弁山,又名卞山,在浙江湖州(zhou)城西北9公(gong)里(li),雄峙(zhi)于(yu)太湖南岸,東起(qi)湖州(zhou)小梅口,西至長興(xing)(xing)呂山,長18公(gong)里(li);北起(qi)長興(xing)(xing)趙家(jia)橋,南至湖州(zhou)西苕(tiao)溪,任12公(gong)里(li),總面積約(yue)80平方公(gong)里(li),為(wei)湖州(zhou)的主(zhu)山,素(su)稱“吳(wu)興(xing)(xing)富山水,弁為(wei)眾峰尊”。
唐田園詩(shi)人陸龜蒙(meng)詩(shi)稱:“更感弁(bian)峰顏色好,曉云才(cai)散已當門。”宋(song)(song)嘉泰《吳(wu)興志(zhi)》:“弁(bian)山(shan)峻極,非清秋(qiu)爽月不見其頂。”弁(bian)山(shan)之名,以“二(er)山(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁(bian),故名”。宋(song)(song)葉夢得有(you)詩(shi):“山(shan)勢(shi)如冠弁(bian),相看四面同。”
位(wei)于(yu)(yu)長興縣城東(dong)南15公里,在弁山主峰(云峰頂)北麓,海(hai)拔300多米。因巖(yan)石壘峭于(yu)(yu)山腰,望之若苔蘚(xian)繡錯,故稱碧巖(yan)。自宋代以來,碧巖(yan)為長興風景區之一。
清同治《長興縣志》載:“碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)在(zai)弁(bian)山,弁(bian)有(you)三巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰(yue)(yue)秀巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰(yue)(yue)云巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),曰(yue)(yue)碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),惟碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)最(zui)勝,上有(you)碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)庵,俯(fu)視(shi)太湖,洪(hong)濤萬頃,彌(mi)漫無際,巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)旁(pang)有(you)瀑(pu)布(bu)(bu)(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)二(er)道。”據明(ming)張睿(rui)記有(you)12景(jing)(jing):龍門、七星臺(tai)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁、瀑(pu)布(bu)(bu)(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)、珠簾(lian)水(shui)、金蓮(lian)池、硯池、香爐峰(feng)(feng)(feng)、酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭(ting)、望(wang)湖亭(ting)、不(bu)朽木、舍射崖。除不(bu)朽木、酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭(ting)等人工建筑(zhu)被(bei)毀(hui)壞外,其余勝景(jing)(jing)尚存。從北坡登(deng)碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),自半里涼亭(ting)始(shi),沿(yan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)路拾(shi)級而上,每(mei)50步一(yi)折,凡26折,梯830級,凡32盤旋(xuan)至碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)底。其中穿竹(zhu)徑,經天蟹譚、七星臺(tai),兩(liang)側危峰(feng)(feng)(feng)峭立(li),怪石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)峨響(xiang),有(you)香爐峰(feng)(feng)(feng)、鶴鵝石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、拜經臺(tai)等景(jing)(jing)觀。登(deng)上碧巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan),有(you)“珠簾(lian)水(shui)、“瀑(pu)布(bu)(bu)(bu)泉(quan)(quan)(quan)、龍頭”,堪稱二(er)絕(jue)。珠簾(lian)水(shui),來自十(shi)多米高(gao)的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁,從巖(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)崖檐間(jian)滲出滴滴銀(yin)泉(quan)(quan)(quan),飛灑而下,濺落在(zai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)徑上,發(fa)出噼啪(pa)之(zhi)聲,經年不(bu)絕(jue)。站在(zai)酌泉(quan)(quan)(quan)亭(ting)遺(yi)址上,寒氣逼人,始(shi)覺石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)壁上“寒泉(quan)(quan)(quan)”二(er)字的(de)深意(yi)。登(deng)至山上,還(huan)可以(yi)望(wang)見對(dui)面巨(ju)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)相傳為(wei)蘇東坡所書的(de)“清空(kong)世界(jie)”四字。
瀑布泉(quan),集珠簾之(zhi)水,匯(hui)流于石徑。形成一(yi)股(gu)清流,即瀑布泉(quan)的(de)源頭。泉(quan)水順谷門傾瀉而下(xia),直瀉幽谷,倏忽消失在萬竿(gan)翠竹之(zhi)中。
龍(long)頭,是碧巖(yan)景區的高(gao)處(chu),視野開(kai)闊。站(zhan)在龍(long)頭上,太(tai)湖(hu)風光盡收(shou)眼底。但見茫(mang)茫(mang)湖(hu)水,漁帆點點,洞庭(ting)七十二峰,隱約可見。湖(hu)濱田疇(chou)、河塘港漢,歷歷在目。明代文(wen)人、刑部尚書顧應祥《登碧巖(yan)詩》的最(zui)后一句:“吾鄉勝(sheng)概無(wu)過(guo)此。”
據(ju)舊(jiu)志記(ji)載(zai),弁山山北多奇石(shi)(shi),又產諸(zhu)藥(yao)品,每土中(zhong)掘得(de)前代殘碑斷石(shi)(shi)《烏程府志》。弁山奇石(shi)(shi),即點綴園(yuan)林的太湖石(shi)(shi)。北宋徽宗政和年間(1111—1117)在(zai)京都(dou)作土山,廣收(shou)天下奇花異石(shi)(shi)移其(qi)中(zhong),以供享樂。
湖州(zhou)弁山的(de)太(tai)湖石,以其(qi)皺、瘦、透、漏的(de)獨特造型,被作為“特供”選(xuan)送朝廷。北(bei)宋滅亡后,這些奇石流(liu)落四方,其(qi)中北(bei)京頤和園(yuan)樂壽堂前院中的(de)青芝(zhi)岫(xiu),蘇州(zhou)獅(shi)子林大(da)假山上的(de)獅(shi)子峰,上海豫園(yuan)的(de)玉玲瓏,蘇州(zhou)拙政(zheng)園(yuan)的(de)綴云峰、留(liu)園(yuan)的(de)冠云峰,湖州(zhou)的(de)蓮(lian)花峰,都是(shi)太(tai)湖石中的(de)佼佼者(zhe),堪稱稀世珍品。