Xing 'an Ancient Town is located in the northeast of Guilin, Guangxi, 57 kilometers away from the urban area. It is a throat fortress connecting Hunan and Lishui. It has a history of more than 2,200 years, profound historical culture and rich folk customs. Recently, our reporter walked into Xing 'an for a charming visit, which unveiled the mystery of it for thousands of years.
The ancient town of Xing 'an actually refers to a section of waterway where the ancient Lingqu passes through Xing 'an County, and is called "Water Street". There are ancient markets, houses, pavilions and many historical sites on both sides. Lingqu, Shuijie and Qin Cheng are the essence of Xing 'an ancient town.
The water street is clear, and the Lingqu has a spirit. The source of Xing 'an's charm lies in Lingqu. Lingqu was built in 2 14 BC, with a total length of 33 kilometers, connecting the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. It is the first canal in China history and the largest inland transportation network in human history. Lingqu is divided into north and south canals, including mouth, balance, canal, steep gate and Qin dike. The "Huazui" dam is made of interlocking stones. It is 500 meters long and has a herringbone shape, with high inside and low outside. The stones on the slope of the dam face are like fish scales. Looking at the dam from a distance, it looks like a dragon succumbing to the raging torrent, locked at the source of Xiangjiang River. Dams can not only retain water, but also release water. It can automatically adjust the water quantity, without setting a gate, and keep the canal water relatively stable. The scientific design of the Lingqu leads the water from Xiangjiang River to Sanqi River, and uses the side weir to control the flow into the canal, so that the water can be stored slowly, which can ensure the safety of the canal embankment. This design is similar to the Panama Canal in Egypt. Lingqu is shaded by ancient trees, the canal water is like a mirror, the water birds on the surface are low-swept, and the fish and shrimp on the bottom play. Canal water around the city, three points of Hunan water with all the rice and orange fragrance, seven points of water with eight miles of peach and willow green, people linger.
Lingqu fully demonstrated the wisdom of ancient people in China in cutting mountains and splitting land. Lingqu, as the throat fortress connecting Hunan and Lishui, rewrote the history of China, achieved the great cause of China's reunification, and created a prosperous Xing 'an ancient town. Xing 'an ancient town thrives on water, and the water street is the essence of the ancient town.
Guling Canal flows through the winding market about one kilometer long in Xing 'an County, which is Guzhen Water Street. Historically, xing an is a very important maritime terminal, because the Lingqu divides water here, and ships from south to north have to transit here. Lingqu passes through the city, with halls, inns, restaurants and teahouses on both sides, forming a prosperous and lively market. On both banks are rows of houses, all of which are Lingnan-style buildings, with blue tiles and white walls and wood-carved doors and windows. They not only have the charm of "small bridge and flowing water" in Jiangnan water town, but also incorporate Baiyue cultural elements, showing people a street map of Qin and Han dynasties with strong Lingnan style. This used to be the place where ancient businessmen gathered. Su Zeng, a poet in Qing Dynasty, described the water street: "The bridge at the bottom of the path enters, and the boat crosses the city;" The paddle is easy to shake, and the window is open to buy wine. " Today, the whole water street scenic spot consists of five parts: Qin and Han architectural culture, ancient city bridge culture, ancient sculpture culture, Lingqu historical culture and Lingnan folk culture. The buildings in the city follow the trend and fall down one layer at a time. In Mutu's Afang Palace Fu, "five steps on the first floor, ten steps and one pavilion; Corridor waist back, eaves high; It is a true portrayal of the ancient town of Xing 'an.
The charm of water street lies in antique houses. The wall bricks of these ancient buildings still retain the style of ancient rhyme. They walked along the streets paved with bluestone pebbles, crossed pavilions, entered deep and dark houses with three entrances and five exits, pushed open beautifully carved doors and windows, and touched the exquisite and quaint carvings on the doorframes, as if people were returning to the dusty Millennium. Built in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the ancient street named Beijieli has been crowded with merchants for thousands of years, and houses stand on both sides of the narrow street. At that time, jewelry, rouge, rice shops and money houses all stood here. This is the most prosperous commercial street in Xing 'an during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, with nine Jinshi. Among the antique buildings, the exquisite carved columns and painted buildings are still full of the flavor of the Qin Dynasty, and the three ancient streets are full of the customs of the Qin and Han Dynasties. Restaurants, teahouses and century-old shops remind people of the prosperity of singing and dancing, music and bamboo.
The ancient rhyme of Qin Feng in Water Street is also reflected in the "Qin Wen Liu Yi" in the north gate. There is a memorial arch next to the entrance of Shuijie, which reads "Wumafang", and from there is the antique "Qin" commercial street. "Liu Yi" is a sacrificial ceremony to avoid disasters in ancient China. Qin Wenliu takes the meaning of "inheriting the culture of Qin and Han Dynasties and wishing the people good luck" and consists of three groups of ancient buildings: Yipinju, Sanhuai and Jiujingfang. The brick carving in front of Huguang Guild Hall is the "treasure of town street" in Xing 'an Water Street, and it is the largest and only double-sided brick carving in China. Brick carving is beautifully made, 6.8 meters long and 5 meters high. There are 344 ancient figures with different expressions, such as Guanyin, Four donkey kong, Eight Immortals, Nezha, Lucky Boy and Aoyu, to pray for people's peace, happiness and good luck.
The water street is clear and gurgling, weeping willows are still there, and the clear canal water flows quietly through the whole ancient town. The stream is like a small jasper, and the water is covered with dark green grass. By the bridge, urchins are playing in the water, and women washing clothes by the stream are comfortable and quiet. Nearly 1000 meters of water street still retains the ancient commercial atmosphere, which reminds people of the bustling scene of boating in Lingqu and selling wine in Pengchuan.
Since ancient times, small bridges have become stories. Where there is water, there is a bridge. There are many kinds of ancient bridges on the water street, which are exquisitely designed. They are the traces left by the water street with thousands of years of history and the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient Xing 'an people.
There are 10 ancient bridges in Shuijie, among which the famous ones are Niangniang Bridge, Wan Li Bridge, Ma Si Bridge, Solitaire Bridge and Sujia Bridge. When you walk into the water street, the first thing you see is the Niangniang Bridge, which is relatively spacious, with no steps and no pavilions. Wan Li Bridge is the bridge that Qin Jun passes the most from south to north. The letter "Chu Yue wants Tianjin" reminds people of the Jin Ge Iron Horse in the Qin Army. Ma Si Bridge is a unique "water overpass" for the second bridge across the second water in the world. It is the pride of Water Street. According to legend, it was named after the horse of a general in the Han Dynasty refused to cross the bridge. Solitaire Bridge is named because it is only half a step away. It is said that the design of this bridge comes from the resourceful monk Huai Bing. There are nine stone steps on the east side of the bridge, but no stone steps are left on the west side of the bridge, which makes the solitaire bridge an eternal mystery. According to legend, this bridge is like a dragon. When it is foggy in the morning, its head gently rests on the east coast. In addition, the bridge was named after it was used to pick up officials and greet the dragon boat during the Dragon Boat Festival in ancient times. Sujiaqiao is beautiful and quaint, but there is no pavilion, but it retains its simplicity. The steps paved with stone slabs, the grass between the cracks and the ancient trees beside the bridge are all natural with it.
The prosperity of Water Street didn't go away like running water until 1937, when Gui Xiang Railway was opened and shipping was interrupted. The water street gradually calmed down, like a peerless celebrity washing away the lead, and the charm still exists, leaving the world with peace and tranquility. Youyou Lingqu water has taken away the prosperity of the past, but there are countless old feelings and sad stories of Chu and Yue hidden in the deep alleys of ancient houses. On the faces of the residents of the ancient town, the lightness and leisure are as clear as running water. They sit leisurely under the cornices, play cards, get haircuts, sell cakes and rice noodles, read fortune-telling, or enjoy the cool cross-legged under the pavilion. Or sit in the shade of a bamboo forest and read beautiful poems; Or lie on the stone bench, squint and take a nap, and enjoy the peace. In the noisy market, watching time pass like water is as safe as ever. ...
The water street at night is colorful and beautiful, and it is also a charming scenery. Against the backdrop of paddles and lights, it vividly reproduces the bustling night view of Qinhuai River.
At night, bamboo lanterns hung high in shops and pavilions on both sides of the water street are lit up. The faint scent of tea, accompanied by soft music, mellow wine smell and sweet piano sound, floated leisurely from the bamboo curtain of carved windows in the water street, making the former prosperity of the water street a dream. The ancient music dramas of the old people still sing eternal feelings, and the lights on both sides of the river are telling the moving stories of the ancient town for thousands of years. Walking leisurely in the water street, listening to the ancient music of Lingqu, watching the flashing and blurred lanterns reflected in the water, sparkling and colorful. The boat in the river slowly passed by carrying people who walked at night, which made people feel as if they had gone through a thousand years and returned to the era of "paddle shadows and light shadows on Qinhuai River". People could not help wondering whether they were drunk in music or drunk in dreams. ...
Xing 'an ancient town, with rich ancient charm and rich culture, is fascinating and reverie. When we reach out and touch the ancient city wall that has been waiting for thousands of years, and wade through the Lingqu that has been flowing for more than two thousand years, we can't help but think of the magnificent picture scroll built by the ancient canal, the ancestors and merchants of Qin and Han dynasties who traveled thousands of miles by boat, the mighty Qin Jun that entered Lingnan in those days, and how many joys and sorrows and historical events were staged here in Jinge Tiema and blood shed in those years, and how many touching stories and legends have been shaking people's hearts.
For thousands of years, if there were no Lingqu, wouldn't there be a powerful "Qin and Han Empire"? If there were no "Qin and Han empires", would the history of China be rewritten? Xing 'an, a beautiful ancient town, sticks to the history in the glitz and noise of the city, and also awakens the faint sadness and memories in our hearts.