Spring Outing to Shenlingzhai in Luoyang
Shenlingzhai, whose name is derived from the secret saying in the 'Records of the Grand Historian: Fengshan Book': 'Spirit's blessing, auspicious omen.' It is actually a large mountain canyon, a national forest and geopark with granite landforms, a 4A-level scenic area featuring China's First Stone Waterfall, not a stockade. At the summit stands Shenling Temple, which was originally a Taoist temple, later renamed a temple after Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, performed the Fengshan rites. It is a place of Taoist worship. Since ancient times, Shenlingzhai has been a place where emperors, generals, and ministers stationed troops, and where literati and scholars competed to pay homage.
On April 28, after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was late spring of the Gengzi year, with fine weather and gentle breezes. My friend and his wife, along with my spouse and I—four people in total—agreed the night before to go out. But early the next morning, after getting in the car, we didn't know where to go. At the last minute, we decided to visit Shenlingzhai in Luoning County, Luoyang. Along the way, green mountains and blooming flowers accompanied us. We drove 80 kilometers from Sanmenxia city along the national highway and arrived at the scenic area at 10 a.m. The scenic area is located deep in the Funiushan Mountains, surrounded by peaks, with clouds and mist swirling around the summits.
After arriving, we learned that the scenic area was opening to the public for the first time since the pandemic. By chance, we were fortunate to be among the first visitors. There were not many people; only a few dozen cars were in the parking lot. After buying tickets, we took the scenic electric cart through the magnificent entrance gate. The first thing we saw was a giant granite block inscribed with the words "National Geopark" and, next to it, the archway of "First Crossing Bridge". The shuttle cart stopped at the foot of the mountain. We briefly glanced at the map by the roadside and eagerly followed the river upstream. Stone steps, small bridges over flowing water, bamboo groves creating hidden retreats—the entire mountain was painted green.
A small stream gurgled cheerfully beside us. The mountain trail alternated between the left and right sides of the stream, crossing stone bridges or suspension bridges from time to time. The path followed the terrain, sometimes steep, sometimes gentle. On both banks of the river, huge exposed granite rocks lined the way, with the stream winding through the rugged stones as it flowed downward. At the end of the canyon, the first scenic spot along the ascent: Sisters Waterfall.
Sisters Waterfall: A rock ledge refers to a bedrock protrusion or step in the riverbed, a type of fluvial landform. Smaller ones create drops, while larger ones form waterfalls. The two waterfalls are staggered, cascading layer by layer. The rock walls on both sides of the riverbed are clean, and the riverbed is wide. The two waterfalls connect, like sisters vying in beauty, both lovely together, hence the name "Sisters Waterfall". The two pools below are called "Sisters Beach".
Right upstream of Sisters Waterfall, a giant stone inscribed with "Tethering Ox Stone" stands in the middle of the stream. It is said to be the place where Laozi tied his ox when he came here to preach.
We did not continue along the canyon but instead entered the mountain path from here. Following the winding stone steps, we came to a relatively flat area around noon. There was a simple restaurant. The four of us ordered four bowls of their specialty stir-fried sweet potato noodles and a side dish of scrambled eggs with Chinese toon. The nimble proprietress went down into the gully and soon returned with a handful of fresh, tender Chinese toon sprouts, prepared right on the spot—clean and fresh. As we enjoyed the fragrant scrambled eggs with toon and gazed at the towering mountains opposite, the hike gradually became more enjoyable.
Next to the restaurant is the "Liao Jiao" (Feed Cellar). According to the county annals, Shenlingzhai was easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a strategic location for military forces throughout history. This place was once used to store fodder and process grain. The stone mills and mortars silently tell of the vicissitudes of war, immersing visitors in historical memories and reflection, allowing them to experience the depth and splendor of ancient history and culture.
Going up, we turned a corner and saw a round stone that had rolled onto a huge, slanted rock cap, supported by a small tree that prevented it from rolling further. This stone is the famous "Immortal Peach Stone".
According to folk legend, this place was originally a shortcut from the Heavenly Palace to the mortal world. One year, the Queen Mother of the West held a Peach Banquet to celebrate her own birthday. Even the fairy maids and cloud boys guarding the peach orchard left their posts to watch the festivities. Sun Wukong took the opportunity to steal some peaches and shared them with his master and brothers to satisfy their hunger and thirst. When Tang Seng heard that the peaches were stolen from heaven, he loudly scolded Wukong. Wukong then used the "Object-Fixing Spell" to fix the peach in place, and over time, it gradually turned into a stone peach.
After passing the "Peach Stone", we reached the mountainside. Through the dense forest, we could already see the full view of the distant peaks. Next was the most challenging section: the "Heavenly Stairway". The stairway consists of two segments at a 90-degree angle to each other, with a 70-degree slope. The first segment has 108 steps, symbolizing the 108 heroes of the Water Margin. The implication is that to climb the Heavenly Stairway, one must have the courage and boldness of a general. Looking at the stairway that seemed to pierce the clouds, I felt a bit daunted. I love hiking, but my knees cannot bear long-term strain. Similarly, my friend's wife also had trouble. So we had to climb on all fours up the stairway.
After climbing the Heavenly Stairway, we were out of breath and drenched in sweat. We arrived at the observation deck on the summit of "Five Maidens Peak", which is also the highest point of this route. Looking around, we saw a forest of peaks arranged in a picturesque disorder, and a feeling of "I see all other mountains at a glance" arose spontaneously. These landforms were formed during the Himalayan orogeny 190 million years ago due to crustal uplift, creating ancient rocks that have been weathered and eroded over time—a masterpiece of nature. Among them, the magnificent "China's First Stone Waterfall" is the most stunning.
The myriad of pictographic rocks in Shenlingzhai evoke endless imagination. The "Five Maidens Peak" embodies ancient myths and legends, endowing it with a mysterious aura. It resembles five celestial maidens echoing each other under the sunset glow, standing gracefully amidst the landscape, dreamlike and enchanting, making visitors look back every few steps and linger on, reluctant to leave.
In the old county of Luoning, there is a Xishi Village, beside which lies Xishi Lake. Xishi (the legendary beauty) often bathed and played in the lake. Her beauty stirred the celestial maidens, who descended to the mortal world disguised as ordinary people to play with her in the lake. Once, a fairy maiden accidentally dropped her golden hairpin while riding clouds, and it fell into Shenlingzhai. The place has since been called Gold Hairpin River. There was a family in Shenlingzhai with five sisters, all very beautiful.
One day, they saw golden light and purple mist rising in the Shenling Gorge, so they went together to see the marvel and picked up the golden hairpin. The five sisters took turns using the hairpin and became even more beautiful and charming. Their allure again stirred the celestial maidens. When the maidens descended and saw that they were using a heavenly artifact, they were displeased and brought five peaks to punish them. The Taoists of Shenlingzhai quickly invited Lord Laozi to plead their case, and the five sisters were spared. The peaks the celestial maidens brought are the Five Maidens Peak. Later, the five sisters converted to Taoism and ascended to immortality from Five Maidens Peak. Among the peak clusters, clear streams and elegant bamboo and trees create a picturesque scene. The legend holds that the Shenlingzhai area has historically produced many beauties, which is related to this story.
Soon after descending from the side, a huge rock stood by the path like a lion or a tiger, glaring into the distance. There was also a mountain arm with ancient trees growing from crevices, evoking much imagination.
Stone Cypress Flat: Named for a cypress tree growing in a rock crevice, with a tree age of 500 years.
Descending to the valley floor, we reached Gold Hairpin River, which flows through the Shenling Grand Canyon, cutting through rock crevices for over 10 kilometers. The riverbed is dotted with stone waterfall landscapes of various heights and forms—some lying, some standing, some cascading singly, some competing as a group. The stone waterfall landscape is systematic and complete, classified by shape and scale into Flying Waterfall, Giant Waterfall, Dragon Waterfall, Stacked Waterfall, Curtain Waterfall, Radish Waterfall, Skirt Waterfall, Wall Waterfall, Immortal Peach Waterfall, etc. Three suspension bridges meander among them. Visitors wander through the giant rocks and canyons, utterly enchanted by the small bridges and flowing water, taking photos to commemorate.
Dragon and Phoenix Waterfall: Legend has it that when Cangjie was extensively collecting pictographic characters from the people, he passed through Shenlingzhai and was ambushed by a mountain demon and a black dragon. Cangjie used characters to subdue the demon and the dragon. The black dragon was pinned down by the Jade Emperor with a mountain, and its body turned into stone, forming an endless river. On the rock wall, rippling patterns appear, interlocking with exquisite composition, resembling a phoenix tail. The adjacent waterfall plunges down like a dragon exploring the sea. The two waterfalls, one forceful and one gentle, are thus named Dragon and Phoenix Waterfall.
Heartwarming Stone: This stone resembles a beating heart. Even more amazing, on one side, several cracks form an ancient character "heart" (心). Hence the name Heartwarming Stone. A common saying goes: "Young men and women heart to heart, deep in love; young couples heart to heart, grow old together beautifully; old couples heart to heart, have filial children and grandchildren; friends cooperate heart to heart, even earth can turn to gold." It embodies people's wishes for unity, harmony, sincere relations, happiness, and success.
Collapsed Rock (Natural Bridge): Under long-term weathering, the granite body collapsed along its vertical primary joints into the valley bottom. Today, the huge collapsed rock blocks have piled up with empty spaces inside, forming a cavity about 2 meters high that allows visitors to freely pass through, resembling a natural stone bridge—truly a masterpiece of nature.
Passing through the "Natural Bridge", we arrived at Sun Moon Pool. The sun and moon reflect each other to create brilliance, with a small stream flowing between them.
Crossing a delicate suspension bridge (one of the three on Gold Hairpin River), we arrived at Water Curtain Cave. Looking around, mountains embrace water, and water reflects mountains, creating a perfectly harmonious natural painting. A huge rock like a canopy protrudes from the mountain, supported by a suspended stone, forming a natural cave. A clear spring flows down over the rock, creating a beautiful water curtain.
We returned to the foot of the mountain at 5 p.m. We wanted to visit the Shenlingzhai Museum to learn more about the mysterious geology and landforms, but unfortunately it was under renovation. Throughout the journey, the water of Shenlingzhai was clear, elegant, soft, and serene, with graceful streams. Green bamboos lined the banks and paths, like a beautiful gallery. Streams give birth to flying waterfalls, and flowing waterfalls nurture emerald pools. Waterfalls connect, and pools complement each other. With every step, the scenery changes. Viewing mountains emphasizes hiking, while appreciating water emphasizes playing. The riverbeds of Shenlingzhai are all granite, and the stream water flows over rock slabs. People can freely roll up their trousers, walk barefoot, play in the water, hunt for stones, catch fish, or splash waves.
Due to time constraints and the limited open area of the scenic spot, we could not reach many attractions such as the ancient Shenling Temple and the old plank road. There are countless more spots to describe. We agreed to return in autumn when the red leaves cover the mountains, to enjoy the layered colors of Shenlingzhai.
