Legends of Jingxian County

The story of Man Gong Temple in Jingxian County and Wu Mansheng

Man Gong Temple is located on the Jiujia East River in Maolin Town, Jing County, and is slightly smaller than the Wu Ancestral Temple. It has three bays and five couplets in the front and rear, facing south from the north. It covers an area of ​​about 1,000 square meters including the side room on the right. There is a wall in front of the temple to form a courtyard, and the temple is composed of a front hall, a patio, a hall and a dormitory building. Among them, there are 6 square white stone pillars and 40 large round wooden pillars. The square green base under the pillars is carved with tangled branches. There are exquisite carvings on the moon beams, melon pillars and single plate buckets. There is a caisson with geometric patterns on the top of the hall, and bluestone tablets with the four characters "loyalty, filial piety, justice" are embedded on the walls on both sides. There is a second building at the back, which was originally a "bedroom building" for displaying ancestral tablets.

This ancestral hall is used by the Jiujia clan to worship Duke Mansheng, but Wu Mansheng is not the earliest ancestor of the Jiujia clan. According to the Wu family genealogy records, the Jiujia branch was separated from Song Jiatan earlier. Around the early Yuan Dynasty, Wu Xuexing moved to the Dongxi River. Wu Mansheng was the fourth generation grandson of Wu Xuexing. He was born in the Yichou year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty and died in the Renwu year of Tianshun (1385-1462). Why should a separate temple be built for Wu Mansheng? It may be that the Jiujia branch only prospered after Wu Mansheng arrived. He has 4 sons: Kaihe, Hehe, Langhe, and Kaihe. Among them, Kai, He and Lang are all prosperous, and their residence is called "Sansantan", which is later rumored to be "Huoshaotan". There is also a biography of Wu Mansheng in the genealogy. It is said that he did the work of collecting grain. Because his attitude was very harsh, which aroused the resentment of the villagers, he was sued by the people of Shuikou (Xixiang, Jingxian County) and was imprisoned for a year and a half. While in prison, I dreamed of God’s rescue, and sure enough I was released the next day. But the local folklore and storyline are very bizarre. It is said that Wu Mansheng was exiled to Heilongjiang and stayed in an inn. The owner of the inn asked him whether he should eat "rice meat" or "bran meat"? He thought "bran meat" must be unpalatable, so he ordered dishes made of "rice meat". When he went upstairs to stay at night, a maid told him: "Rice meat" is human flesh. If you eat dishes made from human flesh today, you will be killed that night, and your meat will be used to make dishes for others to eat. Wu Mansheng was horrified when he heard this, and he knelt down and begged the maid for help. The maid said that I can't save you. She can only pray to a small Bodhisattva enshrined in the shrine. He bowed his head to the statue and made a wish that if he could escape with his life, he would offer incense for generations to come. After praying, he tied the small statue to his back, put his feet on straw sandals upside down, and with the help of the maid, he opened the window and lowered the rope downstairs. It was snowing heavily at the time. He walked south for more than ten miles and found an ancient temple on the roadside. The door was covered with thick spider webs. He was very tired, so he crawled through the cobwebs and rested in the temple. While sleeping, I suddenly heard the voice of the maid upstairs in the inn: Guest, you have escaped, I will lose my life for you! Wu Mansheng woke up and kowtowed again and made a wish: Please come back to your hometown with me and enjoy the incense of my descendants for thousands of years. It turned out that the owner of the black shop went upstairs with a knife at midnight and found that Wu Mansheng had escaped. Knowing that it was the maid who revealed the news, he killed her. The shop owner was not willing to give up and asked a waiter to go downstairs to search, but strangely, there were only footprints on the snow, but no footprints of departure. They followed the footprints and searched southward. When they arrived in front of the ancient temple, the footprints disappeared. The shop owner suspected that the fugitives had hidden in the ancient temple. The clerk said that the door of the ancient temple was covered with thick spider webs and it was impossible for anyone to enter. They muttered for a while, then turned and went back. Wu Mansheng heard clearly in the temple and knew that the gods were blessing him, so that the broken cobwebs were re-weaved all over the temple door.

After Wu Mansheng escaped from danger, he traveled a long distance to the north bank of the Yangtze River. There was no boat to cross the vast river. He bowed his head to the little god again and prayed for his safe return home. I took a nap by the riverside and woke up to find that I had arrived in Jiangnan. It was late at night when he arrived at Maolin. He first went to his grandmother's house in Mayuan to inquire about the situation at home. Grandma thought it was his wronged ghost who had returned, so she said: Man Sheng'er, I know how painful your death was, and I will burn money paper for you tomorrow. Wu Mansheng said: Grandma, I didn’t die, I came back alive! Grandma didn't believe it and still didn't open the door. Wu Mansheng put his hand into the dog hole and said: Grandma, if you touch my hand and it is hot, it proves that I am not dead. Grandma touched the warm and soft hand before opening the door and letting him enter the house. Before he entered his grandmother's house, he placed the small statue in a culvert on the roadside. After eating, he couldn't move it when he came back to pick it up. Wu Mansheng said: Maybe the Bodhisattva has taken a fancy to this place, and I will build a temple for you here in the future.

Although this is a mythical story, there are indeed two Nantan temples in Maolin Jiujia, one behind the Manggong Temple and the other in Mayuan.

There is also a stone tablet erected in the 15th year of Jiaqing (1810) in the Nantan Temple in Mayuan, which is engraved with the location and number of acres of the sacred field of the "Thirteen Friends" named Wu Hong. The income is used to fund the activities of worshiping the gods. This southern temple The altar temple may have been built in the Ming Dynasty. In front of the temple, there is also the "Hong Sanjia Sacrifice Hall" with three rooms and two entrances. The front door wall has brick carvings and five brick brackets. The components inside the house also have the characteristics of Ming Dynasty architecture. It is a very old house. In addition, local elders have seen the activities of old temple fairs. In addition to the "Three Saints of the South Altar", there was also a small golden statue, which was said to have been carried back by Wu Mansheng. There is also a sacred palanquin carried by two people, which enshrines the "Flower Lady" goddess, which is also said to be a sacrifice to the maid who lost her life to save Wu Mansheng. It seems that the temple fair activities of the "Thirteenth Society" are consistent with the above-mentioned mythical story.

Wu Mansheng was born in the early Ming Dynasty, and the construction of a temple for him may have been in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, earlier than the Wu ancestral temple. However, the existing Manggong Temple is obviously a building from the late Qing Dynasty. According to the analysis of local legends, the original Man Gong Temple may have been destroyed in the war and rebuilt later. During the Anti-Japanese War, Wuhu fell and Guangyi Middle School moved to Maolin and set up a branch in Manggong Temple. Many students from the area along the river came to study here. A group of progressive teachers and students joined the New Fourth Army and embarked on the road of revolution. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Maolin Supply and Marketing Cooperative set up a purchasing station in the ancestral hall. Although the ancestral hall is preserved, the internal components and many plaques no longer exist.

Various legends and stories about Qindao Mountain on the banks of Qinxi River

Qindao Mountain, also known as Qinfeng Peak, is located on the bank of Qinxi River in Jing County. It is independent and spectacular. When passing Qinxi back and forth, I always stick my head out and look out of the car window unconsciously. The high mountains, broad backs, and long tails are like lions, vivid and powerful. There is good vegetation on the mountain, which is lush green, covered with bamboos and trees, and evergreen all year round. Whether it is a rainy spring, a scorching summer, a wind-swept late autumn, or a snowy winter, Qintao Mountain always attracts people with its unique scenery. What's even more rare is that there are some ancient legends hidden behind the alluring scenery. These ancient legends are illusory, dreamlike, and confusing, adding to the mystery and interest of Qintao Mountain.

Inspired by this, accompanied by my friends, I approached Qin Gao Mountain that day. The first thing that catches the eye are the three large seal characters "Qin Gaoshan". It is said that those three seal characters were written by Lin Chun, the magistrate of Jing County during the Qiandao period of the Southern Song Dynasty. "Life is short, green hills are eternal." More than 800 years have passed, and the three huge seal characters are still as clear and gleaming as ever.

Standing at the foot of the mountain and looking up, the huge boulders on the top of the mountain protrude, as if they are about to fall, which is frightening and shuddering. The cliff under the boulder is thousands of feet tall, smooth and steep, as if it were chopped with a knife or an axe. Huh? It just reaches the Qinxi River and ends there. How could there be such a scene if people hadn't used explosives to blow it up or deliberately blocked it in some other way? Could it be that mountains, like people, also have life and spirituality? I'm puzzled.

The high cliffs are densely engraved with words, some of which are deep and clearly legible; some of them are obscured by wind and rain. Some are exquisite, some are clumsy; some are delicate, some are ugly. It resembles the forest of steles or the ancient stone carvings remaining on the ruined walls. When you go up to the mountain, you can see poems and poems carved on stones such as "Qinxiandansuo", "Xianxixi", "Deepness of Diaotai", "Qingaogong Yinyu Cliff" and so on. It is said that during the Eastern Han Dynasty, a virgin named Qin Gao fell in love with the feng shui of this mountain. He made the mountain his home, lived in the cave for a long time, devoted himself to cultivating Taoism, refining elixirs all day long, and fishing at the right time. Finally, he completed his merits and became an immortal through cultivation. He floated away in the clouds and mist... Qin Gao Mountain got its name from this.

Entering the cave, I saw the stone stove, stone table, stone bench and other relics that Qin Gao used in his life and alchemy. He was filled with emotion and imagination, but at the same time he was full of contradictions and melancholy. Next to the cave is the fishing platform of "Immortal" Qin Gao. It is said that he poured the leftover medicinal residues from the alchemy process into the stream and turned them into lively little fishes. This small fish is "not even an inch long, and has dragon fins to feed its belly". It looks very strange. It is named "Qinyu" because it is produced in Qinxi River. "Qinyu" can be cooked as a meal, soaked in drinks as a side dish, or dried and eaten raw. The taste is extremely tender and delicious. They wander in the waters below Qindao Mountain and are nowhere to be seen upstream and downstream. They only appear a few days before and after Qingming Festival (the third day of the third lunar month). They usually disappear without a trace and it is unknown where they escaped. Therefore, it becomes more and more precious and bizarre. Since the Song Dynasty, generations have regarded it as a treasure and paid tribute every year. However, "harp fish" is delicious, but its preparation is not that simple.

Every year before and after the Qingming Festival, local residents use bamboo baskets or baskets to catch fish on the creek beach, then quickly put them in salt water, add fennel, tea, sugar and other ingredients, cook them, dry them, and store them in a sealed container. In the past, when technology was underdeveloped, it was difficult to preserve dried harp fish due to the lack of sealing tools such as plastic bags. Therefore, the tribute time sent to the court had to be moderate, otherwise it would be difficult to keep the "harp fish" fresh and maintain its original flavor.

"The mountain is not high, but the immortal is famous." Although Qintao Mountain is not high, it is famous all over the world for its magical legends and ethereal fairy spirit. It is also famous all over the world for its unique grace and alluring charm. For thousands of years, literati and celebrities have come here in droves. They were either moved by the scenery of the mountains, touched by the characters, or fascinated by the treasures. They kept reciting and singing, leaving behind many precious poems. Famous ones include: Mei Yaochen, "In ancient times, there was a man who was a master of the piano, and he rode a fish up to the blue sky. His small scales followed the water, and in March the river was full of boats." Ouyang Xiu, "Once the master of the piano is gone, what will happen to the immortals?" The river scales are delicious, so why bother to be curious? "Lu You" took a Qin Gao fish and recommended night tea. "Lin Chun" Mr. Qin Gao's disciple flew the red carp up to the sky, and the red carp never left. After returning, the medicinal dregs are scattered and made into Qin Gao fish."

Today, although the Qin Gao fish, which is "not long enough and has dragon fins to feed its belly", can be purchased at the right time and has entered the homes of ordinary people, it has low yield and poor taste. Well, it is still a rare delicacy and a good gift for relatives and friends. "First come first served", every year when the "harp fish" is on the market, I have to buy some to try. I especially like the stewed ghar fish with eggs. The yellow and tender thick egg noodles ooze out with lovely harp fish, just like The flowers embroidered on the satin are very beautiful and the combination is very classic. When you eat it, it is even more fishy and juicy. Even the egg noodles are particularly delicious.