Eighteen

Mount Sanqu

original: "Sanqu Shan." Mount Sanqu is a celebrated scenic site in Quzhou. The name "Sanqu" (Three Branches) traditionally refers to the three forks of the road—leading to Fujian, Jiangxi, and the rest of Zhejiang—that converge near this landmark.

Landscape original: "Shanshui," literally "mountains and water." This refers to the classical genre of Chinese art that seeks to capture the spirit of nature rather than mere photographic realism.

[A detailed double-page woodblock illustration of Mount Sanqu. The right page features a prominent, towering, and gnarled rock formation—resembling a massive "scholar's stone" or a jagged limestone pillar—with two small figures standing at its base to illustrate the scale. Rolling hills fade into the background. The left page shows a rugged path ascending through steep cliffs and ancient, twisted pine trees.]

The Stone Forest of Sanqu

Mount Sanqu is famous for its "Stone Forest," a karst landscape featuring weathered limestone that takes on the appearance of animals, spirits, or abstract sculptures.

The craftsmanship of this woodblock print original: "Muban hua." demonstrates the sophisticated linework of the late Imperial era. Each stroke on the mountain face, known as "texture strokes," is designed to convey the physical hardness and ancient age of the limestone.

Visual Features of the Peak:

The Pillar of Heaven: A massive, vertical rock formation that dominates the right-hand view, often associated with the strength of the earth's energy.
Winding Pathways: The left side of the image illustrates the arduous journey of the pilgrim or scholar, climbing through "cloud-touching" pines.
The Travelers: Two figures at the base emphasize the Confucian and Taoist ideal of man existing in harmony with a vast, overwhelming nature.