As far as the title is concerned, it is obviously inappropriate to write in this way, especially in terms of history, and it is not a joke. But Empress Xiao and Cao Xueqin, although hundreds of years apart, are inextricably linked to a place that is Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou, located in the southeastern region of Beijing.
Zhangjiawan sand table model
Zhangjiawan Xiao Taihou Bridge (Tongyun Bridge)
First of all, this Empress Xiao, I believe that everyone will not be unfamiliar, a popular drama "Yan yuntai" throughout the country let young people have a little understanding of this "controversial" figure in history and that history. The drama positively shows the story of Empress Xiao with her willfulness, intelligence, and daring personality, far-sighted vision, and with the joint efforts of Han Derang, Ye Luxian and others, she pushed Daliao on the road to prosperity. However, the older people regarded Empress Xiao in the "Yang Family General's Speech", and the "loyal Yang Family General" regarded Empress Xiao as a sworn enemy, and was almost killed by Empress Xiao! However, whether it is a commentary or a deduction, it is somewhat contrary to some real history. But as far as zhangjiawan is concerned, empress Xiao is indeed indispensable!
Empress Xiao transported grain to the river
As for the origin of the name of Empress Xiao, there are different versions of the legend. According to legend, when Empress Xiao was leading a large army to conquer the Northern Song Dynasty, when she was passing through the outskirts of present-day Beijing, the generals under her command were thirsty and impatient, and Empress Xiao lashed out a finger, and a clear and sweet river appeared in front of her, and the generals cheered and cheered, and drank bitterly to quench their thirst, and posterity called this river the Xiao Empress River. It is also said that Empress Xiao once led an army stationed outside Nanjing for a long time, but due to a shortage of water, the combat effectiveness of the army was sharply reduced. People finally found a clear but nameless river in hopelessness, and Empress Xiao was overjoyed and decreed that she should be named after her...
Zhangjiawan Museum
In the mouths of the Zhangjiawan Museum and the docent, it seems that some answers can be vaguely found, and although there is no trace in the main history, there are some accounts in the Ming and Qing notes. From the notes, it is known that empress Xiao's river began in the sixth year of reunification (Liaonian number), which was during Empress Xiao's regency. As the first manual canal project, she will definitely do it herself. After the canal was successfully excavated, it should be natural to name the Xiao Empress River. In fact, whether it was the Empress Xiao River that Empress Xiao excavated or not, at least at that time it was used for the supply of water for the army and the supply of grain transportation in the capital, the excavation of this artificial river was still of positive significance.
Zhangjiawan Museum exhibits
With the development of waterway transportation, as an important node in the grand canal transportation, the Zhangjiawan water transport wharf known as the "four water confluence" gradually has a vitality, and by the Time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a large-scale town has been formed here, and the shops are lined up one after another, gathering merchants from all over the world, a prosperous scene. In this regard, Zhangjiawan City has an extraordinary status, so it has the saying that "there is Zhangjiawan first and then Tongzhou City". The grand scenery of "Wanzhou PiaoJi" is one of the "Eight Views of Tongzhou" that describes the time.
Stone Lion on Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge)
Empress Xiao Bridge Deck (Tongyun Bridge)
Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge)
Today's Zhangjiawan and Xiao Empress River, looking really lonely but some lonely, compared to Shichahai, which is also the end of the Water Transport Terminal on the Grand Canal, today it has become a popular punch card, and the difference between heaven and earth is high! It may also be out of the protection of cultural relics, the Yuntong Bridge is basically displayed in its original appearance, but it can be seen from the deep ruts on the bridge deck known locally as the Xiao Taihou Bridge (Yuntong Bridge) to see the grand situation of the traffic in that year, as well as the vicissitudes in front of the eyes, and the slightly lonely decadence and full of desolation.
Next, let's talk about the more shocking and inseparable character with Zhangjiawan, Cao Xueqin. This earth-shattering discovery was all due to the excavation of a tombstone in this place! The name of the person inscribed on this tombstone is not someone else, it is "Cao Gongxiao Tomb Noon" and the original name of the cultural giant Cao Xueqin is "Cao Xia"!
Zhangjiawan Museum (Cao Xueqin's Tombstone)
In the winter of 1968, the Land Leveling Battle was fought. Zhangjiawan Village is responsible for the line north of the Xiaotaihou River and south of Huazhuang. The project progressed to... The intersection of the four sides, that is, the Cao family grave area. Li Jingzhu, a member of the village, found a blue tombstone one meter below ground. This is not only the stone stele inscribed on the above picture "Cao Gongxiao Tomb Noon", li Jingzhu dedicated the tombstone in 1992, this discovery, at that time, immediately triggered a shock in the red academic and archaeological circles.
Zhangjiawan ancient city wall
Although there is still a fierce controversy in the red academic circles about the authenticity of the stone carvings on the stone stele of Cao Xueqin's tomb, the only thing that can tell the reason for this story is the ruined and remnants of the old city wall that stands lonely on the bank of the grain transportation river of Empress Xiao.
Zhangjiawan City Gate
I have to say that Zhangjiawan is an ancient town that has risen due to caoyun, but its humanistic history is far more than caoyun, canal culture, ancient city culture and Cao Xueqin's "Dream of the Red Chamber" culture have inextricable origins.
I believe that with the success of the Grand Canal application and the changes of the times, the construction of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt will never stop, and the present and future of Zhangjiawan will surely show the people of the world a deeper cultural heritage. In the future, Zhangjiawan will become more and more beautiful!