The lame in the mountains

Walking into the five peaks in southwest Hubei is like diving into a bright and moist watercolor painting. Wufeng Mountain combines the beauty of Emei Mountain, Guilin Mountain, Taishan Mountain and Huangshan Mountain, and has its own attractive charm.

The dam at the foot of the mountain is like still water in the mountains, and the rice fields are rippling, full of green. Tall Liquidambar formosana trees, swaying in a gentle and graceful manner, clustered in groups of 351, quietly caressing the breeze like a lady. When people are not paying attention, they secretly lift the branches and leaves to peep, and then hide their faces. Tujia diaojiao building, which is close to the mountain and the water, is dotted with colorful Wufeng Mountain. And the winding mountain salt transportation channel, unique and carefully woven baskets, and the roaring songs of the hind legs are even more fascinating.

In the sixties and seventies of last century, the main way for mountain people to carry things was back. In addition to large and small baskets, there are instep, back frame and, of course, clubs at rest. There are no roads and cars to transport salt in the mountains, and many mature people have become "back-footed".

Tujia people, as if born in this world, first learned to carry baskets. On mountains like constellations and colorful clouds in the sky, the feeling of carrying baskets is relaxed and comfortable, like the bright future of thatched cottage, like grain department stores, all carrying baskets. No matter how high and steep it is, it is like walking on the ground for them.

Tujia children are born in the mountains and grow in baskets; Go to school, mow the grass, get married, give gifts, take care of children and bring goods. There are tea baskets, board baskets, coarse baskets, flat baskets, full baskets, large bucket backs, three bucket backs and other ubiquitous baskets with exquisite weaving and novel patterns.

Salt is a necessity, but there is no salt in western Hubei. Eating salt depends entirely on salt dealers trafficking from other places. Eat sea salt from Guangdong to Jiangsu, then from the waterway to Wuhan, and then to western Hubei. Eating too far is too expensive for mountain people. Therefore, the neighboring Sichuan salt has become a necessity here. Before liberation, carrying salt bags was a typical backward life.

At that time, the supply of salt was in short supply, and salt merchants often hired northern suburbs to transport salt from the city and sell it locally. They are in groups, carrying 100 kilograms of salt packets, just like carrying a hill, trudging to measure the scenery under their feet. Most people go through the Qingjiang River in Changyang and then transport salt in Yichang. A person goes back and forth for not less than ten days. In addition to travel expenses, they can also subsidize their families for a period of time. According to the old man, the salt at that time was called yellow salt, which was not as salty as iodized salt now and was not durable.

In order to relieve fatigue and restore physical strength, Brother Beijiao took pains as pleasure, sang songs all the way, greeted each other before responding, and over time, formed a unique emotional expression and a traditional Tujia culture with local characteristics-Beijiao Song.

Houjiao chant is a folk song chant made up by laborers themselves. It is short and pithy, vivid and touching, shouting out the natural environment, hind-foot skills and living conditions, and reflecting the optimistic and open-minded attitude of hind-foot brother. There is an ancient saying that "drinking under the sun is the most painful, and my back and feet are the happiest under the sun". Someone explained that drinkers don't frown, and singers don't frown.

If you meet a group of "back-footed guys" who transport Sichuan salt on the mountain road, look at the quivering muscles of thighs and abdomen covered with earthworm-like veins, the pestle inlaid with nails jingles sparks on the stone road, and the feet wearing straw sandals step on the solid land. Every time I turn around and stand in the basket, the guys on my back feet will shout "Hey-Yo-Ho-!" Wipe off a bunch of sweat, shout rough folk songs, throw fatigue down the mountain, and cause bursts of repercussions.

"Climb up step by step, hey!

Sit on another stool and have a rest, yo-ho.

Steady your feet. Hey, ho.

A little guilty, yo-ho.

Take a long sigh, hey hey.

It's like relaxing your shoulders, yo-ho

Wait for a rest, hehe.

Have a cigarette before you go, yo-ho.

Hey ho, yo ho ... "

Before backpackers leave, they usually choose a respected team leader to be responsible for road safety and contact. This man is leading the way. When encountering downhill, crossing bridges, sharp turns and obstacles, he will reply in time, and the people behind him will answer immediately. This response is called "reporting to Brother Lu". Seeing a pile of feces, the front shouted: "A flower in the middle of the road!" " "We don't step on it! "Seeing a snake, the front shouted," There is a rope by the road! " "Later:" Take a detour! " When going uphill, the newspaper in front said, "Step by step!" " "Later:" Climb hard! "When climbing the mountain and crossing the ridge, the back-foot buddies sometimes tell a few' dirty' stories and shout a few' five sentences'. Inadvertently, the mountain in front of us was conquered again and again, and love songs were integrated into it, making it have a long history. " Lang came with an umbrella on the mountain, and his sister made flower shoes in the room. I took Lang's umbrella in both hands and held my sister in my arms ... "It's one of the popular folk songs.

Nowadays, the era of eating salt by the back of a chair is gone forever. Tujia people still like to use baskets, which carry bitterness and suffering, as well as joy and harvest.