The Yangcheng Flower Market, which had been suspended for two years, finally returned today. I came to Xihu Road, the central flower market in high spirits. As soon as I arrived at the entrance, I was attracted by the fiery red main archway. It showed that I was in front of me a red ancient city building with a plaque showing "Lingnan First Building". This local tower built in the Ming Dynasty appeared in the flower market for the first time, greatly adding to the tradition, joy, and a completely new atmosphere.

I suddenly had the idea of climbing the ancient building on the spot. It happened that the first building in Lingnan was located on Huifu Road, not far from Xihu Road. It was more than ten minutes 'walk, but it was not conspicuous because it was blocked by the gate hall and woods of the Five Immortals Ancient Temple., plus the renovation was under way, guided by the staff and climbed over heavy fences to reach the front of the ancient building.

Despite the construction grid, you can still appreciate the majestic appearance of the first floor of Lingnan. The ancient building has only two floors, but it is 17 meters high. It is built on a base of more than 2 meters long, with a pair of stone horses placed on both sides. The first floor is made of red sandstone and is 6 meters long. The archway door opening in the middle runs through front and back, and is 5 meters high by visual inspection. The second floor is an open-style Zhulan Stanley, and the top is a green glazed tile with double eaves and a mountain style. In the center of the main ridge is a Hu Lu Baozhu Sha with two inverted turtles at both ends.

According to reports, the first building in Lingnan was built in the seventh year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1374), seven years earlier than the Zhenhai Building on Yuexiu Mountain (the flower market design explanation incorrectly stated that it was seven years later). It may be the first building by the Ming Dynasty officials in Guangzhou. Therefore, it is said to be the first building. However, some people explain that because the building was built in Poshan Gudu and is closest to the water, it is regarded as the first. Others believe that the ancient building ranks among the four major towers of the Ming Dynasty, so it is called the first.

Climbing more than ten steps, I entered the towering arch and looked up at the top was a square skylight with a huge circular bell hanging above it. This scene had the idea of a round sky and a square earth. There were no stairs inside the building. The stairs were built outside the walls on both sides, which were relatively steep.

You can have a close view of the bell when you climb to the second floor. The bronze bell is more than 3 meters high and has a straight longitude of more than 2 meters. It has clear horizontal and horizontal stripes and is solemn and grand in shape. The hanging hole at the top is a bent beast. This bell weighs about 5 tons and is the largest ancient bronze bell in Guangdong. I think that this bell was probably the largest in Lingnan at that time, so the bell tower was given the name of the first floor of Lingnan.

The sign in front of the bell states that the bell is used for rescue in case of emergency accidents such as fire, and collision is prohibited if there is no incident, so it is also called the "forbidden bell". I have some doubts about this because Zhan Ruoshui, a great scholar in Lingnan in the Ming Dynasty, left a poem saying "Listening to the bell from afar and raising eyebrows every night", which shows that it has been sounded every day. Judging from the layout of the Bell Tower, a square shaft (i.e., the patio viewed from below) leads directly to the door opening under the bell mouth, forming a huge resonator. The ringing of the bell has the saying that "the sound can be heard for ten miles". How can such a clever design make it silent for a long time?

It is estimated that with the development of the city, there were many houses around the ancient building. The ringing of the bell had interfered with people's daily lives, so it gradually evolved into a forbidden bell. Although the bell had not been heard for many years, it is not easy for both the bell and the building to be preserved to this day.

In fact, the First Building of Lingnan and the Zhenhai Building of Yuexiu Mountain are both the "double stones" of ancient buildings in South Guangdong. The reputation of the First Building of Lingnan, which was earlier in history, was no less famous than the Zhenhai Building. Time has passed, and the Zhenhai Building has now become an important symbol of Yangcheng. It is a pity that the First Building of Lingnan has been low-key and hidden in the busy city. This time, the main archway of the flower market chose the First Building of Lingnan, hoping to arouse everyone's appreciation for this ancient building.