Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Photography major - Dai Qizhang's prose: Entering the ancient city of Chongwu

Dai Qizhang's prose: Entering the ancient city of Chongwu

Entering Chongwu Ancient City

Author: Dai Qizhang

I love nostalgia and ancient buildings, and I like to visit the ancient city and taste the vicissitudes of time. Traveling to Quanzhou, Fujian for three days, the hotel owner recommended Chongwu Ancient City to me, saying it was an authentic stone city and very interesting. On the last day, rent a car and go to Chongwu Ancient City in Hui'an County, 32.8 kilometers away from Quanzhou, to visit ancient sights. The young driver has the enthusiasm of Quanzhou people. He not only assumes the responsibility of the driver, but also serves as a voluntary tour guide and photographer. Along the way, he kept introducing various aspects of the ancient city to me.

Chongwu Ancient City is located at the southern end of the Chongwu Peninsula, 24 kilometers southeast of Hui'an County, on the edge of the Taiwan Strait. The moment the car stopped under the ancient city wall of Chongwu, I was shocked by the majestic city wall made of granite. The city wall has a circumference of 2,467 meters and a height of 7 meters. It is not made of red bricks but a whole piece of granite ashlar. What a big project. Oh, it's a towering stone city. The extremely solid and impregnable city wall, the white granite has cast a layer of gray over time, and the moss, vines, and weeds on the wall show the traces of time. The bright red blooms of eryngium flowers on the mottled city walls add a bit of fresh color to the old ancient city. Mottled memories are engraved on the city walls over time, telling the story of the ancient city.

Chongwu was called Xiaodou in ancient times. It was changed to Chongwu in the early Ming Dynasty. It was originally a small fishing village with only a few families. In the third year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1370), Japanese pirates landed in Xiangzhi, posing a threat to the security of Quanzhou area. In 1387, the 20th year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty sent Jiangxia envoy and military expert Zhou Dexing to inspect the invasion of the southeast coast and fight against Japanese pirates. Soldiers were drawn from the interior to garrison and defend here, and they set up military camps. They used local materials to build a castle with granite stones to defend against Japanese pirates. Qi Jiguang, the general of the Fujian Army and the anti-Japanese national hero, stationed troops here to build a defense city, conduct military exercises, command and suppress Japanese invaders, and established a complete set of military systems and city defense facilities. After ten years of pacifying the Japanese rebellion, Chongwu became the southeastern coastal city. important town. More than 60 guard castles were built along the Wanli coast of Chongwu. So far, only the original Chongwu Ancient City has been preserved. It is also the only complete T-shaped stone ancient city left today, which is a very precious historical heritage. At that time, it was an important coastal defense area. As the Japanese rebellion at sea subsided, the military role here weakened, and the military fortress gradually transformed into a civilian town. The soldiers who guarded the coastal defense became the original residents and lived and multiplied here. It has a history of more than 600 years.

The north gate of the ancient city is open, allowing free entry and exit. Hongwu Ancient City is not a large scenic spot, but an ancient village. It has a more humanistic atmosphere than a truly built scenic spot. Perhaps we have forgotten the smoke and war that once took place here, but some ancient traces that remain in the ancient city in the ancient alleys are still telling stories that have disappeared long ago. Walking into the ancient city, the noise outside the city was separated from the city. The old streets were surprisingly quiet, which made me naturally immersed in the ancient city. Two long cross streets lead directly to the four city gates in the southeast, northwest and northwest. Stone is the soul of Chongwu. The thickness and stability of the granite create the tranquility and warmth of the ancient city. From the city walls to the streets and houses, they are all stone buildings and there are not many wooden houses. The streets are paved with granite stones. Walking on them, you will feel the retro style and feel the kindness of the old times and the weight of history. Most of the streets are T-shaped dead ends. The streets are very narrow and maze-like, and still retain the legacy of military use. The houses on both sides of the street are old and simple stone houses. Young people all go out to work, and those who stay behind are mostly old people. They enjoy the quiet years and live an indifferent and peaceful life. The ancient city, which has experienced more than 600 years of ups and downs, is like a dying old man. The stone houses have left the mark of the times. The ancient city still preserves the temple temples built in the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. Most of them have been renovated. The buildings are in the southern Fujian style. The dragons and ridges on the roof are magnificent and magnificent, adding a simple and elegant atmosphere to the ancient city. The "Chongbo Temple" and "Yuanji Palace" here were built to commemorate the heroes who sacrificed their lives in the anti-Japanese war. People often come to pay homage to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

A group of Hui'an girls holding working tools came forward. They were graceful and graceful, chatting and laughing, and walked towards the city gate. This is one of the main areas where women live in Hui'an. Hui'an women wear hats and small floral headscarves with a white background covering their cheeks. They wear silver waist chains, wide and elegant low-waisted trousers, and exquisite and colorful headdresses. A slang outlines the vivid image of Hui'an women: feudal head, democratic belly, economical clothing, wasteful trousers. Hui'an women, who are famous both at home and abroad, are not only beautiful in appearance, but also known for their hard work and virtuousness. Men go out to make a living or go fishing. Hui'an women bear all the burdens of the family and also participate in the construction of their hometown. They are top leaders both inside and outside. The traditional costumes and unique style of Hui'an women add a bit of charm to the ancient city and become a beautiful scenery here.

Chongwu, an ancient city with a lot of stories. There are many stories in this small town, all of which are heart-warming. The famous anti-Japanese general Qi Jiguang commanded the anti-Japanese war here and put down the Japanese rebellion. Chongwu soldiers and civilians marched south with the People's Liberation Army and liberated Xiamen Island. In 1956, Premier Zhou personally commanded the Chongwu Naval Battle and sank the invading warships. The awe-inspiring righteousness of loyalty, courage and fearlessness is integrated into the ancient city. Relying on the barriers and solid stone cities, generations of soldiers and civilians in Chongwu experienced the baptism of blood and fire and used their lives to compose evocative battle poems.

Step onto the stone steps and slowly walk up the city wall. The mottled city walls are the classics of the ancient city. Walking on the ancient pass is like walking on the Great Wall. Stepping onto the grassy horse racing track, you can see the rusty iron cannons, the scenes of bloody battles are before your eyes, and the roars of the fighting and iron horses are still in your ears.

The salty smell of the sea wafts towards you. Through the crenellations of the ancient city wall, you can see the vast sea in front of you, only 97 nautical miles away from Taiwan. It is the closest place on the mainland to Taiwan Island, and it is also one of the main ancestral places of Han compatriots in Taiwan. Zheng Chenggong sent his troops eastward here to regain Taiwan.

Standing at the lighthouse, you can clearly see the outline of the city wall of the entire ancient military battlefield; you can see a tall and majestic stone statue of Qi Jiguang facing the sea in the square in front of the city. You can have a panoramic view of the vast ocean in front of the city, and you can see the graceful back of Mazu, the goddess of the sea. Under the bright sunshine, the sea view bursts with beauty. The coastline is dotted with charming golden sand stands and rocky reefs of various shapes. Facing the scenic spot in front of us, the driver who was traveling with him said that the artistic conception was particularly profound in the afterglow of the sunset in the evening. I was advised to stay for a day, have fun here, be in close contact with the sea, and enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunset of the sea. Unfortunately, I have already booked a return ticket. I imagine the heroes who fought against the Japanese were heroic and did not enter the scenic spot because this ancient city attracted me more deeply.

Chongwu means advocating military equipment. From its name to its stone city walls to the waves lapping against the rocks outside the city, it exudes a unique masculine yet tranquil temperament. Chongwu Ancient City is an anti-Japanese landmark building and a relatively complete historical site in the history of my country's coastal defense. Chongwu, a splendid ancient city, a majestic and majestic ancient city, stands on the coast of the motherland and stands in the hearts of the people.

The spirit of advocating martial arts and righteousness will last forever!

At Sunshine Home on April 18, 2022