Mt. Luofu (Luofushan)

Mt. Luofu was regarded as a grotto of spirits since antiquity. Many magical legends about "Penglai" in the Southern Sea have been passed down through the ages, attracting scholars in different dynasties to come for tourism or for a secluded life. In the Eastern Jin dynasty, the renowned Daoist Ge Hong once refined elixirs here. During Ge Hong's stay on Mt. Luofu, four huts were built, and subsequently enlarged into temples, namely the southern Temple of Great Emptiness (which was changed into the Temple of Emptiness afterwards), the western Temple of the Yellow Dragon, the eastern Temple of the Nine Heavens, and the northern Temple of Junkets. Later in the Sui and Tang dynasties, some celebrated Daoists, such as Su Yuanlang and Xuanyuan Ji, lived here successively in seclusion. Daoism of Mt. Luofu was thus fairly developed. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, famous Daoists such as Chen Nan, Bai Yuchan and Zou Baoguang led secluded lives and cultivated Dao on the mountain. Daoism of Mt. Luofu remained prosperous till the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Qing dynasty, a branch of the Dragon Gate Sect propagated its teachings at the Temple of Junkets. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, the abbot of the temple, Chen Jiaoyou, wrote Evolution of the Daoism of Changchun's Lineage, an important work on the history of transmission and inheritance of the Dragon Gate Sect.

It was said that there were nine guan (temple), 18 si (temple) and 22 an (temple) on Mt. Luofu, but after the Ming and Qing dynasties, many of them collapsed and only five guan and five si remain nowadays. The five Daoist temples are the Temple of Emptiness, the Temple of Junkets, the Temple of the Nine Heavens, the Temple of the White Crane, and the Temple of the Yellow Dragon. The Temple of Emptiness is one of the national key temples acknowledged by the State Council.

There are many relics of Ge Hong on Mt. Luofu, such as the "Well of Longevity" from which he obtained water, the alchemical kitchen for refining elixirs, and the pond for washing elixirs. The Grotto of Vermillion Brightness on the mountain is said to be the place where Ge Hong cultivated Dao and attained immortality. It is situated in the forest in the deep valley below Mt. Luofu, where everything is in deep stillness, except for gurgling streams. This refined and quiet place is just like a fairyland.

Besides, there is a "Boots-Losing House", which is said to be the place where Ge Hong and his teacher Bo Jing used to discuss scriptures. One day, after talking until daybreak, two swallows flew toward them. However, they turned out to be a pair of boots instead of swallows, after being entangled. It is said that immortals lost their boots here, and so the house was named like this. There is a stone tablet above the house. It is about five-chi long, half-chi wide and one-chi high. It lies against a huge stone like a bed and is completely in the shade. They say in ancient times, an immortal once lay on it quietly, so it is called "Immortal's Bed".

Fully enjoying the wonderful view of the Grotto Heaven of Mt. Luofu makes one feel aloof from the vulgar indeed.