Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/101

 Teng-o0 and the Marble Caves. 97

The history of this delightful Buddhist retreat begins near the end of the Ming dynasty, in the beginning of the seventeenth century. A wandering priest came to the town of Kwong-li, on the river's bank a few miles off, and for some religious service rendered, was presented by the Leung family with a piece of land high up in the hills. This land, the Leungs said, was so barren and rocky, that they could not even dig a grave in it, and it would be better for them to gain some merit by bestowing it upon the priest. Tigers, also, were abundant in the region, so that few people were daring enough to venture among the dense groves of the valley. The priest accepted the gift, and contriving to find shelter for his body, lived on wild fruits and nuts. He put up a number of grass huts, and gradually gathered many followers about him, In the troublous times that came at the overthrow of the Ming and the establishment of the Tsing dynasties, many fled to this place for refuge. Among the fugitives was the last Ming emperor and several other members of the royal family, whe paused here in the flight toward Nan-ning-fu, in Kwong-si, where their last stand was made, This event gave prestige to the place. The name Teng-oo, originally given to the older institution on the other side of the hill, and meaning “ Summit Lake,” was now applied to this place, the sound being the same, but the written character changed to “ teng,” meaning “ tripod,” or trident,” a part of the imperial insignia, [t is only those places in which an emperor has lodged that may he called “ teng,” and the name which this mountain bears preserves per-

petually the memory of this royal visit. From that 4