Hangzhou Cliff Inscriptions: Fengshan Legend Connecting the Ancient and Modern

Fenghuang Mountain, formerly known as Fengshan, is located in the southwest of the main urban area of Hangzhou. The main peak has an elevation of 178 meters, and it is located north of West Lake and south of Jiangbin. Its shape resembles a flying phoenix, hence the name. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, a prefecture was established here, and during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Wuyue Kingdom made Hangzhou its capital and built a city wall. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the imperial palace was built at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain (from Fengshan Gate in the east to the west foot of Fenghuang Mountain, from Tiaozhou Bay in the south to Wansong Ridge in the north), covering an area of 4.5 square kilometers.

By the Ming Dynasty, Fenghuang Mountain was already outside the city limits, but many literati and Taoist hermits came here to reminisce about the Southern Song Dynasty. Some important cliff inscriptions still remain, such as the inscription "Loyal and True" by Zhao Gou (Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty), and the inscription "Fengshan" by Wang Datong.

01 Poem by Ming Dynasty Poet Lu Shiyong at Shengguo Temple

This inscription is located at the site of Songtao Pavilion in Shengguo Temple and is recorded in the book "Exploring Stone Inscriptions in Wulin." There are two poems on this inscription, both written by Lu Shiyong in response to Wang Yangming's poem "Moving to Shengguo Temple" and the poem by Wang Yangming's disciple Cai Wozhai. Lu Shiyong, with the courtesy name Youchun and pseudonym Pingchuan, was from Huzhou and wrote the book "Posthumous Manuscript of Pingchuan". His father, Lu Cheng, was a disciple of Wang Yangming.

02 Inscription "Fengshan" by Wang Datong in the 14th Year of the Song Dynasty's Chunxi Period

This inscription is located at the site of Shengguo Temple and is recorded in the books "Wulin Golden Stone Record," "Wulin Stone Inscription Record," "Exploring Stone Inscriptions in Wulin," and "Golden Stone Record of Liangzhe." Wang Datong, whose background is unknown, was a famous calligrapher at that time. The inscription is written in regular script. It follows the shape of the stone and has a natural feel rather than intentional carving, which gives it a sense of gracefulness.

03 Inscription "Loyal and True" by Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty

This inscription is at the site of Shengguo Temple and is recorded in the books ""Wulin Golden Stone Record," "Wulin Stone Inscription Record," "Exploring Stone Inscriptions in Wulin," and "Golden Stone Record of Liangzhe." It is said that the two characters were inscribed by Zhao Gou (Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty), but unfortunately, the bottom left corner where the seal was placed has been stolen. The inscription follows the style of Tang Dynasty regular script, with round and powerful characters, a flat and broad structure, and elegant and restrained lines, reflecting the doctrine of the mean. This is also a rare and precious treasure among the cliff inscriptions of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty and the Song Dynasty as a whole. It is one of the few existing and well-preserved imperial calligraphy inscriptions from the Southern Song Dynasty that has been passed down in an orderly manner, and is a masterpiece of imperial calligraphy, with extremely high historical, cultural and artistic value.