This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
At the foot of Longtantu Mountain near Shaoshan, there is a large rock rising straight from level ground, called Stone Guanyin, with a clear spring at its base that flows ceaselessly. According to legend, at the foot of Longtantu Mountain there was originally no large rock, only a deep pool whose water was emerald clear and whose depth was unknown. In it hid a wicked dragon, which often at night or during rainstorms would slip out of the deep pool, steal fat pigs from pigsties, and seize children playing outside to eat, making the nearby people unable to live in peace. Someone offered a plan: "Mix the blood of three chickens, three cats, and three dogs into lime, and pour it into the pool to kill the wicked dragon." The people followed the plan. With a shout, they poured several hundred jin of lime mixed with the blood of chickens, cats, and dogs all at once into the pool. The wicked dragon flew into a rage, and with one spray of its dragon mouth sent the lime and water out of the pool, covering the surrounding people from head to toe in dust and grime, stinging everyone so much that they cried out in pain and hurried to the pond to wash clean. When one plan failed, the people again invited sorceresses and ritual masters to drive peachwood stakes and paste up incantations. They spent no small amount of money, but still could not subdue this demon. So they again invoked deities to rid them of the dragon, but the Earth God Temple King could not manage it, and the twenty-four Bodhisattvas of the heavens and the twenty-eight lunar mansion deities could not be summoned. They had no choice but to prepare spears, short knives, iron clubs, and torches. Whenever the demon dragon appeared, they would beat gongs as a signal, light torches, brandish knives and clubs, and shout to suppress the demon. This tactic really worked, causing the wicked dragon to fail and retreat several times.
One evening, the Wang couple were gathering rice on the threshing floor in front of their house. Their beloved three-year-old child had just crawled out of the main door when a gust of wind from the wicked dragon swept the child away. Suddenly a great shout came from the clouds: "Wicked beast, do not do evil!" The wicked dragon looked up and saw Guanyin Bodhisattva arriving on a cloud and was greatly startled. But as it had not eaten for a long time, it wanted to eat first and talk later, so it opened its great mouth and was about to send the child into it. Guanyin Bodhisattva pointed with her whisk and froze the wicked dragon, then beckoned with her hand and drew the half-dead child into her bosom. She angrily rebuked the wicked dragon, saying: "You wicked creature, you have done much evil. If you do not take refuge and cultivate the right fruit, you shall never leave the pool." Having said this, she muttered incantations, swept her whisk, and drove the wicked dragon into the pool, then moved a large rock about two zhang high and pressed it over the mouth of the pool to suppress the wicked dragon.
When the people saw Guanyin Bodhisattva subdue the wicked dragon, they quickly knelt and cried out: "Greatly merciful and compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva, who saves the suffering and rescues the distressed!"
In order to commemorate Guanyin Bodhisattva's blessing upon the people, the villagers called the dragon-suppressing rock Stone Guanyin.
