boyutpedia Chapter 156 Impressions of Tongcheng
Chapter 156 Impressions of Tongcheng
Li Fugui's impression of Tongcheng is: an interweaving of culture, food and poetry.
The fusion of classic and modern is just like the urban area of Tongcheng in the 20th century.
Zhang Bei brought Xiao Xing to discuss with Xiao Tao, and planned to give the other brothers and sisters a detailed introduction to Tongcheng during the live broadcast, as this is Xiao Xing's hometown. Hee hee hee!
In the center of China, there is a piece of land that has been carefully carved by time - Tongcheng, Anhui.
This small town, like a lost pearl, exudes an ancient and charming light. It carries a profound historical heritage and diverse cultural customs, attracting countless people to explore its charm, just like Li Fugui and Xiao Taojie, who are fascinated by it.
Tongcheng, located in central Anhui, has a long history, like a thick book, carrying the vicissitudes and glory of thousands of years.
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, Tongcheng belonged to the Tong State, which marked the beginning of the development of civilization in this land.
It has continued to write its unique story through the successive dynasties since then. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tongcheng reached its cultural peak, with the rise of the Tongcheng School, which dominated the literary world for over two hundred years.
Fang Bao, Liu Daorong, Yao Nai and other masters advocated "morality, textual research, and rhetoric", and led the literary trend with their solid writing style and profound thoughts. Their influence radiated across the country, and their works are still passed down to this day, making Tongcheng a well-deserved literary center.
Tongcheng residents also excelled in politics. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, numerous talented individuals from Tongcheng entered the government and rose to high positions. Upholding integrity and honesty, they cared deeply about their country and the world, injecting Tongcheng's strength into the court and promoting good governance across the country, leaving behind countless stories of their legacy.
Economically, Tongcheng has thrived in agriculture since ancient times, with its fertile land producing high-quality rice, fruits, and vegetables. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, commerce flourished, with numerous handicraft workshops. Tongcheng's silk, tea, bamboo weaving, and other specialties became renowned and were exported far and wide via land and water trade routes, building a strong material foundation.
As time passes, modern Tongcheng keeps pace with the times. It cherishes its ancient cultural heritage, restoring the former residences of prominent figures and preserving folk arts like Huangmei Opera. It also actively develops emerging industries, with burgeoning achievements in education and science, and numerous students traveling the world to continue Tongcheng's legacy. Looking back on history, Tongcheng, with its tenacity and enterprising spirit, has transcended time and space, deeply rooted its cultural roots, and continues to radiate its captivating charm into the future.
Tongcheng, as the hometown of the Tongcheng School, plays an important role in the history of Chinese literature.
The Tongcheng School's writing style is concise, fluent, and well-organized. It advocates giving equal importance to "morality, textual research, and rhetoric." It lasted from the early Qing Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. Many literati and poets were influenced by it and created a large number of classic works.
Walking in the streets and alleys of Tongcheng, you can seem to see those scholars in flowing long robes, some frowning in thought, some writing with brushes.
The buildings along the street are simple and elegant, with flying eaves, brackets, blue bricks and black tiles, all of which seem to whisper about the literary splendor of the past.
Every stone pavement may have been engraved with the footprints of the masters of the Tongcheng School, and every courtyard may have been filled with the sound of reading, nurturing brilliant literary talent.
There are countless former residences of famous people in Tongcheng, such as Fang Bao, Liu Daorong, Yao Nai and others, scattered throughout the city.
The most popular story among the common people is the Six-Foot Lane.
Liuchixiang is located between Xihou Street and Wumu Garden in Tongcheng City, Anhui Province. It is 100 meters long, 2 meters wide, and has a cobblestone pavement.
It was built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the family of Zhang Ying, a Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace and Minister of Rites, had a dispute with their neighbors over land boundaries. Zhang Ying wrote a poem to dissuade his family. His family demolished the road and gave up three feet. The neighbors, moved in by his loyalty, also moved back three feet, thus forming the Six-Foot Lane.
Liuchixiang embodies the connotations of "humility, courtesy, knowing when to advance and retreat, and harmony being the most precious". It is a municipal key cultural relic protection unit and a national 3A tourist attraction.
The scenic area features stone archways inscribed with the words "Courtesy" and "Virtuous Virtue," as well as a screen wall with poems and paintings. As a cultural landmark of Tongcheng, it attracts numerous tourists each year, demonstrating the spirit of harmony and courtesy.
These former residences are not only architectural entities, but also living history books.
As you step inside, the old tables and chairs and yellowed books will instantly bring you back to the era when scholars and literati gathered here.
The plants and trees in the courtyard grow and wither year after year, witnessing the rise and fall of the family and the inheritance of literature.
Here, words are no longer cold symbols, but carry warmth, telling of our ancestors' persistent pursuit of literary ideals, making people respect the talents nurtured by this land.
When night falls, Tongcheng's other cultural landmark, Huangmei Opera, makes its grand appearance.
In the theater, string music played melodiously, the actors appeared on stage, dancing with their sleeves and singing gracefully.
The simple and soulful tunes of Huangmei Opera, with a strong sense of life, depict the love story between the Seven Fairies and Dong Yong in "The Legend of the White Snake", which is vividly performed on the stage.
This play is Zhang Tingjian's favorite. He is intoxicated by the bravery of the Seven Fairies in breaking the rules of heaven and Dong Yong's honest and kind character. Behind this story, it is closely connected with the local legends of Tongcheng, adding a touch of mysterious local color to the opera.
Under the stage, the audience was immersed in it, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying as the plot progressed. In this small world, they felt the powerful appeal of traditional culture, as if time had stopped for this moving opera.
Tongcheng's delicious food has also captivated countless taste buds, just like Zhang Nan and the adorable "panda dog" Po, who were deeply drawn to it. Fireworks rose in the food court, and the aroma filled the air.
Tongcheng water celery has white stems and yellow buds, is tender and juicy, and crisp in the mouth. It has the freshness of the fields and can be a refreshing dish simply when mixed with cold dishes; Daguan water bowl has delicious soup and rich and diverse ingredients, with meatballs, egg dumplings, vermicelli, etc. gathered together, rolling in the mellow soup, and every bite is full of happiness; there is also Artemisia cake, which is made with young Artemisia annua leaves and glutinous rice flour. It is soft, sweet, and exudes a unique herbal aroma. The taste of spring is sealed in the small cake.
Walking between the stalls, listening to the enthusiastic calls of the stall owners, and tasting the delicious dishes, the Tongcheng on the tip of the tongue is full of strong nostalgia, which makes people unable to stop.
And in the cultural context of Tongcheng, the light of modern poetry also shines quietly.
Haizi, the poet from Anhui, his poem "Facing the Sea, Spring Flowers Blooming" is like a warm and bright light, illuminating the hearts of countless people.
Zhang Bei and Xiao Xing have a special liking for Haizi's poems. The idealism and longing for a better life in the poems coincide with the people's love for life and expectations for the future in Tongcheng.
Among the mountains, rivers and countryside of Tongcheng, it seems that the artistic conception of Haizi's poems can be found everywhere. The vast fields are just like the sea in the poem; the flowers blooming in spring are the embodiment of hope and love.
Young people recite Haizi's poems, planting the seeds of modern poetry on the ancient land, allowing them to take root, sprout, and bloom with a different kind of brilliance.
Tongcheng, a small town that brings together literature, opera, food and poetry, embraces every soul that comes to explore with its unique charm.
It is a fusion of history and modernity, a dialogue between tradition and innovation. It stands quietly on the bank of the long river of time, waiting for more people to unveil its mysterious and charming veil, continue to write its wonderful story, and let the name of Tongcheng, with endless cultural fragrance, float to farther places.