I. Address
The cliff face on the hillside in Hongmiao Community, Jinbao Street, Pingchang County
II. Age
It was built in the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty
III. Introduction
The stone carving cluster is situated on the cliff face of a mountain slope, with the cliff wall measuring 25 meters in length and 4.5 meters in height, covering a total area of 112.5 square meters. The main body consists of six Qing Dynasty inscriptions, vividly depicting the historical event of local scholar He Yu building a pavilion for an elegant gathering. The inscriptions begin and end with a massive “Kui” character covering 6 square meters and the characters “Fu Shou” copied from the calligraphy of Northern Song Daoist master Chen Tuan. In the center is the pavilions name, “Yu (yu) Bathing Pavilion.” The other three inscriptions include two essays titled “Record of the Yu Bathing Pavilion” and several poems and articles gifted by literati and officials at the time. The two essays, “Record of the Yu Bathing Pavilion,” were written by the builder himself and Li Jinghua, a tribute scholar, detailing the process and reasons for building the pavilion and engraving the stones: He Yu, styled Yunshan, was a student in Qing County, known for his refined aspirations. His residence was located several hundred steps away from a cliff, where the land was secluded and elegant, the spring clear and cold, bamboo and cypress trees towering above, wild birds gathering, and a pond with red fish that appeared spontaneously, like a fragrant terrace or a longevity screen, with various peaks faintly visible, making it more extraordinary than the spring terrace of Yuxian! In the fourteenth year of the Daoguang era (1834), he built the “Yu Bathing Pavilion,” which soon gained widespread attention. Scholars and officials gathered to compose poems and wine, each inscribing beautiful verses on the pavilion… They then invited local people to engrave the stone walls for future appreciation, among which the couplets and plaques were personally inscribed by two successive Prefects of Bazhou, Lu Chengben and Zhu Xigu.
Above the stone carving group is a niche, 110 cm high and 90 cm wide, housing a statue of Wenchang Dijun. He wears a long robe with wide sleeves, sitting upright in solemn dignity. The horizontal plaque above reads “Long Yin.” According to the Qing Daoguang *Bazhou Zhi*, “Wen Zhi Mountain, also known as Wen Zhi Governance… with steep cliffs and dangerous paths, there is an ancient cave where Wenchangs image is carved, with the plaque inscribed Long Yin. Beside it, the inscription reads Written by Elder Qiqu during the Shao Ding era, with elegant and powerful calligraphy, though it is unknown whose hand it was, or whether it was written by the Dijun himself through spirit mediumship.” The small text at the beginning matches this description and explains the origin of the carving: “In the twenty-fourth year of Daoguang, the Dijun descended here again.” This statue shares the same origin as the Wenchang statue in Enyang, confirming the route along which Wenchang beliefs spread through the Mican Dao during the Qing Dynasty.
Couplet 1:
The upper line: Is it not in the text that it is inside and outside? The lower line: There are many ways of teaching, so that the people may be enlightened by this way
This couplet draws its ideological source from the Analects and Mencius, constructing a complete system of Confucian cultural education through the intertextuality of classics. The first line, “Is culture not found within? It manifests externally,” borrows Confuciuss profound inquiry, “After King Wen is gone, where can culture be found?” (The Analects, Zihan), shifting the continuity of culture from a historical perspective to individual cultivation, subtly aligning with Menciuss philosophical proposition that “what is within must manifest without.” The second line, “Education also employs many methods; with this path, the people will be enlightened,” integrates Menciuss educational methodology, “Education also employs many methods,” with the political ideal in The Book of Documents, “With this path, the people will be enlightened,” elevating the value from educational practice to social transformation.
Couplet 2:
The upper line: Walking in the plain, I am content wherever I go; the lower line: Living easily and waiting for my fate, happiness is also in it. The horizontal inscription: Mountain forest and water hide
This couplet, with “Mountain Forest and Water Seclusion” as its horizontal inscription, draws on Confucian classics for its structure and Taoist principles for its soul, expressing the spiritual world of ancient Chinese literati. The top line, “Performing ones duty without seeking more, content in every action,” is taken from the *Doctrine of the Mean*, which states, “A gentleman performs his duties in a simple manner, not desiring anything beyond.” The bottom line, “Living easily awaiting fate,” also comes from the same text, “A gentleman lives easily awaiting his destiny.” The phrase “joy lies within” subtly echoes Confuciuss *Analects*, where he says, “Joy lies within.” This wisdom, blending Confucianism and Taoism, not only illuminates the spiritual journey of those who engage in the world but also warms the hearts of those who withdraw from it.
Couplet 3:
The upper line: The nature of the secluded cave is pure. The lower line: The heart of Boyi is lonely and lofty. Horizontal inscription: Confucianism accumulates good fortune
This couplet sketches the spiritual map of Confucian self-cultivation with concise and vigorous strokes. The top line, “In seclusion, ones nature is clear,” subtly aligns with the *I Ching* s principle of “the hidden dragon should not be used” for dormancy. The bottom line, “Alone and noble, like Boyi,” directly echoes the sages spirit in the *Analects* as “not lowering ones aspirations, not disgracing ones body.” The horizontal inscription, “Confucian cultivation accumulates blessings,” connects the *I Ching* s concept of “accumulating good deeds brings blessings” with the *Mencius*s idea of “nurturing my vast and mighty qi.” The entire couplet transcends simple moral preaching, constructing a unique spiritual coordinate system for Confucians through historical depth and life experience. It not only highlights the integrity and uprightness of literati but also subtly conveys the wisdom of “cultivating oneself in solitude when in adversity.”