"I'm lost in Shichahai." A message was inadvertently sent on WeChat to Professor Zhang in Beijing.
By the time I came to a trance from the darkness of the night in Shichahai, Teacher Zhang had enthusiastically replied several times: "Huh? You've just arrived in Beijing, don't mess around. Turn on the navigation, or ask the people around you, ask the police officers on patrol. Oops, you send a spot, I'll take a taxi. ”
I was both touched and secretly laughed at Teacher Zhang's cuteness: "I mean I was intoxicated by the beauty of Shichahai." She was relieved: "That's the way it is." That said, I have been 'lost' countless times in Shichahai in the past fifty years! ”
Mr. Zhu Zuxi said: "First there was Shichahai, and then there was the city of Beijing. "It's true. Because of this water, it extends out of the central axis and derives the city of Beijing.
Shichahai, named after the water because of the brake, is a precious and rare inner lake in Beijing, the northern pier of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and a rare recreation treasure for the citizens of Beijing, which is both ancient and modern, both traditional and fashionable, both noble and civilian, both bustling and quiet, and the infinite charm has attracted many citizens and tourists to stop and swim and linger.
Almost roadblind, I first set off along the temporary Qunli Hutong, passed through Huguosi Street, Dingfu Street, and the north edge of Qianhai, and when I saw a large area of water in the "Lotus Market", I felt that I had walked far away, and I thought that this was the legendary Shichahai and the legendary Houhai. A closer look reveals that this is just Qianhai.
Several times tentatively measured the surrounding area with footsteps, and walked farther and farther again and again, only to realize a little bit: the Qianhai sea where the wind and lotus swayed and the island embellished the lake were to the east, crossing the Jinding Bridge, which could lead to the famous old Beijing hutong - Nanluoguxiang; Qianhai to the northwest, across the Silver Ingot Bridge, is the petty bourgeoisie favorite place where the bar is stationed on both sides of the river and the lake is singing - Houhai; and then to the northwest, across the Desheng Bridge, there are lotus shelters, reeds leading the wind, calamus pavilions, fish and duck swimming water wetlands - West Sea.
The Qianhai, Houhai, And West Seas, the three seas constitute the Shicha Sea; each sea is a beautiful scenery, scattered figures, and each sea has a range of places and wonderful realms. Sure enough, it lived up to its name. Slowly, the road is ripe, the scenery is ripe, the street is familiar, and Shichahai has become my first choice for daily morning exercise and evening tour, but unexpectedly, it is more and more often "lost" in this charming Shichahai.
Walking into the Shichahai Sea, like walking into the secret world, the mind suddenly quiets down, and swims away, and there is a sense of trance anytime and anywhere. At that moment, I don't know when, where, or where I am; I have lost time and space, I have lost my position, I have lost myself.
The ancient willows along the lake are varied and silent, like soldiers, like old people. The cracked bark of the tree is wrapped in hundreds of years of ancient bodies, but the soft branches and tender green willow leaves show that he is still young and tall. I would like to lean on the willow, or lean on the jade railing under the willow, quietly look at the clear waves, a pool of lotuses, and see the clouds and the lights of the night. Perhaps, during the Ming and Qing dynasties or the Republic of China, there were celebrities or countless idle people here to take a nap, talk, take pictures, and be in a daze, and I, at this time, just like them.
I was passing by, but there were many regulars who set up stalls, painted, sang, fished, and played on the shore night and night. They are either for livelihood, or for recreation, or for dreams, long-term stationed in Shichahai, integrated into Shichahai, day after day, has become a unique scenery.
Stalls selling root carvings, calligraphy and painting, paper cuts, yogurt, groceries, villain books, handicrafts, or sketches for passers-by, and those who open stores to do business, although they are by the lake, it seems to be separated by a room and a door, just like different heavens and earth, the situation is very different. In any case, they also deserve to be respected, because they may be ourselves who have worked or are working hard to live, just like the original song "Dreams Can Really Be Eaten as Rice" sung by a guitar-playing youth who met at the lakeside, as long as they persist, as long as they suffer.
Fishing and blowing are much more leisurely. Fishing, sit outside the railing, prop up the fishing rod, and wait for the fish to be hooked. In fact, it is not important to be hooked, what is important is to calm down and fish a lake in the morning light and night, and fishing is a leisurely pleasure. The blower sat in the railing, put on the speakers, and blew the saxophone mercilessly. Whether there is an audience or not, it does not matter, what is important is to abandon everything, immerse yourself in the beautiful melody, and weave an elegant neon dress with pulsating notes, shining in the dark night. And I, I would like to be a faithful observer, and I would like to be them.
Shichahai is flowing water, just like the flowing crowd.
I was mixed in the crowd, surrounded by bright young people, intellectual white-collar workers, migrant workers after work, night watch police, children playing, and brothers who kept shouting "come to my house and sit down", foreigners and foreigners who spoke different languages. Under the willow, at the bridge, at the water's edge, at the door of the bar, at the gathering of people, we hurried past each other, and we were destined to rub shoulders at this moment only once in this life, leaving no memory, but this feeling was very wonderful, very enjoyable. Life is the same, we are surrounded by passers-by, we are also passers-by.
When passing by the Qianhai Lotus Market, I can't help but think of the piece of lotus in the Qing Dynasty recorded by Fu cha Dunchong in the "Records of the Yanjing Years": "When the flowers bloom, the scenery around the north bank is the best: green willow silk hanging, red clothes and greasy pink, flowers are light and human faces, hidden and confused, and people do not know that people are flowers." "And I would like to turn into a lotus leaf, swaying and swaying, rolling back and forth with dewdrops, one moment sliding to the center of the leaf, one moment sliding to the edge of the leaf, the next time sliding out of my palm and merging into the lake; I would rather lift the lotus flowers that came out of the water to be very high, high above the railing, high above the pavilion, sending them to the blue sky, to the camera of the tourists, flying out of the Shicha sea, flying to all over the world."
Cross the Silver Ingot Bridge, walk through the green brick road, step on the stone road, stroll the Yanbao Diagonal Street on the north side of Houhai, Crow Hu at the same time, and then trance back to the Yuan Dynasty, in the yuan capital city of the largest commercial district, both gold and silver jewelry, coral jade, rice market, noodle market, satin market, hat market, goose and duck market, charcoal city, iron market, shop forestry, flourishing. Just when there is no time to respond, in the blink of an eye, changing the time and space, casting shops, fan shops, tea shops, paper-cutting shops, cold drink shops, crisp sugar shops, roast duck shops, pottery flute shops, snuff bottle shops, rock sugar gourd shops, Beijing specialty stores, and so on, fashionable and modern. Out of this store, into the other store, only gently walk through, do not take away a commodity, is also an addiction.
Although I deeply understand the dreams of those resident singers and the mood of those idle people, it is not suitable for people like me, just walking quietly, looking at those literary and artistic signs to find fun: red, fire wood, tremor, jianghu, ferry, silver sea Xuan, Shiotaku Pavilion, slow sound, stay for a while, July 7th sunny, fiery phoenix, fiery unicorn... I don't know what kind of people are in this bar all night, what kind of story there is, the next morning, every room is closed and silent, if nothing has happened; but when night falls, it will repeat the story of last night, but I don't know who the protagonist has changed.
The West Sea is less noisy and much quieter, so the night is more charming. As I swayed on the pontoon, I saw a large pale yellow and dark fish swimming gracefully, across the pontoon and into another lotus pond. I, as well as the tourists, are all a fish at this time, swimming in the West Sea, one moment meeting the lotus of the buds, the other meeting the raised reeds, the other meeting the wild ducks in the water, and the other meeting the rushing crowds. Tired, sitting idly in the water pavilion and Bihexuan on the shore, he was immediately lost in the "spectacle" and "victory area" described in Jiang Yikui's "Chang'an Ke dialect" of the Ming Dynasty.
Around Shichahai, there are many famous palaces and memorials such as prince Gong's mansion, prince's mansion, Qingwang mansion, Song Qingling's former residence, Guo Moruo's former residence, Mei Lanfang's former residence, etc. In the past, the place where dignitaries and celebrities lived has now become a civilian park where ordinary citizens can freely enter and exit and play leisurely, which has to be said to be the progress of society and the blessing of the people.
Because of the aquatic wind, I love to blow the wind while walking on the Shicha Sea. The slight breeze brings a faint lotus fragrance, a delicious fragrance, and mixed with moist water vapor, pleasant notes, free factors and a strong Beijing flavor, which makes me feel refreshed and my steps are light. Out of the Qianhai, the small square is crowded, there are jumping ropes, there are kites, there are kicking shuttlecocks, there are square dancers, a faction of peace; di'anmen street cars like flowing water, pedestrians like weaving, a prosperous faction.
At this moment, I was completely awake and found my way back. However, another day, I will re-enter Shichahai along this road and once again enjoy the feeling of "lost" things and I forget, time and space interlaced. It would be nice to be able to meet Professor Zhang together, and listening to her talk about Shichahai's past and present lives would help me "go lost" deeper, farther, and more poetically.
Image source: Visual China
Column Editor-in-Chief: Wu Bin Text Editor: Wu Bin