Chapter 18: Tianfu Seal
The allusion that the King of Zhou moved Qi "one year lived in Chengju, two years became a city, and three years became Chengdu" gave a piece of fertile land in the Sichuan Basin the name "Chengdu", and the official name of Chengdu has never changed since it was built more than 2300 years ago.
"When I walked in the west of Ma Jincheng City, I was drunk by plum blossoms. Twenty miles from Qingyang Palace to Huanhua Creek, the fragrance continues. "The poems of the great poet Lu You make people yearn for Chengdu, but when they really arrive in Chengdu, they don't want to leave.
The song "Chengdu" by musician Zhao Lei expresses his record and nostalgia for Chengdu.
Transportation--
Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "the Shu road is difficult, but it is difficult to reach the blue sky." Although with the continuous advancement and development of human science and technology, we can reach any corner of the earth in one day by plane, we still chose to travel by train during this trip to Chengdu in order to experience the difficulties of Shu Road.
Sure enough, a round trip from Nanjing to Chengdu takes more than 24 hours, even if it takes a bullet train. After passing through Hubei Province, you can see mountains and rivers, peaks and rocks, cliffs, and mountains. The connecting between the two mountains is a bridge that is bottomless. The train kept drilling into the pitch-black cave. Not long after leaving the cave, another cave appeared again without warning. At this time, the mobile phone signal was extremely weak and even disappeared at all. The only thing I can do is read a book and pass the boring time.
Transportation in Chengdu is very convenient. The brand-new subway connects in all directions, connecting almost every urban attraction. Buses come and go, which is simple and efficient. The "big corridor" that Nanjing has not seen for many years seems to be the main force of Chengdu's public transportation. The shuttle buses at each attraction are distinguished by their own eye-catching colors.
During the festival, the streets of Chengdu were decorated with lanterns and colorful colors, and they were jubilant.
History--
"Wearing a turban on his head and a crane cloak, he looks like a fairy" is the description of Zhuge Liang on the hand-shaking feather in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Three times, three visits to the thatched cottage, burning the red cliff, empty city tactics, killing Ma Su with tears, seven capture Meng Huo, six out of Qishan... Every familiar story comes from the extremely smart Zhuge Kong Ming. I can't tell whether to understand the military advisers of Western Shu first or the Sichuan in the textbook first. Therefore, the first stop on his trip to Chengdu was the temple commemorating Zhuge Liang-Wuhou Temple.
As it coincides with the Spring Festival, a temple fair decorated the Wuhou Temple to be particularly festive. The God of Wealth at the gate welcomes tourists from all walks of life and prays for everyone to have a wealth of money this year.
As soon as we entered the Wuhou Temple, we met with the banner of the word "Han" with fluttering flags and colorful flags. It was as if we were in the middle of the army of Western Shu.
"The late emperor had not even started his business halfway before the middle road collapsed. Today, the decline is three-point, and Yizhou is exhausted. This is truly an autumn of crisis and survival..." The "Graduation Notes" that I almost memorized backwards when I was a child was engraved on a wall.
Statues of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Liu Bei's son and grandson were enshrined there at the same time, making the Wuhou Temple the only temple in China where monarch and minister worship together.
The Wuhou Temple is not so much a temple commemorating Zhuge Liang, but rather a place where the leaders of the Western Shu Kingdom gathered in the Three Kingdoms.
Seamless connection with the Wuhou Temple is the oldest street in Chengdu, Jinli, which was famous all over the world as early as the Qin, Han and Three Kingdoms periods. It coincides with the Spring Festival temple fair, and Jinli, which has not been long, is crowded and lively. Every store is decorated with lanterns and colorful and festive atmosphere. There are crowds at the entrances of various gift shops and snack bars. Chengdu's thousands of years of culture are fully displayed in front of tourists.
On the way to Kuanzhai Alley, I happened to pass by the Sichuan Province Museum. For me who loves history, this is also a must-visit place. Sichuan Museum is the largest comprehensive museum in Southwest China. The exhibition halls of Bashu bronzes, Zhang Daqian's paintings, and Tibetan Buddha's light are its distinctive features and are worth a visit.
"Quatrain" Two orioles sing green willows, and a line of egrets rises to the blue sky. The windows contain thousands of autumn snow in the Xiling Mountains, and the door moors the ship of Wu thousands of miles away.
"Mountain Journey" The stone path slopes up the cold mountains far away, and there are people where white clouds are born. Parking and sitting in the maple forest at night, the frost leaves are redder than the February flowers.
"Happy Rain on Spring Night" Good rain knows the season, and spring happens. Dive into the night with the wind, moisten things silently.
These poems that we learned to recite when we were young are all from Du Fu and Du Zimei, the great realist poet of the Tang Dynasty. Du Fu Cottage, located on the bank of Huanhua River, is Du Fu's former residence when he lived in Chengdu. The buildings inside are simple and elegant, and the gardens are quiet and beautiful. Although many people visited, they were not as noisy as a market. Everyone quietly watched the room, table, bed, chair in the cottage in order., flower, grass... Everyone is listening attentively to the poet's century-old famous lines.
Market--
Kuanzhai Alley is similar to Nanluogu Alley in Beijing and Hubu Alley in Wuhan. It is all antique courtyard houses made of indigo bricks and tiles. It is a relatively large-scale ancient street of the Qing Dynasty left over from Chengdu. Wide alleys are indeed wider than narrow alleys, and narrow alleys are indeed narrower than wide alleys. However, among the many people, there are very narrow alleys. Catering, entertainment, and hotels are still the themes here. To be honest, it is impossible to savor it carefully. You can only follow the crowd and drift forward with your feet almost off the ground.
"Kailu" is one of the most iconic entrances in the wide and narrow alleys. The plaque uses the "Kailu" engraved in the sun in big seal seal, which represents the hanging "evil mirror". It is intended to dissuade demons from all walks of life and ensure the safety of the family forever. Tourists can only hold up the camera high, work hard to tiptoe, and raise their bodies to avoid the already crowded door in the photos.
Chunxi Road, similar to Wangfujing in Beijing and Nanjing Road in Shanghai, is the most prosperous commercial street in Chengdu, where many time-honored brands and famous shops gather. Second only to Causeway Bay in Hong Kong and Nanjing Road in Shanghai, it ranks third in the "China Commercial Street Ranking"(it's strange why it is ranked before Wangfujing in Beijing). Perhaps the sentence "Let's see where the beautiful women are going, Chunxi Road" can explain my doubt well.
A huge panda lies on the wall of the mall, making it immediately clear that this is a commercial street in Chengdu and not anywhere else.
There is a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan Square at the intersection of several roads.
"Eat, drink, and have fun, as you should have, you can have it all on the road to Chunxi. There is also an alley on Chunxi Road,"Jinhua Palace". He is hidden among the bustling and noisy crowd and is not so eye-catching. Walking into the alley, it feels like he has come to another world. It is particularly quiet and seems incompatible with Chunxi Road. The few cafes inside are also closed due to the Spring Festival.
Tianfu Square, known as the "Tiananmen Square" of Chengdu people, suddenly opens up from the sinking passage to the ground. The huge statue set by Mao Zedong stands at the front of the square, surrounded by representative buildings. The New Chengdu Museum, Sichuan Science and Technology Museum, Jincheng Art Palace, etc. are surrounded by high-end shopping malls and high-end hotels. The huge square itself is a high place for Chengdu people to relax and relax.
Giant panda--
If you vote to come to Chengdu, or the reason for coming to Sichuan, 99% should be to see the national treasure giant panda. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States chose giant pandas as gifts, and the Beijing Asian Games chose giant pandas as mascots. This shows that being a national treasure is not a false name. If you don't look at giant pandas, you have never been to Sichuan (Chengdu). To see giant pandas, we don't have to go to Sichuan Wolong Panda Reserve. We can take Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue Station, and then take a tourist shuttle bus. It takes a 10-minute drive to the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
This is not only a scientific research institution for giant panda breeding, but also an ecological park that simulates the wild habitat of giant pandas. "Sun Delivery Room" and "Moon Delivery Room", as the name suggests, are places to welcome newborn panda babies. What lives in the "Panda Villa" is the real owner of this place-the innocent panda. Some of them are sleeping soundly, some are walking leisurely, some are eating and drinking... No matter where it is, it is crowded with visitors. But the giant pandas are like stars used to seeing a big audience-even if you scream, I look leisurely and like no one else is around. Anyway, you watch yours and I'll play mine.
Of course, this base is actually a park, with black swans playing on the calm surface of Swan Lake.
Historic sites--
"Ask about Qingcheng Mountain" because Qingcheng Mountain is one of the birthplaces of Chinese Taoism and belongs to the Qiuchuji school. Due to the beautiful scenery and elegant environment in the mountains, it is known as "Qingcheng is the secluded world" and is also known as "the first mountain in Western Shu".
Entering the towering gate of Qingcheng Mountain, I feel that the temperature has dropped a little and the fog in the mountain is getting thicker. A "rain pavilion" looks simple and elegant in the drizzle.
Take an antique cruise ship, cross Yuecheng Lake to the opposite bank, then take the cableway, and you will reach Ciyun Pavilion. If you go forward, you will arrive at the first peak of Qingcheng Mountain and Shangqing Palace, which is about 500 meters away from the peak. The three words "Shangqing Palace" were inscribed by Chiang Kai-shek. At this time, the rain is getting denser and denser, and the temperature is also dropping.
At this time, the foot of the mountain was already covered in fog, and it was no longer possible to see any scenery clearly. It was as if people were in a fairyland. It turns out that in "Journey to the West", Sun Wukong studied his skills and made a fuss in the five villages here, which really has a fairy spirit. At this time, the rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the temperature was already extremely low. Even if I was wearing a down coat, I could feel the cold wind drilling straight into my body.
Following the original road down the mountain and passing the Shangqing Palace, the rain actually stopped and the temperature quickly warmed up-it was so magical.
Looking across the lake, Qingcheng Mountain is surrounded by smoke and buildings are looming among the trees. It is indeed a place where gods live.
"Praying water to Dujiangyan". Dujiangyan is a world cultural heritage and is known as the "originator of the world's water conservancy". It is also the oldest, only surviving and still in use in the world, characterized by water diversion without dams. The story of "Dayu's control of water" has long been a household name. During the Warring States Period, Li Bing, the prefect of Shu Prefecture of Qin, and his son, drawing on the experience of water control from their predecessors, led the local people to preside over the construction of the famous Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project, making the Chengdu Plain a well-known "Land of Abundance"
The "Erwang Temple" in the mountains is to commemorate Li Bing and his son who benefited the people.
"Deep beach, low weir" is a three-character scripture for water control. It was engraved on the wall of Dujiangyan. Several pieces fell due to the earthquake and later people posted them up, so we now see that there are several cracks in this wall.
The Dujiangyan Canal Head Hub mainly consists of three main projects: Yuzui, Feisha Weir and Baopingkou. At that time, there were no large equipment or precision instruments, and it was a miracle that such a large project could be built.
Standing on the Yulei Pavilion, you can overlook Dujiangyan and Yingxiu Town, which was severely damaged and rebuilt after the 2008 earthquake.
Anlan Cable Bridge is also known as the "Couple Bridge". Located above the fish mouth of Dujiangyan, it is known as the "Five Great Bridges in Ancient China" and is the most characteristic landscape in Dujiangyan. The bridge body is pulled by six steel wire cables on the left and right, and a wooden bridge deck at its feet spans the rough two rivers inside and outside. People walking on it kept shaking, which was shocking but not dangerous.
Now that you are in Chengdu, how can you not appreciate the culture of Shu? The best place to appreciate Shu culture is of course the only century-old Sichuan Opera Troupe in Sichuan-Shu Style and Elegance.
To get to Shu style and elegance, you must pass through Qintai Road, a famous street in Chengdu. Qintai Road is specially named in memory of Zhuo Wenjun and Sima Xiangru, legendary figures and incarnations of love during the Western Han Dynasty. Zhuo Wenjun and Sima Xiangru opened a wine shop on Qintai Road in ancient times. Zhuo Wenjun personally sold wine from the cellar. Zhuo Wenjun, with light makeup on, stood on the earthen table where the wine urn was placed, selling wine. He was neither humble nor arrogant, and looked at ease. For the sake of lasting love, Sima Xiangru also did not play the piano. Like the hotel staff, he wore short trousers, carried a pot, washed dishes and did miscellaneous work, and chatted happily. In this way, although life is a little harsh, the two of them are happy and happy, and they are not tired of the world at all! After the renovation, Qintai Road has buildings imitating the Han and Tang Dynasties on both sides, with carved beams and painted buildings and antique buildings.
The style and elegance of Shu are in the cultural park on Qintai Road. The performance has not yet begun, and the audience can go to the dressing room to experience on-site makeup in person. At the same time, they can also learn simple performance techniques such as hand shadows and marionettes. In the venue, large bowls of tea and snacks have been placed on the table.
The performance started on time, including horse qin, erhu, puppet show, rolling lantern, classic Sichuan opera, hand shadow, fire spitting, face changing... Each classic program was greeted with thunderous applause, and then it was unforgettable for a lifetime.
Chengdu's delicious food is famous at home and abroad.
After watching the Sichuan style and elegance, there is a high-end hot pot on Qintai Road-Huangcheng Mom Hot Pot. The store's decoration is antique, which is very consistent with the traditional atmosphere of Qintai Road. The red soup of the hot pot is spicy and the white soup is delicious. Mom's beef and tripe are must-order dishes. Add a bottle of Sichuan wine, what more can I ask for?
The Long Wonton Hand Main Store on Chunxi Road is a representative of Chengdu's cuisine. It took nearly half an hour to find a seat, waited in line for half an hour to buy, and waited for more than half an hour before I got Sichuan's big wonton-dragon wonton. The chewy outer skin, the delicate filling, and the thick soup covered with red oil will definitely make people want to eat it.
Dandan noodles are different from Wuhan's hot-dried noodles. Dandan noodles require you to mix the minced meat placed on top of the noodles and supplement it with other side dishes. It is definitely a delicious food in the world.
I will never forget this journey: on the land of Xishu, we experience Sichuan's unique traditions from all aspects of history, culture, art, humanities, and food. Chengdu is such a magical city, the "Land of Abundance". The name is indeed worthy of its reputation.
Next Article：Qingcheng Mountain has a different way to play. The front mountain "asks" and the back mountain "becomes immortal"!