From the Three Gorges to Luoyang
Where to gaze upon the divine land? Full view from Beigu Tower stands at hand. How many vicissitudes have passed in days gone by? Unending, the Yangtze River rolls on without rest. In youth, with myriad helmets, I held sway over the southeast, but the war rages on. Who among heroes under heaven is my match? Cao Cao and Liu Bei. A son should be born like Sun Quan, Lord of Soochow. This is a lyric poem by the great Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji, titled 'Song of the South: Ascending Beigu Pavilion at Jingkou.' As I read this poem, I felt deeply moved by the rise and fall of history and the fading of heroes. Though history has passed, the rivers and mountains remain lush. Life's ups and downs, millennia of vicissitudes—my nostalgia for the past surged forth. Years ago, I traveled from the mountain city of Chongqing, along the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, through Jingzhou, into the Central Plains, and finally to Luoyang, commemorating historical figures and admiring the splendid landscapes, gaining much insight.
**Farewell to the Mountain City at Chaotianmen**
At dusk, I boarded a cruise ship at Chongqing's Chaotianmen Dock. The ship sailed off, bid farewell by the dazzling nightscape of the mountain city. The gorges were steep, and the river rushed. The ship moved slowly, like a traveler cautiously treading between towering peaks. Looking out the porthole, the twilight deepened, and everywhere was a vast expanse of mist. Only a trace of sunset lingered on the high mountains to the west, with a few bright wisps of evening glow. Between the high gorges, the water shimmered dimly. The varied, towering peaks stood like giants—some standing, some crouching, some sitting—lost in meditation amidst the swirling clouds and mist. The river, unwilling to look back on the past and refusing to pause for a moment, flowed on steadily and urgently forward. Here and there along the banks and midstream, little green, yellow, and red navigation lights flickered on, laying a glittering path for the ship.
**Exploring the Ghost City on a Windy and Rainy Night**
The ship arrived at Fengdu in the evening. The wind howled, and rain drifted with the wind, bringing a chill. My companions were unwilling to go ashore, but Xiao Bo and I insisted on visiting the Ghost City. We took a cable car up the mountain slowly. It was a simple cable car with no cover; the wind blew on us, and raindrops drizzled on us, making us shiver from cold. When we reached the top, only a pale sliver of light shone on the ground, and the temple pavilions appeared as dark shadows... Fengdu Ghost City has long been famous as the 'Capital of the Ghost Kingdom' and the 'Underworld,' said to be the destination where souls go after death. The Ghost City has three palaces and nine mansions, with halls and towers as splendid as heaven. The Ghost Emperor sits here, commanding billions of ghosts. On the mountain, ancient trees tower, and temples stand in clusters. In the vast underworld system, Taoists, Buddhists, Confucians, and various deities and ghosts occupy different temples, forming a strict hierarchy, each with their own duties, ruling over the legendary underworld with harsh punishments. On a night of wind and rain, the pitch-black sky seemed to drift with gray clouds moving feebly. In the eerie weather, a few dim, spiritless lights flickered like ghost fires. Near us, the light was dim, and some places were pitch dark. I couldn't even see what was at my feet, as if falling into a thick fog. The rain grew denser, and the night wind blew with a distant, mournful, and sorrowful wail, occasionally mixed with a heart-stopping unknown roar. The silence of the night was almost shattered by these interlacing sounds. Xiao Bo and I held umbrellas, stepping unsteadily, wandering through the Ghost City like lost souls. Crossing Naihe Bridge, lingering at Wangxiang Terrace, entering the Ghost Gate, walking the Yellow Spring Road, lingering at the Temple of Haha, visiting the Hall of Impermanence, the City God Hall, the Nine Python Hall, the Repayment Hall... Everywhere we went, ferocious ghosts glared with hideous faces, candles flickered in the halls, and the sound of wind and rain, along with swaying trees, sent chills down our spines. Fewer and fewer tourists remained, and the guide left after setting a meeting time. Now the night grew even darker, the wind shrieking like ghostly wails. Lanterns and red candles swayed in the wind, and the entire Ghost City seemed to be left with only Xiao Bo and me. Around us, there seemed to be rustling sounds, as if ghosts were following. Our scalps tingled, and our clothes and shoes were wet. Though not every step was frightening, we still trembled now and then.
**Clear Wind on the River: Zhang Fei Temple**
Listening to the rain on the boat all night, I looked out the window in the early morning. The rain had stopped. Masses of thick clouds still lingered on the skyline, and faint traces of rain hung in the air. A damp, quiet, blue-green mist filled the sky and earth. In the morning, I stood on the deck, looking into the wind into the distance. The ship sailed steadily. The azure sky was clear as if washed. The river stretched vast and mighty, sometimes reaching broad expanses, flat and endless, flowing mightily. Sometimes it entered narrow defiles with layered mountains and sheer cliffs on both sides, winding and extremely secluded and rugged. On the distant bank, a cluster of green trees appeared as dark as ink. Amid the hazy dark green, fiery red flowers dotted here and there, like a crisp, joyful flute note leaping out of a thick, gentle string music, adding much vitality to the clear morning after the rain.
**Eternal Sorrow at White Emperor City**
When the ship reached this section, one couldn't help but experience the treacherous waters of the Three Gorges. Reefs constantly appeared on the river's surface. Countless dangerous shoals lay hidden midstream. On both banks, the gorges were narrow and the current swift, with whirlpools overlapping and perilous waves chasing each other. Shoals and gorges alternated in the river, with turbulent waves. The great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai left behind beautiful verses when passing through here: 'Leaving at dawn the White Emperor crowned with cloud, I've sailed a thousand miles through canyons in a day. With monkeys' sad adieus the riverbanks are loud; My skiff has left ten thousand mountains far away.'
**The Temple of Qu Yuan on the High Mountains and Far Waters**
In the morning, the ship gradually slowed. Looking up at the riverbank, amidst orange groves and verdant cypress, stood the Qu Yuan Temple. Built in 820 AD (the 15th year of the Yuanhe reign of the Tang Dynasty) at Qu Yuan's birthplace—Lepingli, Quyuan Town, Zigui County—it was originally called Qu Yuan Temple. A stone stele was inscribed with 'Inscription and Preface for the Shrine of Lord Qu, the Third-Grandee of Chu,' praising Qu Yuan's 'righteousness surpassing a hundred men, literary brilliance enduring for millennia, his loyalty able to inspire the customs, his purity able to reform the greedy.'
**The Simple and Tranquil Ancient Longzhong**
After passing the Three Gorges, the river opened up. The flat shoals on both banks, with clusters of willow trees, were still submerged in water, appearing as a vast expanse of green, blending seamlessly with the emerald river. Arriving at Yichang, we went ashore and took a bus to Jingzhou—the same Jingzhou where Guan Yu lost the city through carelessness. The city wall of ancient Jingzhou, though old and broken, scarred by countless knife wounds and bullet marks from various dynasties, was adorned with hanging green vines. The vines swayed gently in the wind, soft and graceful, exuding a vibrant spring atmosphere.
**The Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties: Peony City, Luoyang**
Luoyang was the last stop of my journey. The ancient capital Luoyang lies in the heart of the Central Plains, historically known as the 'thoroughfare of ten provinces.' This city, once the capital of nine dynasties, remains a national historical and cultural city. Luoyang is also known as the 'Peony City' for its long history of peony cultivation. As an ancient capital of nine dynasties, I felt that Luoyang exudes a grand and flourishing aura. This grandeur is especially evident in its peonies. Known for their elegance, luxury, and enchanting beauty, peonies have earned the titles 'King of Flowers' and 'national beauty and heavenly fragrance.' Entering the Luoyang Peony Garden, I was instantly captivated by the charming scenery. The graceful peony plants, according to their colors, flower shapes, origins, and cultivating families, were given many beautiful names such as 'Yao Yellow,' 'Wei Purple,' 'Qianxi Crimson,' and 'Crane Flying Red,' all of which are supreme among flowers.
**Honoring Loyalty, Righteousness, Benevolence, and Valor at Guan Lin**
Guan Lin, located east of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, is the place where Cao Cao buried Guan Yu. The temple was first built in the Ming Dynasty and is one of the most magnificent Guan Yu temples in China. The White Horse Temple in the east of Luoyang, with a history of over 1,900 years, was the first temple built after Buddhism was introduced to China proper. Guan Lin is the only place in the country where a tomb, temple, and forest are combined in a single site of worship. This is because it holds the highest status among all Guan Yu temples. Entering Guan Lin felt like stepping into an imperial palace. Since childhood, I have admired Guan Yu. When I stood before the eight-character wall at the gate of Guan Lin Temple, the hero, who seemed like a distant legend, was now very close to me.
