Three ancient buildings, sitting in the northwest facing southeast, are built side by side, with brick civil structure and tile roof as the top. They are 83m long, 40m wide and10m high. They are magnificent and have a good reputation in the local area. Although the three ancient buildings belong to three different surnames, separated by a long alley, the owner's idea is to hope that they can be combined into one, just like conjoined babies. Therefore, at the beginning of construction, a tall door was designed in front of and behind the junction of each ancient building to make it "seamlessly" connected. Presumably, the nickname "three pairs of rows" comes from this!
Sanduipai, located in Sutian Village, Yuxi Town, was built by the ancestors of Indonesian overseas Chinese Guo, Zeng and Liu in the early 1930s and has a history of more than 90 years.
In the gap of time, the three pairs of rows have also experienced ups and downs and years of tempering, but their preservation is much better than we thought. Just look at the bluestone falling one meter high on the main wall. The yard is neat and orderly. Along the edge, the red bricks are hooked with white seams, still brand-new and bright; The dovetail ridges on the eaves point directly at the blue sky, which is still shocking; The three-story square bunkers built on the north and south sides are still awe-inspiring. When you are facing the third row, standing and looking up or looking around, it is not difficult to find that every brick and tile of this ancient house and every porch window can easily satisfy all your imagination of this ancient building.
The overall layout of the three pairs of rows is rigorous and exquisite, with front rows and back rows. Pushing open the heavy wooden door and passing through the screen door, a patio appeared: paved with slate strips, square and flat. The patio is surrounded by beauty chairs, wooden chairs and plaid backrests. At this time, if you want to sit on the patio steps or lean against the beautiful scenery, you can enjoy the clouds, the moon, the sunshine and the breeze, which is very comfortable. Look at the left and right sides of the patio. There are two wings on each side. That's where ancient children studied. Stepping on the patio, we came to the spacious and bright central hall. In the middle of the hall, there is a wooden wall from floor to ceiling, which is arranged in order and dedicated to the photos of our ancestors. There is a strip-shaped rosewood altar with incense burners, candlesticks and scattered incense ashes. Bypass the central hall and cross a 50 cm high threshold, which is the back hall. There is a narrow patio in the back hall, and there is a narrow drainage ditch under the patio. Walking through the drain is a row of small rooms, namely kitchen, woodshed, shower room and bathroom. From the front hall to the back hall, three pairs of rows skillfully combine the lifestyle of home, education and ancestral temple, which is convenient and comfortable, and people have to think about it and yearn for it.
Over time, the luxury of three pairs of rows is faintly visible, especially the ubiquitous carving art, which is quite elegant: a number of circular columns supporting the beams are large or small, with various family training couplets flying above them, and a round or square bluestone pier squatting below. These Fiona Fang are all carved with wild animals, each with its teeth bared, lifelike and tightly surrounded. Looking up carefully, the arched roof on the beam is also dotted with bats, magpies, auspicious clouds and other patterns, hollowed out and carved, with fine craftsmanship and smooth lines. The most romantic thing is that every door and window installed on the periphery of the wing occupies all the spring scenery in Gu Lou. They are not only cut into squares to attract sunlight and air into the room, but also the doors are carefully embossed with colorful paintings, such as traditional plum chrysanthemums, flowers, birds, insects and fish, as well as classic stories such as Buddhist commandments and Cheng Xue. These paintings form a cultural corridor on the first floor and half floor respectively, which is beautiful and unconventional. Of course, it goes without saying that the tiles on the roof are beautifully designed and varied, surrounded by auspicious clouds, with flowers and styles. At the beginning, the carving techniques spread all over three rows must have cost the craftsman and master a lot of thought. They should not only be pleasing to the eye, but also emit charming brilliance from time to time to attract people's attention, just like the bright stars in the vast night sky, which can illuminate every inch of skin and every vein in Gu Lou. In front of the children, they are more like pairs of huge wings, which can be spread out at any time, riding the momentum of Wan Li and pouncing on the vast mountains and rivers. It's a pity that the stone carving and engraving are quite old, and the texture of the relief painting is blurred and the color is already dull. Some family motto couplets were forcibly erased during the Cultural Revolution. Nevertheless, when you touch those criss-crossing textures again, you can always feel the simple temperature that spans nearly a hundred years, and you can always easily recall the story of a generation of overseas Chinese who left their hometown and returned to their hometown. And such a story seems to be a unique imprint behind every overseas Chinese. Just like that description, it will always be engraved in the memory of the parties and future generations.
On the day of the interview in Sutian Village, Liu Laobo, one of the three descendants, received us at the age of 80. In Liu Laobo's intermittent memories, we learned that in order to get rid of the poverty and hardship of that year, the ancestors of the Guo family took the lead in going south to Nanyang by sea and arriving in Bandung, Indonesia. After gaining a firm foothold, they encouraged the descendants of Zeng and Liu to come to start a business together. In a foreign country, they are twisted into a rope with each other and lead the way in the field of fabric and furniture with wisdom and perseverance.
Like thousands of overseas Chinese in Fuqing, their ancestors Guo, Zeng and Liu wandered around for the sake of food, clothing, housing and transportation for the whole family. For this dream, they are not afraid of mountains and high waters and rugged roads. They migrated all the way from their barren hometown, looking for fertile soil to take root and sprout, taking care of each other, and gradually forming an enterprise chain, * * * with diligence and * * with prosperity. After their dreams come true, besides donating money to give back to the society, it is naturally their greatest wish to build a house that matches their identity.
Of course, three brothers, Guo, Zeng and Liu, are successful models among many overseas Chinese, and three pairs of defecation emerged from the ground are the witness of their ragged return home. The three ancient treasures standing between heaven and earth, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, are the epitome of the affection and friendship between the three brothers and sisters in Indonesia-three pairs of rows and three brothers, who shoulder the storm and tide over the difficulties together in the vast sea of people!
Today, three couples come down in one continuous line. In addition to the development of Liu Laobo's family in China, some descendants of Guo, Zeng and Liu Laobo's younger brothers are still guarding their ancestral businesses in Indonesia, and some are scattered around the world like dandelions, taking root and sprouting. Despite this, their ideas about the third platoon have never been broken. Every year in Tomb-Sweeping Day, they flock from all over the world, as if returning to Yan. Obviously, no matter how far away from home, the three pairs of rows are still their watchful direction, and those kind faces condensed in the photo frame are still here, silently guarding the three pairs of rows and their descendants. Even three pairs of rows are the buttons to unlock their ancestors' memories-every time they approach, they may pay homage to their ancestors like me, and at the same time look back, imagine and pass on the past from generation to generation. ...
At the end of the interview, Liu Laobo sat on the threshold of the screen door, leaning on crutches and sweating on his forehead. From time to time, he wiped the fog from his eyes with a handkerchief and smiled and said to me, "Don't worry, take your time!" " I nodded and agreed, full of gratitude, and walked lightly down the stairs to half a floor and sat next to the beautiful woman. -The sky overhead is blue as washing, and occasionally swallows bend over, leaving a hasty chirp. Outside the window, the small longan tree is crowded and out of reach. Before long, they will fill the branches, bow to the earth and pay tribute to the three rows. ...
Brief introduction of the author
Mei Ling, female, born in 1979, Fuqing, Fujian, kindergarten teacher, member of Fuzhou Writers Association. Some works are scattered in newspapers and magazines, and poetry has won national awards.