Explore Fangzhang Mountain, an eastern mystical realm with jade forests, purple clouds, dragons, and the enchanting Cloud-Transmitting Terrace with its unique Constant Spring Trees.
Fangzhang Mountain is also known as Luanzhi Mountain. To the east of the mountain, there is a place called Longchang, covering an area of thousands of square miles. Here, beautiful jade abounds, and purple clouds float overhead. Within Longchang, there are dragons, and their scales and bones resemble hills, scattered across an area of hundreds of acres. When dragons molt, their shed scales and bones appear lifelike, resembling live dragons lying on the ground. Some say that dragons often engage in combat within Longchang, and during these battles, dragon fat and blood flow like water on the ground. Black dragon fat, when it adheres to plants and other objects, appears as if they have been coated with a thick layer of paint. Purple dragon fat, when it falls to the ground, solidifies and can be used to create precious items. In the second year of King Zhao of Yan’s reign, people from overseas brought exquisitely decorated ships and used finely crafted vessels to collect several bushels of dragon fat, which they presented to King Zhao of Yan. King Zhao of Yan sat on the Cloud-Transmitting Terrace, also known as the Cloud-Radiance Terrace. He ordered that the dragon fat be used as lamp oil, and the light illuminated a distance of one hundred li. The smoke produced by the lamps had a purple-red hue. When the people of Yan saw the light from a distance, they considered it an auspicious sign and prostrated themselves in worship. Dragon fat lamps used fire-washed cloth as wicks. To the west of Fangzhang Mountain, there is a reflecting stone. Even when standing ten li away from the stone, it can still reflect the images of people and objects like a mirror. Even the fragments of the reflecting stone can create reflections. Moreover, the large reflecting stones, measuring only one or two jin in weight, cover an area of one zhang square. King Zhao ordered that this type of stone be ground into stone paste and applied to the Cloud-Radiance Terrace. King Zhao of Yan and the Queen Mother of the West often visited and resided on the Cloud-Radiance Terrace. There were often many phoenixes and unicorns dancing and playing music on the terrace, creating melodies as if played on musical instruments. Divine and supernatural lights shone on the Cloud-Radiance Terrace, resembling the rising sun and moon.
To the left and right of the Cloud-Radiance Terrace, there are Everlasting Spring trees planted. These trees have leaves resembling lotus flowers and emit a fragrance akin to osmanthus. The flowers of the Everlasting Spring tree change color with the seasons. During the later years of King Zhao of Yan’s reign, the Everlasting Spring tree, a sacred offering from immortals, was obtained. As a result, emissaries from various countries came to pay their respects. King Zhao of Yan remarked, “Now that I have the Everlasting Spring tree, why should I worry about not reaching the realm of the Pure Clear Immortals?” The term “Everlasting Spring” is synonymous with the present-day agarwood. There is a type of grass called Rujian, with leaves of deep green tinged with red and stems as dark as lacquer. It is slender, soft, and flexible, suitable for weaving. People from overseas territories use this grass to make seat cushions. When rolled up, the cushion is less than a foot long, but when spread out, it can accommodate guests from various countries. The vertical strips of the cushion are connected by sedge grass. Sedge grass is as thin as hair, with each stem reaching eight hundred feet in length. It is soft, fragrant, smooth, and used by the immortals to make reins for dragons and swan chariots. There is also a lake, one hundred square li in size, with shallow water that can be walked through. The mud at the bottom of the lake is golden in color and spicy in taste. This mud can be used to make vessels or small boats. After multiple refinements, the mud can transform into gold, with a greenish color. It can reflect ghosts, demons, and supernatural beings like a stone mirror, leaving them with no place to hide.
方丈之山，一名巒雉。東有龍場，地方千里，玉瑤為林，雲色皆紫。有龍，皮骨如山阜，散百頃，遇其蛻骨之時，如生龍。或云：“龍常鬥此處，膏血如水流。膏色黑者，著草木及諸物如淳漆也。膏色紫光，著地凝堅，可為寶器。”燕昭王二年，海人乘霞舟，以雕壺盛數斗膏，以獻昭王。王坐通雲之台，亦曰通霞台，以龍膏為燈，光耀百里，煙色丹紫，國人望之，咸言瑞光，世人遙拜之。燈以火浣布為纏。山西有照石，去石十里，視人物之影如鏡焉。碎石片片，皆能照人，而質方一丈，則重一兩。昭王舂此石為泥，泥通霞之台，與西王母常遊居此台上。常有眾鸞鳳鼓舞，如琴瑟和鳴，神光照耀，如日月之出。台左右種恆春之樹，葉如蓮花，芬芳如桂，花隨四時之色。昭王之末，仙人貢焉，列國咸賀。王曰：“寡人得恆春矣，何憂太清不至。”恆春一名“沉生”，如今之沉香也。有草名濡葌，葉色如紺，莖色如漆，細軟可縈，海人織以為席薦，捲之不盈一手，舒之則列坐方國之賓。莎蘿為經。莎蘿草細大如髮，一莖百尋，柔軟香滑，群仙以為龍、鵠之轡。有池方百里，水淺可涉，泥色若金而味辛，以泥為器，可作舟矣。百煉可為金，色青，照鬼魅猶如石鏡，魑魅不能藏形矣。