Passing down along the stream about 500 meters away from the Guimen peak, a 400-meter solitarily upstanding magnificent peak，known as Jinbian cliff can be seen. Jinbian cliff is one the famous attractions of Wulingyuan scenic zone. The top part of it is slender while the lower part of it is wide. It has rectangular edges with its facets covered with stripes of joint. This formation of flagella makes it look like a whip vertically plugging into the earth. When the sunset comes, Jinbian cliff was coated with golden sunlight, sparkling and dazzling, forming an eye-catching and splendid picture.
According to the legend, Qin Shi Huang ，first emperor of Qin （259-210 B.C.）in order to consolidate his rule after he unified China ordered all of his subjects to build the Great Wall with huge rocks. Goddess Kwan-yin sympathized with those slave labors, so she cut off a lock of hair her own hair and gave it to them to drag the huge rocks. Qin Shi Huang thought now that a hair could heave away a boulder, if the hair was plaited into a braid, cannot it remove a mountain? Hence, he collected all the hair and braided it into a golden whip. As expected, the golden whip is so powerful in helping built the Great Wall. Then, Qin Shi Huang named it “mountain-rushing whip” and announced to use it to remove mountains and fill up seas.
This announcement irritated the Dragon King, so he called on his shrimp soldiers and crab generals to discuss countermeasures and then figured out a plan.
One day, Qin Shi Huang met a fascinating girl who looks like a fairy. He was absolutely infatuated with her and decided to make her his imperial concubine. Actually, this girl was the Dragon King’s daughter and she was planning to steal the golden whip. At the wedding night, the girl found that Qin Shi Huang kept the whip with him all the time, therefore, she asked him to take off the whip before coming into the bedroom. Qin Shi Huang agreed and held a celebrating feast. The girl made him drunk and replaced the real golden whip put under his head with a fake one. Next day, Qin Shi Huang found that the girl had gone and the whip was faked. With great anger, he ordered his solders to seize the girl. Knowing that she can’t escape successfully with the golden whip, she had to toss it. As a result, the golden whip was left by the Jinbian stream, becoming the Jinbian cliff.
Translated by Sophia
Zhangjiajie-Eagle Nursing Whip