibited in the hall of his mulu for visitors. Huang Xing (A.D. 1874 to 1916), with the original name of Zhen, courtesy name of Qinwu, is a native of Changsha County of Hunan Province. Then he changed his given name as Yu with the pen-name of Keqiang. He is a pioneer and leader of Xinhai Revolution. He and Sun Zhongshan were known as "Sun-Huang" during the Xinhai Revolution. When the provisional government was established in Nanjing, he was appointed as the chief leader of the army. After Yuan Shikai became the emperor, he was appointed as commander-in-chief to lead the armed forces against Yuan Shikai. In 1916, he died of illness in Shanghai. In the next year, his coffin was moved to Changsha and buried in Yuelu Mountain according to the standards of a state funeral.

Tomb of Cai ECai E (Dec 18, 1882 to Nov 8, 1916), whose original name is Gen Yin, and courtesy name is Songpo, is a native of Baoqing (present is Shaoyang City) of Hunan Province with the nationality of Han. His posthumous works have been compiled in "Collection of Cai Songpo". As an excellent military leader in early years of the Republic of China, Cai E responded to Xinhai Revolution, and started the National Protection War against Hongxian Monarchy governed by Yuan Shikai. The tomb of Cai E is situated under the tomb of Huang Xing on Yuelu Mountain, and on the hillside above the back of Lushan Temple. On April 12, 1917, he was moved back and buried here. The tomb covers 1620 square meters and is composed of grave, monument, stone sacrificial utensils etc.

24 white marbles or cyan stones are embedded around the tomb, with the inscriptions and elegies written by provincial military and governmental leaders from Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Rehe, Chaha'er etc.. Stone tables for sacrifice, stone incense burner, stone drum are placed in front of the tomb. Two ancient tall maple trees are standing at each side of the right passageway of the tomb platform. Cai E's mulu (a house built next to the tomb for guarding it) is on one side of the Lushan Temple. Two elegiac couplets created by Sun Zhongshan are hung on the door—"he is always generous like Ban Chao (Ban Chao is a Duhu of the Western Han Dynasty; Duhu is the senior officer to defend the western region in Western Han Dynasty) , and he is also heroic like Ma Fubi(Ma Fubi is a heroic general of Eastern Han Dynasty) ." 

Baihe (White Crane) SpringBehind the Lushan Temple, ancient trees surround here. A sweet and clean spring spills from the rock gaps. It never dries up no matter in winter or in summer. Baihe Spring has a reputation of “the best fragrant and moist spring in Lushan Mountain”. It is said that there was a pair of red-crowned cranes often flew here in ancient times, so the spring was named Baihe Spring. When making tea with boiled spring, it is interesting that the rising steam spiraling above the cup is like a white crane.

King Yu MonumentThe characters on King Yu Monument of Yunlu Peak in Changsha, Hunan province are rarely ancient characters. They look like tadpoles curled up and are difficult to decode. Guo Moruo, the famous historian and expert of Jiaguwen (inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty), only recognized three characters after three-year research. It is said that this monument was for recording merits and virtues, and the inscriptions on it record and praise Dayu's great achievements in controlling the floods. In fact, this monument was a copy one that people made rubbings from inscriptions on Hengshan Mountain during Song Dynasty. In Tang Dynasty, the real King Yu Monument was still on Hengshan. Han Yu and Liu Yongxi created poems to praise it. It was once considered as the "most valuable gem". For those engaged in cultural relics protection, together with Huangdiling (tomb of Emperor Huang) and Yandiling (tomb of Emperor Yan), they are three treasures of the Chinese nation.

King Yu Monument, initially found in Goulou Peak in Hengshan Mountain, it was also named Goulou Monument. It faces the east and locates at the grey purple rocky wall on the left side of Yunlu Peak of Yuelu Mountain. The inscriptions recorded and praised Dayu’s great achievements in flood control . Dayu followed his father’s work of controlling flood. “He didn’t enjoy music although he heard it, he didn't go home although he passed by his home for three times” has become deeds praised far and wide since the past.

King Yu Monument (according to the historical archives) is the oldest inscription in China. The peculiar ancient Zhuanwen (a kind of Chinese calligraphy) on the monument contains 77 characters and distributes in 9 lines. The monument is 1.7 meters high and 1.4 meters wide. The characters are like tadpoles. They are different from bells and tripod caldrons carved with Jiaguwen (inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty). They are different from Zhouwen (an ancient Chinese character style of Qin State, a kingdom of Spring and Autumn Period) too. As they are so rare and difficult to recognize, they may be a kind of symbol of Taoism. It is also said that they were forged by Taoists. Four characters with the meaning of "carved by ancient Emperor Yu" were written in Cunkai (regular script in one-cun (one-third decimeter) size space) at the space of the last line.

DagobaDagoba of the Sui Dynasty is a Cultural Relic Site of Changsha. It locates at the south of Qingfeng Gorge of Yuelu Mountain and the right front of Aiwan Pavilion in Changsha. It is said that Emperor Wen of Sui Dyanasty—Yang Jian, ordered to build pagodas on every famous mountain for hiding sarira in order to thank Zhixian (a Buddhist nun's name) for her kindness of fostering. So these pagodas were named as Dagoba of the Sui Dynasty. This dagoba was built in the second year of Renshou Period of Sui Dynasty (602) and was destroyed during the Five Dynasties Period. In early years of the Republic of China, the monks of Lushan Temple found the site and rebuilt the dagoba. In 1957, it was repaired and stone guardrails were supplemented. This dagoba was destroyed during the “Cultural Revolution”. In recent years, it has been repaired to restore its original look.

Flying Rock

Under a strong and tall ginkgo tree of Yunlu Peak, there's a huge stone. As it looks like a stone flying from the universe, people call it “Flying Rock”. It is one of the unique natural landscapes of Yuelu Mountain. 
   
Coming-back BellThere's a ginkgo tree of Tang Dynasty with the height of more than ten meters in front of Yunlu Temple. The Coming-back Bell is amid the branches of the ginkgo tree. The girth of tree is very long, and the branches embrace the bell. The bell is the object for Taoists reminding the work and rest. The bell tone is loud and clear. When the Taoists heard the bell, they came back, so it was called “Coming-back Bell”. Another name is “Ziming Bell (a bell rings automatically)”. As the bell is hung over ten meters high, the bell will ring automatically when the wind blows.

The original bell was destroyed during the middle term of Qing Dynasty. In the sixth year of Tongzhi Period (1867), it was remade and placed at the left side of Yunlu Temple. The diameter of the bell is four "chi" (3 chi equals to 1 meter) five "cun" (1 cun is about 0.03 meter). The seven Chinese characters meant "made in the sixth year of Tongzhi Period of Qing Dynasty" are cast on the bell. It was destroyed again during Guangxu Period and remade and hung on the tree during the period of Republic of China. The bell was destroyed again during the “Cultural Revolution”. The present bell is a copy one in 1978.