Northwest Travel 3: The Lost Old Town of Luoyang, maybe you can come and see it.

Continued from: Journey to the Northwest 3: After two years, we meet again after a long separation

There are only two purposes in this trip to Luoyang: one is food, and the other is my alma mater, which have been achieved so far. Because the only time left does not allow me to have too many plans, I decided to take a half-day trip to the old city of Luoyang.

Old city, ancient city, ancient city gate, ancient city wall ... in the context of modern tourism, it can be said that it is the standard of tourism resources of a historic city. Xi 'an Ancient City Wall, Nanjing Ming City Wall, Dali Ancient City and Pingyao Ancient City are all outstanding among them, and they have thus become golden signboards for their respective cities to attract tourists.

The old city of Luoyang is different. It has gone to the other extreme. Without well-known publicity, tourists ignore it in the choice of destination, and it is like a forgotten existence.

Although it is a pity, it is not entirely without benefits. Just as I went there this time, I didn't need to buy tickets, and I didn't need to be caught in the crowd. More importantly, the old city still retains its original ecological and grounded style, but to cater to tourists and become nondescript.

entering from lijingmen is the old town of Luoyang.

Lijing Gate is an important part of the historic building in Luoyang, and it retains the pattern and shape of the ancient city gate. Outside the gate is a moat. Passing through the first gate, it is a semi-circular space. Together with the second gate and four walls, it constitutes an important ancient defense system-Wengcheng.

standing in the middle of it, looking around, the towering oppressive feeling comes from head to toe, which really gives people the illusion that "Mount Tai collapses in front", which makes people panic and eager to escape. "Catch turtles in a jar", its design not only contains tactical wisdom, but also can give the enemy a psychological blow, so that the defenders can win the chips.

From the architectural style, Lijingmen is almost the only historical site in the whole old city.

Nowadays, the semi-circular Moon City in the middle has been occupied by restaurants, wedding dresses and other businesses, and only the top-level building has something to do with history and culture-the display of the origin and evolution of China's surname, regardless of the surname, the thousand-year history, can also give birth to a sense of pride.

when you enter the second door, you will see the panorama of the old city.

neither gorgeous nor imposing.

There are lots of low-rise houses in our eyes. Strangely, this house is not the ancient wooden building we used to see, but made of blue-gray bricks, which has the style of industrial buildings in the 196s and 197s. If you think about it carefully, although it is incompatible with the exquisite and quaint imprint of the ancient city, it is in the same strain as the glorious history of Luoyang industrial machinery, with a cold atmosphere and informality.

The main road in the old city is not wide, but paved with long slabs, and some places are rugged. There are all kinds of shops on both sides, most of which are small shops, selling snacks, some in twos and threes, and some are bustling and endless. Visible fireworks, walking in is street life.

The left and right rows of the street are covered with red shop flags of all sizes. The "Luoyang Water mat", "Luoyang no soup", "Luoyang local products" and "Peony Crisp" are scattered in height, extending from the lintel of the shop, almost to the middle of the road, and visitors can reach them.

This rough, slightly old and grounded picture is really inferior to the Qianmen Street in Beijing, the East-West North-South Street in Xi 'an and even the East-West North-South Street in Pingyao. At that time, Luoyang, the capital of the East, and Gyeonggi, the imperial city, were bustling and lively, and the ancient capital of the Thirteenth Dynasty was unstoppable. After hundreds of years of dispersion, change, rheology and extinction, up to now, except for the name "Luoyang", there are almost no children left.

no! One more thing. That is the cultural heritage.

Although the exterior is down and out, there is still an eternal imperial city inside.

Walking through the streets of the ancient city, you can inadvertently see the connection between people, things and culture, and history. Four Treasures of the Study, piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, antique wenwan, painters who buy paintings for a living, craftsmen who love persistence, calligraphers who splash ink, and sculptors who strive for perfection ... It's like a cultural castle where elites gather and books and ink gather.

Different from other places, people here seem to be more silent. Some people hide in humble houses, and some even hide in dark underground cities. They are not carefully carved, have no gorgeous appearance gain, and the title of the ancient capital of a thousand years has failed to bring them some literary fame. What you see is closer to the essence of culture and history. They seem to be born from the blood of the mother and fetus, and then constitute the spiritual temperament of a thousand-year-old city.

When I walked into the old street, something happened that made me extremely excited-I met an old man who blew sugar.

The old man set up a stall at the base of the city wall. His stall was simple, with only a bicycle and a box of syrup. Pigs, rats, dragons, sheep, snakes and other colorful sugar animals were inserted in the bicycle to attract tourists.

when I saw him, he was blowing a rabbit in MengMeng with syrup, and he was also being watched by a group of curious tourists. He fished out a lump from the hot syrup, then quickly kneaded it back and forth with his left hand and right hand to dissipate heat, then pulled the gradually hardened lump of sugar, and began to blow, while doing modeling. When the rabbit's belly bulged, he immediately pinched out his limbs and head with his fingers, and finally inserted it neatly into his stomach with a bamboo stick, thus forming a lifelike rabbit.

The movements are familiar, the strength is accurate, and the timing is just right. Everyone marvels at his craftsmanship and this rare traditional skill, and gives heartfelt praise.

What excites me is not only the superb skills of the old man, but also the fact that I met him in the same position four years ago and had a friendship.

The old man said, "Now I come out to play this because I like it and I don't make money."

me: "How many years have you been doing this?"

old man: "I went to school at the age of 15, and it has been several decades."

me: "Do you have any apprentices? Is this skill inherited? "

Old man: "In the past, someone followed me, but now all my disciples have gone abroad."

me: "can you teach me?"

the old man readily agreed.

I tried, but unfortunately I was clumsy and failed to take shape many times, so I knew it was not easy. In the old city, there are many craftsmen like the old man. One person and one craft can walk the world. Personal opportunity is also an opportunity of the times.

Nowadays, not many people can appreciate this traditional skill, but only a moment of curiosity. When the old man inserted the rabbit into the display, everyone quickly dispersed in a burst of exclamation, leaving only one person.

The Story of Luoyang City | The Sugar Blower's Old Man

Just like traditional skills, not many people appreciate the original appearance of Luoyang Old Town. Luoyang's newly-built famous places and paradise have attracted many people, especially after Running Man was there. Before I went to the old city, I also admired it, but I don't know why, but I didn't go in at last. I just watched it outside. Maybe I felt that its high fees and cultural values were not the same. Aside from the cultural and historical values that were forced into it, it was just a cold building.

Compared with that antique building, I prefer the avenue outside it-Wangcheng Avenue, which is covered with green trees. It is tall, lush, wide and clean, and it can be seen for some years at first sight, and it can't be copied.

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