Chapter Nine: Fanghua (I)

In the first month, the Yao River is icy and snowy, the riverbed is dotted with sporadic traces of thawing, and the ice is dazzling under the strong sunlight of the winter afternoon. Although the river is wide, the river is not large enough to be combined into a mighty torrent, and the winter river is more like a stream, freely and lazily flowing along the riverbed and everywhere. Where the snow was covered, the hoof prints of the mules and horses drinking water were left, the black tower peak in the distance, the snow was white, and I could faintly hear a few words of the old man who herded sheep, the village was still filled with the smell of the New Year, the sound of firecrackers was if there was none, smoke wafting in the air, and the farmers were still immersed in the joy and tranquility of the New Year.

The Water of the Yao River flows slowly southeast along the foot of Heita Mountain, passing through Dazhuang Village, and then continuing to flow south at Liujiahe Village, merging into the Zhuanglang River. Liuhe Village should have been named after the people with the surname Liu living here, and the name of the general village and the surname of the occupant have a direct and close relationship, which is obvious. My mother was born in Zhangjia Alley, Liuhe Village, and the Zhang family of Liuhe was obviously a later resident, and now there seems to be very few people surnamed Liu here, while the Zhang surname of the mother's family has gradually become larger.

The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, the traditional Chinese festival, Chinese call it the "Dragon Rising", which means that after the earth is stalked in winter, everything begins to recover, and it is about to usher in the season of spring and warm flowers, and the people who cultivate will also begin a year of busy production and labor. My mother was born on this day, a day full of auspicious and peaceful.

The mother's childhood time, like most rural children in the early liberation period, is full of hardships and suffering, survival is the top priority, children are like grass that naturally grows in the field, only by relying on their own tenacious vitality, can they overcome the harsh environment and survive, otherwise they will be cruelly eliminated. Of course, people are not grass and trees. The warmth of the family is always the most powerful guarantee for soothing the pain and resisting the risk, although the material is extremely poor, but people's spiritual strength is unlimited, although the childhood is suffering, but the parents love, the sister unity of the family atmosphere, is the most precious wealth, which is also the source and root of life reproduction, full of magical power.

Just like other children, the mother did not go to school, her growth is like an unknown grass in the field, bathed in sunshine and nectar, but also against the wind, frost, rain and snow, although she is illiterate, but life gives her knowledge, not lacking, the perception of the true meaning of life, profound and eternal, the perception of family affection, rich and full; the feeling of nature, delicate and appropriate. All this has created a simple but tenacious character of the mother throughout her life.