Xu Xiake. My Travel Guide

Author: Xu Xiake
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Xu Xiake's original text records that he traveled seventy li to the north of Beitai, where the mountain landscape suddenly opened up, revealing the eastern base of Mount Tai. The northern end of Mount Tai marks the boundary of Fanzhi County. On the ninth day, he left the southern mountains. The Great Creek, which flowed from the mountains, branched off to the west. He rode north to the flatlands, where he could see the surrounding mountains, which were no more than a tenth of the height of Mount Tai. They stretched in winding loops like low walls, eastward along Pingxing and westward connecting to Yanmen Pass, spanning fifteen li across. Northward, they reached the foothills, where he crossed the Sha River to reach Shahe Fortress. Leaning against the mountain, he overlooked the flowing river, with the fortress built of bricks and tiles, sturdy and well-structured.
Seventy li northwest of the fortress, there was Xiaoshikou, part of the western route to Datong; sixty li directly north, Beilukou, part of the eastern route to Datong. From behind the fortress, he climbed the mountain, traveling several li northeast to Xikou. There was a stream flowing from north to south, which then emptied into the Sha River. Following the water into the gorge, the stream twisted and turned through a desolate valley, devoid of people. Several li later, he reached Yixing (Yixing Fortress). Another several li, Zhujiachang. Yet another several li, Huluzui. He left the ravine and climbed the mountain, following the ridge upwards. The land then formed a depression, and the stream flowed northward, marking the boundary of Hunyuan County. Several li further, he reached Tuling, sixty li from the prefecture and fifty li southwest of Shahe. He stayed with a family of the same surname.
On the tenth day, he followed the northern stream three li southward, where another stream came from the west and joined it, and they turned northeast to continue. He followed the western stream upstream, where another stream came from the north, and he climbed the ridge to the west. The path was very steep. Six or seven li straight north, then a turn west, followed by five or six li ascending northward. He climbed two peaks and reached the summit, known as Jiananzhongling (Arrow Basket Ridge). From Shahe, he climbed the mountain and crossed streams, winding through the valleys. Everything he encountered were earthen mounds and barren hills. Unexpectedly, here he suddenly ascended to a high, open space. Yet, the southern slope still seemed like a novice.
Once past the ridge, he looked down at the connected peaks on both sides, with emerald and crimson flowing. Everything that hung in the air and reflected each other were rocks, yet the rocks were covered with trees. The color of the rocks was uniform, but their essence and beauty varied. The colors of the trees were diverse, yet their interweaving formed a harmonious tapestry. The rocks, covered with trees, appeared more spectacular, as if adorned with vibrant colors. The trees, rooted in the rocks, sprawled in elegant curves, appearing even more ancient. This stretch of fifty li descended directly to the bottom of the valley, where a gushing stream flowed from south to north, and they emerged from the depression, known as Longyu Kou (Dragon Valley Mouth), with the fortress nearby. The village was quite prosperous, with plum and apricot trees forming dense forests at the foot of the mountain.
After leaving the valley, he reached flatlands again. To the north, there were surrounding mountains, stretching from east to west, thirty li east of Hunyuan County and seventy li west of Yingzhou. Longyu, facing the surrounding mountains, had the same elevation and distance as East Dishan viewed the mountains near Shahe Kou. Thus, he followed the eastern slope of the mountain, looking east at the Longyu Valley. The mountains there were even more jagged and steep, and upon inquiry, he learned they were Longshan (Dragon Mountain). The name Longshan was well-known in Shanxi, yet few knew it compared to Mount Heng. Now, having crossed its boundary to the west and looked at its northern face, he unexpectedly discovered it, which could be considered a rewarding experience like the sunset hues of Mount Tai.
Ten li eastward was Longshan's Dayun Temple, facing the mountain to the south. Another ten li eastward, there was a major road leading northwest, straight to the base of Mount Heng, and he turned onto it, still ten li from the mountain base. He saw two peaks standing like pillars, with carriages and horses arriving continuously, breaking through the cliffs—this was the Datong's inverted horse and Zijing Pass road. Following it to the mountain base, the cliffs stood vertically, with a stream flowing through, narrow and winding, as if there was no direction, creating a secluded and elegant landscape. The Double Peaks of Yique and the Nine Bends of Wuyi were not enough to compare to it.
At that time, the stream had not yet risen, so he had to follow it upstream. He didn’t know when, but both cliffs had stone grooves carved, about four or five feet wide and over a foot deep, arranged in rows. He imagined that during floodwaters, wooden bridges were inserted to form a path.