Among these hermits, there are monks, nuns, monks and laymen who come for their beliefs, and ordinary people who come for a clean and indifferent life. There are elderly people, children in academic circles, and young people who have just left campus; In addition to China people, there are "foreigners" from Japanese, Korean, French and other countries. According to incomplete statistics, there are about four or five hundred hermits living in Zhong Nanshan for a long time. Why did they come here and live in seclusion? What is the continuation of ancient hermit culture here? Under the leadership of a layman named Zhijun, our exclusive report team went into Zhong Nanshan and visited several Mao Peng hermits, and the life of Zhong Nanshan hermits gradually became clear.
Starting from today's Xi city, less than 40 kilometers south via Woods Avenue, you can see many rolling mountains, which are endless. Foggy days, hazy and ethereal. On sunny days, you can enjoy it leisurely from the center of Xi. This is the end of Nanshan. Zhong Nanshan was called Taiyi Mountain, Nanshan Mountain and Difei Mountain in ancient times. Today, it refers to a series of mountains in the south of Xi in the Qinling Mountains, and the main peak Taibai Mountain (Taiyi Mountain) is 3767.2 meters above sea level. China's hermit culture has a long history. From Chao Fu and Xu You in ancient legends to various hermits now, there are tens of thousands of people, of whom only thousands can take the exam.
According to legend, Jiang Ziya, the founding father of the Western Zhou Dynasty, lived in seclusion in Panxi Valley before entering the DPRK, and then came out of the mountain at the age of 80, ending his seclusion career, assisting the king of Wu in cutting Zhou, making contributions and becoming a celebrity; At the end of Qin Dynasty and the beginning of Han Dynasty, there were Dongyuan Gong, Qili Chicken and Four Gentlemen, collectively called "Four Hao". They lived in seclusion for goodness first, and then in seclusion in the south; "three outstanding heroes of early han dynasty" Zhang Lianggong retired and "crossed the valley" in Bai Zi, the southern foot of Zhong Nanshan, and was able to die well; Sun Simiao, Zhong Liquan, Lv Dongbin, Liu Haichan and Wang Zhongyang, the founder of Quanzhen Road, all lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan. Li, a famous Guanzhong scholar in Kangxi period, hid in Taibai Mountain, the main peak of central and southern China, in order to avoid the call of the Qing court. Because of the lack of paper in the mountains, he wrote poems with mistletoe leaves and even collected them into a collection of mistletoe leaves. During the Republic of China, Mr. Gao Henian, a great Buddhist, also practiced in Jiawutai and Nanwutai in Zhong Nanshan in his later years, and has lived in seclusion ever since. When talking about the reasons for choosing Zhongnanshan to live in seclusion, Yixi, a master of Tibetan Buddhism, talked about his views. Guru Kampo has traveled in Zhong Nanshan for nearly 10 years since 2003. He told reporters that since Ai Jing led his disciples to live in seclusion in Nanxi Valley at the end of Sui Dynasty and built 72 Mao Peng, the wind of seclusion in the mountains has never stopped. One of the important reasons is that the humanistic environment in Zhong Nanshan provides basic protection for hermits. The talkative Guru Kampo said with emotion: "Zhong Nanshan has a tradition of seclusion and monasticism since ancient times, and the mountain people here also have respect for hermits." The construction of thatched roofs in Zhong Nanshan Mountain is often supported by local villagers, and the forestry department will not interfere too much. Nowadays, the phenomenon that Mao Peng can be built in the mountains without interference can only appear in Central South. "
Master Ben Ru, a disciple of Mr. Nan, a master of Chinese studies, and abbot of the Buddhist ancestral temple, also had his own experience in choosing Zhong Nanshan to live in seclusion. Master Ben Ru, who has been practicing in Zhong Nanshan for nearly 20 years, said: "Zhong Nanshan is like an emperor in the north, the Yangtze River in the south, Kunlun in the west and the sea in the east. He is a great teacher, gathered here. The hermits who practice here are of high standards, generally at the national level, and there have been many eminent monks and great virtues such as Zheng Zhi, Jingyuan, Pu 'an, Jing Ai, Yu Ling and Xu Yun. And Zhong Nanshan has a kind of aura, which can reach people's hearts directly, and it is easy to practice here. As Mr. Gao Henian wrote in "Interview with Famous Mountains": The cultivation of famous mountains is the crown of the south. "
In most people's imagination, the life of a hermit must be as described in Tao Yuanming's poem, "Under the hedge of picking chrysanthemums, you can see Nanshan leisurely." What kind of life do hermits in Zhong Nanshan lead?
Along the way, we saw that every hermit cultivated a small piece of land around his thatched cottage, planted vegetables and fruits, and lived by hard work. In addition to getting food from nature, their daily necessities, such as oil, salt, rice, noodles, clothing, etc., mainly come from the alms of the surrounding mountain people, or from the supply of relatives and friends outside the mountain. Even these are hard-won. It takes at least 1 hour to walk along the rugged and steep mountain road to the nearest mountain pass, Mao Peng. Due to the extremely inconvenient transportation, all their daily necessities have to be carried from the foot of the mountain.
Although Zhong Nanshan's superior geographical location and unique climatic conditions provide an ideal objective environment for seclusion, it is difficult to really live in the deep mountains and forests for a long time. Zhang Peng, a researcher at Shaanxi Academy of Social Sciences, has long been concerned about the hermit community in Zhong Nanshan. He told us something about hermits in the mountains. "Hermits are human beings, not immortals. When they first went up the mountain, the first problem they faced was how to live on the desolate hillside. There is no house, no electricity and no decent cooking utensils. People who are dull and lazy simply can't adapt to such a living environment. "
Master Yuan Zhi is the first hermit Ji Jun took us to interview. As we don't know the situation in mountainous areas, our investigation activities coincide with the rainy season. The mountain road is slippery, the reeds are lush, and snakes and insects haunt from time to time. In view of this, Zhijun suggested that we visit Master Yuan Zhi, who is near his Mao Peng.
Master Yuan Zhi is almost 70 years old. He is kind-hearted and soft-spoken. He looks only 50 years old. He told us that the first thing for people who practice in the mountains is to find a place to live. This Mao Peng where he lives was discovered by Zhijun. Zhijun said that this Mao Peng was one of the Mao Peng built by Gao Henian when he lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan. After nearly a hundred years, although the house has been repaired several times, the pattern has not changed. There is a circle of gables made of stone behind the house, which shows that it took a lot of effort to build it. What is unusual is that behind Mao Peng, there is a stone retreat room. Zhijun told reporters that this kind of closed cave is common in Tibet, but rare in Han nationality. It is likely that a monk lived here before.
When Master Yuan Zhi first arrived, the thatched cottage was almost abandoned, and it was windy in all directions. Birds came in and out through the skylight, and there was nothing in the room. After hard work, I really settled down.
In the interview, Zhang Peng told us that only when hermits can accept a hard and simple life can they solve the problem of survival, and overcoming the loneliness of living alone is their most sad pass. A yogi without concentration and perseverance can hardly stand the test. Every year, hermits in deep mountains become crazy instead of practicing Buddhism.
Zhijun also told reporters, "Even people with a spiritual foundation are not necessarily suitable for living in the mountains. That not only means giving up material comforts completely, but also means facing loneliness and loneliness. " Therefore, many people live in Zhong Nanshan and many people leave Zhong Nanshan every year.
There are no ancient political hermits in Zhong Nanshan today. Most of them are hermits who believe in Buddhism and Taoism. The other part is a life-style hermit. Did they finally live in seclusion in the south because of their personal spiritual pursuit, or because they gave up their original lifestyle and voluntarily pursued a peaceful and simple life. They choose to retire, some because of emotional frustration, some because of economic embarrassment, and some because of deep reflection on their original lives. ...
In the field interview, we found that hermits are not as eccentric as people think. On the contrary, their simple and cheerful personality infected us. They are a group of happy and kind people, as described by Bill Porter in his book Lonely Valley.
Writing here, we can't help but mention our guide, Jushi Zhijun.
Zhijun is 33 years old, tall and thin, with a soft temperament. In the eyes of many people, Zhijun chose a strange life path. He owns a company in a provincial capital city in the north and leads a stable life. However, in the autumn of 2008, on the recommendation of a friend, he resolutely chose to leave the city and enter Zhong Nanshan. He lived for three years.
Along the way, we learned that Zhijun left his hometown since he was a teenager, running around and gaining and losing several times. After a lot of things, he felt that he was burdened with many doubts about life, just like carrying heavy luggage and unable to enter the future life. "I am very confused, and I hope to find a quiet place to adjust myself." Zhijun said.
Three years is really too short for ordinary people living in downtown areas. But for these hermits who have lived in the deep mountains and forests for a long time, it is full of hardships and difficulties. But from the laughter of Zhijun, I can feel that three years of seclusion not only let him put down his anxiety, but also let him find his long-lost peace.
On the old desk calendar of Zhijun, there is a saying: In my remaining time, there is only one thing, that is, to awaken all the love in my life and give it to those in need! Perhaps this is the true meaning of life he pursues.
Besides a hermit like Zhi Jun who pursues the true meaning of life, it is more for practice. One morning, the reporter knocked on Chai Men of Wang Daochang's house. Like most Mao Peng, Chai Men has a "Do Not Disturb" sign. After being reminded by Zhijun, we didn't make the mistake of knocking at the door before, but shouted "Amitabha" (you asked "hello" and no one answered the door). After waiting for a long time, a master came out and opened the Chai Men.
This Taoist priest is from Sichuan. His surname is Wang. He seems to be in his thirties. He has soft hair, details and attitude towards words. When the reporter came, he was weeding in the vegetable field in the yard. If you don't see the bun on his head, you will mistakenly think that he is a young painter who has come to sketch.
Wang Daochang's Mao Peng is in a very good position, under the cliff above the valley, facing the sun on three sides. The sun shines all day long, and the fog never comes near this place. In the middle of the yard stood a few small tea tables made of slate, and there were benches made of stumps around them.
Talking about his experience in Zhong Nanshan, Wang Daochang said that he was influenced by his uncle at home and began to learn meditation since he was a teenager. Once I sat quietly, I felt wonderful peace, which I will never forget. It was not until 10 years later that I left home after graduating from college. When asked how to practice, he said that he only cultivated land in the mountains to support himself and lived with fate.
On my way back to Zhong Nanshan, I also met Professor Xie Shiyuan, an expert in osteopathy. He was visiting Chinese medicine practitioners and Taoist doctors in Zhong Nanshan to improve Taibai herbal materials.