However, when we carefully observe today's map, we will find another contradictory scene: there is no large-scale Shui Bo around Liangshan today, only an isolated mountain.
We draw a circle with a diameter of 800 Li with Liangshan as the center, and we can see that this circle basically covers the whole western Shandong. On today's map, we can't see such a big lake at all. ...
That is to say: judging from today's geographical situation, there is no water around Liangshan, let alone the so-called 800-mile water margin.
So, is there really 800 Li of water around Liangshan in the Northern Song Dynasty? If so, why did it disappear today?
First, the formation of the Water Margin
In fact, in the Northern Song Dynasty, there really was a Shui Bo at the foot of Liangshan. The formation of this Shui Bo is closely related to the flood of the Yellow River.
From the topographic map, Shandong province as a whole presents a high terrain in the middle and low terrain around. In western Shandong, Mount Tai in the middle is a highland, and its north and south sides are plain areas. When the Yellow River flows through this area, it forms a "human"-shaped Yellow River floodplain, commonly known as the "Yellow River floodplain".
Therefore, whenever the lower reaches of the Yellow River burst, the land in the Yellow River flooded area will often be covered by the Yellow River water and become a Zeguo. Liangshan, which we are talking about today, is located in the first place in the Yellow River Basin.
According to historical records, from the Five Dynasties to the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River burst several times in the lower reaches. After every breach, the land around Liangshan was flooded. Among these records of breaches of the Yellow River, the larger ones have at least three times:
The first time was in the first year of Jin Dynasty (944) after the Five Dynasties, when the Yellow River burst in Huazhou area. According to historical records:
In the first year of Jin Shi's voyage to the West, Huazhou River decided to invade the border of Bianzhou, Cao, Pu, Dan and Yun, surround Liangshan and merge with Wenshui.
Sliding state, that is, today's hua county area in Anyang City, Henan Province, is only100km away from Liangshan. The Yellow River burst here, and the flood spread throughout the Yellow River area, and all the land in Liangshan area was wiped out. In the end, the Yellow River water accumulated around Liangshan, making Liangshan an "island" in the water, forming the earliest concept of Liangshan Shui Bo.
In the third year of Tianxi in North Song Zhenzong (10 19), the Yellow River burst for the second time, and the position of this burst is still in a sliding state:
In the third year of Tianxi, on the second night of June, the Huazhou River overflowed Tiantai Mountain in the northwest of the city ... The bank was destroyed by 700 steps, and it overflowed the city, crossed the river, Pu, Cao and Luan, and injected water into the water margin.
Like the one in 944, this flood was also extensive, and finally it was injected into the water margin, further expanding the area of Shui Bo.
The third flood of the Yellow River occurred in the tenth year of Xining, Song Shenzong (1077). This time, the Yellow River burst in Caocun (Cao Xian County, Heze City, Shandong Province), which is closer to Liangshan. At this time, due to the continuous injection of Yellow River water, the water area of Liangshanbo has been expanding, thus forming the largest water area in history.
Therefore, from the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River burst three times on a large scale, which made the flooded area in the lower reaches of the Yellow River become a Zeguo in Wang Yang, and eventually the flood surrounded Liangshan and formed a water margin. Especially after the third breach of 1077, the waters of Liangshanbo reached the highest peak in history.
2. Is the area of Water Margin really 800 Li?
It seems that in the Northern Song Dynasty, The Water Margin really existed, not Shi Naian's fiction.
However, is the area of Water Margin really as wide as 800 miles?
Today, of course, we can't speculate on the waters of the Song Dynasty. However, Bian Xiao looked up some historical books of the Northern Song Dynasty and found an important piece of information about the history of the Song Dynasty. Su Shichuan.
Su Shi was a famous poet in the Northern Song Dynasty. After ten years in Xining, Song Shenzong, he was appointed as Xuzhou Well-known. However, soon after Su Shi took office, he encountered the 1077 Yellow River breach, which was the third breach mentioned above.
It is recorded in the History of Song Dynasty. Su Shichuan:
Move to Xuzhou. The river decides Cao Zhai, floods the water margin, overflows the South Qinghe River, and meets at the city gate. Cities rise and fall, and the rich try their best to avoid water.
It can be seen that the flood of the Yellow River at that time not only poured into the water margin, but also overflowed and poured all the way along the Nanqinghe River to the gates of Xuzhou. As a satrap, Su Shi led the people of Xuzhou to fight against this huge flood, and therefore left a good name for water control in the local area. There is a "yellow house" in Xuzhou city so far, which is said to have been specially built by Su Shi to commemorate the flood control.
Through this historical data, it can be proved that the Yellow River burst in 1077 is absolutely unprecedented, and even Xuzhou was flooded. During that time, from Liangshan to Xuzhou, Shuidu was affected.
We can measure it on the map. Xuzhou is more than 200 kilometers away from Liangshan. In other words, during the period when the water area of Liangshanbo was the largest, its southward range did reach nearly 400 miles. Therefore, it is still based on the fact that it is Liangshan Mountain in Shui Bo, 800 miles away from Fiona Fang.
Let's take a look at Song Jiang's life. According to historical records, Song Jiang was born around 1074 and died at 1 122. It can be seen that Song Jiang's life coincided with the period when Liang Shanbo's water area was the largest.
In other words, it is precisely because of the massive breach of the Yellow River in 1077 that Liangshan Mountain in Shui Bo, 800 miles away, was created, and Song Jiang's life of gathering mountains for the sky and upholding justice was created.
3. Why did the Water Margin disappear?
Having said that, we should be convinced that Shi Naian's Water Margin is not completely fictional and fabricated, but based on a large number of historical facts.
However, many people still have a doubt: Since the Water Margin does exist, why is it completely invisible on today's map?
In fact, this is also related to the Yellow River.
As we know, the Yellow River flows through the Loess Plateau, so the water carries a lot of sediment. When flowing through the plain with gentle water potential, the sediment will slowly settle down, so that the elevation of the river will gradually increase.
The water temperature in Liangshanbo is peaceful and calm, so the sediment deposition is more serious. Coupled with the diversion of the Yellow River in the Southern Song Dynasty and other factors, the terrain around Liangshan was gradually raised by deposited sediment, so the area of Liangshan Lake began to shrink slowly.
According to the Records of the Golden History, Jin Shizong wrote in Dading 2 1 year (1 18 1 year): "The Yellow River has moved to its original road, Liangshan has retreated, and we have tried to send envoys to wasteland." The next year, he wrote a letter, "I ordered the restoration of Liangshan Zhuo refugees, and officials gave them fields."
It can be seen that in the Jin Dynasty, the water area of Liang Shanbo has been greatly reduced, and the land suitable for farming has been exposed. Gradually, this silt accumulated step by step, from the sea to the mulberry field. By the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Liangshan area had completely evolved into land, and Shui Bo could no longer be seen.
Today, we can no longer see the magnificent scene of Liangshan Mountain in Shui Bo, 800 miles away. Now, there is only one Dongping Lake more than 20 kilometers north of Liangshan County, which is barely the last relic of Liangshan Shui Bo.
Therefore, if you want to feel the scene of "All over the sky in Shui Ze, the reeds are mighty" in Water Margin again, you may have to go to the novel of Water Margin for a while.