That summer two years ago, I went to Beijing for the first time and spent twelve days there. Before I forget, I want to write down my experiences and feelings at that time.
The reason why I say "passing through Beijing" is because the appearance of Beijing is changing with each passing day, as Xi Murong said in his poem: "I am an outsider in this city."
Beijing's prices are expensive, and food and housing are not cheap, just as Li Xueqin said: "For Beijing, I am not even a spare tire." "I was just a passing tourist.
I always thought that Beijing was not so attractive to me. I have been staying in a third-tier small city, going to an international metropolis like Beijing, may not be used to, afraid of timidity, afraid of like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden, making people laugh.
However, when it was close to departure, I felt that I had been looking forward to this trip for too long.
Because, the ancient characters I love deeply, whether they have really existed in history, such as Cao Xueqin and Naran Zhide, or characters in fictional literary works, such as Zhao Min in "The Book of the Dragon Slaughtering in the Heavens", Lin Daiyu and Jia Baoyu in "Dream of the Red Chamber", are inextricably linked to Beijing. (These are only ancient figures, let alone modern and contemporary figures.) )
Speaking of "Dream of the Red Chamber", I also had a big oolong. I have been watching "Dream of the Red Chamber" since I was twelve or thirteen years old, and I actually don't understand it very well. Read the book that writes "Jinling Twelve Chao", "Stone City"... I thought that the story inside took place in Nanjing. So, I chose Nanjing when I was in college (of course, this is just one of the factors).
Later, I learned that the story in "Dream of the Red Chamber" actually mainly occurred in Beijing. The word "Beijing" is not mentioned from beginning to end in "Dream of the Red Chamber", only "in the capital of Chang'an". Because the dynasty is deliberately obscured, "Chang'an" is used to refer to Beijing. Naran's words are also like this: "Tomorrow is close to Chang'an, and the guest's heart is still sad." ”
In this way, I had missed the encounter with Beijing perfectly.
Beijing's first impressions
The first time I came to Beijing, I was shocked by the bustling style of Beijing.
As soon as I got off the train in the morning, I left my luggage at the train station and went straight to Tiananmen Square. This is the heart of the motherland, and we come here to worship with a pilgrimage-like mood.
Stop by Zhongshan Park next to Tiananmen Square, where you will encounter a 1,000-year-old Liao Dynasty cypress tree.
The history of Beijing as a capital city began in the Liaojin era. The city of Beijing in the Liao Dynasty was known as Nanjing JingjinFu, and its ruins were in the southwest corner of present-day Beijing.
This cooper tree still stands tall and lush today. I really hope that it can speak: in this thousand years, how many vicissitudes has it experienced, how many dynasties have it witnessed, how many times has it seen the coming and going of herding horses?
Later, we climbed Jingshan Mountain. Overlooking the Forbidden City from Jingshan Mountain, I was stunned by the grand and upright pattern of Beijing City and the majestic royal spirit of the Forbidden City.
In the movie "Revolutionary", there is a scene of Li Dazhao and the instructor talking about the revolution on Jingshan Mountain. This place best reflects the boldness and charm of Beijing City, and is indeed a good place for "pointing out the country".
In Jingshan Park, there are many elderly people gathered to play and sing. When I came down the hillside, I saw a lady in a costume and waving water sleeves, standing in front of a low tree hanging her throat. Although he looks a little old, he sings beautifully and is gentle and moving...
Beijing has a profound historical and cultural accumulation, which makes people feel like a dream unconsciously. As "One Night in Beijing" sang: "Don't dare to ask for directions at midnight, for fear of straying into the depths of a hundred flowers..."
The Red Chamber Complex
As a red fan, I chose the first stop of the official tour at Daguanyuan. Daguanyuan is a place I have longed for for many years, even if I see it from the Internet, Yihong Courtyard, Xiaoxiang Pavilion... Inside, there are some wax figures with strange styles that people can't bear to look at, but they didn't scare me off. Fortunately, when we went, the wax figures had been removed.
Daguanyuan is the location of the 87th edition of the Dream of the Red Chamber. Although, in Beijing, where there is little land, its area is already very large. But I still felt a little smaller than I thought, a little cramped.
Perhaps, the Grand View Garden I imagined could not exist in the world at all. Visiting the Grand View Garden, which I think "should only exist in heaven", is a process of returning fantasy to reality.
Since there is no sense of direction, I do not know the specific location of "Yihong Courtyard" and "Xiaoxiang Hall". When I came to the Grand View Garden, I realized that they were really close. Separated only by half an acre of lotus ponds, a small bridge. No wonder Jia Baoyu was "either in Xiaoxiangguan or on his way to Xiaoxiangguan". And the courtyard is very far from the Yihong courtyard, and Baochao chose this place, probably to avoid suspicion!
Daguanyuan is not a popular attraction, it is not a holiday when we go, and there are few tourists. There is a girl in Hanfu, calmly in Qiu Shuangzhai and Daoxiang Village... Take a photo inside.
Beijing seems to have a strong red chamber complex. In addition to the Grand View Garden, in attractions such as Nanluoguxiang, you can buy souvenirs related to "Dream of the Red Chamber". In the popular attraction GongWangfu, there are also data showing that according to research, Gongwangfu is the prototype of the Grand View Garden in "Dream of the Red Chamber"...
Zhao Min and Yuan Dadu
There is a character I like, Zhao Min in "The Tale of the Dragon Slayer in the Heavens", which is also related to Beijing.
This is the charm of literature. Knowing that she is a fictional character, but seeing everything related to her, I will still be fascinated, imagining that there is such a smiling Mongolian girl who once lived and loved here. I want to visit her footprints and find her traces.
At the end of the movie version of "Yitian Slaughtering Dragon", Zhao Min, played by Zhang Min, said: "I am waiting for you in Most capitals."
In the original work, Zhao Min also said this sentence, but it was not said to Zhang Wuji. After Zhao Min tested Grandma Jin Hua with the Heavenly Sword, he said, "'If you can get the Dragon Slaying Sword, it's fine, I'll only wait for you in Dadu.'" ”
Zhao Min also mentioned "Dadu" once, that is, after reuniting with Zhang Wuji in the broken temple, she bought new clothes for Zhang Wuji, who was originally dressed as a beggar, and said: "There is no good thing to buy in a small place, I will wear it, we went to Dadu, and then bought a mink robe." ”
These two sentences closely connect the character of "Zhao Min" with the city of "Yuan Dadu". Dadu, is it Zhao Min's home, or the place where she and Zhang Wuji met in the tavern three times...
Beijing has many remnants of Yuan Dynasty architecture. It is said that Nanluoguxiang is a building that was built in the Yuan Dynasty.
When I went to visit the Garden Expo, I temporarily reported a tour group and met at a subway station called "Beitu City". From the entrance of this subway station, there is a castle-like building with a distinctly Mongolian style.
Originally, it was the Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park. Several place names in Beijing have the word "Tucheng", which seems to be related to the Yuan Dynasty. Unfortunately, the itinerary was too hurried to get there.
Beijing's present and past
Beijing is no longer the former capital of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, nor is it the "Beiping" written by Lao She. In addition to the fact that many place names are still used in the past, it is completely a new, bustling and crowded cosmopolitan metropolis.
It is completely different from the old Beijing I read in the book and described in my mind, and I can't even find its shadow. For example, the overpass I imagined was a place where three teachings and nine streams were taught and played with tricks, but the actual overpass was a tall, stadium-like building, the Mass Culture and Art Museum, and wanted to see "selling art"? You have to pay a high price for tickets.
It also couldn't find the place I imagined, where I could sit and eat snacks on the street. Even snacks such as "bean juice" have also been on the elegant hall, and can only be eaten in restaurants.
However, at a casual moment, in a corner of the bustling market, you can still see the quaint green bricks and gray tiles, and see some remnants of the old era.
There are some obviously very old buildings, revealing a rugged atmosphere. Some of the facades are very grand, at first glance, they are the mansions of Wang Xie in the old days, and there are also some mansions that look very ordinary, even somewhat withered, which are the homes of ordinary people.
Walking through the hutongs of Beijing, you can still feel the unique atmosphere of the city wells and fireworks that belong to old Beijing.
The intersection of time and space
On the day I visited King Gong's mansion, in fact, what I really wanted to go to was the former residence of Naran Sexde, that is, the former residence of Song Qingling.
I heard that in the yard there, there was an acacia tree planted by Naran's hand. For a Naranjand", this tree is a place where you can really touch his fingerprints and explore his footprints, how can you miss it ❓?
Unfortunately, I found out from the Internet that it was being repaired and was not open for the time being.
Due to the popularity of some TV series, Hesheng became a household name. Prince Gong's mansion was once the residence of the gentry, and it has become a must-visit place to visit Beijing, and the heat is directly catching up with the Forbidden City.
Although named Prince Gong's mansion, there, Prince Gong's sense of existence was not as good as that of a gentleman.
As a private garden, Prince Gong's Mansion is indeed beautiful and breathtaking. However, for me, if there are no people I love and admire to live here and live here, no matter how beautiful the places of interest and monuments are, there is no soul.
After visiting Gongwangfu, we walked to the nearby Shichahai.
Such a famous Shichahai is not even a scenic spot in Beijing, but a place for Beijing citizens to walk and exercise. Just like the regular leisure parks in other cities, there are no entrance fees. But it is still under repair and looks a little dilapidated.
Coming out of Shichahai, the sun is scorching, and Beijing's bus system is so large and complex that it collapses. We decided to break the bank and take a taxi back to our makeshift home.
On the way back, I occasionally caught a glimpse of the antique blue-gray door wall next to the street, with a sign hanging on it, which read "Song Qingling's Former Residence"... Unfortunately, the speed of the car is too fast, and it is too late to take a picture of it with the mobile phone...
This is the former home of Naranjande. Although it is not open for the time being, fate still guides me here... For a moment, the trajectory of his life and I were infinitely close, and I really felt as if we had met in a staggered time and space...