[Xijiang Miao Village Four-Day Tour Route] Upstairs Ancient Village

There is a place where the cliffs are green, the ancient trees are lush, the egrets are dancing among the maple trees, and the bluestone steps are winding like a mystery. It combines Gu Lou, ancient houses, Gu Xiang, ancient bridges, ancient wells, ancient trees, ancient tombs, ancient books, ancient customs and ancient rhymes in one village, and is known as the best-preserved ancient village in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Foding Mountain. It is an ancient village in Loushang Village, Shiqian County, Guizhou Province.

There are many beautiful scenery in Shiqian, but the ancient village upstairs is the place I visit the most. Here are picturesque mountains and rivers, towering old trees, surrounded by egrets, lush countryside, simple rural customs and simple folk customs. Being there can always remind people of the past, feel relaxed and happy, and forget the humiliation. Visit the ancient village again. Driving out of the city, wandering on the rugged mountain road, full of green, sometimes like entering the sky, sometimes like walking in the valley, the mountain shadow stream over the shoulder, is surprising and happy. When I got off the bus, I saw the ancient villages hidden in the mountains, vicissitudes, simplicity and vitality. The sky in Zhongshan is misty, as if it were full of years of romance. The smoke rising from burning wood and grass for cooking spreads the tranquility of ancient villages. The whole ancient village has a feeling of being locked by time, as if it were a paradise written by Tao Yuanming. The entrance to the ancient village is a magical ancient forest, which is composed of crape myrtle, osmanthus, red maple and cypress. It is said that these ancient trees are all over 300 years old, which is amazing. The most amazing thing is that there are seven ancient maple trees in this forest, 40 meters high and about 2 meters in diameter at breast height. There are seven towering ancient maple trees, surrounded by thick walls, and one of them is rich in old trees that cover the sun. If you don't distinguish carefully, it's hard to detect. Gufeng building is lonely, probably because of their astrological theory. Legend has it that a wise man traveled here and was shocked after observing the astronomical phenomena and geomantic omen. He quickly instructed Zhou Guozhen (the fourth ancestor of Zhou family in the ancient village) to plant seven red maple trees in the shape of seven stars, so as to pray that the Big Dipper in the sky can lead the descendants of Zhou family, drive away disasters and avoid disasters, and protect Kangning forever. Since then, the Zhous upstairs have never been devastated by blood shed, and they have been farming for generations, but they are even more complacent. This maple tree is a paradise for egrets. There are many nests on it. Strange to say, although there are many forests here, except egrets nesting on tall ancient maple trees, other trees, large and small, are egrets' favorite. Whenever the morning glow and afterglow reflect the red sky, in the faint mist, the egrets chatter endlessly. Countless snow-white egrets soar or glide home in beautiful arcs, and their graceful posture is amazing. This is a beautiful world with the shadow of an elf heron!

Ancient trees are living green cultural relics. A stockade sheltered so many ancient trees, which showed the strong life memory of the ancient stockade and gave birth to many beautiful and immortal legends. It has the depth honed by years. An ancient tree, a medal of honor worn on the chest of an ancient village, is destined to bloom and never wither. Zitong Palace was built on a high slope beside the ancient forest. The theater in Zitong Palace is worth mentioning. It is very rare that this ancient opera theater is preserved as it was yesterday. Looking up at the beautifully carved patterns of twenty-four filial piety on the wooden pillars and beams of the stage, people can't help but guess and sigh the good intentions of the builders; Looking at the spacious stage, I suddenly remembered the brilliant and hot scene before. On the stage, Jin Wen stepped out of his way, sang Dan Yin, and the audience applauded and applauded. Suddenly, I feel that the ancient rhythm is still lingering on the beam, and the tenderness faintly heard in the song makes people excited. Today, people in Zhai Village are still performing ancient operas on the ancient opera floor, and foreign guests have also brought their own wonderful performances. This ancient theater is still thriving.

In the stockade, the folds of the slate roadway are intricate, profound and mysterious. Old village houses, green slates, moss, simple doors, winding paths leading to a secluded place, and quiet Shu Ya are wonderful. At this time, you will find an interesting phenomenon: all the gates here are crooked and the roads are inclined. Inclined doors and ramps are the characteristics here. The ancient buildings in the village are all wooden houses or stilts covered with blue tiles, scattered in the south of the mountain, or scattered sparsely or densely on the winding hillside. Along the slope, the village path will naturally twist and skew. Inclined doors, that is, the Longmen of each house is not facing the main entrance. It is said that this implies the idea that the wealth of the Gelao people is not exposed, which is the implicit, simple and unobtrusive character of the villagers. Quiet old houses with red couplets and red lanterns can be seen from time to time in the village. In the big brown house and the blue stone steps, this bright red ornament makes the ancient village have a more vivid atmosphere, full of the good expectations of the villagers upstairs for life.

Interestingly, walking on the stone road in the stockade, occasionally a yellow dog curled up and lay around doing nothing, not giving way to passers-by. You look at it, and it looks up at you, as if to ask: Who are you? Where are you from? This has to be deeply touched. The simple and ancient harmonious neighborhood style here has actually worn away the vigilance of dogs to protect their homes and enjoy themselves. In this situation, it is true that the years are quiet and the world is stable. There are clear springs in the mountains, stockyards near the mountains and waters, lush vegetation and abundant springs. Many people have mountain springs flowing in front of and behind their houses, and crystal stones can be seen everywhere in the streams. Villagers use them to wash clothes and nourish fields. The clear spring water has been endowed with aura, nurtured generations of upstairs people, and added vitality and spirituality to the ancient village. If it's summer, it's very pleasant for tourists to come here and have a few sips of spring water to clear away heat and relieve summer heat, and to produce fluid to quench their thirst.

Coming out of Shilongkou, Shanquan Village, the dragon is dripping. Years later, a long and illegible word was soaked from the slate. Speaking of which, it's not strange. Does the word "longevity" conform to this meaning? It is said that good water can support people. People in the village drink and use clear and sweet mountain springs, and of course enjoy a blessed life. The spring water of Longjing also moistens the skillful hands of a pair of cottage girls, especially textile embroidery, which is their specialty. After the girls skillfully danced up and down, they magically turned into exquisite handicrafts. There are hydrangeas, pockets, tobacco bags, headscarves, aprons, insoles, whatever you want. Only the unexpected will not embroider. On that day, when a beautiful girl proudly displayed her embroidered dragon and phoenix cloak, we were amazed at her extraordinary skills and natural patterns. Even the clouds in the sky are not as colorful as clouds.

That day, I boarded the observation deck of the ancient village and looked around. The mountains bowed their heads. It's like a fairy land in a painting, and it comes to my face. Looking around, the style of the ancient village is clear at a glance: she snuggles in the embrace of Liao Xianhe Canyon, and the overlapping gray-black buildings are uneven, hidden in the green mountains with different shades; At the foot of the mountain, Liao Xianhe dances dragons, winding and stretching, sparkling and ethereal; Terraces, disc-shaped hills, basin-shaped hills and gorgeous brocade shops on the banks of Hebei have a panoramic view. Layers of terraces, such as chains and belts, are very beautiful, such as running water, chic and smooth, like a rhythmic melody; The ancient forest in the village is full of vitality. Everything in front of us is wild, natural, harmonious and kind. It is simply a natural splash-ink landscape painting. The so-called harmony between man and nature and poetic dwelling are probably just the current state.

In the days of traveling in ancient villages, whether you look down or wander around the village, you will see a natural landscape painting. What you will encounter is the rich and simple farming atmosphere of sunrise and sunset, and you will feel the charming traditional culture of the Gelao people. How natural and pure is it? You can't make people ecstatic. Think about it. When you take off your prosperous coat and face the quaint and natural ancient village from a long time ago, when the breeze blows over your face, what kind of tranquility and peace is it? In fact, we don't need too many reasons to come here, and we don't need those negative cultures, or just come to a string of mountain springs, wash our faces and breathe the sweet and moving air of the ancient stockade. The ancient stockade upstairs is worth seeing.

Editor: Kuang Qiran