青海省南(nan)(nan)朔山(shan)(shan)(shan),在湟中(zhong)縣境內,最早稱(cheng)南(nan)(nan)朔山(shan)(shan)(shan),道(dao)教徒(tu)居(ju)住此山(shan)(shan)(shan)后,改(gai)稱(cheng)西玄山(shan)(shan)(shan),傳說元(yuan)、明時期(qi)山(shan)(shan)(shan)中(zhong)各(ge)有一(yi)名道(dao)士修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)煉成(cheng)仙,即被道(dao)教定(ding)為(wei)全國道(dao)教十大洞(dong)天(tian)之四,命(ming)名為(wei)“太玄極真(zhen)(zhen)洞(dong)天(tian)”,后改(gai)“玄”為(wei)“元(yuan)”稱(cheng)“西元(yuan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)”,道(dao)名“太元(yuan)極真(zhen)(zhen)洞(dong)天(tian)”。明代是西元(yuan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)道(dao)教活動的(de)全盛時期(qi),建(jian)筑(zhu)規模(mo)宏大,道(dao)士眾多,香(xiang)火(huo)旺盛。清順治(zhi)初,塔爾寺阿嘉(jia)活佛(fo)(fo)朝山(shan)(shan)(shan)進香(xiang),認為(wei)這里是靜(jing)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)的(de)好地方,即在廣闊(kuo)平衍的(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)頂上(shang)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)建(jian)了(le)佛(fo)(fo)殿(dian),因此山(shan)(shan)(shan)佛(fo)(fo)道(dao)合(he)一(yi),為(wei)道(dao)家、佛(fo)(fo)家共同尊崇的(de)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)行“靈山(shan)(shan)(shan)”故而(er)又被稱(cheng)為(wei)南(nan)(nan)佛(fo)(fo)山(shan)(shan)(shan)。遠眺該(gai)山(shan)(shan)(shan),如彩繪(hui)的(de)屏(ping)風,故民國年間(jian)文人墨客又稱(cheng)它為(wei)朔屏(ping)山(shan)(shan)(shan)。
山(shan)頂稱弗屏臺(tai),廣(guang)闊平(ping)坦,上有鰲頭閣、奎光(guang)閣、玄芳嘴、歇涼亭,右峰為(wei)求壽臺(tai),東邊有三清宮、三宮殿、玉皇洞、藥石(shi)洞和平(ping)樓3間,坪臺(tai)四周(zhou)有8座(zuo)天然石(shi)峰,酷似人形,姿態各(ge)異,栩(xu)栩(xu)如(ru)生(sheng),道佛信眾稱之(zhi)為(wei)“八(ba)大金剛(gang)”。由于該山(shan)自然景觀(guan)秀(xiu)麗(li),空氣新鮮(xian),山(shan)清水秀(xiu),鳥語(yu)花香,成為(wei)各(ge)族人民消夏、游(you)覽的(de)勝(sheng)地,每當春夏之(zhi)交到夏秋(qiu)之(zhi)交,西寧(ning)和海(hai)東地區(qu)各(ge)族群眾云集這里尋(xun)芳攬勝(sheng),盡興消遣。
南(nan)朔山(shan)(shan)(shan)位于(yu)縣城魯沙爾鎮西面15公(gong)里處,自(zi)然(ran)(ran)景色秀麗迷人,山(shan)(shan)(shan)下沿公(gong)路邊(bian)流(liu)淌著清(qing)澈見底(di)的(de)湟水(shui)支(zhi)流(liu)石(shi)惠(hui)溝水(shui),山(shan)(shan)(shan)峰(feng)奇異,高聳入(ru)云,五彩繽紛的(de)灌木花卉(hui)清(qing)香(xiang)四溢。一(yi)(yi)條陡(dou)峭的(de)羊(yang)腸小(xiao)(xiao)道直達山(shan)(shan)(shan)巔(dian)。半(ban)山(shan)(shan)(shan)腰(yao),被稱(cheng)作“滴(di)水(shui)崖(ya)”的(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)泉瀉玉噴珠,清(qing)冽甘甜,穿過(guo)山(shan)(shan)(shan)泉飛瀑,即到達道教(jiao)廟觀(guan)(guan)所(suo)在(zai)(zai)地(di)。廟觀(guan)(guan)依(yi)山(shan)(shan)(shan)勢修建(jian),原有(you)(you)大小(xiao)(xiao)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)府9處,現(xian)有(you)(you)5處,分散在(zai)(zai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)坳處,規模有(you)(you)大有(you)(you)小(xiao)(xiao),中(zhong)間一(yi)(yi)排平房為(wei)道士(shi)、道姑(gu)食宿和接(jie)待朝山(shan)(shan)(shan)者之(zhi)所(suo)。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)府、客房、宿舍(she)均隱藏在(zai)(zai)樹木花草叢中(zhong),清(qing)幽寧謐(mi),香(xiang)煙繚繞(rao),給人以飄飄欲(yu)仙(xian)之(zhi)感。天然(ran)(ran)形成(cheng)(cheng)的(de)綠陽洞(dong)(dong)(dong),傳說為(wei)張道士(shi)修煉成(cheng)(cheng)仙(xian)之(zhi)所(suo),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)有(you)(you)小(xiao)(xiao)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)名(ming)黑虎洞(dong)(dong)(dong),小(xiao)(xiao)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)口原繪有(you)(you)黑虎飼子圖,洞(dong)(dong)(dong)前原有(you)(you)一(yi)(yi)個600斤重的(de)古(gu)銅鼎,洞(dong)(dong)(dong)頂有(you)(you)古(gu)柏(bo)一(yi)(yi)株,形似盤(pan)龍,皂角(jiao)樹兩株,盛夏開(kai)花,周圍的(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)杜(du)鵲、映山(shan)(shan)(shan)紅等爭(zheng)奇斗艷,花香(xiang)宜人。