Candle Lake and Qu Yuan's Recitation
Legend says after Qu Yuan questioned heaven at the Heavenly Platform, he lost faith in the future and conceived the idea of dying for his country. His lifelong student Chanjuan tried hard to persuade him to retreat to the mountains and seek solace in nature. So they both entered Tianzi Mountain, searching for a paradise among the sandstone peaks and primeval forests. That day, as Qu Yuan walked through the wild forest...
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Candle Lake and Quzi Chanting
It is said that after Qu Yuan questioned Heaven at the Heavenly Terrace, he lost faith in the future and conceived the idea of dying for his country. Chanjuan, the student who had followed him for half his life, tried her utmost to persuade him to retire to the mountains and forests and seek release in nature. So the two of them entered Tianzi Mountain, seeking a happy land amid the sandstone peak forest and primeval forest.
That day, Qu Yuan walked through the wild forest, chanting long verses as he went: "The road ahead is long and far; I shall search high and low"; he chanted, "Long I sigh and wipe away my tears, grieving that the people's lot is so hard"; he chanted, "I would rise and rush away, but seeing the people's suffering I restrain myself"; when he sang, "O soul, come back! Mourn for the southland," suddenly a sobbing, whimpering sound came from the wild forest. It turned out that Qu Yuan's songs of concern for his country and people had moved the trees, flowers, grasses, birds, and beasts of the mountain, and they all unknowingly wept softly in response to Qu Yuan's mournful songs. Their weeping turned into the evening wind, which sighed and lingered low in the ancient forest. At this time, the sky grew darker and darker, and the two lost their way. Just as they were anxious, they suddenly saw little points of light in the depths of the dark forest, flickering and swaying. "Where there is fire, there are people." Chanjuan happily took Qu Yuan's hand and quickened her pace, running forward. When they reached the top of the mountain, a great skylight suddenly opened in the sky, and the stars were even visible. And ahead, a wonder left Qu Yuan dumbstruck: a long, narrow natural lake, about a hundred mu in size, with ancient trees reflected on all four shores, green as a carpet. By the lake were mountain deer, wild deer, red leopards, goats, red foxes, white rabbits, golden pheasants, swans... They wandered leisurely by the lake, and none thought of attacking another. Moreover, he seemed to see the "Mountain Spirit" riding a red leopard and draped in fragrant herbs walking toward the far side of the lake. And even more wondrous: around the lake burned thousands upon thousands of candles, illuminating the lake water so clearly that one could even see the swimming fish and lobsters in the water.
Who lit so many candles?
Could this be the "Heaven" he had yearned for and pursued?
That night, Chanjuan nestled in Qu Yuan's arms, breathing in the fresh fragrance of the lake, and slept soundly and sweetly. Indeed! Ever since she had followed her master into exile along the Yuan and Li rivers more than a year ago, through wind and rain, enduring the hardships of the open road, when had she ever enjoyed a peaceful sleep? As for Qu Yuan, by the light of the candle, he recorded word by word more than one hundred and eighty questions to the Heavenly Emperor—this was the immortal poem that would be remembered through the ages—"Tian Wen" (Heavenly Questions).
At dawn the next day, the two awoke. The mountain spirit, the red leopard, the white rabbit, and the swans were all gone; the candlelight had gone out, leaving only a lake like a mirror of sky and water, and the dancing shadows of trees over half the lake. Chanjuan was quite puzzled and searched the ground for the candle, but no matter how she looked, there was no trace of it. Suddenly, Qu Yuan noticed that around the lake grew clusters of a peculiar plant: its leaves were like thatch grass, and from within the mossy leaves emerged a brown "tail" about a foot long and as thick as a thumb. These "tails" looked remarkably like candles stuck into the ground—could the candles of the previous night have been these very plants lit up?
Later, people called that plant "mao la zhu" (woolly candle). It is said that if you crush it and apply it to a wound, it can stop bleeding immediately. And that lake, naturally, came to be called "Candle Lake."
Legend has it that at Candle Lake, Qu Yuan received guidance from an immortal and felt much broader in heart. Chanjuan said: "Master, the world now is treacherous, treacherous ministers hold power, and darkness covers all. The fall of Chu is only a matter of time. Even with all your passion, it will be hard to save the state from its peril. I see that this Qingyan Mountain has wondrous peaks and beautiful waters, where all creatures live together in harmony and shared prosperity. This is exactly the paradise you have longed for. Let us settle here and spend our days!"
Hearing this, Qu Yuan sighed endlessly and said with tears: "Though my body is in the wild mountains, my heart is tied to the capital of Chu. However beautiful and enchanting this earthly paradise may be, it cannot soothe the pain in my heart!" Weeping as he went, he wandered along the beast trails through the dense forest, chanting poems without cease.
Later, Qu Yuan came down from the mountain and drifted in a small boat on the Li River for several days before returning to the capital of Chu. Afterwards, word came that he had drowned himself in the Miluo River to die for his country.
Strangely, long afterwards, one day a hunter not far from Candle Lake caught sight of Qu Yuan's figure. Startled, he shouted and gave chase. The figure vanished in an instant, but deep in the dense forest stood a stone mountain, over ten zhang tall, strikingly resembling a human figure. Looking closely, one could see the stone man with a gaunt face, brows tightly knit in sorrow, his long blue robe fluttering in the wind, as if he had his hands clasped behind his back, pacing toward the distance. Beside him stood a stone peak, gazing at him with silent affection. The hunter immediately knelt down and cried out: "Lord Qu! Sister Chanjuan! Your humble servant kowtows to you! May Heaven bless you to endure with Qingyan Mountain forever!"
—This stone mountain is the famous scenic wonder known as "Qu Zi Yin Yin" (Qu Yuan Chanting on His Wanderings).