Original prose: Dajiu Lake not only has beautiful natural landscapes, it also has rich human resources

We entered the Dajiu Lake Wetland Park in the heavy rain.

The mist shrouded the surrounding mountains, adding a bit of mystery. Standing on the mountain col, I saw nine lakes connected in sequence. The reeds on the lakeshore are lush and green, and the wild flowers are in full bloom on the alpine meadows, which is very beautiful. Egrets flew in the rain, and a group of cattle strolled leisurely on the meadow. They could be seen from a distance. They flicked their tails to their backs from time to time, perhaps to repel mosquitoes, or perhaps it was a habitual action in a comfortable state.

When we came to the lake, the words "Dajiu Lake" on the huge rocks were washed out by the rain and were particularly eye-catching. We got off the bus here and did not take the sightseeing train in the scenic area, but chose Instead of walking, we look forward to being closer to this magical land for longer and to a deeper degree.

Dajiu Lake is an intermountain basin with an area of ??about 24 square kilometers and an altitude of 1,700 meters. It is the largest alpine plain in central China, surrounded by high mountains and low-lying and flat in the middle. It has abundant rainfall, luxuriant water and grass, abundant sunshine, and cool temperatures. It is known as the "Hulunbuir of Hubei". In September 2006, Dajiu Lake was approved to establish the first wetland park in central China. In May 2008, the Dajiu Lake National Wetland Park Management Bureau was established. In 2013, it officially entered the list of internationally important wetlands.

One summer day a few years ago, I visited Dajiu Lake. At that time, there were rows of farmhouses along the lake. We were arranged to have dinner at a farmhouse, and we ate local food. After eating local dishes and drinking local wine brewed by farmers, a group of people went to the lake for a walk. The sky was blue, the stars were huge, the breeze with the smell of grass blew, it was extremely cool, and the lake was surrounded by waves. There are waves under the moonlight, the mountains lie quietly, everything is silent, and everyone can hear their own heartbeat.

In recent years, in order to protect this rare paradise on earth, farmers in Dajiu Lake have moved to the small town of Pingqian. Now, walking on the streets of the past, some houses have been demolished, and some things may not have been moved yet, and they are all hung with iron chains. The noise of the past is gone forever, and the occasional jingling of cowbells adds to the contrast. The tranquility here.

Historical records show that in ancient times, Dajiu Lake was once a vast ocean. Due to the uplift of the Yanshan Mountains and the Himalayan orogeny, neat and symmetrical Jiudao Mountain Ridges, Jiudao Streams, and Jiudao Mountains were formed in the southeast of Dajiu Lake. A piece of flat land and nine lakes. As a result, Dajiu Lake has formed a unique glacial landform and a wonderful landscape of alpine meadows. The most interesting thing about Dajiu Lake is the nine peaks heading towards Pingchuan, which look like nine black dragons competing for a drink of alcohol. The dragon's head, beards, body and tail are all lifelike. It is said that when Shennong was collecting herbs and brewing wine, he summoned nine black dragons. They were all drunk, and their whole bodies lay drunk here to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon. These are the nine peaks we see. These nine peaks formed the The natural barrier of Dajiu Lake.

As we walked along the trail, the mountains were green and the lake was flowing. The reeds by the lake were washed by the rain and were so green that it made people feel nervous. Among the reeds, pairs of mandarin ducks were playing in the rain. , because of the continuous rain, the water flow in the lake increased, and the water wheel rotated faster. The water flowed to the north, the faster it flowed, and the sound of rushing water could be heard. There are more than 40 large and small sinkholes in the north. The water from Dajiu Lake leaks through these sinkholes and blocks the river, the largest tributary of the Han River. Dajiu Lake is one of the sources of the river blockage. We are at the largest sinkhole. Next to it, I saw several signs with the words "Source of Hanjiang River" written in red regular script.

In the densely mountainous Shennongjia, there is a flat land of 24 square kilometers, which is amazing in itself, coupled with the unique geology and landforms, rich animal and plant resources, and the never-drying water. The nine flooded lakes and the rare alpine meadows in the south of the Yangtze River are breathtaking in their beauty and magic.

Dajiu Lake not only has beautiful natural landscapes, it also has rich human resources.

In 684 AD, Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty Li Xian was demoted to the title of King of Luling in Fangzhou (now Fangxian County) by his mother, Empress Wu Zetian. He dreamed of regaining the throne. Xue Gang was specially appointed as the commander, and he stationed and trained troops in Dajiuhu. He overthrew the Wu Zhou Dynasty in one fell swoop and restored the Tang title. Li Xian once again ascended the throne of Emperor Zhongzong.

As a result, Dajiu Lake has inherited more than a dozen villages, including one to nine zihao and shuai zihao (also known as "guazhao"), Shenjia Suo, Ma'anshan, Heishuihe, Jiudenghe, and Bunbaoping. The tombs of the empresses are still preserved today. , Dianjiang Terrace, Xiaoyingpan, Leigu Terrace, Luanying Village, Bawang Village, Ancient Salt Road and other historical sites. Xue Gang was training troops here, and Li Xian was not allowed to come to inspect it. It is said that a Qinggang oak tree not far from the sinkhole was planted by Li Xian, more than 1,300 years ago.

Dajiu Lake also occupies an important position on the Sichuan-Hubei Salt Road, known as the Southern Silk Road.

Sichuan has a long history of salt production. After the Qin Dynasty destroyed Bashu, Li Bing, who became the "Shu Guardian", began to dig wells to refine salt. Sichuan salt became more and more prosperous. At that time, Daning (now Chongqing) salt in Sichuan The factory is the closest salt factory to Hubei. In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, many vagrants entered the Sichuan-Hubei border to make a living. A considerable number of them trafficked "smuggled salt" from Sichuan to Hubei for trading. In order to avoid official anti-smuggling, salt merchants mostly traveled back and forth from the mountains of Shennongjia, so a communication line was formed here. The ancient salt channel of Shennongjia Sichuan and Hubei in eastern Sichuan and western Hubei. The ancient salt road has two passages, both of which must pass through Dajiu Lake. Dajiu Lake is the first stop of the Sichuan-Hubei Salt Road entering Hubei.

In the past years, most of the salt needed in northwest Hubei and southern Shaanxi was transported from the Daning Salt Factory in Sichuan through the ancient salt road. Hundreds of porters and caravans have been active on the ancient salt road for many years. The life of a salt-carrying worker is very hard. They carry one to two hundred kilograms of salt on their backs and walk in the mountains. The roads are difficult and dangerous, and tigers and leopards are infested. Their lives are in danger at any time, not to mention the hardship of life. When they go out, they have to carry enough luggage with them along the way. On the way there, he left bags of dry food with his name and marks in the inns along the way, so that he could satisfy his hunger on the way back. Sometimes we stayed late and there were too many people sleeping on the main bunk of the inn. The owner would dip a thick wooden pole in water and push it into the crowd. The people on both sides of the wooden pole were shocked by the cold and gave way to a gap, and those who came after them took advantage of the opportunity to get in. The rock niches along the way are also places where salt workers often rest. At night, a blazing fire is lit under the rock niche, which can not only cook food and keep warm, but also drive away wild animals. Because salt was of high value at that time, strongmen often robbed the goods on the salt road. The workers carrying the salt had to travel together and beware of their attacks at all times. There is a place on the ancient salt road called "Nine Lives" because nine salt-carrying workers were robbed of salt by a group of strongmen, and they were tied to a tree and died of cold and starvation.

I stood on the trestle of Dajiu Lake, the rain was still falling, and in the misty rain curtain, I seemed to see the scene of Xue Gang training his troops. In this remote mountain, I never expected that there had been hunting with flags and loud shouts. sky. I seemed to see a line of salt-carrying workers. They carried the hope of life and worked tirelessly to and fro in the depths of this vast mountain. It is their tenacity and tenacity that maintains the most basic life of the people in northwest Hubei. It also brought the prosperity of Shennongjia. At the same time, it also allowed various cultures to meet and merge here, giving birth to a great epic like "The Legend of Darkness".

The morning mist and sunset in Dajiu Lake are the most beautiful. Unfortunately, we came at the wrong time. It has been raining and there is no sign of clearing up. We can’t wait here for the morning mist and sunset. That’s fine. , with thoughts of morning mist and sunset glow, we will come to Dajiu Lake again to fulfill our dream of morning mist and sunset glow.

Back in the small town of Pingqian, I saw the sculpture of a salt worker. Many words about life can be interpreted from this sculpture.

Pingqian Town is a brand new town. Most people moved from Dajiu Lake. A small river divides the town into two halves. High and low houses wind along the river. The building is hidden in the mist. The town is newly built, antique, clean and elegant. The town has complete service facilities, tall hotels, lively markets, well-organized hospitals, post offices and schools, and bustling shops and restaurants, which all demonstrate the extraordinary popularity of this town.

We got into the room of Huaxu Hotel, which was no different from a star-rated hotel in a big city. We opened the window, listened to the bursts of rain, and saw rain curtains hanging down from high in the sky. I remembered that this was in Shennongjia, Dajiu Lake in the rain.