Bid farewell to the busy July, and August is coming. After several calculations, I seem to be able to rest for a few days. The rare sneak time can't live up to it!
D1 (August 8, 2020): Nanjing - Taiyuan - Pingyao
Jinci Temple
It was built in the Western Zhou Dynasty and is the earliest surviving Chinese royal sacrificial garden. It is backed by Xuanweng Mountain. It is said that Jinshui originated here. It was originally "Tang" and later changed to "Jin". According to legend, the princes and princes of the ancient Tang Dynasty governed the country well and adapted measures to local conditions, creating a precedent for "one country, two systems". Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty sent troops from this to dominate the country. Feeling the prosperity and strength of the ancient Tang Dynasty, he named the country "Tang", leaving a prosperous Tang Dynasty for future generations.
During the Zhenguan period, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty left an inscription in the Jinci Temple, and now the Tang stele has become the treasure of the Jinci Museum. The 39 "Zhi" characters in the inscription are different, and I have to sigh: This calligraphy is too powerful!
There are three treasures in the ancestral hall: "Dedication Hall", "Bridge", and "Holy Mother Hall"; three wonders: Zhou Bai, Song Su, and Nanlaoquan; .
The "Dedicated Hall" is a Jin Dynasty building with no walls and pillars on all sides, just like a gazebo, which can be described as a natural shade store in ancient times. In front of the "Holy Mother of God", there is a "Flying Beam in Fish Marsh", which is in the shape of a cross and connects the flying beam to the water. It is the earliest water and land interchange. There are eight giant dragons entrenched in the colonnade of the "Holy Mother of God", and the statues of Song Dynasty maids in the hall are even more vivid, truly showing the court life at that time. There are two cypress trees in front of the hall. According to textual research, they were planted in the Zhou Dynasty. They are real "living ancestors". The "Water Mirror Platform" was built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and was used to sing big plays. In the old days, there were water tanks buried under the stage, which were interlocked in pairs to amplify the sound. "Duiyue" is taken from "Bingwen's virtue, Duyue is in the sky", built in the Ming Dynasty, it means to repay the merits of promoting the Virgin Mary. "Difficult old spring" is the source of Jinshui. Due to the over-exploitation of the mountain, it is no longer surging, and only a trickle is left to comfort the world.
"See Pingyao Again"
When I arrived in Pingyao and didn't have time to enter the city, I went straight to the theater, and the timing was just right.
The story of "Seeing Pingyao Again" is adapted from real events, and the show begins as soon as you enter the scene. At that time, you and I are both in the play (almost thought we entered a haunted house). It was the first time I experienced this immersive performance, as if I had traveled back to that era, everything in front of me was so real and tragic. More than two hundred people knew that the road ahead was dangerous but they still refused to turn back, just for one bloodline. What Pingyao merchants do is not business but righteousness and virtue! Inherited by blood, no matter how many years and thousands of years, "peach blossoms are still red, and apricot blossoms are still white".
D2 (August 9, 2020): Pingyao - Taihuai Town
Pingyao Ancient City
It is not so strange to visit the ancient city after watching "Seeing Pingyao Again". Here is the birthplace of Shanxi Merchants. The four major city gates are magnificent. There are east, west, north and south archways in the city. brilliant.
The most worth mentioning is "Rishengchang", which is the earliest bank in China, which is equivalent to the current bank. The owner only pays the money, and the shopkeeper manages it. It is said that the management model at that time is still worth learning from now. After listening to the explanation, I just remember that in the era when silver was used as currency, the silver minted by Jinling Mansion was of the highest purity and the most valuable!
The reason why it is "Pingyao County Office" instead of "County Office" is that it reflects the status of Pingyao at that time, which is one level higher than ordinary counties. The "County Office" covers a large area and looks very grand. It is no longer a virtual scene in the film and television. "Prison", "Qinmin Hall", "Flower Hall"... three-dimensional and full.
There are also many other exhibitions, including interpretations of "Jianghu", "Three Teachings and Nine Streams", "variety of varieties", etc., collections of the earliest, largest, and smallest newspapers, and... (can't remember).
D3 (August 10, 2020): Taihuai Town - Datong
Mount Wutai
When we arrived at Mount Wutai, we knew that this mountain was not a mountain, but got its name because of the towering five peaks, like a platform built of earth. Such as the five fingers of the palm, and Taihuai Town is located in the center of the palm.
There is a saying: Jin Wutai, Silver Putuo, Bronze Emei, Tie Jiuhua. Mount Wutai is the most famous Buddhist mountain. There are more than 200 temples, large and small, but only one out of ten of them are open to tourists. The temples are not too big, and the layout is relatively simple.
The place with the most incense is the "Wuye Temple", which is said to be very effective, and there is an endless stream of worshippers. The Tianwang Hall of "Tayuan Temple" is not Maitreya, but the mother of Emperor Wanli. Considering the status of the royal family, the main entrance of the hall is closed all year round, and you need to enter through the back door. The Great White Pagoda in the temple can be described as a symbolic existence, and there are Sakyamuni relics in it. "Xiantong Temple" was integrated with "Tayuan Temple" a long time ago, but it was divided into two parts for some reason. Therefore, it does not have the Hall of Heavenly Kings, but there are two steles of dragon and tiger on both sides of the temple gate, adopting Taoist regulations. There is a Kangxi stele without characters left in the temple. Some say it is to learn from Wu Zetian, some say it was too late, and some say it is vacant because it has no way to mention it. The wordless stele of Qianling Mausoleum has long been covered with handwriting, but this one is worthy of the name, without a single word. There is Manjusri in the hall of the temple. "Guanghua Temple" is a Tibetan temple. In front of the Buddha statues are all Erguotou, and there is no taboo for wine and meat! "Dailuoding" is the highest point of the palm, overlooking far away, there are many temples nearby, and green mountains far away, the scenery is infinitely beautiful.
There is actually a red education base built in a temple, dedicated to Grandpa Mao. Seeing monks kneeling and prostrating in worship, is it really a great integration? A bit subversive.
So far, only Emei has not been seen among the four famous Buddhist mountains!
After eating several meals of noodles, I thought about going vegetarian in the holy land of Buddhism. In the end, three vegetarian dishes were enough for me to fly back and forth from Nanjing to Taiyuan. What about the virtues of Shanxi merchants? ? ?
D4 (August 11, 2020): Datong - Taiyuan
Yungang Grottoes
One of the four major grottoes in China originated from the royal family. It began in the Northern Wei Dynasty. After the capital was moved to Luoyang, the official excavation was announced to be over, but it did not affect the enthusiasm of the people in the excavation, which continued from generation to generation until the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
There is a saying in Buddhism that the turret means worshiping the Buddha, so there are many square pagodas in the caves; because the emperor and the queen mother were in power in the Northern Wei Dynasty, there are more double caves and two Buddhas; The fusion of Taoism and Confucianism, and occasionally mixed with Taoist elements.
"Tanyao Five Caves", "Wuhua Caves", "Thousand Buddha Caves", "Music Caves"... "Three Buddhas", "One Buddha and Two Bodhisattvas", "Sitting Buddha", "Standing Buddha"..."Cloud Oka Liumei", "Thousand Buddha Cassock"... Each cave has its unique style, and each carving has its own unique story. After thousands of years of wind and rain, it still tells!
Hanging Temple
Located on the cliff of Cuiping Peak, the second main peak of Beiyue Hengshan, it is hard to imagine how it was built, and the wisdom of the ancients is unparalleled. I always feel that it is very fragile, so I don't step on it, just look up and look up!
Sakyamuni Tower
The Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple is generally called "Ying County Wooden Pagoda". It is made of pure wood, taking the trees of a mountain. It has five floors in appearance, but nine floors in reality. The world's tallest wooden tower, a miracle of architecture, you can't feel its inclination if you don't look closely. Walk around and sigh!
Shanxi Guild Hall
As the saying goes, "the world's pasta is in China, and the Chinese pasta is in Shanxi." Shanxi's noodle art is well-known. Sliced noodles on the top of the wheelbarrow, stretched noodles, a piece of noodles, pick-up on a turntable, dough blowing balloons, and dragon beard ramen. It’s even more exciting to appreciate it up close!
D5 (August 12, 2020): Taiyuan-Nanjing
East Lake Vinegar Garden
It's cold at night, the air conditioner is blowing hard, I seem to have a cold, let's go to fumigation.
The time-honored vinegar factory shows the evolution history of vinegar, from acyl (xi) in the Western Zhou Dynasty to vinegar (cu) in the Han and Wei Dynasties, to bitter wine in the Jin Dynasty, and finally vinegar in the Tang Dynasty. Human beings have always been tireless in the pursuit of taste, and the attributes of foodies are regardless of age.
The vinegar workshop demonstrates the production process of vinegar, and being in it, it is sour and refreshing, and the effect of refreshing the brain is remarkable. There is an inscription hanging on the place where the vinegar is made, which says that Zhenjiang vinegar is slightly inferior to Shanxi vinegar. Is this comparable? As a native of Zhenjiang, I disagree!
Shanxi Museum
Ever since I became obsessed with "National Treasure", my interest in museums has soared, so I wanted to open my eyes.
Shanxi, one of the birthplaces of human civilization, from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age, from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, from the Tang and Song Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, has rich exhibits and distinct levels. Bronze, painted pottery, brick carvings, jade porcelain...; bird statues, wooden lacquer paintings, Hou Mameng calligraphy, various Buddha statues...
The most impressive ones are: first, 甑 (zeng) and 鬲 (li) form 甗 (yan), the originator of the steamer; second, there were foreign countries called "fish" in ancient times, and the Central Plains government had already started to hire foreigners at that time The third is that the complete feminization of Avalokitesvara began in the Tang Dynasty; the fourth is the relatively rare eighteen-armed Bodhisattva of Tantric Buddhism.
It may be because of the epidemic, there is no manual explanation, so I can only rent the electronic guide smartly, but half of the content is missing, and the rental fee will not be refunded after the refund. This package will reduce the visiting experience every minute!
China Coal Museum
It seems natural that there is such a museum in a major coal-producing province. The venue looks huge, but most of it is used for other purposes. From a small elevator, the exhibition hall tells the past and present of coal in terms of the formation and distribution of coal, the evolution from lignite to anthracite, practical application, safety and environmental protection of mining, etc.
Non-renewable resources, and use and cherish!
日行百里，除了景点，沿途的风景不遑多让！时间有限。先逛这么多吧，壶口继续养着，留待下次！
