The Daoist Arena of Yuchan, Zhizhi and Sitting in Oblivion

"Master, is this the place?" Lin Pingzhi stood upon the bamboo raft, raising his head to look ahead, his eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Tai Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze distant as he nodded slightly. "Indeed, we have arrived."

The bamboo raft drifted slowly along Jiuqu Creek. The stream was crystal clear, revealing the sandy bottom, while the banks were lined with towering green trees and lush jade grass, resembling a paradise cut off from the world. In the distance, upon the green stone hillside, an ancient temple could be faintly seen, nestled amidst the verdant forest. Atop the temple gate, a weathered stone plaque bore three vigorous characters—"Zhizhi Hermitage."

Tai Yuan focused his gaze. Zhizhi Hermitage was pure and elegant, backed by Dawang Peak and flanked by Lintiezhang Peak, a place blessed with beautiful mountains and waters. He praised, "This is truly an excellent place for quiet cultivation. Let us go."

With that, without any visible movement, he merely flicked his sleeve, and the bamboo raft instantly shot forward like an arrow from a bow, gliding along the stream. Lin Pingzhi only felt the wind whistling past his ears as the scenery rapidly receded. Before long, the raft reached the shore. Tai Yuan leaped lightly onto the bank, his robes fluttering elegantly. Lin Pingzhi followed closely behind with light steps, showing that his skills had grown more profound.

The two slowly walked along the green stone path. The surroundings were completely silent, save for the rustling of leaves and the gurgling of the stream. Lin Pingzhi took a deep breath, feeling the air filled with a pure fragrance that refreshed his mind.

"Master, why is this place called Zhizhi? Is there some profound meaning behind it?" Lin Pingzhi could not help but ask.

Tai Yuan's eyes grew deep as he spoke slowly, "The two characters 'Zhizhi' draw their meaning from the phrase 'abiding in the ultimate goodness' in Zhuangzi. Far from the bustle of the world, this is the perfect place to cast aside distracting thoughts and return to one's original heart. If a cultivator can quiet their mind here, they will surely attain enlightenment."

The "Commentary on the Decision" of the Book of Changes states: "Gen means stopping. When it is time to stop, stop; when it is time to act, act. When movement and rest do not miss their proper time, the path is bright."
"Zhuangzi" also states: "An empty room generates light, and auspiciousness abides in stillness."
The "Lotus Sutra" writes: "Stop, stop, the wondrous is inconceivable."

Bai Yuchan, however, believed: "Green mountains and white clouds are Zhizhi; falling flowers and flowing water are also Zhizhi; the cries of birds and gibbons on the deserted terrace are all Zhizhi."
"Zhizhi is not the stopping of stagnation, but the tranquility within consciousness."

"Zhizhi" first restrains unstable thoughts, returning the complex mind to a state of purity, reaching the realm of "Returning to One." Bai Yuchan advocated: using scenery to cleanse the soul; when both mind and matter are forgotten, the Great Dao will manifest. Forgetting the physical form, discarding the eyes and ears, escaping the shackles of body and intellect, and merging into one with the Great Dao—this is called Sitting in Oblivion.

The state of "forgetting" is a state of life where one seeks the Dao with the entire mind, not self-delusion or self-numbing. Those who sit in oblivion forget because they no longer have attachments; they practice the Dao without seeing themselves practicing, their minds unmoving, their physical forms vanishing, achieving absolute purity of the soul and returning to the origin of life.

The scenery here was boundless, backed by Dawang Peak and facing Huxiao Rock, with Zhutian on the left and Tieban on the right. Beside the valley stream, an ancient pine seemed to welcome guests. Entering the secluded creek, one could hear birds singing and water flowing, with flowers carpeting the path, stepping up stone stairs to admire plum blossoms and bamboo. Looking down from on high, it was indeed a terrain backed by mountains and facing water, surrounded by spiritual energy. Continuing upward, there was a large stone cave suitable for habitation.

Tai Yuan closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift freely through the valley. He thought of ancient tales from a thousand years ago, reflecting on the brevity of human life. Watching the floating clouds pass by, listening to the mountain wind rise and fall. A mountain need not be high; if an immortal dwells there, it will become famous. Water need not be deep; if a dragon resides there, it will become spiritual.

Famous mountains attracted Daoists; those who chose this place to cultivate included Huang Taimu, Zhang Zhan, Yu Daochao, Yu Daoyuan, Xue Bing, Li Taozhen... But the one who truly placed Wuyi Mountain among the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands and made Zhizhi Hermitage famous throughout the world was Bai Yuchan alone.

In his "Record of Zhizhi Hermitage," he wrote of the pleasures of this place: "Cold clouds in the jade cave, mist locking the jade forest. The iron flute sounds, and the immortals gather. Where are the distant immortals? Among the thousands of wondrous caves of Wuyi, none compare to Zhizhi Hermitage." It could truly be called a scenic wonder of the secluded valley!

Tai Yuan stood before the gate of Zhizhi Hermitage, his heart filled with emotion. As the Daoist arena of the Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect, Bai Yuchan, this place bore too much history. His purpose on this trip was to see if there were still any true Daoists left in this ancient hermitage.

Passing by a unique rock, Tai Yuan stopped to observe. Upon the cliff face, colorful cliff carvings were displayed, featuring poetry, maxims, and even mysterious talismans. The sunlight shone upon them, making the carvings glow, as if harboring a profound Daoist charm.

Lin Pingzhi followed behind, asking in a low voice, "Master, are these carvings left behind by Patriarch Yuchan?"

Tai Yuan nodded slightly. "Perhaps, perhaps not. As the years pass, many traces have faded, but the Daoist intent within is real."

Arriving before the main entrance, the classic hermitage gate hung a vigorous couplet: "Cultivating benevolence and virtue brings neighbors; this land gladly neighbors the white waters. Emulating the worthy and prominent allows learning; this person wishes to learn from Ziyang."

Tai Yuan smiled in understanding. When Lin Pingzhi curiously asked about the deeper meaning, Tai Yuan explained, "Master Yuchan held Zhu Zi in extremely high regard. In his collected writings, he once evaluated Zhu Zi very highly. One can see his deep reverence."

"Then who does 'Ziyang' in the couplet refer to?" Lin Pingzhi asked.

Tai Yuan shook his head and laughed. "It is hard to say. Perhaps it is Zhu Zi, perhaps it is the Sage of Ziyang, or perhaps both. Within the Daoist sect, many things are difficult to explain clearly."

Having spoken, Tai Yuan closed his eyes, releasing his spiritual force to sense the aura within the hermitage. After a long while, he opened his eyes, revealing a look of disappointment. When Lin Pingzhi asked, Tai Yuan sighed, "There is indeed some Daoist aura in the hermitage, but the strongest is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, their aura as feeble as a candle in the wind. It seems there are no true Daoists left here."

Of course, he did not rule out the possibility of hidden cultivators with realms higher than his own, preventing him from detecting them.

"Since we have arrived, we shall proceed according to the rules. Pingzhi, greet the gate."

Lin Pingzhi stood respectfully before the gate, speaking clearly, "Lin Pingzhi of the Ziyang lineage, accompanying my master, Perfected Tai Yuan, has come to pay respects to the mountain. We request the fellow Daoists within the hermitage to open the gate for a meeting."