Sun Xinsheng: Travel Notes in Southern Vietnam (35) River Fairy City and Mojiu

the car runs between the sea and the river, heading west. Compared with the place in the morning, the flat coastal plain has changed quietly, and many beautiful peaks have been added to the coast headland.

mangroves gradually recede. It reminds us that we are about to bid farewell to the Mekong Delta and come to the coastal lowlands in the Gulf of Thailand. Nearby, the Dongtu Mountain meanders into the sea, with two peaks, five miles in a week, lush trees and clear streams flowing through it; The cui wei of Jishan Mountain is towering, with many peaks, a vast sea island, villages at the eastern foot of the mountain, and many pepper gardens; Hulu Valley has steep peaks, covered with cliff valleys, which can be soaked by tides. There are many reefs, which make it difficult for ships to enter. There is a mountain island at the mouth of the valley, and the waves impact all day long, ringing like thunder. See a harmonious single mountain, the foot of which spans the seashore, and the bay is on the left and right, with bare stones in between and red clams underneath.

According to legend, Mo Jiu once got a pearl with a diameter of inch here, which is priceless and presented to the King of Guangnan. The deep area here is a cave for fish and shrimp, and groups of herons and gulls often hover and float here to feed. Therefore, it is also known as the "Pearl Rock Fallen Heron", one of the top ten scenic spots of Hexian.

arrived in hexian at about 3 pm. This city is always associated with a person's name. He is Mo Jiu, the great founder and protector of Hexian City, a famous overseas Chinese leader from Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong Province. Mojiu Square is built at the entrance to the city. In the center of the square stands a tall statue of Mojiu Stone. Mo Jiu wore a shirt of the Ming Dynasty, pressed the sword in his left hand and held the water in his right hand. His expression was stern and his eyes were cold, giving people a feeling of calmness, credibility and far-reaching.

Mo Jiu (1655-1735), known as M?c C?u in Viet Nam, was originally named Mo, who was a traitor to M?c Thái T? in the Li Dynasty, but changed his surname to "Ti" in Annan, also known as M?c C?u, commonly known as "Jiu Gong". In 178, Mo Jiu was awarded the title of Jiu Yuhou, the chief soldier of Hexian Town by Ruan Fu Tong, the Lord of Guangnan.

From then on, the post of chief soldier of Hexian Town became the actual title of Hexian's family, with hereditary nature. After Mo Jiu's death in July 1735, the Lord Ruan posthumously named Mo Jiu as the general of Kaizhen Shangzhu State, and his general post was inherited by his son Mo Tianci. In 1822, the third generation emperor of Ruan Dynasty, Ming Emperor, recited Mo's "meritorious service to the country", posthumously named Mo Jiu as a medium-sized deity with tree merit and deified Mo Jiu; Later, the temple was built in the west of the city, and it was stipulated that every time Mo Jiu was born (the eighth day of the fifth lunar month) and died (the 27th of the fifth lunar month), a large-scale ritual activity was held in Hexian.

In the 18th century, the Qing Dynasty once regarded the Mohist regime of Hexian as a vassal country of Annan and Siam, and called it a "port country" (because Hexian was called Rian in the old days, which originally meant "port"), and also called Mo Tianci, the son of Mojiu, as the king.

It is recorded in A General Examination of Qing Dynasty Literature that "the port country, in the southwest sea, is also a country of Annan and Siam. Tian Zheng's surname is Tian Xi. Its evolution can't be tested. There are many mountains in the middle school, and the land under its jurisdiction is only a few hundred miles. Some cities are made of wood, and the palace is no different from China. Bricks are used from the royal residence down. " At that time, some western travelers called Hexian a "state" or "principality".

For example, the Frenchman Bowei said, "From the land and islands of Malaysia, you can reach a small state in the north, which is called Canear (that is, the port)", and some Europeans recorded that Mo Tianci once called himself "King of Khmer" or "King of True Wax". This is because at that time, Hexian nominally belonged to Khmer and surrendered to Guangnan, but he set up his own shogunate, built his own army, collected taxes and minted coins by himself, and had considerable autonomy and sovereignty, which made him occupy a very special position in the national relations of Indo-China Peninsula.

After crossing the Bay Bridge, you go back to the city around the mountain, and all the newly built four-or five-story houses are beside the road, most of which are used as hostels and restaurants. Arriving at Binjiang Citizen Square, overlooking the railing, it is located in the west of Yongji River, about 3 meters away from the estuary in the south. The bay is in the shape of a thin bag, and the west side of Haikou is full of rock corners. In the south, there is a small potato island standing upright, which stops the angry waves and cultivates Zhouzhu. On the east coast, there is a stream and a river flowing into the harbor, which can be used for steamboats and boats, commonly known as the Sanjiangkou of Dijiang River. Yongji River is actually a canal, also known as Yongji Canal. It is a large-scale water conservancy facility built during the reign of Mohs. It is about 1 kilometers long from Zhudu to Hexian. It can dredge rivers, not only for irrigation and drainage, but also for boating. There are many beautiful scenery and historic sites along the way, which is a scenic spot. Haikou and the islands outside the door are staggered, with a huge waterlogged river culvert in the middle and different depths. It is a famous fishing ground, with many big fish, sea cucumbers, sea turtles, tortoises, clams, sea mirrors and elephant-eared snails.

In ancient times, ships in Qiongzhou, Guangdong Province often came to the berth net to get sea cucumbers and dried fish, facing the Hexian ship and facing the sails. Pirates from Java also sneak in from time to time, plundering people and goods, so it is especially necessary to be cautious when the south wind comes together. Fuguo Island, which is far away, is beautiful and spacious, echoing the nearby Antai Islands and Hexian Islands, and is the mainstay of the town to curb the tide of war.

He Xian is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the convenience of harbors and rivers and the protection of the moat of the sea. Pingshan Mountain is the rear guard in the north, and a mountain range about 2-3 miles long stands on the east bank. It is named Suzhou Mountain, or Tiger Hill, because it resembles the shape of Huqiu Mountain in Suzhou, China. In the southwest, there are Dajinyu, Xiaojinyu, Jiaoshanzhai and Mingshan. The ancient city has three earth barriers, from east to north and west, about 6 feet long, each 4 feet high, 7 feet thick and 1 feet spacious. There are government offices, military camps, ancestral temples, temples, fish stalls, shops, hutongs running through the city, shops and houses in an endless stream, docks and shipyards outside the city, and trenches and forts are built in the south of the city, just as the ancient book says: "One of the sea piers is also a metropolis."

The Xianhe Xiancheng Wall has disappeared, but the prototype of the city still exists, which is still recognizable. A new market has been formed at the former shipyard in Hedong, and the main urban area has expanded to the south. Most of them are newly built buildings, and the newly built roads are flat and wide. There are banks and sightseeing belts at the riverside, which is somewhat new. However, Hexian is close to Cambodia and belongs to the border area, and its development is not fast. No foreign investment projects such as "development zones" have been found. When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978, a fierce battle broke out near Hexian, and a cemetery for Vietnamese martyrs was built next to Dihe Highway. The inscription indicated that Cambodia had entered Hexian area to carry out anti-harassment, resulting in more deaths.

enter the city and rush to Pingshan. Cross the bazaar, cross a number of back streets and alleys, and face the East Lake. In 1818, Nguyn Phuc Anh, the founding monarch of Ruan Dynasty, approved the construction of Mojiu Temple, also known as Zhongyi Temple, next to the East Lake in Pingshan. After Mo Jiu posthumously awarded the title of medium-sized deity, in the sixth year of Shaozhi (1846), the Lord Ruan rebuilt Mo Jiu Temple. The Mausoleum of the Mo family is located in Pingshan, which is regarded as a treasure trove of geomantic omen of He Xian.

Mojiu Temple is well-preserved. Although Hexian was repeatedly killed by soldiers, the temple courtyard and Lingshan Mountain were not badly damaged under the protection of villagers. It is said that more than half of the population in Hexian City is of Chinese descent, and now thousands of descendants of Mohism come here to visit graves every year, and the strong economic power of Chinese in Southeast Asia and Vietnam is well known in southern Vietnam. The temple gate is small, more than ten feet high, four or five feet wide, with the words "Yan Gong Temple" written on it, and the left and right couplets:

A loyal and righteous family is far away

Seven Ye Fan Han Guo Chong Rong

indicates the life experience of the Mo family, and four generations and seven people received the title of general commander or guarding, and were given the title of public and marquis.

The mountain gate faces the East Lake, and the branch of the lake is connected with Yongji Canal, with flowing water and fragrant lotus. Hua Yan said that the river fairy is a fragrant city, and a fragrant lake is built in the city.

the temple is divided into three courtyards, all of which are of moderate size, each of which is about two or three acres. It is neither prominent nor narrow. After all, Mo Jiu can only be regarded as a medium-sized deity in Viet Nam, which is one level worse than Ly Th??ng Ki?t, Chen Xingdao and other great gods.

The second courtyard is covered with a shed-type pavilion with double eaves. Ten brick columns are erected around the pavilion to support the pavilion. Among them, four iron wooden columns arch the double tower top, covered with blue glass roof and compound small tiles of yin and yang, which are bright and ventilated on all sides. The pavilion is connected with beams and columns by purlins, which is a typical pavilion building in southern China. In the middle of the pavilion, the plaques of "Loyalty and Righteousness Temple" and "Leshan Hall" are hung respectively, and the pavilions are surrounded by all kinds of letters and commendation orders awarded to Mo Jiu and his successors by monarchs such as Ruan Chaoside and Shaoxing, all written in Chinese characters.

The main hall is a five-bay, two-entrance hall, with tables, tables and niches in the center. The statue of Mo Jiu is sculpted, covered with silk, painted with gold, dazzling, complicated and grand, which fully expresses Ruan Dynasty's affirmation of the historical role and position of Mo Jiu's family in expanding the land.

Mo Jiu is a historical figure who is polite, responsible, resourceful and successful. His life is full of legends.

Mo Jiu was born in a big family in Leizhou, Guangdong Province. His great-great ancestors were awarded the posts of general commander and garrison ambassador by the Ming Dynasty for their participation in quelling the Japanese rebellion and the rebellion of southwest ethnic minorities. Influenced by Confucian orthodoxy, Mo Jiu took part in the anti-Qing struggle when he was a teenager. When he was 17 years old, he led more than 2 people to Cambodia because he "died in Ming Dynasty, refused to accept the government in the early Qing Dynasty, and stayed in Nanrong House (that is, Phnom Penh, Cambodia) in Gaoman country". After going to Nanyang, Mo Jiu didn't just satisfy food and clothing, make a fortune, and spend his life like ordinary people, but hoped to make a difference after gaining a firm foothold.

He made two subversive choices and actions, which led to a fundamental change in his life path and rewrote the history of a region on the northern shore of the Gulf of Thailand in the 17th-19th century. The first choice was to choose Chai Mofu (now Hexian area).

Mo Jiu won the trust of the Cambodian king for his ability to handle affairs, being good at business, and being practical and reliable. After only three years, he was awarded a position similar to that of captain of court guards and housekeeper. The Cambodian king also promised to gradually promote Mo Jiu to a higher position in the future. Although young, Mo Jiu is mature and full of reason. He is not greedy for money and position, does not expect to get a hollow reputation from the waves, does not entangle himself in the court power struggle, and is determined to get out of the predicament of being dependent on others and develop another world.

Mo Jiu proposed that he would go to Chai Mo to explore financial resources for the Khmer people. The king of Cambodia agreed. Let it be the house tooth of Mangkan (Cambodian place name, later known as Hexian) and take charge of it. The specific time for Mo Jiu to go to Hexian should be between 1679 and 168. (Note: There are three theories about the time when Mo Jiu went to Hexian: genealogy, Zheng Huaide and China scholar Dai Kelai).

It is wise for Mo Jiu to choose the place where He Xian lives. This place is close to the sea, with winding coastline, and there is an ancient port, which can be expanded on this basis; Canal can be built to dredge the irrigation and transportation network of the ancient Khmer people, and reach the sea through the river, and go deep into the hinterland of Khmer and Nanqi, which is convenient for boat and trade; This place is "a collection of Chinese people, Tang people, Gao Man and Yue Ba (now Java)", and it is far away from the ruling centers of Siam, Khmer and Guangnan. There is a large area of wild land for reclamation and business, and the "Shuizhenla" area to which it belongs is becoming the key area occupied and developed by Guangnan Ruan, and the situation is chaotic, so it can be taken advantage of the gap.

after mo JIU entered the "chai mo fu", he built "six branches" in the urban area, that is, six overseas Chinese commercial streets. Recruit Vietnamese refugees to set up seven villages in coastal areas, including one Mingxiang village, and then develop into 52 villages; The Khmer people were divided into 36 villages to promote agriculture. Mo Jiu also made a fortune by opening casinos, collecting money from pits and collecting taxes on them. These actions achieved immediate results, and Mangkan took shape in a few years. As a result, in Mo Tianci period, Hexian was called "port country" and "Little Guangzhou" by the world.

The second choice is to attach the Guangnan Ruan Master. In the mid-17th century, Guangnan conquered Zhanpo, and the soldiers pointed to "water is really wax". After the "Six Princes" incident, "Shuizhenla" opened the border, causing a large number of Vietnamese refugees to enter the Khmer homeland, and many adherents of the Ming Dynasty also came to Nanqi to join the ranks of development; In particular, Nguy?n Phúc T?n, the king of Guangnan, led Chen Shangchuan and D??ng Ng?n ??ch of Ming Dynasty to station in Bianhe and Meidi, which made the development and construction of Mekong Delta enter a substantive stage.

In 1698, Ruan Zhu established Jiading House in the south of Vietnam, and completed the possession of "water is really wax". At this time, Cambodia fell into infighting, and was attacked and bullied by Siam and Guangnan in turn. It was in a dilemma and the country declined, and there was no glory of the Angkor Dynasty in the past. During Mojiu's reign in Hexian, Cambodia was attacked by a strong attack from Siam. According to the "Family Tree of Yan Family in Ye Town, Hexian Town", in this battle, the Cambodian king "heard that the police left with their families, and Siam soldiers went to the country and plundered their women's jade and silk property", and the Cambodian court was almost in a state of total defeat.

As for Mo Jiu, the Genealogy says: "The Siamese teacher saw Tai Gong (Mo Jiu)' s bravery and loved him very much, so he comforted him and returned to China. Taigong was helpless, so he went north to Siam. The King of Siam saw the public's face and was delighted to stay. " In fact, Mo Jiu became a prisoner of Siam and was placed in Long Live Mountain. After the civil strife in Siam, Mo Jiu fled back to Longqi, where Hexian belonged. Then return to Hexian City. This happened about after 1682.

I fled from Siam and saw Siam's ambition and retrogression. Siam is unreliable. Cambodia is weak and unreliable. It is necessary to focus on local communities in order to protect the environment and the people. Mo Jiu takes a long-term view. Counselor Su Gong put forward that "Khmer is shallow, and ... it is not a long-term trend. If you don't go to Nantou Dayue (old Ruan), knock on the customs and be a vassal, so as to make a place of packing. In case there is something wrong, I will rely on it for help. "

mo JIU saw that he xian "is a coastal land, where wealth can be gathered and generated, but it is not useful". although he can prosper, he is surrounded by his neighbors and it is difficult to protect himself. He made a difficult and important choice for the second time after leaving his hometown, and turned to Guangnan Ruan's regime. He wrote in Chen Qingbiao in 178 and went to Hue personally. "I am willing to be here (that is, the river fairy)." Master Ruan granted Mo Jiu the title of Nine Yuhou, the company commander of Hexian Town. The move was immediate and effective. "So the camp was established and stationed in Fangcheng (that is, Hexian), and the citizens of the city returned to get together every day."

Mo Jiu also went to the Philippines and Batavia (present-day Jakarta) to inspect and learn from the technology of building castles by westerners. With the accumulated funds, he dug trenches and equipped artillery teams, and won the merits of "inviting business travelers from all directions" and "connecting with sails", making Fangcheng a prosperous castle city on the Indo-China Peninsula. Mo Jiu's transfer to Guangnan Old Ruan, in addition to considering the strength factors such as its great potential, I think it is more important to protect the people in good times.

China and Vietnam are of the same language and species, with similar production methods, similar languages and characters, and the same religious beliefs, which are convenient for communication. In addition, there is a precedent in 168 that two general commanders, Chen and Yang, were naturalized in Jiading and paid attention to it. It is logical to surrender the land of Hexian to Guangnan in order to gain the initiative in diplomatic affairs.

Lord Ruan pushed the boat with the current and admitted the reality. Although Hexian returned to Vietnam in name, it maintained its internal independence. After submission, Lord Ruan repeatedly sent a winning talent, Hou Chen Shangchuan, to help defend Hexian, until Hexian was in a state of basic peace for twenty or thirty years before Mo Jiu's death. The Mo family and the Chen family are still happy, and the Mo woman marries Chen Nan. Hou Chen Jiufang, the ugly grandson of Chen Shangchuan and Mo Jiu's grandson, went to Hexian to patrol the border police in case of the war between Myanmar and Siam and the intrusion of maritime bandits at that time, and died in office. Mo Jiu still did not forget his old master when he switched to Cambodia. In secret, he still prepared a tax for the Cambodian king every year, maintaining the tradition of propriety and righteousness. Mo Jiu's general plan was adhered to as usual by the following three generations, and it never wavered. Baohexian's autonomous status and well-being lasted for more than a hundred years, and it also left a blood clan overseas for the Chinese nation.