Tang Xianzu Stories | Seeking Knowledge at Gushan Mountain

   Seeking knowledge from Gushan.

In the forty-fourth year of the Jiajing reign (1565), two young men, their backs laden with satchels and drenched in sweat, ascended Mount Congu at the southern city gate. The clear, resonant sounds of reading emanating from several study rooms ahead suddenly lightened their weary steps, quickening their pace considerably. One of these youths was none other than Tang Xianzu, and the other was his fellow townsman and close friend, Jiang Hongxu.

 

That year, Tang Xianzu turned seventeen. His esteemed teacher, Xu Liangfu, tragically passed away. Undeterred, Tang Xianzu set out from Linchuan, a hundred li away, and traveled upstream along the Yu River by boat, returning to Gushan to study once more under Luo Rufang, continuing to listen to his lectures on the philosophy of Wang Yangming.

 

In fact, even before this, Tang Xianzu had already established a connection with Luo Rufang. At the age of thirteen, Tang Xianzu had taken Luo Rufang as his teacher and studied under him.
 

 

Luo Rufang (1515–1588), courtesy name Weide, styled Jinxī, was commonly known as “Master Jinxī” or “Master Mingde.” A native of Nancheng County, he was a renowned philosopher and educator of the mid-to-late Ming period, a distinguished figure of the Taizhou School, and an ardent proponent of common‑people’s thought. Luo Rufang was not only a scholar but also deeply devoted to teaching; he excelled at articulating profound ideas in clear, accessible language, making his teachings widely appealing to the general populace. Among his contemporaries, he enjoyed great fame—so much so that they remarked he “spoke better than he wrote,” meaning his oral expositions surpassed his written works. Even those who were illiterate could, in a matter of moments, find their minds enlightened by his words. He once established the “Conggu Shanfang” on Conggu Mountain near his hometown, welcoming students from all quarters and dedicating himself to the dissemination of learning.

In fact, the Tang and Luo families have long enjoyed a close friendship. It is said that the couplet posted before the entrance of the Tang family’s private academy was penned by Luo Rufang. The couplet reads: “Time is as precious as gold—do not treat it as mere idle lounging; Heaven and earth are as level as water—yet here we stand, just a stone’s throw from the Dragon Gate.” One year, when Luo Rufang returned home to pay his respects to his kin, Tang Shangxian, the father of Tang Xianzu, seized the occasion and earnestly invited him to come and deliver lectures at his own private academy. Luo Rufang gladly accepted the invitation. Among the students seated below was none other than Tang Xianzu. Upon hearing the teaching that “restraining desire is not true benevolence,” Tang Xianzu’s mind was profoundly enlightened. During Luo Rufang’s stay at the Tang residence, where he lectured, Tang Xianzu often engaged him in serious, thoughtful discussions on scholarly matters; at times they even exchanged poems, or took pleasure in playing the zither. In such moments, Tang Xianzu felt his inner “heavenly insight” grow clear and his spirit draw ever nearer to simplicity and purity.

Congu Mountain, situated five kilometers southeast of Nancheng County, stands tall beside the river, its presence majestic and imposing. The mountain splits into two peaks—one to the east, known as “Fei’ao Peak,” and one to the west, called “Tianzhu Peak.” Between them lies a narrow fissure famed as “Congshi Tianguang,” spanned by a skybridge some two meters long and one meter wide, linking the two summits. The cliffs rise sheer and towering, soaring dozens of zhang in height. On the opposite side of Congu Mountain lies “Pingyu Dongtian”; to its left stands “Qipan Stone,” to its right “Hanxu Stone,” while to the south are “Buchan Stone” and to the north “Nieyun Rock” and “Shizi Rock,” among others. The rocks here are strangely shaped, each bearing a unique form—some resemble lotus buds in bud, others soaring geese with outstretched wings, still others toads poised to leap, or aged figures standing tall. As an ancient poem puts it: “Magu is celebrated for her waterfalls; Congu is renowned for its peculiar rocks.”