青海省南朔山(shan)(shan)(shan),在(zai)湟中縣境內,最早稱南朔山(shan)(shan)(shan),道(dao)(dao)教徒居住此(ci)山(shan)(shan)(shan)后(hou),改稱西玄(xuan)(xuan)山(shan)(shan)(shan),傳說(shuo)元(yuan)(yuan)、明(ming)時(shi)期山(shan)(shan)(shan)中各有一名道(dao)(dao)士修(xiu)煉成仙,即(ji)被道(dao)(dao)教定為(wei)(wei)(wei)全國(guo)道(dao)(dao)教十大洞(dong)天之(zhi)四,命名為(wei)(wei)(wei)“太玄(xuan)(xuan)極真洞(dong)天”,后(hou)改“玄(xuan)(xuan)”為(wei)(wei)(wei)“元(yuan)(yuan)”稱“西元(yuan)(yuan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)”,道(dao)(dao)名“太元(yuan)(yuan)極真洞(dong)天”。明(ming)代是(shi)西元(yuan)(yuan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)道(dao)(dao)教活動的(de)全盛時(shi)期,建筑規模(mo)宏大,道(dao)(dao)士眾多(duo),香火旺盛。清順治初,塔爾寺(si)阿(a)嘉活佛朝山(shan)(shan)(shan)進香,認為(wei)(wei)(wei)這(zhe)里(li)是(shi)靜修(xiu)的(de)好地(di)方,即(ji)在(zai)廣闊(kuo)平衍的(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)頂上修(xiu)建了佛殿,因此(ci)山(shan)(shan)(shan)佛道(dao)(dao)合一,為(wei)(wei)(wei)道(dao)(dao)家、佛家共同尊崇的(de)修(xiu)行“靈(ling)山(shan)(shan)(shan)”故而又被稱為(wei)(wei)(wei)南佛山(shan)(shan)(shan)。遠眺該山(shan)(shan)(shan),如彩繪的(de)屏風,故民(min)國(guo)年間文人墨客又稱它(ta)為(wei)(wei)(wei)朔屏山(shan)(shan)(shan)。
山(shan)頂稱(cheng)(cheng)弗屏臺,廣闊平(ping)坦,上有(you)鰲(ao)頭閣(ge)、奎光閣(ge)、玄芳嘴(zui)、歇涼(liang)亭,右峰為求壽臺,東邊有(you)三清宮、三宮殿(dian)、玉皇洞、藥石洞和平(ping)樓3間,坪臺四(si)周有(you)8座(zuo)天然石峰,酷(ku)似人形,姿態各(ge)(ge)異(yi),栩栩如(ru)生,道佛信眾稱(cheng)(cheng)之為“八大金剛”。由于該山(shan)自然景觀秀(xiu)麗(li),空氣(qi)新鮮,山(shan)清水秀(xiu),鳥(niao)語花香(xiang),成(cheng)為各(ge)(ge)族(zu)人民消(xiao)夏、游覽的勝地,每當春夏之交到夏秋之交,西寧和海東地區各(ge)(ge)族(zu)群(qun)眾云(yun)集這里尋芳攬勝,盡(jin)興消(xiao)遣。
南朔山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)位于縣城魯沙爾鎮西面15公(gong)里處,自然景色(se)秀麗迷人(ren)(ren),山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)下(xia)沿公(gong)路邊流淌著清澈見底(di)的(de)(de)湟水(shui)(shui)支流石惠溝水(shui)(shui),山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)峰奇異(yi),高聳(song)入云,五彩(cai)繽紛(fen)的(de)(de)灌木花(hua)卉清香(xiang)(xiang)四溢。一(yi)(yi)條陡峭的(de)(de)羊腸(chang)小道(dao)直達(da)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)巔(dian)。半山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)腰(yao),被稱作“滴水(shui)(shui)崖”的(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)泉瀉玉噴珠,清冽甘甜,穿過山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)泉飛瀑,即到達(da)道(dao)教廟觀(guan)所(suo)(suo)(suo)在地。廟觀(guan)依山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)勢修(xiu)建,原有大(da)小洞(dong)(dong)府(fu)9處,現有5處,分(fen)散在山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)坳(ao)處,規模有大(da)有小,中(zhong)(zhong)間一(yi)(yi)排平房(fang)為(wei)道(dao)士(shi)、道(dao)姑食(shi)宿和接(jie)待朝(chao)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)者之所(suo)(suo)(suo)。洞(dong)(dong)府(fu)、客房(fang)、宿舍均隱藏在樹木花(hua)草叢中(zhong)(zhong),清幽(you)寧謐,香(xiang)(xiang)煙繚繞,給人(ren)(ren)以飄飄欲仙之感。天然形成(cheng)的(de)(de)綠(lv)陽洞(dong)(dong),傳(chuan)說為(wei)張道(dao)士(shi)修(xiu)煉成(cheng)仙之所(suo)(suo)(suo),洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)(zhong)有小洞(dong)(dong)名(ming)黑虎洞(dong)(dong),小洞(dong)(dong)口原繪有黑虎飼子圖,洞(dong)(dong)前原有一(yi)(yi)個600斤(jin)重的(de)(de)古銅鼎,洞(dong)(dong)頂有古柏一(yi)(yi)株(zhu)(zhu),形似盤龍(long),皂角樹兩株(zhu)(zhu),盛夏開花(hua),周(zhou)圍的(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)杜(du)鵲(que)、映山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)紅(hong)等爭奇斗艷(yan),花(hua)香(xiang)(xiang)宜(yi)人(ren)(ren)。