The legend of Shanwangpo
The "Sanwangpo" in the mountains dozens of miles west of Liujiachang Town is the leading mountain peak in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province. With an altitude of 820 meters, it can be called the roof of Jingzhou.
Sanwangpo is named after the legend of Guan Yu (Guan Gong) during the "Three Kingdoms" period. No one in the land of Jingchu knows the story of "Three Brothers in Taoyuan". Guan Yu, the "former general" of Liu Bei, the king of Hanzhong at that time, was famous all over the world for his bravery, benevolence and righteousness. When Guan Yu was ordered to guard the territory of Shu, this border land was also under his jurisdiction.
It is said that Guan Yu once led his troops along the Weihe River, the remaining branch of Wuling Mountain, to Miaojiaping to inspect the borders and observe the sentiments of the people. One day, I passed by Liujiachang in a roundabout way and stopped in the willow forest by the river to set up camp and set up a stove for cooking. Suddenly a gust of fragrant wind came, which alerted the general. Paiding inquired and learned that there was a mountain bay called "Shanxikou" along the river. There were forests of camphor on the mountains and peach trees everywhere, and the fragrance came from there.
The next day, Guan Yu rode a red rabbit horse and led his troops into the mountains. Walking to the "mountain stream mouth", I saw red and green on the hillside, and the fragrance of flowers was intoxicating. Guan Yu suddenly became interested and whipped his horse to cross the "mountain stream mouth". He approached the camphor and looked at the trees in wonder. Then, through the peach forest and flower bushes, we advanced towards the mountains.
I saw a small thatched hut beside the bamboo forest in the mountain col, with the door tightly closed. He sent his soldiers to knock on him and saw an old man walking out. Guan Yu immediately stepped forward to salute and ask. Seeing his red face and long beard, the old man looked upright, so he saluted and said, the name of this place is "Peach Tree Au". The peak of Houshan Mountain is covered with peach trees, so ancient people also called it "Peach Peak". Later, a landowner named Feng took "Taofeng" as his own and changed "Feng" to "Feng" to show his ownership. Over time, it became "Peach Feng".
Guan Yu led his troops in the direction pointed by the old man and continued to move forward. When we reached a cliff, a canyon blocked the way. The mountain was high, the road was dangerous, and the dense forest covered us. It was a dilemma. Just when there was nothing to do, the sound of woodcutter singing suddenly came from the forest on the hillside. Just as Guan Yu was about to send people to investigate, he got off his red rabbit horse and roared, but the song suddenly stopped. Two young men in Tujia costumes came out from the forest upon hearing the sound. They were holding firewood knives and carrying firewood stands. Seeing soldiers wearing armor beside the cliff valley, I couldn't help but panic.
One soldier said, don't be afraid, we are following General Guan to understand the people's sentiments. The two brothers finally calmed down and walked to the edge of the cliff. Guan Yu asked them who they were and how they could cross the valley.
The tall young man calls himself Yu Er. They are brothers and live in Shanchongli across the street.
Yu Er said that the place where the general was standing was called "Yanmenzi" and our place was called "Waxhuya" because the slope was covered with wax trees. We borrowed these wild thorns and ancient vines to swing across the two sides. With that said, the two brothers grabbed the vine and swung over.
Guan Yu and others were surprised when they saw this. General Guan stepped forward and grabbed the Jing Teng and pulled hard. It was indeed very strong. However, the soldiers could swing across, but the mounts could not move. This made the general worried. The Yu brothers told them about the detour, which was time-consuming but safe for both riders and riders, and also allowed them to pass by their humble residence to invite the general as a guest. The general was very happy and asked the two men to lead the way.
The team detoured over a mountain and came to a flat area, with several families exposed among the trees and bamboos. This is the old home of the Yu brothers.
Seeing that it was already noon, Guan Yu ordered his soldiers to rest and cook on the spot. General Guan followed the Yu family brothers to the Yu family house and saw an old man weaving baskets. Yu Er told his father that the person coming was General Guan Yunchangguan, the sworn brother of King Liu Bei. The old man was very happy and chatted with Guan Yu, and they got along very well.
The general held his hand on the rattan basket and looked at the armor and shields carried by his entourage, feeling deeply moved by it. It turns out that thorn vine can be used not only to destroy lives in war, but also to build homes in peace. How can the dangers of war be eliminated?
Guan Yu asked the old man why the name of this place was so strange, and what did "Ya" mean? Old man Yu said that "Ya" refers to the narrowest place in the mountains.
The old man was very talkative, and he told a legend about Lashuya. Mr. Yin Yang said that Lashuya is a geomantic treasure land. There is a ridge in front of Lashuya. Fengshui calls it a "city wall" and it is suitable for building a mausoleum. The deceased are buried here and asked to step on the "city wall" to bless their descendants. The rich man surnamed Zhang heard about it, found this place, and was later buried here.
The rich man Zhang occupied the land and built the mausoleum, which suppressed the vitality of Qinghe Temple, an old temple in the southwest of Liujiachang. The bells in the morning will not ring, the drums will not ring in the evening, and the number of pilgrims will gradually decrease.
The old monk knew that someone had broken the pulse and damaged the people's happiness. Then he made a plate and fasted, praying to God. When the Jade Emperor learned about it, he sent the King of Tota to inspect and deal with it. On this day, dark clouds suddenly appeared over Lushuya, thunder and lightning struck, and heavy rain fell from the sky. Rich Man Zhang's grave was washed away without a trace, and no bones were left. Quicksand and collapsing rocks also filled up more than half of the pass, making it what it is today. Fortunately, the bells and drums in the Qinghe Temple were finally able to ring."
Guan Yu saw that the Yu family's old house was built with large layers of stone. He suddenly became curious and walked into the house to take a closer look. There were hangings on the wall inside. Some animal skins and black dried meat. When he saw Yu Da coming over, he asked if there was such a stone house elsewhere. They were built by the Tujia people using local materials. Going up, on the "Shanwang Slope" site, there are more such houses, where the families have their own unique surnames, and the Tujia atmosphere is stronger."
Guan Yu walked out. Looking up at the stone house again and looking at the "Shanwang Slope" in the distance, I feel that it is so close. He sent the horses on their way. Old man Yu said that it was already getting late, the terrain in the mountains was complex, and ferocious beasts appeared from time to time, so why not camp before traveling tomorrow?
Guan Yu has strong soldiers and horses and is fearless on the battlefield. How can he be afraid of ferocious beasts? Determined to set off. The old man ordered his two sons to lead the army, and told them to pass through the peach forest and cross "Xiaojialing" before dark. Because the wild beasts in "Yanbangou" will pass through "Wangjiatang" and "Yujiayan" and hide at the intersection to catch food. If they meet, they will be in danger. Yu Da was injured by a tiger in "Wangjiatang" last year.
After hearing this, Guan Yu was very grateful. Saying goodbye to the old people of the Yu family, the people and horses walked quickly through the peach forest. When they reached "Xiaojialing", the sky was getting dark, and Yu Da was eager to move forward by open fire. Yu Er said that the journey was still far, and the "Black Bay" section would be even scarier after using up the torches.
Yu Da was trembling all over and stopped. Guan Yu asked about the situation. He laughed loudly, then grabbed Yu Da and pulled him onto his mount. Yu Er had to take the lead and lead the way carefully. Suddenly, the horse stopped and neighed. The soldiers were horrified when they heard this, and the team became a little commotion. Yu Er saw that something was wrong, so he lit a torch. In the light of the fire, a tiger with a rabbit in its mouth suddenly jumped out of the bushes and flew away.
Yu Er said that we have passed "Xiaojialing" and are crossing Heiwan, and will soon reach "Shanwang Slope". The sky was getting whiter and brighter, and the mist falling from the sky did not even wet the ground, only the white dewdrops on the grass.
The team came to the intersection and saw two people sitting on the stones on the side of the road, and there was a wild boar on the ground. Yu Er recognized them as the Chen brothers and hurriedly stepped forward to say hello. After the Chen brothers learned that Guan Yu was on patrol to show sympathy for the people, they got up and quickly returned to "Shanwangpo" to report the news.
The elders of the Chen family gathered dozens of people to greet him. Guan Yu led his soldiers and carried the wild boar to the "Mountain King" slope.
The married people and Tujia mountain people, men, women and children from "Shanwang Slope" immediately gathered around. Even the respected Grandpa Hao came over with the support of his son.
General Guan asked about the situation of "Shanwang Slope". Grandpa Hao said that most of the people here fled the war, and there are eighteen kinds of surnames. "Mountain King Slope" was named by the ancestors of the Hao family, so the mountain is the highest, at the head of the mountains, and the head is the king, so it is called "Shanwang Slope". The mountain people here rely on the mountains for food, and it is also comfortable to cut down trees and hunt. Many people who have fled have settled here. Most of the mountain people are Tujia people, so they have inherited Tujia customs. The creek mouth at the foot of the mountain is the pass into the mountain. If there is an intruder, the news tree on the "hatding" mountain falls, and the Yu family rushes to the beacon tower behind the mountain, a beacon fire will be lit. When the bells and drums ring at "Jianyan Mountain" and "Guyan Mountain", the mountain people will defend themselves. Therefore, "Mountain King Slope" has always been safe and sound, and the mountain people can live and work in peace and contentment.
Guan Yu climbed up and looked over. The situation was indeed as the two old men said. He was very pleased that the mountain people could protect themselves. At this time, the mountain people set up a "family dinner" in the open air, inviting Guan Yu and the military officers to dine. "Family meal" is the highest courtesy "Shanwangpo" offers to distinguished guests. Each family cooks delicious food and gathers in the open air to invite guests to have a feast together. Guan Yu was deeply moved and seeing that the hospitality was difficult to refuse, he ordered his soldiers to sit down and have a meal. For a while, the soldiers and civilians exchanged cups and cups with deep affection.
During the dinner, Guan Yu asked about the sufferings of the mountain people.
Mr. Hao said that the local mountain people are simple and kind, but they have no ability to defend themselves against enemies. Especially the terrain of "Qigen Nao" is dangerous and ferocious beasts are infested, making it difficult to guard against them. If the general can stay for a few days to train, it will definitely benefit the mountain people.
Guan Yu agreed. Go to "Qigennao" for on-site inspection. "Qigennao" is also called "Miao Lao". There is a small temple that has been in disrepair for a long time. It is said that during the Eastern Han Dynasty, a man named Yiye from Jiangsu and Zhejiang was chased by gangsters. His family was separated on the way, and he fled deep into the mountains alone. When he arrived at Zhuxiagou, he finally fainted due to lack of physical strength. Fortunately, he was discovered by a local hunter and was able to escape from death. Later, we learned that he was a skilled stonemason, but because he offended an official, his family was destroyed. More than ten years later, Mason Ye decided to leave because he missed his family. To be grateful, he taught his skills to his apprentices and built this temple in Qigennao with his own hands. He intended to pray to the compassionate Guanshiyin Bodhisattva to bless the mountain people with good weather and a peaceful life. . On the day when the small temple was completed, which was when he was saying goodbye, we saw each other off at Yitangkou, where we were fortunate enough to meet Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva showed the way with golden light, allowing Ye Shijiang to return to his hometown to find his relatives, and finally his family was reunited. The place where the Bodhisattva appeared is now the "Guanyin River".
General Guan stood at "Qi Gen Nao" and looked into the distance. The right side was deserted. Except for the mountains and forests, there was an abyss whose bottom could not be seen. It was a hiding place for all kinds of wild beasts in the mountains, especially wild boars. No wonder it's called "Zhuxiagou". The general thought about Grandpa Hao's worries. The main reason was that it was difficult to manage the mountain trough in Qigennao. If there was a war, the mountain people would suffer misfortune. So Guan Yu set up camp here to train the mountain people to be brave.
In the early morning of this day, Guan Yu led his troops to patrol "Sanyantang". When he walked to the training ground, he saw that there was never enough light and he was walking around strangely. At this time, a crow was chirping on the branch, which annoyed him so much that he raised the Guan Gong sword and struck it with his sword. As a result, a hole was cut into the hillside, and the sun shone directly through it. Later, people said that the place where Guan Yu cut the pit was called the "Moon Concave" and the direction where the sun shined was called the "Sun Concave". Both concaves were the center points of the irradiation.
Ten days after the tree fell, the mountain people were indeed trained to be strong and brave, so Guan Yu gathered his troops and left. Before leaving, the mountain people wanted to ask General Guan to leave something as a souvenir. General Guan, riding on a high-headed war horse, pointed at the willow forest at Qi Gen Nao's mouth with his big knife, laughed and said, "I'll get it here." Let’s call him “Liu Linchong”!
The team left in a mighty manner, and the soldiers and civilians were reluctant to leave. The mountain people went all the way to the "Mountain King Slope". Guan Yu looked back frequently, looked at each other three times, and waved goodbye. In order to commemorate Guan Yu's three views, the mountain people changed the name of "Shan Wang Slope" to "San Wang Slope".