A Stone, a Tree, a Tile: My Journey to Mount Taimu in Fujian
Mount Taimu is a national 5A-level scenic area. Surrounded by the sea on three sides and boasting beautiful natural scenery, it is known as the 'Fairyland on the Sea'. Together with Mount Wuyi and Mount Yandang, it is also known as one of the three famous mountains of Minyue. Climbing to the top, I experienced its four wonders—'steep peaks, strange rocks, secluded caves, and misty illusions'—and it truly did not disappoint. Located halfway up the mountain, the Yipianwa Zen Temple left a particularly deep impression on me.
This temple, built against the mountain, is not large in scale, and its style is completely different from the most common yellow-walled, black-tiled, and upturned-eave architecture we see in daily life. Upon seeing the mountain gate, I thought the Yipianwa Zen Temple would be as simple and understated as its name, primarily in a steady, heavy dark gray, just like the giant rocks in the rain. Though it may look unremarkable, it was first built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over four hundred years.
When I arrived at the Great Buddha Hall of Yipianwa Zen Temple, I was utterly amazed. As the nation's first suspended copper hall, it is made entirely of pure brass and designed in the Tang Dynasty style—exquisite, magnificent, and grand. The copper hall stands twelve meters high, with an interior six meters by six meters, covering a total area of about one hundred and eighty square meters. It uses over one hundred tons of brass and is an outstanding masterpiece of traditional architecture, arguably the best of its kind in the country.
The Yipianwa Zen Temple is backed by the main peak of Mount Taimu, the Jiuli Chaotian Peak, with the Shengtian Stone on the left and the Lianhua Peak on the right. Flanked by these two peaks, it appears to float in the air, with deep valleys and steep cliffs below. It is said that the name 'Yipianwa' (One Tile) comes from a thin, slab-like rock that covers the gap between two collapsed rocks like a tile, forming a small shelter.
What sets Mount Taimu apart from other mountains is its geographical location. It stands on the coast of the East China Sea, surrounded by the sea on three sides and backed by a mountain on one side. Legend has it that during the Yao era, an old woman grew indigo plants in the mountain, and after meeting a Taoist priest, she ascended to immortality. Thus, the mountain was named 'Taimu' (Great Mother), later changed to 'Taimu' (Great Fairy). It is said that the immortals of the East China Sea often gather here, earning it the reputation of the 'Fairyland on the Sea.' From a higher vantage point, overlooking the sea, you can truly feel the unique charm of this 'Fairyland on the Sea.'
The 'Fairyland on the Sea' indeed lives up to its name. At Yipianwa Zen Temple, while marveling at the wonders of nature, I also felt the boundless power of human endeavor!
