Memories of Fragrant Hills

Memories of Fragrant Hills

After SARS in 2003, climbing Xiangshan Mountain became my normal routine. I would come to Xiangshan Mountain every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and climbed to the top of Ghost Sorrow with my husband. It was very strenuous at first, but later on, it became more and more relaxed and comfortable, and I was addicted to the comfort of sweating, so I never stopped. I persisted for seven or eight years. Later, I heard that mountain climbing is not good for the knees. I do have joint problems when I get older. Later, I changed it to go to the Summer Palace for a long walk. The number of people coming to Xiangshan is much less, and sometimes it is not for several years. Patronize, because in addition to climbing the mountain, Xiangshan has seen all the places that should be seen. It is really familiar and can't be more familiar. Especially in winter, when it is bleak, there is nothing to see.

I came to Xiangshan again yesterday, the Spring Festival is coming soon, the gate is decorated very festively, with pink willows and green, full of spring messages. Inside the gate and in front of the Hall of Qinzheng, red lanterns are hung to tell people that 2018, the year of the dog in the lunar calendar, is coming to an end. I am deeply moved. Time is really too fast. When I first started climbing Fragrant Hills, I hadn't retired yet, but now, I've reached the age of seventy. Things are different, we are all getting old unconsciously.

To be honest, I really can't believe it. This life has been like this for 70 years. It is not easy for people of our generation: when we grow up, we catch up with three years of natural disasters; when we learn knowledge, we catch up with the Cultural Revolution; When it was time to catch up with the layoffs, and when it was time for retirement, he encountered the plight of the only child. Not only could he not take care of his old age, but he also had to be a cow and a horse for his children. But this generation is the toughest, and everyone will strive to live a better life in the face of adversity.

I have climbed Xiangshan Mountain for these years, and I have gained a lot. I have become stronger and happier, and that's it. Now, although I don't climb the mountain anymore, I can't forget the scene at that time. I attach the "Climb the Fragrant Mountain All Year Round" I wrote back then to share with everyone.

Climb Fragrant Hills all year round

After SARS, there was a climax of physical exercise, and it was at this time that I was involved in the army climbing Xiangshan. Fortunately, I don’t have to go to work, and I have a car to travel. I climbed 2 or 3 times a week. I never got tired of it, and my interest became more and more intense. Up to now, I have been climbing for more than 3 years. Compared with those old mountain friends who are called "Shan Chuanzi", I am still a recruit, but I also want to write down my experience and share it with everyone.

Spring is a good season for mountaineering. The cold winter has finally passed. In the early morning, when you step into Xiangshan Mountain with the chirping of birds, you will smell a fresh field fragrance. The trees are starting to green and the first early flowers have greeted you. The yellow ones are winter jasmine, and the pink ones are pick flowers. Although the weather is still a bit cold, the flowers are blooming more and more luxuriantly every day. In April, the pink mountain peach blossoms are in full bloom, which makes people very happy. Climbing the mountain to enjoy the scenery is the best way to make people feel good.

When I started to climb the mountain, I was really tired. I was out of breath after walking a few steps. Looking at the high mountain, it seemed difficult to reach the top. But if you insist on walking up, you can see the beautiful scenery of mountain flowers. The sweat was really flowing, and the person became relaxed. When the sky is fine, you can see the blue sky through the flowers and green trees. At that time, your heart is so pure and quiet, away from the complicated world, get rid of all distracting thoughts, and get a kind of spiritual sublimation. Climbing to the top of the mountain, you can see the city of Beijing, the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake, the CCTV Tower in the distance, and mirage-like buildings all appear in front of your eyes. It's a pity that everything is covered by dust. While feeling the fresh air for myself, I also feel worried about the filth of the city.

Most of the climbers are old people, and their good attitude can always infect you. Most of them have retired, and many people's pension is only a few hundred yuan, but they are always happy. They greet each other as soon as they meet, and sometimes joke with each other. Regardless of the differences in status, education, and experience, they are all equal here, and they are all mountain friends. Every Saturday, "Medicine Stone" (the name given by everyone, it is said that touching it can cure diseases, it is actually a huge stone, its real name is Senyu Wat, on the huge cliff there are three characters "Senyu Wat" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong , the lettering is still clearly visible. It is named for its shape like the wat boards of the ministers when they go up.) Many people gathered nearby. This is the time for singing. People print their own song books, with conductors and accompaniments, Everyone sang loudly, most of them were old songs, and there were also some popular songs from time to time. The sound was not necessarily pleasant, but people were not picky, they just sang, just for their own entertainment. If you walk over, you will definitely be integrated into it, and sing along with it aloud, so happy.

Peach blossoms fade to apricot blossoms, apricot blossoms fade to plum blossoms, lilacs and white lilacs are even more intoxicating. As May Day approaches, the artificially cultivated tulips bloom, red, purple, yellow, pink, and there are many varieties, one after another. It is so satisfying to enjoy the flowers while climbing the mountain.

The footsteps of spring are getting farther and farther, the weather is getting hotter, the flowers are withering, and the color of the leaves has changed from light green to dark green. The time to come to Xiangshan is getting earlier and earlier. At 6 o'clock, when the door opens, take the first bus People crowded around the door, and we often entered the garden very early. In the hot summer, only the morning is cool. It is really pleasant to breathe the fresh air at this time. In the dog days, the weather was even hotter, and I was already sweating after walking for a while. But this sweat is really comfortable, and it will never be experienced by people who cannot do without the air conditioner all day long. Sometimes, when the gentle mountain breeze blows, I feel comfortable from the inside out. It cannot be said that mountain climbing can cure all diseases, but I have heard many people say that many diseases have disappeared after climbing the mountain. Fortunately, some people can still climb to the top of the mountain. I often see an old lady in her 90s insisting on climbing to the platform. It is hard to believe that she is so old. She claims to insist on climbing to a hundred years old. Judging by the momentum, it is not impossible. As a result, I no longer have stomach pains, and my heart function has improved a lot. If you don't climb for a few days, you will feel uncomfortable all over. Even on a sweltering sauna day, hardcore climbers will not flinch. Some people start to go shirtless, but most people are still fully dressed. After all, is it a civilized society? Although sweating profusely, the joy of victory when we reached the top of the mountain was really indescribable. Someone will yell "Here I go again!" You will also be infected and feel the joy of defeating yourself again and again.

There are many historical sites in Xiangshan. The emperors of several dynasties since the Jin Dynasty built summer resorts here. In the tenth year of Emperor Qianlong (1745) of the Qing Dynasty, huge manpower and material resources were used to add palaces, pavilions and pavilions between the forest gaps and cliffs. The royal Fanyuan, and given the name "Jingyi Kingdom". At that time, the garden wall was divided into inner and outer walls, with a total of 28 scenes. The 20 sceneries of the inner wall include: Qinzheng Hall, Liju Building, Laiqingxuan, Xiangshan Temple, Cuiwei Pavilion, Yuxiang Pavilion, etc. The eight sceneries of the outer wall are: Yang'a (Chaoyang Cave), Yuhuaxiu, Senyuhu, Xiangwu Cave (quiet room) and so on. To the north of the outer wall, there is another other wall. At that time, there were countless buildings and victories in the garden. Unfortunately, in 1860 and 1900, after the barbaric British, French and Eight-Power Allied Forces burned the Old Summer Palace and the Summer Palace, the scenic spots in Xiangshan were also burned, and many historical sites were burned down. Although a lot has been preserved and restored, many scenic spots are only ruins. While climbing the mountain, you can also enjoy the scenic spots and historical sites of Xiangshan by the way.

There are many roads up the mountain, and most people will enter from the east gate. This is the main gate of Xiangshan. It was built by Emperor Qianlong when he expanded Jingyi Garden, and the original shape is still preserved. The gate to enter is a large archway, and behind it is a palace building, resplendent and magnificent. This is the newly-restored Qinzheng Hall. The Qinzheng Hall was originally the place where the emperor summoned the ministers and bureaucrats to listen to the government, so as to show that he would not miss state affairs when he was playing. Along the tree-lined road, you will arrive at "Yuhuaxiu", also known as Yuhua Villa. It is located in the middle of the mountain range. , is an elegant and pleasant place. People often take a nap here, the mountain wind blows, cool and comfortable. Going up, there is a place where squirrels are haunted. They often jump around and eat peanuts, melon seeds or fruits thrown to them by tourists. They are really cute. In addition to feeding squirrels, people who came to climb the mountain also fed those cats that were abandoned in Xiangshan. Some people brought cat food, milk and various foods, and they persisted for several years. When the peacocks are short of water and feed, enthusiastic climbers will also go to offer their love. They are really kind people. Further up is the platform (Xiangwu Cave). The Xiangwu Cave is built on a platform above the north of Chaoyang Cave. It is the tallest building in the garden. It is one of the 28 scenes of Jingyi Garden and has been restored. Part, here is the middle station, many people who are physically exhausted go home here, in fact, this is just the beginning of the summit. There are more than 700 steps from the platform to the top. People who have no mountaineering foundation will feel powerless. But the fun is at this time, after 3 years, I don't feel very strenuous now. It is cooler than anywhere else on the top of the mountain. This is the Xianglu Peak known as "Ghost Seeing Sorrow". At the top of the mountain, everyone was very happy, talking and laughing while doing other activities to relieve fatigue and stretch the whole body. I also met many friends here. Although some of them still don’t know their names, meeting each other is fate, so why do I have to know their names?

I have never known the origin of the name of Xiangshan. It is said that there are three reasons. First, Xiangshan Mountain is 557 meters above sea level. There is a huge Rufeng stone on the top of the highest peak, which is shaped like a censer. At dawn and dusk, it is shrouded in clouds and mist. From a distance, it looks like cigarette smoke curling up in a furnace, so it is named Xianglu Mountain, or Xiangshan for short. The second is to imitate Lushan Mountain in Jiangxi. Li Bai's famous sentence "Rizhao censer produces purple smoke". There is Xianglu Peak in Lushan Mountain, and Xiangshan imitates the name of Xianglu Peak, so it is named Xiangshan. The third is that Xiangshan Mountain used to be Xinghua Mountain in ancient times, and the apricot blossoms bloom every spring, overflowing with fragrance. So it is called Xiangshan. No matter why it got its name, you can have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of the West Mountain from the Xianglu Peak. The winding road is like a jade belt around your waist, Kunming Lake is like a basin of clear water, and the Forbidden City is shadowy. Stretch? At this moment, all troubles and unhappiness are completely forgotten.

People with courage often take the north road, which is the road under the cableway. It is the most difficult road with 2,300 steps and almost no buffer. I have walked it many times, but I always feel exhausted and envious. Those with good physical strength, although they are also profusely sweating, but many of them do not rest, they almost reach the top in one breath, fast, only ten minutes, of course, most people, especially the older ones, usually use 30-40 minutes. Minutes mostly. But that's pretty good too.

If you walk this way, you have to enter the north gate. Outside the north gate is the "Biyun Temple", a temple with the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties; friends often accompany them when they come. Biyun Temple was founded in the second year of Yuan Zhishun (1331) and has a history of more than 600 years. After expansion in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it began to have the scale it is today. Layers of halls are piled up against the mountains, and each courtyard has its own characteristics, giving people a sense of endless emergence. The entire temple, from the mountain gate to the stone pagoda behind the temple, has a height difference of more than 100 meters. The first few Buddhist halls on the central axis were originally relics of the Ming Dynasty. The wall sculptures are all art treasures of the Ming Dynasty. The three major halls plus the highest King Kong throne tower are all worth appreciating. In particular, there is the only remaining wooden gilded "Five Hundred Arhats Hall" in China. The five hundred Arhats have different shapes and are very distinctive; there is also the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Sun Yat-sen Clothes Tomb. Lien Chan went here to pay his respects last time. If there is a chance, I will introduce Biyun Temple again. All in all it's worth a visit.

Not far from the north gate is the Lake of Glasses, which are two round lakes with a bridge in the middle, like glasses, and water flows down from the rockery beside the lake, known as Shuilian Cave. There is a pavilion beside the pool, which is a good place to escape the summer heat. There is also a peacock garden on it. Those who don't want to take the north road also go up the mountain from the middle road. First, in the forty-fifth year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1780), the palace "Zongjing Dazhao Temple" was specially built to receive the Panchen Lama VI of Tibet when he came to Beijing, commonly known as Zhaomiao. It is magnificent, and the whole building is mainly composed of three parts: archway, Hongtai and glazed pagoda. The glazed archway stands in front of the temple and is carved with colored glazed tiles and white marble. The plaque is inscribed in four languages: Han, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan. It is one of the most magnificent and exquisite archways in Beijing. The main building of Zhao Temple is three feet high, with a masonry base and dozens of temples built on it, all of which are covered with brass and gilded tiles, which is magnificent and magnificent. Its central part is concave, and there are stone tablets written in four languages ​​in the courtyard, which describe the reason for building the temple. Coming out of Zhaomiao, on the mountainside to the west of Hongtai, there is a colorful glazed pagoda with seven floors and octagonal dense eaves. There is a yellow glazed vase on the top of the tower. There are statues of gods in each niche of the tower body. There are a total of 56 copper bells hanging on the eaves. The wind blows the bells, which are melodious and melodious, which is quite interesting as "ancient temple bells". The tower is exquisite and elegant in shape, which is an ideal backdrop for tourists to take pictures. In the dense forest on the north side of Zhao Temple, there looms a building with the style of Jiangnan gardens, called "Jianxinzhai". It is a famous garden within a garden in Xiangshan. The pool water in the courtyard is clear, and there are countless fish swimming. A pavilion is built in the west of the pool, that is, "Jianxinzhai". The entire courtyard is surrounded by corridors, quiet and quiet. Emperor Qianlong used to study here and give banquets to powerful officials. The ancient mulberry outside the garden grows luxuriantly, and when summer comes, it is full of fruits. From here, there is also a way up the mountain, passing through the "Geyun Bell" pavilion, where it is said that the bells from outside the clouds can be heard. This road is shaded by trees, and it is the coolest in summer.

In recent years, Beijing has experienced drought and little rain. It is rare that there is abundant rain this year. After a heavy rain, walking up the Yuruquan Road to the mountain, you can see the long-lost gurgling stream in the mountain stream. The pleasant sound of running water makes people feel comfortable. The trees and grass that have drunk enough water are verdant and tall, and the birds let go of their singing voices, making melodious and crisp calls. Yuru Spring is also one of the 28 scenic spots in Jingyi Garden. There used to be three stone pools, and the mountain springs flowed in without overflowing. It got its name because the spring water flows like jade liquid. The original spring and Zhijia Pavilion here were all burned down by the Eight-Power Allied Forces. I really don’t know how the Eight-Power Allied Forces found such a secluded place to destroy. It's really annoying. There are still some stone carvings left, such as Xianzhang, Arhat Shadow, Yiquan Stone and Yuruquan stone carvings, you can find them carefully.

Once the summer is over, the golden season of Xiangshan is ushered in. Xiangshan red leaves are the most famous. Every frosty autumn, Cotinus cotinus all over the mountain is in full swing and extremely magnificent. It is really a rare enjoyment to look at the red leaves all over the mountain in Yuhua Villa. There are three time periods for viewing red leaves. At the beginning, around mid-October, the mountains were still green, dotted with red leaves, colorful, with a kind of autumn charm in various colors. In fact, various pigments in red leaves gradually change from green and yellow to orange and red under the conditions of temperature and light. After a while, around the end of October, there will be more red, and the green will become the foil instead. It is just that Wanshan is red all over, and the forests are all dyed.

There is another road on the mountain, from Shibapan to Langfeng Pavilion, a well-built ancient royal road that takes you into the Hongye District. This is the only way for emperors to go from Xiangshan Mountain to Badachu in the past. There are more than 500 steps from Langfeng Pavilion to Heshun Gate. A road was built along the west wall from Heshun Gate to Xianglu Peak. There are few people here, and the scenery is even more pleasant. Surrounded by the artistic conception of frosty leaves red in February flowers, the red leaves in full swing make your heart excited unknowingly, it is really beautiful every step of the way. When it comes to the red leaves in Xiangshan, people say that there are "three most": one is the longest history. 780 years ago, Zhou Ang, a poet of the Jin Dynasty, once described the spectacular scene of red leaves in a poem "The mountains and forests are at a loss in the morning and the city, and the red leaves and yellow flowers come from a river". The second is the largest scale, with 100,000 layers of cotinus cotinus fully dyed. The third is the most tree species, with a total of 13 species in 7 families. In addition to sumac, which is the main species of red leaves in Xiangshan, there are also tree species such as torch tree, red maple, persimmon tree, and red azalea. Although they are all red, they have different shades. Relying on each other and foiling each other, red becomes more colorful. In the middle and late November, in the rustling autumn wind, the red leaves show the solemnity and chicness of "turning into spring mud and protecting flowers". They are like beautiful butterflies, slowly falling from the tree, which is the unique artistic conception of red leaves floating red.

Winter is the bleakest season in Xiangshan, a large number of trees become bare, and the sky is always gray. Sometimes there are strong winds. People who climb mountains are not afraid of the cold, and the low temperature of minus ten degrees can't stop the enthusiasm for climbing. In fact, they can't climb for ten minutes, and people are already sweating profusely. When the weather is rare, it is a good time to watch the sunrise. Because the sun comes out late, you can go up the mountain when you open the door at 6 o'clock, and you can see the wonderful sight of the red sun jumping out of the trees. It would be so beautiful if it was snowing. There is a fork in the road leading to the platform, and you can reach the "Xishan Qingxue" monument. It is a famous scenic spot for clearing the scenery after snow. The monument was inscribed by Emperor Qianlong, and the white marble obelisk and barriers are well preserved. It is covered with snow, and the surrounding pines and cypresses are covered with large "cotton bolls", which shine silvery in the sunlight. No wonder people list "Xishan Qingxue" as one of the eight scenic spots in Yanjing.

It's snowing and it's easy to go up the mountain and it's difficult to go down the mountain. You can't take the normal road because it's too slippery. At this time, you must take the main road, which is the car road leading to Xiangshan Temple. Stepping on the thick snow, there is a creaking sound, because there are few people in the snowy day, everywhere is white, "covered in silver makeup, extraordinarily enchanting". Catch up with the heavy snow, walking on the mountain road is like walking in an ink painting. Through the falling snowflakes, the snow-white mountain has an intoxicating mist. Looking at my footprints printed on the spotless snow beside the mountain road, that kind of It felt really good, I wanted to shout, but I didn't dare to shout loudly, I was really afraid of startling the quiet snow and mountains. From Langfeng Pavilion, through Xuanqiu Forest (Hongye District) and Yuxiang Pavilion Site, to Baisong Pavilion and Banshan Pavilion. Go down to the ruins of Xiangshan Temple. This temple is the Great Yong'an Temple built in the 26th year of Jin Dading (1186). It was originally the palace of the Jin Dynasty. According to records, the original five-story hall, in front of which there are stone squares, mountain gates, bell and drum towers, city walls, red walls and green tiles hidden among green pines and cypresses, is one of the twenty-eight scenic spots of Xiangshan. After the second catastrophe by the British, French and Eight-Power Allied Forces, there are only a few stone products that are not afraid of fire, such as the stone screen, stele and stone steps in front of the main hall. Even so, just looking at the existing foundations, one can see what a glorious palace it must have been. All of this, hidden in the white snow, looks even more vicissitudes and solemnity. The stone screen itself is said to have high artistic value, with the "Diamond Sutra" in the middle of the front, the "Heart Sutra" on the left, and the "Avalokitesvara Sutra" on the right. Inside the mountain gate are stone steles written in four languages: Han, Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan. The content is "The Song of the Sala Tree" written by Qianlong. Walking out of the mountain gate, on both sides of the temple gate, there are two tall and straight ancient pines with lush branches and leaves. If it is sunny, if you stomp your feet on the square bricks in the center of Tingfa Songxia Yong Road, you can hear the sound of clanking, just like the crowing of a golden rooster, so it is called the crowing of a golden rooster. There is a square pool under the stone bridge in front of the mountain gate, with white marble railings on it, and a dragon head on the south side of the pool. The spring water flows out from here. It is known as Lehao. Unfortunately, now you can only see the water flow like a dragon's saliva. Beijing is too dry. up. Laiqingxuan is built on the cliffs and stacked stones. It is named after climbing the pavilion and looking around, you can see the greenery. In the twenty-eighth year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1596), Emperor Wanli came back from the mausoleum. After seeing the plaque of this pavilion, he thought it was too small, so he wrote "Laiqingxuan" in three big characters. There are also historical sites such as Hujiasong and Danjing in the temple. Toad Peak is also known as the Toad Rock. On the west mountainside of Xiangshan Temple, there are huge boulders standing out, like two frogs looking eastward, squatting in the white snow.

From Xiangshan Temple to the south is Shuangqing Villa, which was built in 1931. It is a unique and quiet courtyard. There are two clear springs in the courtyard, which flow continuously all year round, one flows to Zhilehao (where there are sculptures of world-famous musicians), and the other flows to Jingcui Lake, which is the origin of the word "Shuangqing". There are octagonal pavilions and towering ginkgo trees beside the pool in the courtyard. In 1917, in Dashui, Hebei Province, Xiong Xiling, the supervisor, opened the Xiangshan Salesian Home, and built a villa here, which was originally called Shuangqing Villa. On March 25, 1949, Chairman Mao followed the Party Central Committee from Xibaipo, Pingshan County, Hebei Province to Beiping, and lived here until November, when he moved to Zhongnanhai. Chairman Mao successfully commanded the battle of crossing the river, the negotiation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and wrote famous poems such as "Seven Laws: The People's Liberation Army Occupies Nanjing". It is quiet and hidden here, and there is an air-raid shelter, it is really the best command post in wartime. Going down to the Jingcui Lake, the lake is covered with white snow and lined with red waterside pavilions, which is another beautiful scene.

Throughout the year, Xiangshan has its beauty. Due to regular exercise, the body and mind become healthier and the mood is extraordinarily comfortable. How can a person be free from worries, if he can find a way to solve them in time, he can be regarded as open-minded. In the process of climbing Fragrant Hills, the heart is purified, the body is improved, and people become happier. Thanks to Fragrant Hills for making our lives full of sunshine, I will continue to climb down to welcome beautiful mornings one after another.

(Spring in Xiangshan)

(Overview in summer)

(autumn colored leaves)

(Xiangshan snow scene)