弁(bian)(bian)山(shan)(shan),又(you)名卞山(shan)(shan),在(zai)浙江湖(hu)(hu)州(zhou)城西北(bei)9公(gong)里(li),雄峙(zhi)于(yu)太湖(hu)(hu)南(nan)岸,東(dong)起湖(hu)(hu)州(zhou)小梅口(kou),西至長(chang)興呂山(shan)(shan),長(chang)18公(gong)里(li);北(bei)起長(chang)興趙家橋,南(nan)至湖(hu)(hu)州(zhou)西苕(tiao)溪,任12公(gong)里(li),總面(mian)積約80平(ping)方公(gong)里(li),為湖(hu)(hu)州(zhou)的主山(shan)(shan),素稱(cheng)“吳興富山(shan)(shan)水,弁(bian)(bian)為眾峰(feng)尊(zun)”。
唐田園(yuan)詩(shi)人陸龜(gui)蒙詩(shi)稱:“更感弁(bian)峰顏色好,曉云(yun)才散(san)已當(dang)門。”宋嘉泰《吳興(xing)志》:“弁(bian)山(shan)峻極,非(fei)清秋爽月不見其頂。”弁(bian)山(shan)之名,以“二山(shan)勢如冠(guan)弁(bian),故(gu)名”。宋葉夢得有詩(shi):“山(shan)勢如冠(guan)弁(bian),相看四面(mian)同(tong)。”
位于(yu)長興(xing)縣城(cheng)東南15公里,在弁山(shan)(shan)主峰(feng)(云峰(feng)頂(ding))北(bei)麓(lu),海拔300多米。因巖石壘峭于(yu)山(shan)(shan)腰(yao),望之若(ruo)苔(tai)蘚繡錯,故稱碧(bi)巖。自(zi)宋代以來,碧(bi)巖為長興(xing)風(feng)景(jing)區(qu)之一。
清同治《長興縣(xian)志》載:“碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)在弁山,弁有(you)(you)三巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰秀(xiu)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰云巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),惟碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)最(zui)勝(sheng),上(shang)(shang)有(you)(you)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)庵,俯視太湖,洪濤萬頃(qing),彌漫(man)無(wu)際,巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)旁有(you)(you)瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)二道。”據明張(zhang)睿記有(you)(you)12景:龍門、七(qi)星(xing)臺、石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁(bi)、瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)、珠簾(lian)(lian)水(shui)(shui)、金蓮池(chi)、硯(yan)池(chi)、香爐峰、酌泉(quan)(quan)亭(ting)(ting)、望湖亭(ting)(ting)、不(bu)(bu)朽木、舍射崖。除不(bu)(bu)朽木、酌泉(quan)(quan)亭(ting)(ting)等人工建筑被(bei)毀壞外,其余(yu)勝(sheng)景尚存。從(cong)北(bei)坡登碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),自半里(li)涼亭(ting)(ting)始(shi),沿石(shi)(shi)(shi)路拾級而上(shang)(shang),每50步一(yi)折(zhe),凡26折(zhe),梯(ti)830級,凡32盤旋至碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)底。其中穿竹徑(jing),經(jing)天蟹譚(tan)、七(qi)星(xing)臺,兩側危峰峭立,怪(guai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)峨響(xiang),有(you)(you)香爐峰、鶴(he)鵝(e)石(shi)(shi)(shi)、拜經(jing)臺等景觀。登上(shang)(shang)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),有(you)(you)“珠簾(lian)(lian)水(shui)(shui)、“瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)、龍頭”,堪稱二絕。珠簾(lian)(lian)水(shui)(shui),來自十多(duo)米高的石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁(bi),從(cong)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)崖檐間滲出滴(di)(di)滴(di)(di)銀泉(quan)(quan),飛灑(sa)而下,濺(jian)落在石(shi)(shi)(shi)徑(jing)上(shang)(shang),發(fa)出噼啪之聲,經(jing)年(nian)不(bu)(bu)絕。站在酌泉(quan)(quan)亭(ting)(ting)遺址上(shang)(shang),寒氣(qi)逼人,始(shi)覺石(shi)(shi)(shi)壁(bi)上(shang)(shang)“寒泉(quan)(quan)”二字(zi)的深意。登至山上(shang)(shang),還可以望見(jian)對面(mian)巨石(shi)(shi)(shi)相傳(chuan)為蘇東坡所(suo)書(shu)的“清空世界”四字(zi)。
瀑布(bu)(bu)泉(quan)(quan),集珠簾之水,匯流于石徑。形成一(yi)股(gu)清(qing)流,即(ji)瀑布(bu)(bu)泉(quan)(quan)的源頭(tou)。泉(quan)(quan)水順谷門傾瀉(xie)而(er)下,直瀉(xie)幽谷,倏忽消(xiao)失在萬竿翠竹(zhu)之中。
龍頭,是碧(bi)巖景(jing)區(qu)的高(gao)處(chu),視野(ye)開闊。站(zhan)在龍頭上,太湖(hu)風光盡(jin)收(shou)眼(yan)底(di)。但見(jian)(jian)茫茫湖(hu)水(shui),漁帆點點,洞庭(ting)七十二峰,隱約可見(jian)(jian)。湖(hu)濱(bin)田疇(chou)、河塘港(gang)漢,歷歷在目。明代(dai)文(wen)人、刑部尚書(shu)顧應祥《登碧(bi)巖詩》的最(zui)后一句:“吾鄉勝(sheng)概無過此。”
據(ju)舊(jiu)志(zhi)記載,弁山山北(bei)多奇(qi)石,又產諸藥品,每土中(zhong)掘得(de)前代殘碑斷石《烏程府志(zhi)》。弁山奇(qi)石,即(ji)點綴園林的太湖石。北(bei)宋徽(hui)宗政(zheng)和年間(1111—1117)在(zai)京都(dou)作土山,廣收天(tian)下奇(qi)花異石移其中(zhong),以供享(xiang)樂。
湖(hu)州(zhou)弁山(shan)的(de)太(tai)湖(hu)石(shi),以其皺、瘦、透、漏的(de)獨(du)特造型(xing),被作為“特供”選送朝廷(ting)。北宋滅亡后,這些奇石(shi)流落四方,其中(zhong)北京(jing)頤和園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)樂壽堂(tang)前院中(zhong)的(de)青芝(zhi)岫,蘇州(zhou)獅子(zi)(zi)林大假山(shan)上的(de)獅子(zi)(zi)峰(feng),上海豫園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)玉玲瓏,蘇州(zhou)拙政園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)綴云峰(feng)、留園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)冠云峰(feng),湖(hu)州(zhou)的(de)蓮花峰(feng),都是太(tai)湖(hu)石(shi)中(zhong)的(de)佼佼者,堪(kan)稱稀世珍品。