Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang: A Free-and-Easy Tour for Three
This is another spur-of-the-moment trip. Three old friends, having known each other for many years, took the opportunity of going to Shanghai to run some errands and turned it into a four-day tour. Born in Jiangsu, I had already visited most of the surrounding sights, so on the road we racked our brains to think of places we hadn't been to, or places we'd been to but had faded from memory after so long. I settled on five spots: Beigu Mountain in Zhenjiang, Jinxi Ancient Town in Suzhou, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town in Shanghai, and Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang. As the trip neared its end, someone invited us to Maoshan Mountain in Zhenjiang. I had visited Maoshan at least three times before, but what drew me most was that the Maoshan Taoist priest would receive us personally and promised to show us the four treasures that guard the mountain. It was so mysterious and tantalizing that we had no reason to say no.
Beigu Mountain, one of the three famous scenic mountains in Zhenjiang, lies beside the Yangtze River. Its steep and solid terrain, with rugged stone walls, gives it the name “Beigu” (Northern Solid). Together with Jinshan and Jiaoshan, it forms a tripod, and in controlling Chu and bearing Wu, Beigu Mountain exudes a powerful strategic presence. The story of “Liu Bei’s Marriage Proposal at Ganlu Temple” from the Three Kingdoms period is set here. Pavilions, terraces, ravines, and trails on the mountain are all tied to historical legends of the Sun-Liu alliance. Ganlu Temple sits perched on the peak, creating a characteristic “temple crowning the mountain.” It is said to have been first built in the first year of the Ganlu era of Eastern Wu (265 AD), later repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. The temple, though modest in scale, is well-known, housing halls such as the Main Hall, Laojun Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Jiangsheng Pavilion.
Walk up the Eastern Wu ancient path.
The Fierce Stone, also called Stone Sheep, is where Sun Quan is said to have sat discussing strategy with Liu Bei against Cao Cao’s massive army.
Jijiang Pavilion (River-Worship Pavilion), with its flying eaves and dougong brackets, also known as Lingyun Pavilion.
A couplet reads: “Unknowing, I rise above the birds; with hands hanging down, I can still catch giant turtles.”
Legend says Lady Sun Shangxiang, upon hearing of Liu Bei’s death, offered remote sacrifice here before throwing herself into the river. The patriotic Southern Song poet Xin Qiji ascended this pavilion, watched the endless Yangtze roll eastward, and composed two immortal masterpieces—“Nanxiangzi: Ascending the North Watchtower at Jingkou” and “Yongyu Le: Reminiscing the Past at Beigu Pavilion”—using the past to satirize the present, condemning the Southern Song rulers’ decadence and unwillingness to reclaim the lost central plains:
Where to gaze upon the Central Plains? My eyes are filled with the view from Beigu Tower. How many affairs rise and fall through the ages, endless, like the ceaseless Yangtze flowing east. As a youth he led ten thousand troops, held the southeast and fought unceasingly. Who among heroes under heaven can rival him? Cao and Liu. In begetting a son, one should hope for a Sun Zhongmou.
Over a thousand years of hills and rivers, the hero cannot be found at Sun Zhongmou’s place. Dancing halls and singing stages, all gallantry washed away by wind and rain. Slanting sun, grass and trees, common alleys and lanes—people say the slave Jinu once lived here. Think of those years, gilded spears and iron steeds, swallowing ten thousand miles like a tiger. In Yuanjia’s hasty northern expedition, he aimed to seal the Langjuxu peak but fled in panic, looking north. Forty-three years have passed; looking back, I still remember the beacon fires along the Yangzhou road. How can I bear to recall, beneath the Fuli shrine, a flock of sacred crows and village drums? For whom do I ask, Lian Po old, can he still eat?
East, west, north—vast waters and high sky, a grandeur that seems to swallow heaven and earth.
The Number One River-Mountain Under Heaven. Legend has it that during the Three Kingdoms, when Liu Bei came to Eastern Wu to seek a bride, Sun Quan hosted a banquet and accompanied him to enjoy the river view. Seeing Beigu Mountain’s imposing presence by the river, with the mighty Yangtze rolling eastward as far as the eye could see, Liu Bei couldn’t help exclaiming, “Beigu Mountain is truly the number one river-mountain under heaven!” In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Liang climbed Beigu Mountain, impressed by the magnificent scenery, and enthusiastically wrote the six characters “天下第一江山.” Unfortunately, the original is now impossible to find. By the Southern Song, Wu Ju, the governor of Runzhou (Zhenjiang) and a noted calligrapher, re-wrote them. During the Kangxi reign of the Qing, Cheng Kangzhuang, the vice-magistrate of Zhenjiang, copied and engraved them on stone. From then on, Beigu Mountain rightfully earned the title “Number One River-Mountain Under Heaven.”
It is said that at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, amid northern chaos, the Eastern Jin maintained a fragile peace south of the Yangtze, establishing its capital at Jianye (present-day Nanjing). Many northerners migrated south, so the Eastern Jin set up Xu Province with its seat at Jingkou (Zhenjiang). During the Liu Song period, it was officially named South Xuzhou, and “Nanxu” later became an alias for Zhenjiang.
Friendship trees planted by Zhenjiang, China, and Tempe, USA.
The Iron Pagoda, also known as “Weigong Pagoda,” is an important relic of Beigu Mountain. It is one of only six surviving iron pagodas in China and the sole iron pagoda in Jiangsu Province, a provincial-level protected cultural relic.
The Ancient Ganlu Temple, situated on the summit of Beigu Mountain’s northern peak, was first built during the Ganlu era of Eastern Wu (265-266). The temple plaque was personally written by Zhang Fei. To commemorate Zhenjiang’s role as a Wu capital and ensure that the Three Kingdoms history would never be forgotten, the relics and legends of the Liu-Sun alliance were brought to the mountain. Even today, the Peking opera “Ganlu Temple” (also known as “Dragon and Phoenix Bring Good Fortune”) remains deeply rooted in folk culture. The ancient temple was once vast, with over 500 monks in the Song Dynasty; in its Ming-Qing heyday, there were over 200 halls and rooms. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong built temporary palaces here. Ganlu Temple is one of ancient China’s famed Buddhist sites, and its architectural style differs from Jinshan and Jiaoshan, using the technique of “suppressing the mountain with the temple”—flying pavilions soaring into the air—creating the “temple crowning the mountain” feature.
This is a typical Jiangnan water town with over two thousand years of history, known as the “Home of Chinese Folk Museums.” It preserves many human landscapes, historical relics, and distinctive Ming and Qing architecture. Famous spots include the Tongshen Imperial Court, the Chenfei Water Tomb, and the Lotus Pond Zen Temple. The town is crisscrossed by rivers and canals, embraced by marshes, with streets and lanes hugging the water and connected by bridges. Most surviving residences date from the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, built by and above the water—brick-and-timber structures of one or two stories with gray tiles and white walls, opening doors or water-gate piers onto the canals. Two riverside streets form the town’s main commercial thoroughfares. It has been honored as a National Historic and Cultural Town, National Folk Culture and Art Town, National Environmentally Beautiful Town, recipient of the China Habitat Environment Best Practices Award, National Characteristic Landscape Tourism Town, and National AAAA Tourist Attraction.
At the entrance stands a stone archway bearing “水乡佛国” (Water Town, Buddhist Land), with a couplet on either side:
“Moonlit causeway reflects water tomb’s fragrance, white ripples and snow-white gulls seek old friends; Flying pavilions pierce the clouds, temple bells drift, and Buddhist chants bring new melodies.”
This seems to be a signature covered water corridor of Jinxi.
The Chenfei Water Tomb lies in the center of the lake, within the Five-Protection Lake south of town. In the first year of the Longxing era of the Southern Song (1163), when the Jin army invaded, Emperor Xiaozong fled south with his household to Lin’an; on the way, his consort Chen died of illness and was interred in this water tomb. For this reason, Jinxi Town was once known as Chenmu Town.
Stone-paved streets, stone-revetted banks, shaded by green trees, with small boats drifting leisurely—renowned writer Shen Congwen likened it to “a maiden in her dreams.”
Waterfront corridors offer shelter from rain and sun, ideal for strolling and resting, true homes of people living by the water.
The ancient town’s waterways stretch over six kilometers, giving rise to numerous old bridges, earning it the reputation of “36 bridges, 72 kilns.”
Zhujiajiao, located at the junction of Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang, belongs to Qingpu District of Shanghai. It is a typical Jiangnan water town and is known as “Shanghai’s Largest Town.” Inside are several old streets: North Street, East Well Street, West Well Street, Daxin Street, East Market Street, Shengli Street, Caohe Street, East Lake Street, West Lake Street, among which North Street was honored as one of “Shanghai’s Top Ten Leisure Streets” in November 2005.
A small market settlement gradually formed during the Song and Yuan dynasties, called Zhujia Village. Water routes connect west to Dianshan Lake, across by the Dianpu River, and along by the Zhumao River, linking upstream with the Taihu Lake system and downstream directly to the Huangpu River. The waterway is wide and well-connected. In the 40th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1612), thanks to convenient water transport, trade gathered here, and it once became famous in Jiangnan for its cloth industry, earning the title “clothes and blankets for all under heaven,” becoming a great Jiangnan town. In the late Ming and early Qing, Zhujiajiao’s rice trade surged, driving all businesses to flourish—“three li of long street, a thousand shops.” Old and famous stores stood shoulder to shoulder, dealing in everything from north to south, their trade reaching hundreds of li across Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Hence the saying: “Three Jings (Zhujing, Fengjing, Sijing) are not worth one Jiao (Zhujiajiao).”
A thousand-year-old Jiangnan water town—Zhujiajiao. Small bridges, flowing water, ancient camphor trees, riverside shops, swaying boats with lanterns, stone-paved docks, white walls and black tiles—all come together to create a water-town scene.
Various ration coupons from the planned economy period.
The weather was uncooperative, and it began to rain, washing the streets clean and tidy, adding a stronger antique charm.
Yuanjin Zen Temple by the Caogang River.
The Caohe River and Tai’an Bridge.
Handalong Preserved Goods Store on North Street, founded in 1915.
The most famous Fangsheng Bridge is the largest five-arch stone bridge in the Shanghai area, spanning the Dianpu River.
A dazzling array of delicacies. The streets are lined with snack shops where you can taste the renowned Granny’s Zongzi, ancient town tangyuan, braised pig trotters, and all sorts of exquisite pastries.
The rain grew heavier; tourists either sought shelter or left, and the crowds gradually thinned.
Afterward, we headed to Shanghai to take care of business.
Tianmu Mountain, anciently known as Fuyu Mountain, is renowned as “a canopy of great trees known throughout the realm.” It is located in Lin’an, Zhejiang, on the border between Zhejiang and Anhui. Its main peak, Immortal Peak, rises to 1,506 meters. The name “Tianmu” (Heavenly Eyes) dates from the Han Dynasty: it has two peaks, east and west, each with a pool at the top that never dries up, hence the name. It is also the largest acknowledged sacred site of Skanda Bodhisattva. Tianmu Mountain features layered emerald peaks and ancient towering trees, perilous crags and bizarre rocks, splashing springs and cascading waterfalls. Known as the “Kingdom of Giant Trees” and a “Cool World,” it has always been a place for rejuvenation and reflection. The mountain’s deep, multi-layered beauty and its profound cultural richness bestow upon people an inexhaustible heritage and unique natural charm.
Crown Prince Xiao Tong of the Liang Dynasty (editor of Wenxuan), Li Bai and Bai Juyi of the Tang, Su Shi of the Song, and Zhang Yu of the Yuan all left beautiful poems and timeless works here. In the Ming Dynasty, over a hundred literati climbed Tianmu Mountain to explore the depths and novelty, reciting their travels and leaving more than 160 poems and essays.
Tianmu Mountain is a renowned mountain blending Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, steeped in historical culture. Prince Xiao Tong compiled the Wenxuan here; the great Taoist master Zhang Daoling of the Western Han was born and cultivated himself here; the Eastern Han’s Dongyuan Ji lists Tianmu Mountain as the 34th Taoist grotto-heaven. Buddhism entered the mountain in the Jin Dynasty, with over 50 temples and monasteries at one time, housing more than a thousand monks at its peak. It was the place where the Japanese Rinzai school’s Eigenji monastery found its revival and has wide influence in Southeast Asia.
Historically, it was as famous as Hangzhou’s Lingyin Temple. Surrounded by hills, the setting is extremely elegant. During the anti-Japanese war, it housed Zhejiang Provincial No.1 Middle School, and Zhejiang University relocated here temporarily. In 1939, Comrade Zhou Enlai gave a speech on united resistance against Japan at Chanyuan Temple’s Baizi Hall.
Though ravaged by war and weather, some remnants still survive.
Along the path, streams babble persistently, and moss blankets the ground—like the wizard of Oz’s wild greens, exuding an ancient, primeval feel. The photo shows an old stone bridge.
On the thousand-year-old trail, giant trees stand like sentinels.
When Emperor Qianlong of the Qing toured the Southern Trip, he visited West Tianmu Mountain and named this tree the “King of Big Trees.” Legend says its bark could cure all ailments, leading tourists and pilgrims to peel it off, and the tree died in the 1930s. Yet the King of Big Trees has stood dead but unyielding for over ninety years; a vibrant green new shoot even parasitizes its withered trunk.
On the left is a stele inscribed “大树王” (King of Big Trees) written by the Nationalist Party elder Yu Youren; Zhou Enlai also once wrapped his arms around this tree together with someone else.
The New King of Big Trees, not far from the old one, is a rising star in the Cryptomeria forest—now truly unique in China.
Five Generations Together: This is the world’s oldest ginkgo tree, over 12,000 years old, a contemporary of the dinosaurs and the “ancestor of all ginkgos.” At its base, 22 saplings have sprouted; you can’t count how many generations live together!
Ancient Founding Monastery (Kaishan Laodian): Built in the Yuan Dynasty, it is recorded in Li Daoyuan’s Northern Wei Dynasty work Commentary on the Water Classic, with a history of over 700 years. Inside is a display hall of Zen culture, and a droll couplet handwritten by Hu Shi: “Say a few words according to the evidence; as a monk for a day, strike the bell for a day.”
We stayed at an international hotel in Liyang. To the front right was a large park; from afar, it looked full of charm, so we got up early and strolled over.
With hills and water, the views unfold with every turn.
Graceful curves and eye-pleasing greenery.
An artificial waterfall blending mountain and water.
Arched floral gate beside the fitness trail. This is a very large park; we walked a full loop, skipping only the children’s playground.
Maoshan Mountain, situated on the border between Jintan in Changzhou and Jurong in Zhenjiang, is the foremost blessed land and the eighth grotto-heaven of Taoism. It is rich in historical remains and cultural relics. Over two thousand years of Taoist history, Maoshan venerates the Three Mao Immortals as founding patriarchs and is the birthplace of the Shangqing School, known as the “Shangqing Lineage Altar.”
A place known as a blessed land with wondrous peaks and ravines; the three palaces and five temples are known as the passage to the grotto-heaven.
Maoshan New Fourth Army Memorial Hall. Above are photos of the hall’s interior and exterior exhibits and artifacts.
The Victory Monument of the Anti-Japanese War in South Jiangsu, with statues of Chen Yi and Su Yu; the inscription was written by General Zhang Aiping.
In late April 1938, the Red Army entered the Maoshan area and established the South Jiangsu Anti-Japanese Base Area centered on Maoshan. The base served as a spearhead, a stronghold, and a hub, making significant contributions to the final victory of the national resistance. One remarkable thing is that if you set off firecrackers at the foot of the steps, the sound of a Red Army bugle call will echo from the mountaintop—thus “firecrackers below, bugle call from the air” has become a world wonder.
I have visited Maoshan Scenic Area several times before. The main purpose this trip was to appreciate the treasures guarding the Taoist temple.
A cousin of one of my travel companions is a Taoist, well acquainted with the Maoshan priest, which made it easy for us to view the treasures.
We took a scenic area shuttle up to Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace. A Taoist friend brought us into a lounge beside the temple, brewed tea, and we waited for the priest. After the priest arrived and exchanged a few words, he took out his keys, opened a safe, brought out a box, opened it, and began to explain each item one by one. Finally, he gave each of us a sachet containing a talisman stamped with a jade seal.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, Empress Dowager Meng, mother of Emperor Zhezong, accidentally swallowed an embroidered silver needle. The imperial doctors were helpless, and she awaited death. Emperor Zhezong issued a national plea for help. Through the recommendation of Prime Minister Wang Anshi, the 25th Maoshan patriarch Liu Hunkang was summoned to the palace. Using secret Taoist talismans and elixirs, he saved Empress Dowager Meng (she swallowed talisman ash, medicine, thread, and water; when she vomited, the thread had passed through the eye of the needle). The emperor was overjoyed and deeply impressed by the Taoist’s medical skills, bestowing on Liu the title “Master of Insight and Marvelous Doctrine,” allowing him to reside at the Shangqing Chu Xiang Palace in the capital and correspond directly with the emperor. He also bestowed gold, silver, and decreed the establishment of Yuanfu Wanning Palace. Later, Emperor Huizong succeeded to the throne and again invited Liu Hunkang to the capital, granting him eight treasures: the Jade Seal of the Nine Elders Immortal Capital Lord, a Jade Edict commanding heaven and earth, an Imperial Jade Tablet of the Ancestral Altar, a Ha Inkstone, an Imperial Jade Target bestowed by Huizong, twelve scrolls of The Secret of the Supreme Clarity Cavern, twelve scrolls of The Supreme Clarity Cavern Certificate Verse, and one scroll of The Liao King’s Verse. Liu Hunkang did not wish to stay in the capital and returned to Maoshan after a year. These treasures were then regarded as the “Mountain-Guarding Treasures” of Maoshan Taoism. Over centuries of wars and turmoil, the last four items were lost, leaving only the Jade Seal, Jade Tablet, Jade Edict, and Ha Inkstone preserved in Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace.
Among them:
Jade Seal: Inscribed with the six raised characters “九老仙都君印” (Seal of the Nine Elders Immortal Capital Lord), it is said to be made from leftover jade after Qin Shi Huang’s Imperial Heirloom Seal was carved; some say it was hewn from part of the Warring States’ “He’s Jade Disc.” Legend says it “consumes four liang of cinnabar at night and stamps a thousand yellow sheets by day.” Another legend claims Zhu Yuanzhang once took the seal to his palace, intending to recarve it as “奉天承运文宝” (Treasure of Receiving the Mandate of Heaven), but after three attempts, the seal still read “九老仙都君印,” so he had it returned to Maoshan in the 13th year of the Hongwu reign (1379).
Ha Inkstone: A jade inkstone; when you breathe on it, water droplets appear, and a brush licked on it produces cinnabar ink. There are also two fine lines on the stone shaped like two fish-dragons. The most magical thing is that every noon and midnight, the two fish-dragons would meet in the inkstone’s nest, called “Zi Wu Gui Cao” (returning to the trough at noon and midnight). Later, Zeng Guofan’s son dropped it while playing, damaging the upper left corner, and the miracle never reappeared.
Jade Edict: Also called the Heart-Calming Edict, made of white jade, engraved in intaglio with “合明天、帝日敕” (An edict uniting heaven and day), it is believed to ward off evil and protect peace.
Jade Tablet: Because Maoshan is the Shangqing Lineage Altar, this is called the Ancestral Altar Jade Tablet. It is used only when sacrificing to heaven, earth, and the Daoist ancestors. The 34-cm-long tablet’s upper patterns look like flying bats from afar and soaring dragons up close; the middle resembles swirling clouds; the bottom appears as layered ridges. It changes color with the seasons, and in spring and autumn, it often “sweats” moisture.
A close-up photo of the four treasures.
Imperially Bestowed Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, located at the highest point of Maoshan and its most influential temple, sits atop the main peak, Great Mao Peak, and is commonly called the Top Palace. It was built by imperial decree during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty.
Imperially Bestowed Yuanfu Wanning Palace, also known as the Seal Palace, originally housed the mountain-guarding treasure—the Jade Seal. Hence the Maoshan saying: “a stick of incense at the Top Palace, a seal at the Seal Palace.”
Looking back at the gate of multitudinous wonders, the deep Taoist mountains and quiet paths, dense forests, clear waters, and a long, profound history. Such a karmic encounter, truly rare, fills me with inexpressible delight—wonderful beyond words!
