During my visit to Fuqing on Nov. 19, 2019, I visited
Shizhu Daoist Temple 石竹道院 (Stone Bamboo) located in Mount Shizhu where Master Yinyuan stayed before. Lion Cliff (Shiziyan 獅子岩) where Master Yinyuan stayed as a recluse was in its vicinity. However, I did not have time to climb and hike to the place. There used to be Buddhist sites nearby. But right now it is a famous Daoist site nationwide for its dream culture because auspicious dreams are going to happen to visitors. The local legend of
Nine Immortals of the He Family 何氏九仙 also originated here and spread in Fujian and Taiwan. When he was young, Master Yinyuan had a good dream here which predicted that he would be ordained as a monk soon. This episode has been recorded in his chronological biography and discussed in my book
Leaving for the Rising Sun. In his poems, Master Yinyuan made many references to the Daoist culture on Mount Shizhu such as the reference to Ziyun Cave 紫雲洞. Evidence shows he was deeply influenced by local Daoist cultures such as dream prognostication and spirit writing 扶乩. Chinese President Xi Jinping 習近平 also visited here when he was a local official in a nearby county many years ago. An old Daoist monk said Xi had a dream and consulted him. This is the origin of the slogan "Chinese Dream" 中國夢 which Xi promoted later.
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