Splitting the Mountain to Retrieve the Sword
Splitting the Mountain to Retrieve the Sword: Legend says after Xiang Dakun raised the banner of rebellion at Zhimata, the Tusi of eighteen caves in northwestern Hunan raised troops in response. Within days, he had several thousand men. Xiang Dakun led these troops in daily drills at Zhimata. Watching his soldiers, each like a little tiger, he felt very pleased. But lacking weapons, the soldiers had to use hoes and...
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Splitting the Mountain to Take the Sword
It is said that after Xiang Dakun raised his banner in rebellion at Zhimata, the eighteen cave chiefs of northwestern Hunan raised troops in response one after another. Within a few days, he had several thousand men. Xiang Dakun then led these troops in daily drills at Zhimata.
Looking at these native soldiers, each like a little tiger, Xiang Dakun was delighted. But because they lacked weapons, the soldiers had to practice with hoes, iron rakes, fir knives, and wooden clubs. Xiang Dakun thought: these things might do for training, but in real battle, how could they stand against the government troops' swords, halberds, spears, and lances? So he took his men to the mine caves of Kuangdong Yu to open mines and forge weapons.
Before long, the weapons were forged, and every soldier had a decent weapon—only Xiang Dakun himself had none to his liking. He picked through thousands of weapons, choosing and rejecting, but none satisfied him. This troubled him greatly—how could a commander of such stature go without a proper weapon?
That day, just as darkness fell, an old man with graying hair and beard came stumbling from the opposite direction, carrying a lantern in one hand and an axe in the other, crying out without pause: "My child! My treasure!"
Xiang Dakun found it strange and asked, "Old uncle, what has happened to your child?" Seeing Xiang Dakun, the old man beat his chest and wept bitterly, saying that a snake demon had appeared in Zhangjiajie, often taking the form of a handsome young man to abduct innocent women. That day, his only daughter had been washing vegetables at Golden Whip Stream when, to his misfortune, the snake demon carried her off.
Xiang Dakun's face turned livid with anger. He said, "Tell me where the demon is, and I will go kill it and bring your daughter back."
The old man was very grateful and pointed to a grotesque, sharp-peaked mountain opposite Golden Whip Rock, saying, "The demon is on the mountain opposite. You must deal with it carefully..." With that, he handed the axe and lantern to Xiang Dakun, saying, "Take this axe to defend yourself, and this lantern to light your way..."
Without another word, Xiang Dakun turned and climbed the mountain. Halfway up, just as he wanted to stretch and catch his breath, he heard a "woof" and a vicious dog suddenly leaped down from the cliff, charging at him. Xiang Dakun quickly dodged and swung the axe to strike. The vicious dog leaped and flashed among the rocks, and after several exchanges, Xiang Dakun began to find it hard to hold his own. Just then, the lantern in his hand suddenly emitted ten thousand rays of auspicious light, blinding the vicious dog's eyes. With a few wild barks, it shrank into a ball and crouched on the ground, motionless. Xiang Dakun rushed over and kicked it, but it did not budge—looking closely, the dog had turned to stone!
Having subdued the vicious dog, Xiang Dakun climbed a few more steps to the summit. He heard faintly from within the rocky mountain a woman's cry for help. Gritting his teeth and gathering all his strength, he brought the axe down on the summit with one stroke, and with a "boom," the sharp-peaked mountain was split in two. At that moment, a great green snake came flying out from the mountain cleft with a "swoosh," and with one sweep of its tail snapped several pine trees as thick as rice bowls. Xiang Da
kun brought the axe down again, and with a "clang," golden sparks flew everywhere. The green snake vanished, and the axe struck a sword—blue and gleaming, shining with light.
Xiang Dakun was astonished. He picked up the sword, looked it over, and waved it at the strange rocks beside him, slashing several times. The sword rose and the rocks flew, as if slicing through yellow mud. What a fine "Green Snake Sword"! Then he looked into the mountain cleft, but saw no trace of the woman. Suddenly he started—could that old man have been an immortal? He hurried to pick up the axe, but it had turned to stone. He hurried to pick up the lantern, but it too had turned to stone. Xiang Dakun was so happy he could almost leap for joy. He suddenly remembered the four lines: "The green snake hides the precious sword, the iron flute plays the autumn wind." Could that immortal be none other than Immortal Master Zhang Liang? It was he who gave me a bow and a book of military strategy, and today he has pointed the way for me to take the sword. With his help, just watch me turn this rotten world upside down!
As for this mountain, because of this strange legend, the local people called it "Splitting the Mountain to Take the Sword."
[Editor's note] According to folk legend, the place where King Tianzi Xiang Dakun split the mountain to take the sword is the spot now erroneously known as the "Splitting the Mountain to Save the Mother" scenic site.