Beijing Yongding River Travel Guide Introduction to Yongding River

The Yongding River is known as the mother river of Beijing. It has a very long history and is also a magical water body created by nature. It is the largest river in Beijing and has a high reputation. Here, you can feel the rich summer and winter scenes, because many Beijing citizens will visit the riverside in summer and winter in both seasons.

It meanders 170 kilometers from northwest to southeast in Beijing, becoming the largest river in Beijing. If the Yongding River, Juma River, Chaobai River, Wenyu River, and Jiaohe River combined alluvial to form the Beijing Plain, then the geological layer of the plain paved like tree rings can prove that Yongding has the longest river channel and the widest drainage basin. The river played a vital role in this process of moving mountains and reclaiming seas.

Historically, the Yongding River, which was unruly and flooded many times, suffered from droughts for many years, sewage was discharged directly, the river was blocked to store water, and the vegetation along the river was destroyed. Since the 1970s, its water volume has been decreasing year by year, and it was finally cut off. After the river was cut off, it became sandy and riddled with holes, and domestic garbage and construction waste were piled up everywhere. The song "Yongding River originates from the Xishan Mountains, and the clear water surrounds the Jingwan Bay" was widely circulated in Beijing decades ago, which has become people's yearning for the beautiful scenery along the Yongding River.

Regular replenishment of water from the upstream Sanggan River and Yanghe River to the downstream Yongding River began in 2003, but for the Yongding River that has dried up for a long time, this replenishment is nothing more than a drop in the bucket. From 2010 to 2013, Beijing implemented the "Five Lakes and One Wetland" project of the Yongding River, including Chengmen Lake, Shilian Lake, Xiaoyue Lake, Wanping Lake, Yuanbo Lake, water transmission pipelines and Garden Expo wetlands, etc., and managed them The length of the river is 18.4 kilometers, 400 hectares of water surface are restored with recycled water, 440 hectares of green space are constructed, and part of the riverside landscape is restored. The "Overall Plan for Comprehensive Management and Ecological Restoration of the Yongding River" released and implemented in 2017 became the first document on river regulation across provinces and cities. As one of the important tasks for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, provinces and cities in the Yongding River Basin have joined forces to restore the ecosystem of this river. The Yellow River flows through the Sanggan River and the Yanghe River, and is introduced into the upper reaches of the Guanting Reservoir from the Wanjiazhai Reservoir at the junction of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, the Sideian Reservoir in Shanxi, and the Youyi Reservoir in Hebei. Then, the water from Guanting Reservoir is discharged to the middle and lower reaches. This year is the second year of ecological water replenishment in Yongding River. Since the Guanting Reservoir released water on April 20, the "Yellow Yellow River Diversion to Beijing" project has replenished water to the Yongding River at the largest scale in history. For the first time in 25 years, the entire Yongding River in Beijing was flooded, and this large northern river that had been dry for 40 years regained its vitality.

I used to drive on National Highway 109 by the Yongding River, and there was a question that confused me. Why is the river from Wangping to Xiaweidian still dry? Later I learned that all rivers are diverted to power stations through underground pipes and culverts for hydroelectric power generation. Now, the Guanting Reservoir Power Station, Zhuwo Reservoir Xiamaling Power Station, and Luopoling Reservoir Xiawidian Power Station that are intercepted on the river have stopped operating. After being dry for 40 years, the river from Wangping to Xiaweidian is surging again. The Yellow River water coming from afar not only enriches the Yongding River's water resources, but also greatly improves its water quality.

Standing on the Dingjiatan Bridge, looking at the Yongding River winding from Cangshan Mountain to Cangshan Mountain, I couldn't help but think of the words of the residents along the coast. In the early years, the Yongding River was overrun with fish and shrimp. A plate of braised carp, two ounces of small braised carp, listening to the bomb under the river shade, it is really magical. Now, after four decades of waiting, residents are greeted by the sight of still water deep in the Yongding River.

Yongding River has had different names throughout the ages.

Geologists, geographers and historians disagree on the birth date of Yongding River. Published in 1989, "Beijing Physical Geography", edited by Huo Yazhen, believes that the Yongding River was formed in the "Mesozoic Era", more than 60 million years ago. In 1920, the Chinese geologist Ye wrote that based on the collective investigation results, "Beijing Xishan Geology" believed that the Yongding River was born in Tang County (Miocene to early Pliocene), about 20 million years ago; in 1953, Geology Jia Lu Jinbo's "Looking at the Cenozoic Paleogeographic Changes of Beijing's Western Mountains from the Formation and Development of the Yongding River" published in Beijing Geology by Jia Lu Jinbo believes that the Yongding River was born in the Neogene and Pliocene of the Cenozoic Era, 12 to 3 million years ago; The "Regional Geology of Beijing and Tianjin, Hebei Province" published in 1989 believed that the Yongding River was born at the turn of the Tertiary and Quaternary periods, 3 million to 2 million years ago; the "Regional Geology of Beijing and Tianjin, Hebei Province" published in 2005 and written by Yin and Wu "Yongding River and Beijing in History" believes that the Yongding River was finally formed in the late Pleistocene of the Quaternary Period 1 million to 700 million years ago. From 60 million years ago to 700,000 years ago, the time span is so large that it is difficult to accurately determine the birth date of Yongding River.

Yongding River Cultural Exhibition "Nihewan Ancient Human Site" In 2004, the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Beijing Municipal Government jointly carried out a multi-parameter three-dimensional geological survey in Beijing, focusing on the Quaternary geological strata in the plain areas. Geologists have discovered in many geological boreholes that gravel containing pebbles and silt, commonly known as "mud-packed gravel", is widely distributed at the bottom of the Yongding River alluvial fan. The fifth hole drilled through the Quaternary Pleistocene strata and found a single layer of "mud and gravel" 95 meters thick at 340 meters underground. According to paleomagnetic detection, these "mud cap gravels" are about 3 million years old. It can be inferred from this that the Yongding River was born about 3 million years ago.

"Beijing Daily", published on March 28, 2000, published an article on the front page "The overall plan for comprehensive management of the Yongding River will be implemented in the near future." The article said, "The Yongding River was born with 3.4 million people. In the Neogene and Pliocene years ago, after a long period of crustal changes and orogeny, a 747-kilometer-long river was finally formed. "This time concept is basically consistent with the results of the paleomagnetic detection in 2004.

The ancient Yongding River flows from the Loess Plateau and the Inner Mongolia Plateau. When it flows through Beijing, it gave birth to the splendid Yongding River culture. The Yongding River culture, which integrates various cultural elements, has the status of nurturing the mother culture in the history of Beijing's urban development. Only in this way can the Yongding River be worthy of being the mother river of Beijing.

There is no doubt that Yongding River is a legendary river with different names in different historical periods. Among all the rivers in China, no river has more names than the Yongding River. In the pre-Qin period, it was called bathing water; in the Western Han Dynasty, it was called Zhishui; in the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was called Luoshui; in the Three Kingdoms period, it was called Gaoliang River; in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was called Qingquan River; in the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was called Sanggan River; in the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties, it was called Lugou River; in the Yuan Dynasty, it was called Lugou River. , called the Little Yellow River; in the Ming Dynasty, it was called the Hun River; in the Qing Dynasty, it was called the Wuding River; in the thirty-seventh year of Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1698 AD), Kangxi ordered a large-scale regulation of the Yongding River, dredging the river, strengthening the river embankments, and It was named Yongding. Since then, the name of Yongding River has been used to this day. The legend of this great river in the north can be seen from its many names.

So, why does Yongding River have so many names? First, because it is unruly. Historically, the Yongding River has frequently changed its course, especially downstream. The ocean is swaying wildly, like a wild horse running wild. It is connected to the Juma River to the south and the Wenyu River, Chaohe River and Baihe River to the east. It is roaring and unpredictable. Its erratic temperament has earned it a variety of names. It can be said that the Yongding River is the most flooded river in the Haihe River system. In the 800 years from the Jin Dynasty to the founding of New China, the Yongding River breached 81 times and changed its course 9 times. In the more than 250 years since the embankment was built in the lower reaches of the Qing Dynasty, there have been 78 breaches and overflows, with an average of one flood occurring in less than four years. Second, the cultural diversity of the basin. In its long history, Yongding River has carried many changes and dynasties. The collision and integration of the farming peoples of the Central Plains with the nomadic peoples of the north, as well as the Donghu, Shanrong, Wuhuan, Xiongnu, Xianbei, Khitan, Jurchen, Mongolian and other northern peoples can be found in the many names of the Yongding River. The third is the change of river water. From Sanggan River and Qingquan River to Lugou River and Xiaohe, then to Hun River and Wuding River, the changes in river names truly reflect the changing process of Yongding River from Qing Dynasty to Yellow River and then to Heizhuo River. This is also the change of Yongding River. A true portrayal of the river's transition from benefit to disadvantage.

Roaring, from uncertainty to Yongding

The birthplace of Yongding River, just like its birth date, has different opinions. It is not only the longest river in Beijing, but also the longest river in the Haihe River Basin, with a vast drainage basin and many tributaries. There are two tributaries in the upper reaches of Yongding River. The Yanghe River in the north originates from Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the Sanggan River in the south originates from Ningwu County. These two tributaries will flow in Huailai County, Hebei Province, and then eastward to Guanting, where they will be introduced into the Guishui River from Yanqing and run in the Guanting Gorge. They will come out of Sanjiadian, enter the Beijing Plain, pass through the capital, reach Tianjin, flow into the Haihe River, and flow into the Bohai Sea. It has a total length of more than 700 kilometers and a drainage area of ??more than 50,000 square kilometers.

Across the street from Liuliqu Village. So, which one is the source of the Yongding River, the Yang River in the north and the Sanggan River in the south? Experts express their opinions. Some people believe that the Yang River formed by the confluence of Dongyang River, Xiyang River and Nanyang River is the source of Yongding River; others believe that Sanggan River formed by the confluence of Huangshui River, Ziyuan River and Hui River is the source of Yongding River. According to the "Hydrogeological Data of Main Rivers in China", upstream from the confluence of the Sanggan River and the Yang River in Zhuguantun, Huailai County, Hebei Province, the Sanggan River is 437 kilometers long and the Yang River is 278 kilometers long. According to the principle of the farthest and longest source, the Uighur River (a tributary of the Sanggan River) was finally confirmed to be the source of the Yongding River. Huihe River, known as Ant River in ancient times, originates from the northern foot of the Guanlui Mountain watershed in Ningwu County, Shanxi Province.

The cliff statues in Fo Village are located in the upper reaches of the Yongding River from its origin to Guanting Gorge in Hebei Province. The upper reaches of the river are more than 400 kilometers long, with a drainage area of ??more than 43,400 square kilometers, including southern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northern Shanxi Province and northwest Hebei Province. There are many mountains and hills in the basin, such as Guanchuan Mountain, Hengshan Mountain, Xiaowutai Mountain, Lingshan Mountain, Yangxiyan Mountain, etc. All are above 1,500 meters above sea level. There are both plateaus (the northeastern edge of the Loess Plateau) and basins, such as the Datong Basin, Yangyuan Basin, Yuxian Basin, Huai'an Basin, Xuanhua Basin, and Huailai Basin, which are arranged in sequence along the Sanggan River and Yang River. Historically, mountainous and hilly areas had dense vegetation, which was conducive to water conservation. After the Liao and Jin Dynasties, forests were repeatedly cut down and soil erosion became more and more serious. The loess layer in the basin was eroded by river water, and sediment poured into the middle and lower reaches.

From Guanting to Sanjiadian, the mountain pass is in the middle reaches of the Yongding River. The middle reaches of the Yangtze River are 108 kilometers long and have a drainage area of ??more than 1,600 square kilometers, including most of Mentougou District, the western part of Changping District and a small part of the Yangtze River Basin

Historically, the management of the Yongding River has never been The largest and most effective governance occurred during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Kangxi sent ministers to inspect the water situation of the Hun River (Yongding River) many times and personally inspected the river course. On the basis of full investigation and research, he appointed Yu Chenglong, the governor of Zhili, to implement the river control project and formulated three river control strategies.

First, "dredging the river and building embankments will make the water beams first-class." That is to build dams and dredge the river channels, so that the unruly Hun River can be restrained like never before. From under the Marco Polo Bridge, go south to Shilipu in the north of Gu'an County (today's Shilipu, Daxing District), and turn eastward to the sea. The second is "borrowing water to attack sand". That is, building embankments to contain water, speed up the flow of river water, and wash away sand and silt. The third is "borrowing and brushing". The Niu River in the south of Liangxiang County will be blocked, a diversion river will be dug between the Niu River and the Yongding River, and the clear Niu River will be introduced into the Yongding River. Kangxi's river control strategy was a great success, and no major floods occurred for the next 40 years. Looking at the tame river in front of him, Emperor Kangxi happily named it "Yongding". From then on, Wuding River was renamed Yongding River.

After the completion of the Yongding River Falls between New China's Prince Village and Prince Apple Plantation, in accordance with the requirements of the "Draft Outline of the Yongding River Basin Management Plan", trees and grass were planted in the upper reaches to conserve water and soil; floods were impounded In the middle reaches, a reservoir was built, the downstream river was regulated, and embankments were strengthened. Among them, the most important river regulation project is the construction of Guanting Reservoir. On May 5, 1954, Guanting Reservoir was completed. Since then, many floods in the upper reaches have been impounded in reservoirs, completely eliminating floods in the Yongding River.

With profound heritage, Yongding River culture is dazzling.

Jingxi Gorge on the Yongding River is about 102 kilometers long. This ancient river flowing between the mountains not only created rich natural resources, but also gave birth to the splendid Yongding River culture. At the Yongding River Culture Museum located in the beach triangle at No. 8 Mentougou Road, Mentougou District, I was deeply attracted by the dazzling Yongding River culture.

The coal in western Beijing has been mined and utilized as early as the Liao Dynasty. The history of using limestone as building materials and burning lime is also very long. One black and one white have a history of more than a thousand years. The stone produced by Shichun was the royal material for palace buildings in the Ming Dynasty, the Liao porcelain of Longquanwu was the representative of official kiln porcelain of the Liao Dynasty, and the glaze products of Liuliqu were exclusively used by the royal family of the Qing Dynasty. In addition, the cosmetics of the concubines of the Jin Dynasty, such as the thrush stone in Zhaitang and the Tanzhe inkstone, which is as famous as Duan inkstone and She inkstone, are unique national treasures in the west of Beijing.

The unique geographical environment and local microclimate also provide unique natural conditions for the growth of fruit trees in the Yongding River Basin in western Beijing. Lingshui's walnuts, Baiyu's sweet almonds, Longquan's sweet apricots, Longjiazhuang's big persimmons, Dongshan's Jingbai pears, and Goujian Village's roses are all famous. They are all tributes to the palace.

During the season when apple blossoms were in full bloom, I once visited Prince Tomb Village in Yanchi Town, which is known as the “No. 1 Apple Village in West Beijing”. An orchardist told me that the carbonate brown soil along the Yongding River is very suitable for the growth of apple trees. In addition, the mountains are high and the air is cool, and the temperature difference between day and night is large, which is conducive to the accumulation of fruit sugar. So the Apple Prince is not only big and uniform, but also crispy and sweet. In the early 1990s, internationally renowned varieties such as Japanese Fuji and American Snake Fruit were introduced, further optimizing the quality. Apple Prince was once designated as a special item for state banquets. Every harvest season, 2 million kilograms of apples are quickly ordered. Even though the price is two or three times higher than in urban markets, demand still exceeds supply.

As for the origin of Prince Apple, the fruit farmer told me that during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the Prince traveled to the Western Mountains and climbed the mountains along the ancient road to the west of Beijing. When he passed a village, he stopped

Beside National Highway 109, the four large characters "Prince's Tomb Village" were engraved on the annual rings of four logs, and the huge apple shape at the west end of the log was painted in yellow Italics read "Red Apple Waterfront Leisure Promenade". It is bounded by National Highway 109, with farmhouses to the north and Yongding River to the south. The famous Prince Apple is produced on the beach and in apple plantations on the hillside. It is undoubtedly a long-term vision to say that Prince Tomb Village uses Apple Prince’s brand effect and superior natural landscape conditions to integrate tourism resources and develop tourism agriculture.

The soil and water support the people and the culture. Historically, there were four religious centers in the Yongding River Basin west of Beijing. Tanzhe Temple is the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Beijing. It was once the center of Linji Buddhism. Jietai Temple, which has the largest Buddhist altar in China, is the center of Legalist thought. The largest royal temple in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties was the center of Caodong Zen Buddhism. The Niangniang Temple in Miaofeng Mountain is a center of folk religious beliefs integrating folk gods, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In addition, there are more than 100 temples in the Yongding River Basin west of Beijing.

The important geographical location makes the Yongding River Basin in the west of Beijing rich in cultural relics and historic sites, forming a unique cultural landscape. Military fortresses such as Yanhe City, Zhaitang City, the ancient Great Wall, watchtowers, ancient roads, and Guancheng still exist today. Famous ancient cultural villages such as Sanjiadian Ancient Commercial Street, Bajing Lingshui Village, and Qing Dynasty residential Xiandixia are basically well preserved. The Neolithic Donghu Linren Site, the Liao Dynasty mural tomb, the Ming Dynasty Dingguo Cemetery, several Wang Ye tombs in the Qing Dynasty, the tomb of Zhou Ziqi, a celebrity in the Republic of China, and the tomb of Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei, etc. are typical representatives of the tomb culture in western Beijing. What is particularly valuable is that Beijing also has some extremely precious cultural heritage. ——Wang Ping The Wuding Stone Carvings of the Eastern Wei Dynasty in Hebei Village are the only remaining relics of the Eastern Wei Dynasty and have only existed for 17 years. They are also the oldest existing cliff inscriptions in Beijing; the back caves of Jietai Temple are the largest group of cave temples in Beijing; and the cliff statues in Shifo Village are the largest and best preserved in Beijing. In addition, there are more than ten almost extinct street crossing towers in Beijing, with only street crossing towers and water towers remaining.

The simple rural folk arts add a bright color to the culture of Yongding River.

Shan Bangzi Opera, Northern Shadow Puppetry, and Wenchang Daojing Society, Zhongxun Society, Taiping Drum Society, Shishuo Society, Dagu Society, Five Tigers Shaolin Society, Stilts Society, and Yangko Society, which have been passed down from generation to generation, retain traditional plays and performance styles, and are deeply loved by the people. Mountain people love it.

At the Qianjuntai Village Committee, a staff member told me that the ancient music here is in the same line as the elegant music of the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,000 years ago, and has been included in the intangible cultural heritage of Beijing. .

Qianjuntai and Zhuanghu at the southern foot of Daling are two adjacent small mountain villages, and now they both belong to the same community - Qianjuntai. There is an established rule here. Married daughters and people who make a living outside do not need to go home to celebrate the Spring Festival, but they must return to their hometowns to participate in sports activities on the 15th and 16th of the first lunar month. The state-owned coal mines at that time also respected this custom. Every year during the market, the miners in the former military platform and Zhuanghu had a holiday. More than 300 families in the two small mountain villages participated in the market activities to express their nostalgia for their ancestors and their attachment to their homeland.

There are 19 flags at the front desk and Zhuanghu Village ***, each flag represents a Buddha. The flag is brightly colored but solemn. The combination of various colors is simple and harmonious, reflecting the people's traditional aesthetic concepts. As a product of ancient Chinese Taoist culture, "hui" activities not only maintained their original state from the beginning, but also continued to enrich and develop over the course of history. The emergence of Ru Mine is a historical witness of the Western coal mining industry

The music composed of percussion and wind instruments includes exclusive music for music clubs and music often played at weddings and funerals. How long has this deal been going on? Listen to that music. As the crystallization of folk culture in western Beijing, Xunhui embodies the people's love for life and indomitable survival wisdom of western Beijing people.

The ancient Zan flag has been passed down from generation to generation along the Yongding River, and Zan's livelihood continues.