Utopia Under the Clouds - Dali (Part 2)

Number of days: 4 days
Time: April
Average cost: 1,000 yuan
With whom：a person
Updated: 2023.05.08

Every gust of wind from Cangshan Mountain blows towards Erhai Lake, ruffling the skirts of the girls on the shore.

Mountain

Walking alone in Cangshan Mountain, the drizzle wet my clothes, and the wind made me feel a little cold. I entered the mountain from a remote entrance of the scenic area. This is a passage for locals to go up the mountain to sweep tombs and cut grass. It can also be used as a horse trail, allowing horses to carry tourists up the mountain. It is a tourist project developed by local horse breeders. On the mountain road, I unexpectedly met two horses carrying tourists. Their owners were leading the way, talking and taking pictures with the tourists. They lowered their heads and stumbled forward and upward with their hooves, making a "huff" and "huff" sound when they were breathing.

The hiking trail is rugged and uneven, with the main path and side trails running parallel, vegetation and rocks intertwined, the slope sometimes gentle, sometimes steep. Deep in the hillside stand tombs. Even now, shortly after the Qingming Festival, remnants of offerings from the tombs remain, proving they are still remembered. Sunlight streams through the treetops into the dense forest, casting specks of light across the ground. A gentle breeze rustles through the green leaves of the treetops. I walk alone on the mountain path strewn with fallen leaves and branches. The sounds of birdsong and insects echo through the woods. On the long hiking trail, there's only me and the souls buried there.

A smooth and safe slate plank road has been built on the mountainside. This is the main scenic spot, with cable cars going up and down at both ends. The road is over ten kilometers long, and the wet bluestone slabs are shimmering with sunlight after the rain. There aren't many people on the road, so most of the time, I can leisurely stroll through the mountains with my hands behind my back, greedily admiring the beautiful scenery. Forests grow atop the fractured cliffs, their dense, soft foliage creating a visual contrast with the stark, rugged rock. Walking through the deep valley between two peaks, you can hear the rush of a rushing stream from deeper within. The sight of the slender waterfalls cascading down the cliffs is breathtaking. As you wander, you'll occasionally encounter the murmuring sound of flowing water emanating from undercurrents within the mountain. These streams, flowing down from the mountains, eventually converge through groundwater into Erhai Lake, nourishing the region's life for generations. At the center of the trail, a cable car leads to the summit, where a lake—"Ximatan"—occurs, according to various legends. However, I missed this peak lake. Journeys offer countless sights, some missed, others unexpected. Everywhere you go is a scene, and every person you meet is fate. Everything depends on fate.

Nature is a marvel of uncanny craftsmanship. The mountain faults are intricate, forming a long, stepped structure. As the stream flows down from the top of the mountain, it gathers to form a pool at each step. In some places, the steps are steep, with several sections connected together, forming a series of pools with staggered steps. In other places, the mountain path is gentle, and the stream flows along the winding waterway until it gathers into a pool at the fault of the next step.

The stream flowing down from the upper level forms a small waterfall that hits the rock wall of the fault. It is blocked by the huge rocks of the mountain below and gathers into a pool until it fills up and overflows to flow into the pool on the next level. Each pool has a variety of shapes. Some are deep and blue, others are shallow and clear, some are intricate, and some are simple and flat. This natural landscape, formed over millions of years, is so natural that any unnecessary artificial decoration is superfluous. Butterfly Spring is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Cangshan Mountain's stream-shaped ponds. Groundwater flowing down from Cangshan Mountain converges at its foot, forming a spring. Deep yet modest, its waters are a deep blue with a hint of green, allowing one to peer down into the depths. Like a flawless emerald, the water emanates a warm and tranquil shimmer. Over the spring stands a tree, albizzia tree. Its roots fork into two branches, each branch giving rise to two more: one branch descends into the water, while the others extend outwards, like outstretched wings. Legend has it that in April, the tree's lush branches and leaves bloom, resembling a butterfly spreading its wings, ready to take flight. The fragrance of the flowers attracts thousands of other butterflies to linger around the spring, hence the name "Butterfly Spring." However, time has changed, and this beautiful scene, captured in Xu Xiake's travel notes, now only remains: the spring and the tree above it, but no butterflies. That dazzling spectacle of butterflies and their reflections has been lost in centuries of ecological change. At the foot of Cangshan Mountain lies a vast temple complex. The Tianlong Temple, mentioned in Jin Yong's novel "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," is now known as the Chongsheng Three Pagodas Temple. In the novel, Duan Yu learns the Six Meridians Divine Sword here. In real history, nine Dali emperors became monks here, including Duan Yu's prototype. Chongsheng Temple, nestled against Cangshan Mountain to the west and facing Erhai Lake to the east, is built into the mountainside, with the halls increasing in size as the slope rises. Modern architects rebuilt the Main Hall to the highest standards of Chinese architecture, placing nine ridge beasts on the ridges. The most ridge beasts in ancient Chinese architecture is the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, which has ten. The presence of nine ridge beasts demonstrates the high status of Chongsheng Temple and serves as a symbol of modern respect for the Dali royal family. Throughout its history, Chongsheng Temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current Chongsheng Temple was renovated by the Dali government in recent years. Through all the destruction, only the three pagodas in front of the temple remain standing, representing a true historical relic. Legend has it that the three pagodas, after being cracked during an earthquake, were able to repair themselves, seemingly possessing a spiritual presence. The three towering pagodas are so majestic that even from Cangshan Mountain, overlooking Chongsheng Temple, one can still see them standing tall amidst the complex. The main pagoda is a square, densely eaves tower, with a flat base. The tower's eaves rise in layers, gradually decreasing in size at the top. The apex points toward the sky, towering tall between heaven and earth. Flanked by octagonal, attic-style stone pagodas, they symmetrically support the main pagoda, each floor engraved with stone windows and pillars. The main pagoda stands in front, with the secondary pagodas standing behind it. Inscribed on the screen wall in front of the pagodas are four large characters: "Forever Guarding the Mountains and Rivers." The majestic presence of the three pagodas inspires reassurance.

Cangshan Mountain is located at the boundary between the first and second terraces of my country’s terrain. It is the “eaves” of the “Roof of the World”, the Himalayas. Dali people have lived under this “eaves” for generations. Today, wave after wave of people come to this “eaves”. I am one of them. Are you one of them too?