Source: CCTV news client
It is difficult to go to Shu and it is difficult to go to the sky. Li Bai's song "Shu Dao Difficult" is the first impression of countless people on Shu Dao, and Li Bai has also become the "best spokesperson" of Shu Dao. And thousands of miles away, there is also a "Shu Dao Promotion Ambassador", that is, Jia Hepu, a die-hard fan of Shu Dao from Philadelphia, USA. Over the past 20 years, she has traveled back and forth between Philadelphia in the United States and Sichuan in China 24 times, using her footsteps to perceive the charm of Jianmen Shu Road. Through the publication of books, the opening of websites and the shooting of documentaries, he recommended the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers and folk customs of Shu Road to the world, and became the messenger of American folk propaganda of Chinese Shu Dao culture. On March 15 this year, 81-year-old Jia Hepu came to Guangyuan again to lead everyone to hike the Shu Road.
Love Chinese traditional culture A "Shu Road Map" starts the journey of Shu Road
When we first met, Jia Hepu told us about the origin of her Chinese name. Now, after 5 years, when he stepped on the Jianmen Shu Road again, Jia Hepu was excited. The verdant and upright ancient cypress trees, the stone pavement that has gone through the vicissitudes of life, and the thick human history are all fascinating to her.
This year is Jia Hepu's 24th visit to Gushu Dao, and this time, she also brought nine foreign friends. Although she is 81 years old, she is still in good spirits, and along the way, she keeps introducing everyone to the culture of Shu and the culture of the Three Kingdoms.
Jia Hepu, who is 81 years old this year, walks like a fly on the Shu Road. She said that she used to think that being old was boring, but now she finds that it is better to be old and can have more time to do the things she likes.
Jia Hepu's relationship with China dates back to the 60s of the 20th century. At that time, Jia Hepu, who was studying art history at an American college, came across "Ming Emperor Xingshu" in an exhibition in 1963, which showed a plank road appearing on the cliff, which made her feel incredible.
Jia Hepu, who is very interested in Chinese history, has been looking for the plank road in "Ming Emperor Xingshu Map" until 2001, when Jia Hepu happened to see a plank road map in an article in "People's Daily" (overseas edition) "To Guangyuan - Walking Shu Road", and she found out that the plank road really existed.
Since then, Jia Hepu has come to China from Philadelphia in the United States almost every year, with Guangyuan Sword Pavilion as the center, and hiked the ancient Shu Road.
In order to let more people understand Chinese culture, in 2003, Jia Hepu began to write a book about Shu Dao. To this end, she sometimes travels back and forth to China four or five times a year to explore the ancient Shu Road.
Cultural scholar Chen Yang: In 2007, she sent me a book from the United States, a very thick book of more than 400 pages in English, "Walking Guide to China's Ancient Shu Road" There are pictures in it, there are pictures of the introduction of the ancient Shu Road, as well as the pictures of these many life scenes that introduce our Chinese customs and customs, and the lives of ordinary people, I was really shocked, I think a foreigner can love our ancient road, walk our ancient road, and study our ancient road, and the most important thing is to spread our ancient Shu road and our Chinese culture to the world, so I am very moved.
"I hope to go all the way on the Shu Road"
In 2015, the documentary "Shu Dao Messenger" filmed by Sichuan Guangyuan TV with Jia Hepu as the protagonist was uploaded to social networking sites and received a super high click rate, which also made Jia Hepu an Internet celebrity in the eyes of Americans who love traditional Chinese culture. After watching the documentary, many people contacted her by phone or email, hoping to participate in her Shu Road trekking, which made Jia Hepu very happy.
In 2015, Jia Hepu brought her family to Shu Dao, and at that time, she and her family planted a small cypress tree in Shu Dao, Jianmen.
Jia Hepu, 81 years old this year, has not set foot on the road of Shu Road for 5 years. This year, she's finally back here again. Watching the small cypress trees that were once planted thrive, Jia and Pu were very happy.
On the afternoon of March 18, 2024, Jia and Pu helped their friends plant two more small cypress trees. They wanted to express their love for the ancient Shu Road in China.
Through the Qinling Mountains, Yueba Mountain, through the ancient and modern, Shu Road has witnessed the changes of the times. For thousands of years, people have never given up the study of Shu Dao. Nowadays, the "Super Shu Road" winds its way between the mountains and mountains, unimpeded.
Jia Hepu: Li Bai said that it is difficult to travel to Shudao, and it is even more difficult than climbing to the sky. But if Li Bai can return to what is now China and take the high-speed train, he will be very surprised. I'm sure he would write another poem saying that you can get on the high-speed rail and you'll get there faster, and if you come to Shu Road and don't want to take longer, he'll be happy and he can take the high-speed rail instead.
On March 19, Jiange County awarded Jia Hepu the title of "Lifetime Promotion Ambassador of Jianmen Shudao International Tourism" in gratitude for her efforts in researching the history of Shudao and promoting Shudao culture, which is also the first lifelong promotion ambassador title awarded by the local government.
Jia Hepu said that it has always been her dream to insist on coming to China, keep walking the Shu Road, and let more people like the Shu Road, and she hopes to keep going.
Anchor Comments: American octogenarian Jia Hepu's 24 "Shu Road Trips"
Jia Hepu, who is over eighty years old, said that because her love for Gushu Road has never faded, she never feels tired. Stepping on the Ancient Shu Road is like having a conversation with time and space thousands of years ago, which makes her very obsessed. Jia Hepu said that generations of Chinese have continued to plant a large number of cypress trees on the ancient Shu Road, so that the beauty of the ancient Shu Road will last for thousands of years, and she also hopes to do her part for this, this year, she and her friends planted two more cypress saplings, and agreed to meet here next year. In addition, Jia Hepu also plans to visit the Ancient Tea Horse Road in Yunnan in the near future. At present, she is collecting information and starting to write a new book, hoping to let more people understand the ancient Chinese way and love Chinese culture.