Do you remember the Golden Tablet ten years ago?

If every city has a secret realm, then Chongqing's secret realm must be the Golden Tablet, at least for me.

During my student days, I happened to pass by the Golden Tablet. From afar, I saw a few houses with holes in their roofs and overgrown with weeds. My curiosity was piqued, and I decided to take a detour to investigate. Since then, it has become a regular destination for my weekend hikes. I still have a few stones at home that I picked up from the riverbank near the Golden Tablet.

Later, I learned about the origin of the name Golden Tablet. It is said that when the Buddha's disciple, Venerable Kasyapa, built a temple on Mount Jinyun, he accidentally dropped a giant stone here. The stone was six meters high and two meters wide, resembling a tablet. It extended directly into the Jialing River. Later, a Tang Dynasty scholar inscribed the word "Golden" on the stone, hence the name "Golden Tablet." Unfortunately, I have been there many times, but I have never been able to find the stone.

The geographical location of the Golden Tablet, nestled between mountains and water, coupled with the coal mining industry that drove various industries, led to the prosperity of this small town during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. During the period of the wartime capital, many celebrities lived in the Golden Tablet, making it a cultural and bustling place.

However, all good things must come to an end. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, this small town gradually faded into obscurity. Over time, more and more residents moved away, until it was completely abandoned and forgotten.

Walking alone in the Golden Tablet, one might even feel that this town was built specifically to wait for you, and has been abandoned for many years in the passage of time. Its remoteness and dilapidation strangely make people forget their troubles. Perhaps it is because of its rare tranquility, allowing you to find that long-lost peace in the process of getting along with yourself.

On the last day of 2013, I took two friends to the Golden Tablet. I wanted to share my cherished secret realm with them as the new year approached. The three of us, adults who had already started to struggle in society, felt truly relaxed that afternoon in the Golden Tablet. It was a stolen half-day of leisure in every sense. When we first arrived, a young man was halfway through sketching at the intersection. When we left, his work was almost finished. It turned out that I wasn't the only one who appreciated the Golden Tablet, which brought me a sense of comfort.

I didn't go back to the Golden Tablet for a long time after that. Later, it was closed for renovation. It reopened in 2022 and quickly became a popular tourist destination. However, I still haven't been back.

It wasn't until early spring this year that I went hiking with a friend. Facing the newly renovated and crowded Golden Tablet, it felt like seeing a childhood playmate after many years. Suddenly, we were strangers to each other, and the air was filled with awkwardness.

I knew I had finally lost it.

Post by AudreyAdams | Oct 15, 2024