两湖地区最大摩崖石窟隐于山村
The largest cliff grottoes of Hubei and Hunan hidden in a mountain village
仙佛古寺的摩崖造像 Cliff statues in Xianfo Temple
摩崖造像 Cliff statues
回文诗碑文 Palindrome poem inscription
楚天都市报极目新闻记者 王佳文 李博
通讯员 张宏 张杏
翻译：瞿佳慧、宋婷、卫拉（湖北大学）
Jimu News Reporters: Wang Jiawen, Li Bo
Correspondents: Zhang Hong, Zhang Xing
Translators: Qu Jiahui, Song Ting, Lisa M. K (Hubei University)
湖北省恩施州来凤县城东7公里的酉水河畔的佛潭岩上，存有长江中游、两湖地区现存唯一的大型摩岩石窟。石窟建凿距今已经有近1700年的历史。
The Fotan Rock on the Youshui River, 7 km east of Laifeng County, Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, is home to the only large rocky grottoes in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Hubei and Hunan. The grottoes have a history of nearly 1,700 years.
九月的来凤秋雨连绵，极目新闻记者探访来凤县仙佛寺村，拨开缭绕云雾的面纱，感受千余年前的文化瑰宝。
In the rainy September, the reporters visited Xianfo Temple Village in Laifeng County which was decorated with dazzling clouds, to enjoy the cultural treasures of more than 1,000 years ago.
是我国开凿年代
最古远的石窟寺之一
One of the most ancient grotto temples in the carving age
酉水河从宣恩县境内的峡谷流入来凤县后，在仙佛寺旁形成了一个长约一里的碧潭，如项链的一颗翡翠吊坠，潭水静静地流动，深不见底。这一河段被周边群众称为“佛潭”。
With Youshui River flowing into Laifeng County from the canyon in Xuan'en County, a green pool forms about one mile next to the Xianfo Temple, like a jade pendant on a necklace, its still water running deep. Local residents call this section of the river “Fotan”.
来凤县作家协会副主席叶明理多年来潜心研究当地历史文化遗迹，他告诉极目新闻记者，佛潭的得名，来源于酉水河北岸一道长约200米的赭红色悬崖，在此悬崖中部约35米长的石壁上，摩崖雕凿着31尊佛像。其中有大龛3个，刻有3尊大佛、8尊菩萨；中龛1个，刻有双观音立像2尊；小龛18个，一龛一佛，多为观音和地藏。
Ye Mingli, the vice chairman of the Laifeng County Writers’ Association, has devoted himself to the study of local historical and cultural relics for many years. He told reporters the name “Fotan” (meaning buddha pool in Chinese) was inspired by the 31 Buddha statues along the 35-meter-long mid-section of a 200-meter-long ochre red cliff. Among them, there are 3 large niches, engraved with 3 large Buddhas and 8 Bodhisattvas; 1 middle niche, engraved with two statues of double Avalokitesvara; and 18 small niches, each with one Buddha, mostly Avalokitesvara or Ksitigarbha.
“楼台数重原无地，水月双清别有天”，古人曾上依绝壁、下临深潭建吊脚楼式窟檐三层，将佛像尽罩入内保护起来，第一层为钟鼓楼，第二层为观音堂，第三层为大佛殿，是为“仙佛寺”。据传，古吊脚楼檐际青藤披挂，悬泉飞溅，四时疑雨；槛内古柏笼烟，春兰秋菊，桂香怡人，环境清幽。
The ancients had built a three-storey stilted building of grotto eaves between the cliff and the deep pool, having the Buddha statue fully covered and protected. Its first floor was the bell and drum tower, the second was the Avalokitesvara hall, and the third was the Giant Buddha hall, named “Xianfo temple”. According to legends, green vines hang on the eave with a small waterfall splashing beside, resembling constant rain in all four seasons; within the fences, mists hover among the ancient cypresses alongside orchids in spring, chrysanthemum in autumn and sweet-scented osmanthus, creating a serene and beautiful scenery.
9月21日，淅沥的秋雨让人略感寒意，记者驱车来到仙佛寺所在的仙佛寺村，整个小山村都笼罩在蒙蒙细雨之中。周边的群山云迷雾锁，山峰戴上洁白的头纱；碧绿的酉水河泛着雨点，携着雾气缓缓流动；萧瑟的天气为依峭壁而建的土家吊脚楼增添了朦胧和氤氲的氛围；丹霞地貌则为佛像赋予了绚丽的色彩，即使历经千年沧桑，仍散发出超尘出俗的气质。
On September 21st, a rainy day, the reporter drove to Xianfo Temple Village where it was drizzling. The surrounding mountains were shrouded in clouds and mists, giving the peaks a white veil; The green Youshui river was covered in droplets of rain, a mist trailing along as the water quietly flowed; The bleak weather added a hazy and dense atmosphere to the Tujia stilted houses built on cliffs; The Danxia landform gave a gorgeous color to the Buddha, exuding a temperament of transcendence even after thousands of years of vicissitudes.
倚靠栏杆，伴着流水，欣赏彰显先人智慧的古佛像，耳听雨打蕉叶，令人脑海中不禁浮现出杜牧的绝句：“南朝四百八十寺，多少楼台烟雨中。”
Leaning on the railings, with the sound of flowing water nearby, one can appreciate the ancient Buddha statue highlighting the wisdom of our ancestors. The sound of rain falling onto banana leaves resounds in one's ears, which scene brings to mind Du Mu’s quatrains: “Four hundred eighty splendid temples still remain; Of Southern Dynasties in the mist and rain.”
据同治本《来凤县志》记载：“咸康佛，在佛潭岩上……左镌有记，仅余‘咸康元年五月’六字，文多不可辨。”由此有人推断，仙佛寺的石窟可能始建于东晋的咸康元年五月（公元335年）。是我国开凿年代最古远的石窟寺之一，也是湖北省唯一的石窟寺。似乎现代的我们仍可以跨越千年，见到杜牧诗中所描绘的场景。
Tongzhi Laifeng County Annals records: “Xiankang Buddha is on the Fotan rock... only six characters remain on the engraving ‘May of the first year of Xiankang’, with the rest of the writing illegible.” Some have since inferred the grottoes of the Xianfo Temple may have been built in May (335 AD), the first year of Xiankang in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, thus making the Xianfo Temple one of China’s oldest grotto temples, as well as Hubei Province’s sole grotto temple. It could be said that we too, though thousands of years later, are beholding the very scenes that once inspired the verses of the renowned Tang Dynasty poet, Du Mu, over a millennium ago.
同时，仙佛寺摩崖造像风格与同时期中原地区摩崖造像，如龙门石窟等，多有相同之处，体现了少数民族地区与中原地区的密切关系，毫无疑问的是研究鄂西少数民族地区与中原文化交流的重要实物资料。
Furthermore, the Buddhist cliff sculptures at Xianfo Temple exhibit a striking resemblance to those found in the Central Plains of China, notably those in the Longmen Grottoes. It serves as a testament to the profound connections and interactions between the ethnic groups inhabiting the western regions of Hubei Province and the inhabitants of the central plains. Without a doubt, these sculptures constitute invaluable tangible artifacts for the study and exploration of the rich cultural exchanges between these two communities.
千年古刹笔墨飘香
Ancient Temple with a Poetic Atmosphere
“仙佛映月”是著名的来凤八景之一，说的是月上中天之时，摩崖雕凿的大佛映在酉水河中，上下天光，银波荡漾，蔚为壮观。
“The Buddha bathed in moonlight” stands as one of the renowned “Eight Wonders” in Laifeng County. It offers a truly spectacular and majestic sight when, as the moon reaches its zenith, the moonlight graces both the Buddhist cliff sculptures and their reflections in the tranquil waters of the Youshui River simultaneously, creating a breathtaking scene with celestial lights above and shimmering silver ripples below.
这座风光秀丽，禅境清幽的仙佛寺，吸引了古往今来众多文人墨客在此题咏。清咸丰年间，有一位叫咸池昙真人的佛门弟子曾留下一首回文诗，所谓回文诗，就是顺念倒读都成句的诗句。
The enchanting and tranquil Xianfo Temple has long been a muse for countless literati and scholars, inspiring them to craft verses and lyrical compositions. Notably, during the Xianfeng periods of the Qing Dynasty, a devout Buddhist disciple named Tan Zhenren (Immortal Tan) from the Xianchi region, left behind a remarkable palindrome poem. A palindrome poem, in this context, alludes to a poetic creation that can be read both forwards and backwards, rendering a meaningful sentence in both directions.
这首诗顺读是：花开菊白桂争妍，好景宜人留晚天。霞落潭中波漾影，纱笼树色月笼烟。
When read forward, the poem goes as follows: Blossoms unfurl, chrysanthemums and white osmanthus vie for splendor, and the picturesque landscape beckons one to linger through the evening. In the sunset’s pool, where shadows ripple, the gauzy embrace of trees and the ethereal dance of moon-kissed smoke weave their vibrant hues.
倒读则是：烟笼月色树笼纱，影漾波中潭落霞。天晚留人宜景好，妍争桂白菊开花。
When read backwards, it reads: Smoke envelops moonlit trees, veiled in gauzy mist, shadows ripple in the pool, and sunset hues descend. Evening welcomes one with delightful vistas, as chrysanthemums and white osmanthus compete in full bloom.
顺念倒读都生动地描绘出“仙佛映月”的美景，而且意境悠远。更有趣的是，将其拼折组合，可以演绎万千新诗。
Whether read forwards or backwards, it vividly portrays the picturesque beauty of “The Buddha bathed in moonlight,” with a sense of profound serenity. Even more intriguing is that, when rearranged and combined, it can give rise to countless new poems, opening the door to endless creative possibilities.
关于这首诗，还有一个民间传说。相传木匠祖师爷鲁班曾脱草鞋扔于潭中化为铁船，并留下“要得卯洞开，除非铁船来”的偈言。咸池昙真人到此之后又写下这首回文诗，并留下“要得铁船走，吟诗一百首”的真言，然后飘然而去。
There is also a folk legend about this poem. According to the tale, the founder of carpentry, Lu Ban, once removed his straw sandals and cast them into the pool, where they transformed into an iron boat, leaving behind the saying “Only if the iron boat appears, can the Mao cave (in the Laifeng county) made.” Subsequently, Immortal Tan from Xianchi wrote this palindrome poem and left behind the saying “If you have to move the iron boat, recite a hundred poems”, and then drifted away.
一位上京赶考的青年才俊路过此地，才思敏捷，一口气将回文诗拼折吟成99首。突然，河水咆哮，洪波涌起，一艘铁船即将破水而出，才子大惊，慌乱之下忘却了最后一首，以致功败垂成，留下千古遗憾。
A young talented man, racing to the capital for an important examination, encountered this very spot. In a single breath, with his quick and nimble mind, he artfully composed and recited 99 palindrome poems. Suddenly, the serene river erupted into a tumultuous roar, waves surged forth, and an imposing iron vessel appeared, ready to pierce through the water’s surface. The man, taken aback and thrown into a state of panic, inadvertently lost his train of thought on the final poem. This unfortunate lapse led to his failure and a lasting sense of profound regret.
20世纪80年代，来凤县就仙佛寺回文诗演绎在媒体上发文征稿，短时间内收集到演绎拼拆组合的诗稿竟高达14000多首，经精选，其中200首还被编辑成立《仙佛寺回文诗演绎诗集》。
In the 1980s, Laifeng County published articles through the media in search of manuscripts on the interpretation of palindrome poetry at Xianfo Temple. Within a short time, over 14,000 poems were collected and reassembled. Following a meticulous selection, a mere 200 of these poetic gems were crafted into the Anthology of Palindrome Poetry Interpretation on Xianfo Temple.
如今的仙佛寺景区，还围绕咸池昙真人的传说和碑文，打造了翰墨碑林，不少游客来到此处都会尝试演绎拼拆组合咸池昙真人的回文诗，诗声朗朗，这座千年古刹更显笔墨飘香。
Nowadays, the Xianfo Temple scenic area also created a collection of calligraphy based on the legend and inscriptions of Immortal Tan of Xianchi. Many tourists who come here attempt to interpret and recreate his palindrome poems. With verses resonating loudly, this millennia-old temple is infused with an enduring aroma of ink and profound cultural significance.
保护先人遗产，助力今人致富
Protecting the heritage of our ancestors and leading the present generation to prosperity
来凤民族博物馆副馆长杨思沛介绍，造像艺术具有浓郁的中原特色，代表了两湖地区石刻艺术的最高峰，可以媲美洛阳的龙门石窟。为了使仙佛寺石窟保护和利用有前瞻性， 2011年，来凤县启动了仙佛寺石窟保护规划编制工作。根据仙佛寺石窟保护规划，2014年末，仿照土家族吊脚楼形式的窟檐复原完成，使佛像避免了日晒雨淋，提升了游客的旅游体验，实现了文物保护和开发利用双重价值。2018年，又实施仙佛寺石窟危岩体抢险加固工程，进一步加固了石窟，确保了游客安全。2022年还进行了仙佛寺石窟危岩体加固二期工程，目前已完成90%以上。
Yang Sipei, Deputy Director of the Laifeng Ethnic Museum, introduced that the sculptural art of Xianfo Temple has evident characteristics of the Central Plains and represents the pinnacle of stone carving art in Hunan and Hubei, comparable to the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang. In order to have a forward-looking approach to the protection and utilization of the Xianfo Temple Grottoes, Laifeng County initiated a protection plan for the grottoes in 2011. According to the plan, by the end of 2014, the eaves of the grottoes were restored in the form of Tujia stilted houses, protecting the Buddha statues from exposure to the sun and rain, enhancing tourist experience, and achieving the dual value of cultural heritage protection and development. In 2018, relief works and a reinforcement project for dangerous rock masses near the Xianfo Temple Grottoes was implemented, further strengthening the grottoes and ensuring the safety of visitors. In 2022, the second phase of the project was carried out, with over 90% completed now.
仙佛寺石窟，是历史的见证。多年来，来凤县人民一直在尽力保护仙佛寺石窟这一文化瑰宝，希望珍贵的摩崖造像能永远传之后世。而这笔先人留下的宝贵财富，也为仙佛寺村的村民们带来了福祉。
The Xianfo Temple Grottoes have witnessed the passing of history. Over the years, the people of Laifeng County have made every effort to protect this cultural treasure, hoping that the precious cliff carvings can be preserved for future generations. And this valuable wealth left by our ancestors has brought prosperity to the villagers of Xianfo Temple Village.
2012年以来，来凤县开始了“仙佛寺景区”的打造工作，并于2014年底整体竣工。次年初，仙佛寺景区正式通过AAAA级景区验收工作，成为来凤县第一个国家AAAA级景区。
Since 2012, Laifeng County began the development of the “Xianfo Temple Scenic Area”, which was completed at the end of 2014. At the beginning of the next year, the Xianfo Temple Scenic Area officially passed the acceptance inspection and became the first national AAAA-level scenic area in Laifeng County.
“景区投入运营之后，最高峰时一年可以接待游客五六十万人次。”仙佛寺景区管委会办公室主任郑明富说，“景区整体营收达数百万元，并带动了附近村民的就业和增收。”
“After the scenic area was put into operation, it received up to 500,000 to 600,000 visits per year at its peak,” said Zheng Mingfu, Director of the Office of the Xianfo Temple Scenic Area Management Committee. “The overall revenue of the scenic area reached several million yuan, providing employment and increasing the income for nearby villagers.”
据了解，仙佛寺景区内保安、保洁等工作人员基本都是仙佛寺村村民，景区的发展为中老年村民提供了家门口的工作岗位。同时，围绕仙佛寺景区打造的商业街、美食街也可以低价租赁给附近村民，不少村民抓住机遇，在村口做起了餐饮、住宿、农家乐等生意，依靠旅游业实现了致富增收。
It is understood that the security and cleaning staff in the Xianfo Temple Scenic Area are mostly its villagers. The development of the scenic area has provided job opportunities for middle-aged and elderly villagers near their homes. At the same time, the commercial street and food street built around the scenic area can be leased at low prices to nearby villagers. Many have seized the opportunity to start businesses such as catering, accommodation, and rural tourism at the village entrance, achieving prosperity and increased income through tourism.
未来，仙佛寺景区将对外围商业街、美食街等开展提档升级工作，并计划建设水上乐园、苗圃基地等新游览项目，持续提升景区接待能力和建设水平。
In the future, the Xianfo Temple Scenic Area will carry out upgrading work for peripheral commercial streets, food streets, and plans to build new tourist attractions such as a water park and nursery garden, to continuously improve the reception capacity and construction level of the scenic area.