Mount Mian

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Mount Mian
Mianshan.jpg
Traditional Chinese綿山
Simplified Chinese绵山
Literal meaningCotton(y) Mountain
Downy Mountain
Former names
Mountain Mianshan.jpg
Statues of qilins
Chinese介山
Mount Jie
Literal meaningJie's Mountain

Mount Mian,[1] also known by its Chinese name Mianshan, is a mountain in the town of in Jiexiu, Jinzhong, in central Shanxi Province in north China. Its official scenic area opened in the year 2000 and covers 75 km2 (29 sq mi), with about 400 attractions grouped into 14 tourist areas.

Name[]

Mount Mian is supposedly named for the resemblance of its long, unbroken ridgeline to a piece of cotton.[1] In ancient Chinese, however, mián did not refer to cotton but to silk floss. It was then used by extension for the ideas of "weak", "soft", and "downy", before coming to be used in modern Chinese as the usual word for cotton.

Geography[]

Mt Mian is a branch of the Taihang Mountains south of the Fen River.[2] Its official scenic area covers 75 km2 (29 sq mi), with about 400 attractions grouped into 14 tourist areas.[3] The chain's ridgeline stretches for over 160 km (100 mi), with its highest peak reaching 2,440 meters (8,010 ft).[1]

The vegetation in the area has been a focus of study at Shanxi University.[4] Geographical features of note include Buddha Embrace Rock, Tiesuo Ridge, Yinkong Cavity, and the Mosta Dome.[1]

History[]

Mt Mian is usually credited[a] as the place of the retreat where Jie Zhitui and his mother were burnt alive in a forest fire begun by his lord, Duke Wen of the state of Jin, in the 7th century BC.[1] Duke Wen's remorse prompted him to erect a temple in Jie's honor, with sacrifices funded by designated lands in nearby Mianshang. By the middle of the Han dynasty, people around Taiyuan Commandery were treating Jie as a tutelary deity and observing a taboo against lighting fires for five days around mid-winter.[6] By the mid-2nd century AD, it was being observed for an entire month and causing hardship on the young and elderly[7] to the point that Cao Cao and other leaders began attempting to ban Jie's Cold Food Festival altogether, despite its having moved by that point to Qingming in early spring.[8] Commoners continued to ignore these provisions and to particularly revere a stand of blackened trees, one looking as though it were held in a man's arms, where various miracles were reported.[9] A compromise under the Northern Wei was to restrict it to the area surrounding Mt Mian in 496[10] but its popularity was such that it continued to spread until it was observed by most of China under the Sui and transformed into the Tomb Sweeping Festival under the Tang and Song.[11]

Mt Mian has been an important Taoist site since the Spring and Autumn Period (8th–5th centuries BC) of the Zhou.[12] The first Buddhist temple was erected on the mountain under the Northern Wei and, by the early Tang, it had become large and powerful.[1] During the collapse of the Sui and rise of the Tang, Li Shimin (later "Emperor Taizong") defeated in the Queshu Valley below Mt Mian, prompting the surrender of Yuchi Gong.[12] During the Southern Song, and fought Jin soldiers nearby.[12] Under the Mongolian Yuan, and other temples on the mountain were repaired.[12] At the end of the Ming, the military governor at Taiyuan retreated to Mt Mian to lead his ultimately unsuccessful defense of the area.[12]

During World War II, and Li Zhimin led Communist guerrillas against Japanese and Nationalists in the area.[12] The Japanese retaliated, damaging or destroying most[2] of the temples in 1940.[12]

Entrance to the Mt Mian Scenic Area

The mountain has been used as a summer resort since imperial times.[1] Since 1995, , chairman of the , has spent 600m RMB repairing the mountain and its temples.[12] It was opened as a public scenic area in 2000.[2] It remains among the most important Taoist sites in modern China.[13] The second major Taoist rite to occur in mainland China after the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War—a (t 羅天大醮, s 罗天大醮, Luótiān Dàjiào)—occurred at Mt Mian in 2001.[14][15] Mt Mian was also one of the most important sites for the celebrations surrounding the anniversary of Lao-tze's birth in March 2003.[16] The China National Tourism Administration named Mt Mian a AAAAA-rated tourist attraction in 2013.[17] A study by researchers from Shanxi University the same year, however, found that the routes through the scenic area remained insufficiently interconnected with one another and should be further optimized to increase the resort's capacity.[18]

Areas[]

Dragon Head Temple[]

This area includes over 20 sites, including the and the .[3] The Dragon Head Temple supposedly takes its name from a pair of dragons who appeared to Li Shimin ("Emperor Taizong" of the Tang) during a visit to the mountain.[3]

Dragon Ridge Peak[]

The Dragon Ridge Peak area includes a statue of Jie Zhitui with his mother, a Tang barracks, and a park with about public health.[3] The ridge is named for its appearance, thought to resemble two intersecting dragons.[3]

Five Dragons' Traces[]

The Traces of the Five Dragons or Wulongchan are five gullies supposedly formed by the bodies of five dragons who visited Mt Mian to listen to a sermon by the Tang buddha .[19] The has 3 halls preserving the well-preserved remains of 12 other monks of the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties.[19] Other sites in the valleys are the , the , the , and the ("Cloud Thoroughfare Leading to Heaven").[19]

Guteng Valley[]

The Guteng or Ancient Vine Valley,[20] also known as the Stream Gully,[20] includes the path leading to the top of Mt Mian.[20] It has abundant wildlife including pheasants and squirrels and various medicinal herbs, shrubbery, and wildflowers.[20] It is particularly noted for its abundant and unusual vines, which entwine the valley's ancient trees and shade its medieval stone carvings.[20]

Lord Jie Ridge[]

The is the supposed site of Jie Zhitui's immolation by order of his close friend Duke Chong'er of Jin[21] around 636 BC. He came to be revered as a Taoist immortal, and his temple and tomb have been sites of since his death.[2] In the 6th century AD, a charred grove of trees were also a major attraction, with some miracles recorded.[22][23] The Lord Jie Shrine or Pavilion of the Divine Jie (t 介神閣, s 介神阁, Jièshéngé)[24] is the biggest grotto temple in China,[25] with two ellipsoid columns supporting a cave 22 meters high, 40 meters wide, and 25 meters deep[25] (72×130×82 ft). Its altar faces a 11-meter-tall (36 ft) idol of Jie Zhitui, with smaller idols of his mother and on each side. His legend is retold in dozens of reliefs on the cave's columns and walls.[25]

,[21] also known as Baishu Ridge,[25] covers a territory of about 2 km2 (3⁄4 sq mi), covered with picturesque cyprus and including the tomb constructed for Jie Zhitui by Duke Chong'er of Jin.[25] It is reached by a path including 2000 stone steps.[25] Individually notable trees include the Qin Cypress, one of the largest in China; the Mother-and-Son Cypress, considered to represent Jie and his mother; and the Dragon-Shaped Cypress, whose roots extend down the cliffside.[25] Yuan, Ming, and Qing tombs are also found scattered around the area.[25]

The [21] includes diverse forms of Chinese calligraphy by about 100 people, including the emperor Li Shimin, the generals Zhang Liang and Wei Zheng, and the scholars and He Zhizhang.[25] Many inscriptions retell the legends surrounding the mountain, particularly the stories of Jie Zhuitui.[25]

Nun Lee Cliff[]

An area named after Princess Changzhao, a sister of Li Shimin who became a nun after experiencing a vision of the Buddha while visiting the mountain with the emperor in the spring of AD 641.[26] The emperor built a temple for her, and the area is still decorated with Tang-era sculptures as well as the native cypresses and pines.[26]

Qixian Canyon[]

The Qixian Canyon ("Canyon for Wise People")[21] is a winding and undulous gully traversed by path, suspension bridges, and ancient-style ladders. Apart from the mountains and foliage, the area is decorated with stone inscriptions, unique rocks, springs, and waterfalls.[21]

Shengru Spring[]

The spring, also known as Holy Breast or Stone Breast Spring,[26] flows across dozens of rounded, moss-covered stones before falling 100 meters (330 ft) into a 180-meter-wide (590 ft) wide pond.[26] During the Kangxi Era (17th–18th century), the local writer compared the sounds of the water drops to notes played on the Chinese zither.[26] Other nearby sites include ; the ; the ; and the Temples of the , the , the Fujianese water goddess , and the five dragons paying respect to their mother.[26]

Shuitao Gully[]

The Shuitao or Water Billowing Gully[20] includes the most picturesque natural scenery on Mt Mian, with its 16-kilometer (10 mi) path passing by and through thick forests and several dozen .[20]

Sky Bridge[]

The Sky Bridge is a plank road more than 300 meters (1,000 ft) long but less than one meter (three feet three inches) wide, suspended 200 m (700 ft) below the mountain's ridge but 300 m (1,000 ft) above the valley floor.[27] Mist and clouds sometimes collect below it, creating a heavenly scene.[27] Other nearby sites are ; a cypress whose shape causes it to be known as the ; and medieval fortresses around and .[27] The latter is a Taoist temple built by Li Shimin of the Tang in honor of Lao-tze.[27]

Temple of All-Embracing Heaven[]

The ,[12] also known as the Daluo Palace (t 大羅宮, s 大罗宫, Dàluó Gōng),[27] is the largest on the mountain.[2] It reached its present size of 13 stories during restoration work ordered by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang in AD 732.[27] It is an important Taoist temple sometimes compared with Lhasa's Potala Palace.[27] It has a stone inscription of Lao-tze's [b] and (in its Baiyun Convent) another of the Buddhist Diamond Sutra.[27] Its library supposedly houses China's largest repository of sutras.[27]

Yidou Spring[]

Yidou Spring is a freshwater spring thought to be shaped like the character 斗.[28] A local myth relates that in antiquity Mt Mian suffered a drought and became barren and desolate. The saw this and wet his in the East China Sea, then spread it along the length of the mountain. The land revived and grew a lush forest, with the largest drops becoming a number of springs around the mountain, including Yidou.[28] The god is honored for this gift at the Dongzhen Palace, built inside a natural cave near the spring. Hanging sculptures decorate the cave with scenes from the Taoist understanding of the history of the universe.[28] Other sites in the area include Elephant Trunk Hill, , and the and .[28]

Yunfeng Temple[]

(云峰寺, Yúnfēng Sì),[12] also known as Baofu Temple, is located in the mountain's largest natural cave inside Baofu Rock.[19] It was first built during the Three Kingdoms Period (3rd century),[19] was refurbished by Li Shimin,[12] and now contains more than 200 rooms. It is dedicated to the Tang buddha under his title of "King of Immateriality".[19] His clay-entombed mummy resides in the center of the temple's main hall.[19] The temple's other treasures include the , a couplet by Fushan, and a plaque granted by the Guangxu Emperor of the Qing.[19]

Zhujia'ao Valley[]

is a temple dedicated to the Lord of Lingbao.[28] The rest of Zhujia'ao Valley is mostly associated with local legends about the family of the Hongwu Emperor, founder of China's Ming dynasty. Supposedly, his father had once come to the temples in the valley to worship Buddha and the other gods and returned to shower it with favor once his son ascended to the throne.[28] Although Zhu had actually died before his son's enthronement, later Ming emperors visited Mt Mian to offer sacrifices and restore older temples.[28]

Others[]

Other notable sites within the scenic area are , the , the and , , and , and the .[25] Other surviving temples include the and the .[1]

Transportation[]

The main road on Mt Mian now extends halfway up the peak.[2] The paths to each major area are connected by bus routes.[2]

Events[]

The temples have an annual celebration during the Cold Food Festival honoring Jie Zhitui in the three days on and around the Tomb Sweeping Festival.[1] Area Taoists also continue to perform the on the 28th day of the 4th month of the Chinese lunar calendar.[29]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Most ancient records seem to support the identification of Jiexiu's Mt Mian as the one mentioned in Jie's story, although the Records of Yicheng County compiled during the Qianlong Era of the Qing favored the idea that "Mianshan" and "Jieshan" had been earlier names of the Gushan in Yuncheng Prefecture's Wanrong County.[5]
  2. ^ CRI—also an official government news source—reports that the Tao Teh Ch‘ing inscription is on wood rather than stone.[2]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "Mount Mian", Scenic Spots, Taiyuan: Shanxi Provincial Tourism Bureau, 2012, archived from the original on 18 July 2017, retrieved 24 November 2017.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Ning (2007).
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e CIIC (2010), p. 1.
  4. ^ Shangguan & al. (1988).
  5. ^ Lu (2012).
  6. ^ Huan Tan, Xinlun. (in Chinese)
  7. ^ Book of the Later Han, 61, §2024.
  8. ^ Holzman (1986), pp. 56–59.
  9. ^ Jia Sixie, Qimin Yaoshu. (in Chinese)
  10. ^ Holzman (1986), p. 59.
  11. ^ Holzman (1986), p. 51.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k "介修县绵山风景区", 山西旅游, Taiyuan, retrieved 25 November 2017. (in Chinese)
  13. ^ Wang (2009), p. 130.
  14. ^ Kohn (2008).
  15. ^ Herrou (2017), p. 419.
  16. ^ Wang (2004), p. 187.
  17. ^ "5A级景区", Official site, Beijing: China National Tourism Administration, 7 November 2017, archived from the original on 5 September 2008, retrieved 24 November 2017. (in Chinese)
  18. ^ Xue & al. (2013).
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h CIIC (2010), p. 5.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g CIIC (2010), p. 7.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e CIIC (2010), p. 6.
  22. ^ Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People [《齊民要術》, Qímín Yàoshù] (in Chinese), Vol. 9, §521
  23. ^ Holzman (1986), p. 60.
  24. ^ "Amazing Trip to Mianshan Mountain", Official site, Beijing: China Internet Information Center, August 2010.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k CIIC (2016).
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f CIIC (2010), p. 2.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i CIIC (2010), p. 3.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g CIIC (2010), p. 4.
  29. ^ Jones (2010), p. 75.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

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