弁(bian)山,又名卞山,在浙江湖州(zhou)城西北(bei)(bei)9公(gong)里(li)(li),雄峙于太湖南(nan)岸,東起湖州(zhou)小梅口,西至長(chang)興(xing)呂山,長(chang)18公(gong)里(li)(li);北(bei)(bei)起長(chang)興(xing)趙家橋,南(nan)至湖州(zhou)西苕溪(xi),任12公(gong)里(li)(li),總面積(ji)約80平方公(gong)里(li)(li),為湖州(zhou)的(de)主山,素稱“吳興(xing)富山水(shui),弁(bian)為眾峰尊”。
唐田園詩人陸(lu)龜蒙詩稱:“更感弁(bian)(bian)峰顏色好(hao),曉云(yun)才散(san)已當門。”宋嘉泰《吳(wu)興(xing)志》:“弁(bian)(bian)山(shan)峻極,非清秋(qiu)爽(shuang)月不見其頂。”弁(bian)(bian)山(shan)之名,以“二(er)山(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁(bian)(bian),故名”。宋葉夢(meng)得(de)有詩:“山(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁(bian)(bian),相看四面同。”
位于長(chang)興縣城東(dong)南15公(gong)里,在弁山主峰(云峰頂)北麓,海(hai)拔300多米。因巖(yan)石壘峭于山腰(yao),望(wang)之(zhi)(zhi)若苔(tai)蘚繡錯,故稱碧巖(yan)。自宋代(dai)以來,碧巖(yan)為長(chang)興風(feng)景區之(zhi)(zhi)一(yi)。
清(qing)同治《長興(xing)縣志》載:“碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)在弁(bian)山,弁(bian)有(you)三巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰秀巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰云巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),惟碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)最(zui)勝(sheng)(sheng),上(shang)(shang)有(you)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)庵,俯視太湖,洪濤(tao)萬頃,彌漫無際,巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)旁(pang)有(you)瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)二道。”據明張(zhang)睿(rui)記有(you)12景(jing):龍門、七星(xing)(xing)臺、石壁、瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)、珠(zhu)簾(lian)水、金蓮池(chi)、硯池(chi)、香爐峰(feng)、酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭、望湖亭、不朽木(mu)、舍射崖。除不朽木(mu)、酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭等人工建筑被毀壞外,其余勝(sheng)(sheng)景(jing)尚(shang)存。從北坡(po)登(deng)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),自半里涼亭始,沿石路(lu)拾級(ji)而上(shang)(shang),每50步(bu)一折,凡26折,梯830級(ji),凡32盤旋(xuan)至碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)底。其中穿竹徑(jing),經天(tian)蟹(xie)譚、七星(xing)(xing)臺,兩側危峰(feng)峭立,怪石峨響,有(you)香爐峰(feng)、鶴(he)鵝石、拜經臺等景(jing)觀。登(deng)上(shang)(shang)碧(bi)(bi)巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),有(you)“珠(zhu)簾(lian)水、“瀑布(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)、龍頭”,堪(kan)稱二絕。珠(zhu)簾(lian)水,來自十多米高(gao)的石壁,從巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)崖檐間(jian)滲出(chu)滴滴銀泉(quan)(quan)(quan),飛灑(sa)而下,濺落(luo)在石徑(jing)上(shang)(shang),發出(chu)噼啪之(zhi)聲,經年不絕。站在酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭遺址上(shang)(shang),寒氣逼人,始覺石壁上(shang)(shang)“寒泉(quan)(quan)(quan)”二字的深(shen)意。登(deng)至山上(shang)(shang),還(huan)可以望見(jian)對面巨石相傳為蘇東(dong)坡(po)所書的“清(qing)空世界”四字。
瀑(pu)布泉(quan),集珠簾(lian)之(zhi)水(shui),匯流于石(shi)徑。形成一股清流,即瀑(pu)布泉(quan)的源頭。泉(quan)水(shui)順谷門傾瀉而(er)下,直瀉幽(you)谷,倏忽消失在(zai)萬竿翠竹之(zhi)中。
龍(long)頭(tou),是碧巖(yan)景區的高處(chu),視野(ye)開闊。站在(zai)龍(long)頭(tou)上,太湖(hu)風光盡收眼底。但見茫(mang)(mang)茫(mang)(mang)湖(hu)水,漁(yu)帆點點,洞(dong)庭七十(shi)二峰,隱約可見。湖(hu)濱田疇、河塘港漢,歷(li)歷(li)在(zai)目(mu)。明代文人、刑部(bu)尚書顧應(ying)祥《登碧巖(yan)詩(shi)》的最后(hou)一句:“吾鄉勝概無過此。”
據舊(jiu)志記載,弁山(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)北多奇(qi)石,又產(chan)諸(zhu)藥品,每土中掘得前代殘碑斷石《烏程府志》。弁山(shan)(shan)奇(qi)石,即點綴園林的太湖石。北宋徽宗政和年間(1111—1117)在(zai)京都作土山(shan)(shan),廣收天下奇(qi)花異石移其中,以供享樂(le)。
湖(hu)州(zhou)(zhou)(zhou)弁(bian)山的太湖(hu)石(shi),以其(qi)皺(zhou)、瘦、透、漏的獨特造型,被作為“特供”選送(song)朝廷。北宋滅亡后,這些奇石(shi)流(liu)落四(si)方(fang),其(qi)中北京頤(yi)和園樂壽堂(tang)前院中的青芝(zhi)岫(xiu),蘇州(zhou)(zhou)(zhou)獅(shi)(shi)子林大假山上的獅(shi)(shi)子峰(feng),上海豫園的玉玲瓏,蘇州(zhou)(zhou)(zhou)拙政(zheng)園的綴云峰(feng)、留園的冠云峰(feng),湖(hu)州(zhou)(zhou)(zhou)的蓮花峰(feng),都是(shi)太湖(hu)石(shi)中的佼佼者(zhe),堪稱稀世珍品(pin)。