據記載“川口有唐詩 ,杜拾遺祠,記像石室(shi),登(deng)望杜亭,得地(di)高爽,俯瞰河流,祠有石刊墨人騷客多賦(fu)憑吊”即此。
杜(du)(du)(du)甫(fu),字子美,詩(shi)中常自稱少陵野(ye)老,是唐代(dai)偉大(da)詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)(ren)。自幼好(hao)學(xue),知識淵(yuan)博,青(qing)年(nian)(nian)時(shi)期(qi)很(hen)有遠大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)政(zheng)治(zhi)(zhi)抱負。天寶十(shi)四年(nian)(nian)(公元75年(nian)(nian))七(qi)月暴(bao)發了(le)(le)震(zhen)驚唐王朝的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“安(an)(an)史之(zhi)亂”。戰亂一(yi)下子把時(shi)任右衛率府胄曹參軍的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)杜(du)(du)(du)甫(fu)拋(pao)入(ru)了(le)(le)社會的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)最下層,他只得攜(xie)子挈婦,與民眾(zhong)一(yi)起開始了(le)(le)逃亡的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)(sheng)涯。765年(nian)(nian)5月,杜(du)(du)(du)甫(fu)先(xian)(xian)從(cong)秦先(xian)(xian)(今陜西蒲城縣)出(chu)發,艱辛跋涉(she)來(lai)到延安(an)(an)州(今富(fu)縣)羌村(cun)落(luo)戶。為了(le)(le)去靈武尋找肅宗,參加(jia)平(ping)叛(pan),杜(du)(du)(du)甫(fu)又從(cong)羌村(cun)出(chu)發北上,經(jing)石門(men),過徐寨(zhai),上萬(wan)花(hua)山,沿川到達(da)延安(an)(an)七(qi)里鋪。途抵安(an)(an)塞(sai)蘆子關附近,不(bu)幸(xing)被叛(pan)軍虜擒,押解長(chang)安(an)(an)。九(jiu)個月后,公元757年(nian)(nian)4月,詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)(ren)終(zhong)于冒著(zhu)生(sheng)(sheng)命危險,從(cong)小路穿越兩(liang)軍對峙的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)防線(xian),投奔風翔,被肅宗任為左(zuo)拾(shi)遺(yi),后因(yin)諫救方而遭貶(bian),再(zai)度(du)回州羌村(cun)探親。杜(du)(du)(du)甫(fu)兩(liang)次延安(an)(an)之(zhi)行(xing),是他一(yi)生(sheng)(sheng)中所經(jing)歷的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)極其重要(yao)事件,使他更加(jia)了(le)(le)解了(le)(le)民情,體察(cha)了(le)(le)民苦,使詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)(ren)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“愛國(guo)憂民”思(si)(si)想更加(jia)堅(jian)定,在(zai)這(zhe)一(yi)段(duan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)詩(shi)作(zuo)中滲(shen)入(ru)了(le)(le)豐富(fu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)思(si)(si)想感(gan)情,因(yin)此才寫出(chu)了(le)(le)《三(san)(san)觀水漲(zhang)》、《晚行(xing)口號》、《玉(yu)華宮》、《避地(di)》、《得舍弟消息》、《羌村(cun)三(san)(san)首(shou)》、《北征》、《彭衙行(xing)》、《喜聞官軍已(yi)臨(lin)賊境》、《收京三(san)(san)首(shou)》等(deng)十(shi)多首(shou)著(zhu)名詩(shi)篇。這(zhe)些詩(shi)深(shen)刻地(di)反映了(le)(le)當時(shi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)社會生(sheng)(sheng)活(huo),揭露了(le)(le)統治(zhi)(zhi)階級的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)殘(can)酷剝削和壓(ya)迫,對勞動人(ren)(ren)(ren)民的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)疾(ji)苦寄予無限的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)同(tong)情,表現(xian)了(le)(le)詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)(ren)崇高的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)愛國(guo)主義思(si)(si)想。
延(yan)安人(ren)民(min)為了(le)(le)紀念(nian)這位(wei)偉大的詩(shi)人(ren),把(ba)他在延(yan)安經(jing)過的川(chuan)道(dao)取名為“杜(du)(du)(du)甫川(chuan)”,并在他睡過的地(di)方(fang)建(jian)(jian)起了(le)(le)“杜(du)(du)(du)公(gong)(gong)(gong)祠(ci)”作紀念(nian)之(zhi)地(di)。杜(du)(du)(du)公(gong)(gong)(gong)祠(ci)建(jian)(jian)于何年(nian)(nian)(nian),不得詳考(kao),在公(gong)(gong)(gong)元1040年(nian)(nian)(nian),時(shi)任延(yan)州(zhou)知事(shi)范仲(zhong)淹(yan)曾親筆題書“杜(du)(du)(du)甫川(chuan)”三字刻(ke)于石(shi)崖,可見(jian)此(ci)(ci)時(shi)已有(you)(you)此(ci)(ci)祠(ci)。清(qing)道(dao)光23年(nian)(nian)(nian)(公(gong)(gong)(gong)元1843年(nian)(nian)(nian))膚施縣(今延(yan)安)知事(shi)陳炳林亦書“少陵川(chuan)”三字刻(ke)于崖壁。道(dao)光27年(nian)(nian)(nian)(公(gong)(gong)(gong)元1847年(nian)(nian)(nian)),重(zhong)建(jian)(jian)了(le)(le)祠(ci)堂和(he)望杜(du)(du)(du)亭(ting),石(shi)門兩側有(you)(you)石(shi)刻(ke)對聯“清(qing)輝近(jin)接州(zhou)月,壯策長雄蘆子關”,和(he)祠(ci)內石(shi)窟長聯里外(wai)相映成趣,頗具(ju)文(wen)彩。到同(tong)治年(nian)(nian)(nian)間,杜(du)(du)(du)公(gong)(gong)(gong)祠(ci)遭兵毀,光緒5年(nian)(nian)(nian)(公(gong)(gong)(gong)元1879年(nian)(nian)(nian))又重(zhong)修。地(di)方(fang)政府和(he)旅游(you)部門又專門撥(bo)款維修擴(kuo)建(jian)(jian),除(chu)恢(hui)復重(zhong)修了(le)(le)原(yuan)有(you)(you)祠(ci)堂、摩崖石(shi)刻(ke)、拓片(pian)、楹聯外(wai),還(huan)新建(jian)(jian)了(le)(le)亭(ting)臺(tai)、展室、成為國(guo)內外(wai)游(you)客(ke)經(jing)常光顧的地(di)方(fang)。