宋代(dai)蔣之(zhi)奇建亭于巖(yan)上(shang),明(ming)徐霞客游此后(hou)寫道:“其(qi)(qi)巖(yan)后(hou)通(tong)前(qian)豁,上(shang)覆(fu)重崖,下臨絕壑,中(zhong)可憩可依,云帆遠(yuan)近,縱(zong)送其(qi)(qi)前(qian)......。崖北有石磴,直下緣(yuan)江,亟從之(zhi)登。西(xi)倚危崖,東逼澄江,盡處忽有洞(dong)岈(ya)然,高二(er)丈,闊亦如(ru)之(zhi),亦東面(mian)臨江,溪(xi)流自中(zhong)噴玉而出,蓋水洞(dong)也......"。明(ming)萬歷年間,永州知府丁 儒(ru),將朝陽巖(yan)亭榭修葺一新。他認為(wei)“凡零陵(ling)對江西(xi)巖(yan)一里之(zhi)內,下皆崆峒,山澤通(tong)氣,匪虛(xu)而何?便將朝陽巖(yan)西(xi)山命名為(wei)零虛(xu)山。
由(you)(you)巖(yan)(yan)頂(ding)(ding)循(xun)石(shi)級而(er)下至入口為(wei)上(shang)洞。洞口巖(yan)(yan)壁鐫“何須大樹“四個大字(zi),系民(min)國四年(nian)零陵(ling)鎮守使望云亭(ting)題(ti)。洞口有清(qing)湖南(nan)巡(xun)撫(fu)吳大 題(ti)刻石(shi)碑一(yi)(yi)(yi)塊,右側(ce)石(shi)壁有廣(guang)西(xi)巡(xun)扶林紹年(nian)詩刻。清(qing)咸豐、同治年(nian)間,楊翰任(ren)永州(zhou)知府(fu)時,于其東側(ce)石(shi)上(shang)補刻元(yuan)結《朝陽巖(yan)(yan)銘》及《游朝陽巖(yan)(yan)詩》,字(zi)為(wei)篆(zhuan)體,由(you)(you)當(dang)時書法家鄧守之(zhi)所書。又于西(xi)壁補刻宋黃庭(ting)堅(jian)《游朝陽巖(yan)(yan)》詩及其畫像(均保(bao)存完好),并建”篆(zhuan)石(shi)亭(ting)“一(yi)(yi)(yi)座(zuo),站在亭(ting)前南(nan)望遠山(shan)(shan)如列翠屏,瀟水從翠屏中百折而(er)來,別有一(yi)(yi)(yi)番(fan)風趣(qu)。“篆(zhuan)石(shi)亭(ting)”因年(nian)久失(shi)修,一(yi)(yi)(yi)柱歪斜,大部(bu)瓦片失(shi)落(luo),行將(jiang)倒塌。1957年(nian)省(sheng)文化(hua)部(bu)門撥款,由(you)(you)零陵(ling)縣文化(hua)科主(zhu)持(chi)委(wei)托(tuo)(tuo)零陵(ling)縣建筑公(gong)司修繕(shan),并增設樓梯(ti)走欄。1981年(nian)又由(you)(you)省(sheng)文化(hua)廳撥款,永州(zhou)市文化(hua)局主(zhu)持(chi)委(wei)托(tuo)(tuo)朝陽公(gong)園修繕(shan),此次將(jiang)亭(ting)頂(ding)(ding)的黑(hei)灰色瓦換(huan)成黃色琉璃瓦,使這座(zuo)高十(shi)米的重檐山(shan)(shan)頂(ding)(ding)游亭(ting),映于青(qing)山(shan)(shan)綠水間,更為(wei)幽美(mei)。
又(you)上(shang)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)出(chu),沿崖而下,有巖(yan)(yan)磴(deng)數十(shi)級(ji),至盡處即中洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)。此(ci)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)又(you)名“流香洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)”,左右(you)石壁(bi)如(ru)半環,有泉自巖(yan)(yan)腹出(chu),水(shui)(shui)(shui)色清(qing)冽,水(shui)(shui)(shui)聲淙(cong)淙(cong),瀉入瀟水(shui)(shui)(shui),冬(dong)夏(xia)不(bu)涸。前(qian)人(ren)仿曲(qu)水(shui)(shui)(shui)流觴(shang)遺意(yi),就巖(yan)(yan)右(you)澗(jian)底(di)鑿(zao)石為(wei)(wei)回曲(qu),用以泛觴(shang)。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)口巖(yan)(yan)壁(bi)鐫“朝陽巖(yan)(yan)”三字,為(wei)(wei)宋嘉祐(you)五年(1060)張(zhang)子諒書,題(ti)記。還(huan)有“朝陽洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)”三字及(ji)(ji)(ji)宋書法家米芾“秀巖(yan)(yan)”題(ti)刻(ke)(ke)。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)內左右(you)壁(bi)刻(ke)(ke)有元次(ci)山(shan)(shan)的《游朝陽巖(yan)(yan)》及(ji)(ji)(ji)柳(liu)宗(zong)元的《游朝陽巖(yan)(yan)遂(sui)登西(xi)亭(ting)二十(shi)韻》詩(shi),與(yu)其傍(bang)明嘉靖間通判肖干詩(shi)刻(ke)(ke)相(xiang)仿,前(qian)人(ren)斷為(wei)(wei)模刻(ke)(ke)。還(huan)有程灝、周敦頤等題(ti)名,及(ji)(ji)(ji)清(qing)同(tong)治元年(1862)何紹基(ji)詩(shi)刻(ke)(ke)等。由洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)內往后山(shan)(shan)出(chu)口名“陰(yin)潛洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)”,明丁(ding) 儒在巖(yan)(yan)背建有“聽泉亭(ting)”,已早(zao)圮。中洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)左稍(shao)上(shang)有洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)為(wei)(wei)側洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)。巖(yan)(yan)石壁(bi)有明代人(ren)補刻(ke)(ke)柳(liu)宗(zong)元《漁翁》詩(shi):“漁翁夜傍(bang)西(xi)巖(yan)(yan)宿,曉汲(ji)清(qing)湘燃(ran)楚竹(zhu),煙銷日出(chu)不(bu)見人(ren),唉乃一聲山(shan)(shan)水(shui)(shui)(shui)綠,回看天際下中流,巖(yan)(yan)上(shang)無心云相(xiang)逐。”字跡清(qing)晰可辨。
巖(yan)背山上有明嘉(jia)靖年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1543)建,清咸(xian)豐八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1858)和民國八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)曾(ceng)修的(de)寓(yu)賢(xian)(xian)(xian)祠(ci),祀唐(tang)宋謫官(guan)元結、黃庭堅、蘇軾、蘇轍、鄒浩、范純仁、范祖禹、張浚(jun)、胡銓、蔡元定講賢(xian)(xian)(xian)。此祠(ci)建國后(hou)(hou)曾(ceng)為零陵(ling)縣二中教工宿舍,直到“文革”期間(jian)二中校(xiao)址(zhi)改為水泥廠(chang)(chang)后(hou)(hou),教工隨校(xiao)搬走,此祠(ci)先后(hou)(hou)改為朝陽中學(xue)(xue)及養(yang)豬場等。1979年(nian)(nian)(nian)永(yong)州鎮建立(li)后(hou)(hou),曾(ceng)多次組織(zhi)機關干(gan)部、工廠(chang)(chang)職工、學(xue)(xue)校(xiao)師(shi)生、城(cheng)鎮居民在附近山上植(zhi)樹(shu)造林(lin),1980年(nian)(nian)(nian)建立(li)朝陽公署(shu)后(hou)(hou),寓(yu)賢(xian)(xian)(xian)祠(ci)及祠(ci)側民國年(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)唐(tang)鴻(hong)烈建的(de)二層西式房屋,經維(wei)修改為公園(yuan)用房。
朝(chao)(chao)陽(yang)巖山水秀麗,古木青郁濃蔭,風光旖旎,每(mei)當(dang)“朝(chao)(chao)暾初升,煙光石氣,激射成彩”,故稱“朝(chao)(chao)陽(yang)旭(xu)日(ri)”。因巖內尚存(cun)自唐以來歷代(dai)名人石刻(ke)114處(chu),1957年被列為(wei)省(sheng)級(ji)文物保護單位。八十(shi)年代(dai)辟為(wei)公園后,在周圍(wei)山上種植大(da)片(pian)樹木外,還增添了花圃、水湖,經過裝點后更顯絢麗多姿。
目前(qian)朝陽園內(nei)有(you)燒烤場,可以(yi)在(zai)(zai)園內(nei)吃中(zhong)餐(can)(can)或(huo)晚餐(can)(can).另外,公園地(di)處城郊,也可在(zai)(zai)城區或(huo)者附近的水上餐(can)(can)廳(ting)用餐(can)(can)。比(bi)如說湖南科(ke)技學(xue)院附近,這里大(da)(da)多以(yi)便餐(can)(can)為主,價格便宜。再往(wang)前(qian)走(zou),在(zai)(zai)愚溪橋附近有(you)水上餐(can)(can)廳(ting),有(you)當地(di)口味(wei)的河魚(yu)吃,非常鮮美,吃一餐(can)(can)大(da)(da)約(yue)在(zai)(zai)50-200不等(deng)。
朝陽巖附近有(you)(you)一所湖南科技學院,那里有(you)(you)很(hen)多(duo)私人(ren)的小(xiao)(xiao)旅館(guan)(guan),價格(ge)非常實惠,因為有(you)(you)很(hen)多(duo)學生(sheng)租用,且比(bi)較(jiao)安(an)全。因為這區(qu)域有(you)(you)比(bi)較(jiao)多(duo)旅游景(jing)點及(ji)學院,當地(di)政府(fu)比(bi)較(jiao)重視(shi)。當然,出門在(zai)外,在(zai)哪里都應小(xiao)(xiao)心。如果你不(bu)想在(zai)小(xiao)(xiao)旅館(guan)(guan)住,那么只有(you)(you)到(dao)區(qu)中心了,反(fan)正地(di)方不(bu)大(da).區(qu)中心上檔次(ci)的有(you)(you)紅太陽大(da)酒店(dian),友誼大(da)酒店(dian),柳子大(da)酒店(dian)及(ji)瀟湘賓館(guan)(guan)等。
離(li)柳子(zi)廟只(zhi)有2站路(lu)。13路(lu)公共汽車穿行于(yu)柳子(zi)廟、愚溪橋、朝(chao)陽巖公園之間。朝(chao)陽巖門票10元 。