THE DRAGON KINC'S CAVERN AND DOME: ICHANG
Conglomerate formation — Dragon King's cavern temple — Inside monastery— Dreary country — Startling precipice — ^Wen Fo Shan -^Temples — Subterranean lake — Dragon boat — Life-like Indian figure — Baby priest — Mud — Broken and abrupt yet gradoos gorges — Butterflies — Lizard — Dragon fly — A pedestrian's paradise. ....... ^7
龍王洞與圓頂：宜昌
礫岩地形——龍王洞寺廟——寺內佛寺——荒涼的土地——驚險的懸崖——聞佛山——寺廟——地下湖——龍舟——栩栩如生的印度雕像——小僧——泥濘——破碎而陡峭的壯觀峽谷——蝴蝶——蜥蜴——蜻蜓——行人的天堂
CHAPTER VIII
THE DRAGON KING's CAVERN AND THE DOME: ICHANG
第八章
龍王洞與圓頂：宜昌
IT had really been too hot to write an account of our expedition to the Dragon King's Cavern and the Dome, through the wonderful conglomerate region to the south and east of Ichang. This is as different as possible from the by comparison gpraceful and pleasing limestone country of the Ichang Gorge. But much more notewortfayi for, as far as I know, the only other example of it on at all as large a scale is Montserrat in Spain. We started in the afternoon, A. and I taking chairs, Mr M. trusting to his feet alone» but he had in the end to be carried pick-a-back over the stream, which we crossed and recrossed dll I was almost dred of it. We only got into the conglomerate country towards evening, huge blocks of rock fallen down, and as A. pointed out to me, with the granite pebbles^ which go to their making, generally broken in two, thus showing not only how violent had been the force of their disruption but how strong the conglomerate mixture that united them, since the granite broke soonest. Dry rivers with stony beds, mountains with bulging sides, always the cracks in them horizontal and quite straight, as if ruled by a ruler, and with litde holes like those that come in a plum pudding in the boiling, recalling the common name of pudding*stone. The valleys here do not grow narrower and more winding as one goes up them, but end quite abrupdy in precipices. And as it g^ew darker the narrow path we were following looked as if it were leading us into the very bowels of the mountains, till at last when under some very funereal-looking cypresses I saw a solemn gateway, which by its sudden turn seemed as if it must take us there quite straight, it really required an effort of will to go on. I could quite imagine turning back, and flying down the steep path to the next village, as if pursued by demons. However another sharp turn inside the gateway, and another gate, and a long flight of steps under dark cypresses brought us to the gate and the court-yard, on which look down the several coquettish and stork - and - dragon decorated temples, all situated well within the overhanging arch of Lung Wang Tung, the Dragon King's Cavern. A most friendly light shone out from the high-up window of the grand guest-chamber, only dimmed by the shower of water alwajrs dripping over it like a veil of tears from the top of the cavern into the large basin made to receive it in the courtyard below.
THE DRAGON KING'S CAVERN 79
Two more flights of steps brought us into the monastery. Oh! the ugliness of these Buddhist priests! We found all our men, chairs and all, were behind — so Mr M. and A. were both most pressing to me to change into a spare coat each had, as of course all the things we all of us had on were wet through with the heat- However, it was so damp and chilly there, I thought one person had better be uncomfortable than two, so I waited till the things came. Then there being no doors to the guest-room, I solemnly notified everyone I could that I was now going to wash and change. Just as I was in full swing in came three Buddhist priests with cakes and seeds and tea. I ordered them not to come in, I gesticulated, I told them to go. I called the coolie to call his master to interpret. But not the slightest notice would anyone take of me, which, however, under the circumstances, was perhaps just as well — ^until with mathematical accuracy the table was laid, and the priests were tkaraugkly, satisfied as to their own arrangements. Anything like the impenetrability of the Chinese, unless you address them in their own tongue, I never did see. At last we got dinner, and went to bed — on tables f
Next morning we started off for the Wen Fo Shan or Dome. Such dreary-looking country we walked through, patches of cultivation scratched here and there, looking as if they had been scratched too hard and the rock had come through — always bulging out, with straight, horizontal fissures and litde round holes. Always dry river rock beds ! But in one waterfall, with water in it too, one leap we all estimated at about one thousand feet. The path led along the side of a precipice, somewhere in the middle of it. It didn't look anjrthing particular when walking along it, but looking back at it from the opposite side, I could quite imagine people getting goose skin over it. The other side was a very steep climb, all made into steps, which at present make very good walking. We got so hot and out of breath that when Mr M., as if having racked a well-stored memory for all he had ever heard upon the subject, said he believed that sucking an orange was the very best thing for getting up a hill, we at once found a beautiful fiat rock to sit upon and were thoroughly happy for a time. Then up again ! when A. suddenly called out from the front, " Well ! I don't care. I really must sit down and smoke a cigar before we go any further." I was just about to be very severe with him and Mr M. for wanting to smoke before they got to the top, for they had made us late the evening before by greatly enjoying a bathe and swim in the stream, when my '' Well, really ! " died away, as I became aware we were actually at the top of what we had been climbing, and there just at our feet the valley, and opposite to us, only joined on to our hill by a narrow ledge of rock, precipices on either side, the Dome rising some three or four hundred feet above us, and going almost sheer down into the valley at our feet, with to the right of it a wall of rock stretching out, I should say, eight hundred feet above the valley beneath, and almost as smooth as if it had been planed. The Dome stood out of a grand setting of range beyond range of distant mountains, which in themselves formed a most beautiful view, without the very startling foreground of this wonderful Wen Fo Shan. The others, who had known what was coming, rather chuckled over my surprise and their smoke ; and then we walked along the edge of the precipice to the narrow, connecting ledge. Before we crossed, Mr M. photographed the Dome with its trees and temples on the top, and I measured the path from which he took his photograph. Exactly four times the length of my foot could fit into it, but no more.
龍王洞與圓頂：宜昌
我們這次去龍王洞與圓頂的探險，途經了宜昌東南部那片奇妙的礫岩地區。這裡的地貌與宜昌峽谷中優美而舒緩的石灰岩地區大相徑庭，但它因其獨特的地質結構而更為引人注目。據我所知，與之規模相當的另一例子就是西班牙的蒙特塞拉特山。我們在下午出發，我和A坐著轎子，而M先生則徒步走路。然而，最後他還是得被人背著過溪流，我們來來回回渡過這條溪流，直到我幾乎厭倦為止。我們進入礫岩區的時候已是黃昏，巨大岩石塊紛紛倒下，A指著那些與花崗岩卵石混合而成的礫岩說，這些岩石通常會斷裂成兩半，這不僅顯示了它們破裂時所受的巨大力量，也展現了連接它們的礫岩混合物的強韌性，因為花崗岩先行破碎。
這片乾涸的河谷滿是石塊，山脈一側高高隆起，山體上橫向的裂縫筆直如尺畫，還有像煮沸的聖誕布丁表面一樣的小洞，這也讓人聯想到這種岩石俗稱的「布丁石」。在這裡，山谷並不會隨著深入而變得狹窄，反而在盡頭處突然以懸崖結束。當天色漸暗，我們走在狹窄的山徑上，彷彿要通向大山的腹地。直到最後，我們看到一些看似送葬的柏樹之下有一座莊嚴的門樓，這座門樓有著一個轉角，仿佛指引我們筆直通向山腹深處。我幾乎動搖，想要掉頭奔向最近的村莊，彷彿被惡魔追趕。然而，進入門樓後又是一個轉角，還有另一道門和長長的台階，這些台階位於幽暗的柏樹下，最終帶我們來到一座大門和庭院，庭院上方懸掛著數座裝飾著仙鶴與龍紋的寺廟，這些寺廟全都位於龍王洞（Lung Wang Tung）洞頂的拱壁內。從高處的貴賓室窗戶透出的燈光親切溫暖，但卻被洞頂常年滴落的水流如淚水般簾幕般籠罩著，滴落在庭院內的水池中。
再爬上兩段台階，我們進入了寺廟。噢，這些佛教僧侶的模樣真是醜陋！我們發現我們的隨從、轎子和其他物品都落在後面了——所以M先生和A都極力要我換上他們各自備著的外套，畢竟我們身上的衣服全都被熱氣浸濕了。然而這裡潮濕又寒冷，我認為一個人感到不適總好過兩個人，所以我決定等到隨行物品送來後再換衣服。這裡的貴賓室竟然沒有門，我鄭重告知所有能找到的人，說我要洗漱並換衣服了。就在我正忙著時，三位佛教僧侶端著糕點、種子和茶進來了。我命令他們出去，用手勢指示，甚至讓苦力去叫他的主人來翻譯。但無論我如何示意，他們絲毫不理會。然而，這或許在當時的情況下也算是件好事，直到他們按照數學般的精確擺好餐桌，並對自己的安排滿意後才算罷休。除非你用他們的語言對他們說話，否則我從未見過如此難以打動的中國人。最終，我們終於吃上晚餐，然後便在桌子上睡覺。
第二天早上，我們啟程前往聞佛山（Wen Fo Shan）或稱圓頂。一路上，景象十分荒涼，這裡的耕地像是被隨意刮過一樣，表面的岩石裸露出來，山體依舊隆起，帶著水平的裂縫和小圓洞。一路上幾乎全是乾涸的河谷，唯一有水的一條瀑布，我們估計其中一次落差大約有一千英尺。我們沿著懸崖中間的小路前行，走的時候感覺沒什麼特別，但回頭望去，這條小路顯得險峻至極，讓人不禁起了一身雞皮疙瘩。對面則是一段非常陡峭的攀爬路，現在有台階，還算好走。我們又熱又喘的時候，M先生仿佛從腦海中搜羅了所有相關知識，說吸橙子汁是爬山的最佳方法，我們便立即找了一塊平整的石頭坐下，悠然享受片刻的愉悅。然後再次出發，這時A突然在前面喊道：「哎呀，我不管了，我真的得坐下來抽支煙，才能繼續走。」我正要對他和M先生吸煙耽誤行程的行為表示嚴厲指責，因為前一天他們就因為在溪流中游泳耽誤了時間，讓我們晚到了。就在我開口時，我忽然發現我們其實已經到達了山頂，腳下便是山谷，對面只有一條狹窄的岩脊連接著我們的山峰，兩側全是陡峭的懸崖，而圓頂高聳三四百英尺，幾乎垂直下落到我們腳下的山谷中。圓頂右側是一面石壁，從谷底向上延伸約八百英尺，光滑如同經過打磨一樣。圓頂坐落在一片層疊的遠山背景中，風景本已極為壯麗，更因這驚人的前景而顯得尤為突出。其他人似乎早已知道這一幕，對我的驚訝與他們的煙鬥津津樂道。我們隨後沿著懸崖邊的小路行走，走到那條狹窄的連接脊。M先生在我們跨越之前，拍攝了帶有樹木和寺廟的圓頂照片，我量了他拍攝時所站的小徑——恰好四個腳掌的寬度，不能再多了。
The connecting ledge made even me feel disinclined to look down, for one had to go down some rugged steps on to it, which added to the giddy feeling. But of course I conquered my disinclination and looked round over the most weird, distraught-looking country I ever saw. When those evil spirits were turned into swine and ran violently down a steep place I think they must have chosen some country like this. But it was not altogether abandoned to evil influences, for beautiful, tall, white lilies, twice the height and size of virgin lilies, Lilium Brownii, as they are somewhat inappropriately called, were watching all around, and I never tasted nicer blackberries, though they ripened without taking the trouble to turn red.
The temples were very well kept, and the steps up to them were in beautiful order. But it was very oppressive on the top, and I was glad to get down again to the spot where the view first burst upon us like a coup de thddtre. Although first we took a long glance down the windings of the Yangtze, as far as we could see, to try and distinguish some trace of any steamer coming up from Hankow. Seeing none we spent another night at Lung Wang Tung. The first evening, by a flickering candle, a priest had conducted us through the vast, cavernous kitchen, up steps and down steps, through first one chapel and then another till we felt thoroughly mystified. But in die early morning going by mjrself the romantic impression made upon me was greatly deepened. At the back there is a subterranean lake said to stretch on for ever. A man tried to explore it once. But he never came back again. There is a very big boat kept beside it now — the gift of some dignitary — and this is solemnly launched in times of drought, when the priests go to beseech the Dragon King to turn himself round and send rain, for they regard him as the giver of water, and therefore have built these three temples, shutting him in lest he should escape and drought for ever reign over the land. The water was so clear I could hardly see it in the semi-darkness, and was dreadfully afraid of stepping into it by mistake, the more so as a curious blue vapour was hovering over the surface of the water, and as I thought drawing me on. But I went on exploring, until I suddenly found myself in a chapel I had not seen before, and there sat a grave dark man wrapped in a scarlet mande, his head bowed in thought He resembled so greatly an Indian, who came to London a little while ago — as he said, to teach the English people that they had lost sight of the real and the spiritual in the material — ^that for a moment I thought it was he. The blue vapour again permeated this temple, and by an optical delusion made it seem as if the figure moved. It was that of a man who wrought wonderful cures under the Sung Dynasty — Chang Lu. If it at all resembles the original, some of his cures must, I think, have been effected by mesmerism. I never saw a more life-like figure. Even writing of it, its influence oppresses me, and this the more because I have not seen one other image in China, that has made the least impression of any kind upon me.
那條連接的窄脊讓我也不太敢往下看，因為我們得先順著幾個崎嶇的台階下去，這更增添了眩暈感。不過，我還是克服了這種不情願，轉頭俯瞰四周，看到了一片我見過的最荒誕、混亂的景色。當年那些被驅逐的惡靈變成豬並瘋狂地衝下山坡時，我想他們大概就是選了這樣一個地方。不過，這裡並非完全被邪惡力量所掌控，因為到處都有美麗、挺拔、潔白的百合花，它們是布朗百合（Lilium Brownii），這名稱似乎有些不太合適。這些百合比起普通的百合足足高出兩倍。我還從沒嘗過這麼好吃的黑莓，這些黑莓竟然在不變紅的情況下就成熟了。