Utopia Discovered: The Construction of Accessible Grotto - heaven Landscapes in Song Literature

Article Abstract: The Song dynasty witnessed a significant shift in the literary representation of grotto-heavens—the sacred caves initially worshipped in religious Daoism that symbolized enlightenment and abundance. Prior to the Song dynasty, the poetic depiction of grotto-heavens had largely remained a marginal trope, with the few poems extant on this topic portraying the cavern spaces as alien and forbidden. However, Song literati displayed a newfound interest in celebrating grotto-heavens through their poetry. Using a poetry collection dedicated to the Grand Cleanse Grotto-heaven as a representative case, this article demonstrates that Song poets reimagined the enigmatic Daoist grottos as landscapes accessible to secular literati. Their literary reimagination of grotto-heavens as accessible places illuminates literati attempts to expand their knowledge by drawing inspiration from Daoist treatises, the legacies of earlier literary paragons, and their personal experiences visiting grotto-heaven landscapes.