Prose, a different feeling on the streets of Dongguan

This article participates in the selection of good articles? Prose essay

Golden ginkgo and fiery maple leaves quietly ended, and colorful autumn bid farewell to us. It is said that winter is not a season suitable for travel, but in Yangzhou, the quiet streets in winter make this beautiful Jiangnan city show a slow pace. Come to Yangzhou for a holiday at the last time of the year.

When you arrive in Yangzhou, you must go to Dongguan Street. There are many old streets in Yangzhou, among which Dongguan Street is the "Hejia Wall" and the most representative historical block. After visiting Slender West Lake, let's also visit this old street with a history of thousands of years.

Although this old street can't escape the fate of commercialization, there is still a street culture where people live, and there are also aborigines living in the whole block. You can not only browse here, but also buy many antiques or various Yangzhou-featured products and foods. It can be said that Dongguan Street is not only a commercial street, but also a quaint alley.

Dongguan Street, one of the top ten historical blocks in China, is inextricably linked with Dongguan Ferry. Since the opening of the Grand Canal, during the period of 1200, this canal, which is adjacent to the outside and connected to the thoroughfare of Liancheng District, has gradually become the most active gathering place for business and cultural exchanges. Along the Grand Canal, salt merchants entered Yangzhou, and a city was turned into a consumer city by businessmen and merchants.

The sculpture outside the door is called "Kyle? Polo is in Yangzhou. " In Kyle? In Polo's Travels, there is such a record about Yangzhou: Starting from Taizhou, you can ride a horse to the southeast for a day and arrive in Yangzhou. Yangzhou is a big city, and the 27 cities it belongs to are all beautiful places. ...

Kyle. Polo was ordered by Khan to govern Yangzhou City for three years ... Although historians have doubts about the so-called "life by Khan" in the book, Kyle? Polo rode from Taizhou to Yangzhou, and it should be credible that he first entered Yangzhou City from the East Gate.

In ancient times, the tower of Dongguan Street had the potential of one person, above ten thousand people. It was built in the Song Dynasty and later rebuilt. Now it is one of the well-preserved ancient buildings in Yangzhou.

Passing through the doorway, a long and narrow street, with a faint ancient style, slowly unfolds in front of us like a Yangzhou version of The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival.

If it's called a street, it's usually spacious, and if it's called an alley, it's very long and narrow, but I'm afraid there are not many streets like Dongguan that can reach such a prosperous level.

Standing at the mouth of the alley, I finally understood the unique Dongguan Street: the original alley can be so chic and prosperous.

The simplicity of Dongguan Street is first reflected in the architectural style, where the architectural style of ancient Yangzhou is preserved, and then its street is paved with long slates, adding a touch of color to the ancient street. These shops don't have the trendy feeling of modern shops, but they have an antique "garden" feeling.

It's windy in winter, and it's a bit bleak outside Dongguan Street. A kite floats leisurely on the tower, which is in line with the mood of tourists.

Walking slowly on the quaint streets, you can see the ancient charm everywhere. Carved wooden doors with lattice windows, small tile-headed walls with blue bricks, and crooked red lanterns under the eaves are enough to make people feel that time and space are intertwined.

Walk slowly, old shops appear from time to time, and all kinds of businesses have everything. Many of them are century-old shops, and some even have a history of more than 200 years, such as Simei Sauce Garden in 18 17, Xie Fuchun Powder Shop in 1830, Pan Guanghe Hardware Store in 1862, etc.

The pickles, soy sauce and fermented bean curd in Simei Sauce Garden are the most familiar flavors in Yangzhou, which are fresh, sweet, crisp and tender, and can also be bought in Suzhou. Yangzhou pickles were listed as royal dishes in Qing Dynasty, and won the World Expo Medal and the West Lake Expo Gold Medal.

From east to west, many buildings can see the sign of "Yangzhou Powder". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Yangzhou fragrant powder has been recognized as a first-class powder by the world. There is a saying that "the fragrant powder in the world is nothing more than Yangzhou", and the high-quality Yangzhou fragrant powder has become a tribute of the court.

Xie Fuchun, an ancient cosmetics brand in Yangzhou, is the first cosmetics enterprise in China and the originator of cosmetics industry in China. Its history can be traced back to Qing Daoguang 10 (1830), and it was awarded the title of "China Time-honored Brand" by the Ministry of Commerce of China, ranking among the 300 key protected brands in China, and was awarded the title of Panama in 19 15.

Cowhide candy, known as the "Yangzhou unique skill", is golden, transparent, elastic and sticky but not hard. It tastes sweet, the sesame seeds on the outer layer are even, the cut surface is brown and bright, translucent, elastic, fragrant, chewy and non-sticky, and enjoys a good reputation at home and abroad. As early as the Qing Dynasty in Yangzhou.

The leisurely and slow life of Yangzhou people can be described as "water in the morning and water in the evening". "Making water in the morning" means that Yangzhou people like to drink morning tea and soak in the teahouse, and "making water in the evening" means that they like to take a bath and rub it in the evening, which is a kind of life enjoyment of the old Yangzhou people. In Yangzhou, the most beautiful scenery is not pavilions, but "Yangzhou is slow". Slow time is a luxury.

Yangzhou is slow, not the same as the exquisite life. The winding alleys are full of satisfaction and comfort, and the finely crafted craftsmen convey beauty and exquisiteness. Walking in Yangzhou, learn to slow down, find a leisurely life, and understand the wisdom of "standing aloof from the world".

Yangzhou slow, the name of the epigraph that existed in the Song Dynasty. Jiang Kui wrote Yangzhou Slow: "Huai Zuo, Zhu Jiachu." How many people dream of Yangzhou?

There are also many Ming and Qing style inns here, which are antique and both hotels and scenic spots. If you have enough time, you'd better stay here, take a walk in the street at night, see the night scene here, feel the amorous feelings of the small streets in the south of the Yangtze River, and enjoy the leisurely and slow life of Yangzhou people.

Influenced by culture, Yangzhou moved forward slowly, hiding its feelings in cakes, locked in deep alleys and branded in the bones of Yangzhou people from generation to generation.

Dongguan Street is not a depressed old street, and important historical remains such as celebrities' former residences, salt merchants' residences, temple gardens and old trees and wells abound. Further on, Ge Yuan, Cao Qicheng's former residence and Hu's former residence followed.

There are countless alleys on both sides of Dongguan Street. Walking into them is the life of ordinary people. Walking into Gu Xiang, staying there for a long time, gives you a different flavor, and a quiet and quiet feeling follows.

Dongguan Street is an authentic food street. From the street to the alley, there are famous snacks: Jianhu lotus root starch glutinous rice balls, poria cocos cakes, horseshoe slices, cowhide candy, osmanthus wine, lion's head with a history of more than 200 years ... If you go around, don't say that you have tasted it, you will be very satisfied visually.

I'm afraid some traditional crafts are dying out in some places. On the contrary, in Dongguan Street, I saw the old artists who played with handicrafts: those who played with sugar, those who carved prints, those who carved jade seals and those who played shadow play ... I had to be deeply impressed by the skillful skills and talents of the old masters.

Yangzhou is famous for its "three knives": kitchen knife, barber knife and pedicure knife. The "three knives" show the diligence and wisdom of Yangzhou people, and also witness the exquisite and high-quality life in Yangzhou. Yangzhou barber knife was once given a knife by Emperor Qianlong. Yangzhou pedicure knife is also like a business card, which makes Yangzhou's bathing culture famous.

Nowadays, "Yangzhou kitchen knife" has become synonymous with the world-famous Huaiyang cuisine. At lunch time, we tasted the Huaiyang Cuisine Package at the Jiangnan Yipin Huaiyang Cuisine Heritage Base in Dongguan Street. Although it is not delicious food, it is exquisite, elegant and mellow.

I like the wall of Dongguan Street, plain gray, with years and history written on it. Inadvertently, it is silent, but full of the past. That's it. Walk slowly and watch quietly. Slowly into the past life, into Yangzhou, quietly into the colorful life of Yangzhou people.

The vicissitudes of life contain fashion, prosperity and charm, and the historical imprint of the ancient city has been deeply integrated into this old street, lasting forever and with a long aftertaste.

When the bus came back from Yangzhou in a hurry and sped on the expressway, I looked out of the window, a little sad, because there were many beautiful scenery in Yangzhou, and I was looking forward to my next trip to Yangzhou.

This article is recommended by the special topic "Sunshine Sun" founded outside the city.

Editor of this article: Muban Xiao Xin

Theme editor: sunshine outside the city