弁山(shan)(shan)(shan),又(you)名卞山(shan)(shan)(shan),在浙江湖(hu)州(zhou)城西北9公(gong)(gong)里(li),雄(xiong)峙于太湖(hu)南(nan)岸,東起(qi)湖(hu)州(zhou)小梅口,西至長興(xing)呂山(shan)(shan)(shan),長18公(gong)(gong)里(li);北起(qi)長興(xing)趙(zhao)家(jia)橋,南(nan)至湖(hu)州(zhou)西苕溪,任12公(gong)(gong)里(li),總面積約80平方公(gong)(gong)里(li),為湖(hu)州(zhou)的主山(shan)(shan)(shan),素稱“吳興(xing)富山(shan)(shan)(shan)水(shui),弁為眾峰尊”。
唐田(tian)園詩(shi)人(ren)陸龜蒙詩(shi)稱:“更感(gan)弁峰顏色好,曉云才(cai)散已當門。”宋(song)嘉(jia)泰《吳(wu)興志》:“弁山(shan)(shan)峻極,非清秋爽月不見(jian)其頂。”弁山(shan)(shan)之名(ming),以“二山(shan)(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁,故名(ming)”。宋(song)葉夢得(de)有(you)詩(shi):“山(shan)(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁,相(xiang)看四面同。”
位(wei)于長(chang)興(xing)縣城東南15公里,在弁山(shan)主峰(云峰頂)北麓,海拔300多米。因巖(yan)(yan)石壘峭于山(shan)腰,望之(zhi)若苔蘚繡錯,故稱(cheng)碧(bi)巖(yan)(yan)。自宋代以(yi)來,碧(bi)巖(yan)(yan)為(wei)長(chang)興(xing)風景(jing)區之(zhi)一。
清同治《長興縣(xian)志》載(zai):“碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)在(zai)弁山,弁有(you)三(san)巖(yan)(yan),曰秀巖(yan)(yan),曰云巖(yan)(yan),曰碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan),惟碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)最勝(sheng),上(shang)(shang)有(you)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)庵,俯視太湖(hu),洪濤萬頃,彌漫無(wu)際,巖(yan)(yan)旁(pang)有(you)瀑(pu)布泉(quan)(quan)二(er)道。”據明張睿記(ji)有(you)12景:龍門、七星臺(tai)(tai)、石(shi)壁、瀑(pu)布泉(quan)(quan)、珠(zhu)(zhu)簾水、金蓮池(chi)、硯池(chi)、香爐峰(feng)、酌(zhuo)泉(quan)(quan)亭、望湖(hu)亭、不朽木、舍(she)射崖。除(chu)不朽木、酌(zhuo)泉(quan)(quan)亭等人工建筑被毀壞(huai)外,其(qi)余勝(sheng)景尚(shang)存。從(cong)北坡(po)登碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan),自半里(li)涼亭始(shi)(shi),沿石(shi)路(lu)拾級而(er)上(shang)(shang),每50步一(yi)折,凡26折,梯830級,凡32盤旋至(zhi)(zhi)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)底。其(qi)中(zhong)穿竹徑,經(jing)天(tian)蟹譚、七星臺(tai)(tai),兩側危峰(feng)峭(qiao)立,怪石(shi)峨響,有(you)香爐峰(feng)、鶴鵝石(shi)、拜經(jing)臺(tai)(tai)等景觀。登上(shang)(shang)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan),有(you)“珠(zhu)(zhu)簾水、“瀑(pu)布泉(quan)(quan)、龍頭(tou)”,堪稱二(er)絕(jue)。珠(zhu)(zhu)簾水,來自十多米高的(de)(de)石(shi)壁,從(cong)巖(yan)(yan)崖檐間(jian)滲出(chu)滴滴銀(yin)泉(quan)(quan),飛灑而(er)下,濺落在(zai)石(shi)徑上(shang)(shang),發(fa)出(chu)噼啪之(zhi)聲,經(jing)年不絕(jue)。站在(zai)酌(zhuo)泉(quan)(quan)亭遺址上(shang)(shang),寒氣逼(bi)人,始(shi)(shi)覺(jue)石(shi)壁上(shang)(shang)“寒泉(quan)(quan)”二(er)字(zi)的(de)(de)深意。登至(zhi)(zhi)山上(shang)(shang),還(huan)可以(yi)望見對面巨石(shi)相傳為蘇東坡(po)所書的(de)(de)“清空世界”四字(zi)。
瀑(pu)布泉(quan)(quan),集珠簾(lian)之水,匯流于(yu)石徑。形成一(yi)股(gu)清流,即(ji)瀑(pu)布泉(quan)(quan)的源頭。泉(quan)(quan)水順(shun)谷門傾瀉(xie)而下,直瀉(xie)幽谷,倏忽(hu)消失在萬竿翠(cui)竹之中。
龍頭(tou),是(shi)碧(bi)巖景區的高處,視(shi)野開闊。站在龍頭(tou)上,太湖風光(guang)盡(jin)收(shou)眼(yan)底。但見茫茫湖水,漁帆點點,洞庭(ting)七(qi)十二(er)峰,隱約可見。湖濱田(tian)疇、河塘港(gang)漢,歷(li)歷(li)在目。明代文(wen)人、刑部尚書顧應(ying)祥《登碧(bi)巖詩》的最(zui)后(hou)一句:“吾鄉勝概(gai)無過此(ci)。”
據舊志(zhi)記載,弁山(shan)山(shan)北多奇石(shi),又產諸藥品,每土中(zhong)掘得前代殘(can)碑斷石(shi)《烏程(cheng)府志(zhi)》。弁山(shan)奇石(shi),即點綴園林的太(tai)湖石(shi)。北宋(song)徽宗政和年間(1111—1117)在京都作土山(shan),廣收(shou)天(tian)下奇花異石(shi)移(yi)其中(zhong),以供(gong)享(xiang)樂(le)。
湖州(zhou)弁山的(de)(de)太湖石(shi),以其皺、瘦、透、漏的(de)(de)獨(du)特(te)造型,被作為“特(te)供”選送朝(chao)廷(ting)。北(bei)宋滅亡后,這些奇石(shi)流落四方,其中(zhong)北(bei)京頤和園(yuan)樂(le)壽堂前院中(zhong)的(de)(de)青芝岫(xiu),蘇(su)州(zhou)獅子林大假山上的(de)(de)獅子峰(feng),上海(hai)豫園(yuan)的(de)(de)玉(yu)玲瓏,蘇(su)州(zhou)拙政園(yuan)的(de)(de)綴云(yun)峰(feng)、留園(yuan)的(de)(de)冠云(yun)峰(feng),湖州(zhou)的(de)(de)蓮花峰(feng),都是太湖石(shi)中(zhong)的(de)(de)佼(jiao)佼(jiao)者,堪稱稀世珍品。