My hometown is at the northern foot of Yishan Mountain, the source of water. There is a small river flowing from Xianglu Mountain, and there are many clear springs along the river. In my childhood memories, every clear spring nourishes my heart like rain and nourishes every day in my hometown. Linqu, the landscape favored by spiritual energy, is nourished by countless such rivers and springs, so treating them well is to be kind to our home and to ourselves.
One day during the summer vacation, after a heavy rain, the air was humid and the sun was bright. I walked to the Heiyuzi Reservoir at the foot of Xianglu Mountain.
This reservoir was built in the early 1960s, so it is already in its sixties. Its upper reaches are Xianglu Mountain, a spiritual mountain with many legends. The most amazing story is the story of Taishang Laojun refining the elixir. The inexhaustible Chinese herbal medicines collected from the mountains are evidence of this legend. Because the water and soil in Xianglu Mountain are well maintained, springs spring up everywhere in the mountain and gather into streams, which are clear in all seasons. In order to preserve this clear stream, the villagers built this reservoir with a storage capacity of nearly 100,000 cubic meters using their own flesh and blood without any mechanical assistance.
Because of the continuous drought in winter and spring, even after a heavy rain, the water level in the reservoir is still small, and the water surface is still some distance from the spillway. But the blue waves are still gentle, the fish are jumping, and the distant mountain scenery is reflected in the water, which is pleasing to the eye. Looking across the calm and wide water, I looked at Xianglu Mountain, with its verdant peaks and vast green sea. It looked like a fairy mountain on the water, swaying in various shapes and with various scenes.
I came to the bottom of the reservoir dam and saw the first clear spring that I had not seen in a long time. It was originally located under a high stone weir. As time passed, the position of the spring improved a lot. It was surrounded by green grass. The water was still so clear, but I didn't see the golden sand at the bottom. , but was covered with a thick layer of yellow mud. What made me most uncomfortable was that a pesticide sprayer and medicine bottle were placed next to the spring. I also saw a few discarded medicine bottles a little further away, including those used to kill insects and weeds. What surprised me most was that there was a glufosinate medicine bottle called the "Killer King" with a black skull on it. It's so eye-catching that it makes me feel chilled under the summer sun.
I remembered what a doctor at the community health center told me a few days ago: the use of herbicides has reached a point where it must be controlled. Rural people, trying to save effort, abuse herbicides, which are highly toxic and have heavy residues. Not only do they not allow grass to grow, but they also pollute the soil and endanger people and animals? I naturally know that this is the fate of almost all mountain springs. They open their minds and provide people with They have precious water resources, but ignorant people want to poison them mercilessly, until even humans themselves are not spared. In the countryside, incidents of poisoning by accidentally eating wild vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides often happen?
I left the clear spring and walked down the river bed. I can no longer see the gurgling clear flow of the creek in the early years, and there are few beautiful figures on the upper reaches of the clear spring stone. The stream of water is so silent and stagnant?
I saw the stream that brought me to my childhood again. There are many springs of happiness and interest. To be precise, it is a spring pool. Because it is located at an important intersection, it is a place where villagers go uphill to collect water. Therefore, the simplest construction was carried out, and stones were built beside the spring. piece.
When I was a child, I followed my parents to the mountains to farm, and this was a must-stop place. I clearly remember that there are two ways to go to the spring to drink water. One is to kneel down directly, support the smooth stones by the spring with both hands, bury your head, and drink to your heart's content; the other is to go to the spring to drink water. From the mulberry tree on the edge of the cliff, pick a few big shiny green mulberry leaves, fold them into a funnel shape, and slowly scoop out the water to drink. Mulberry leaves do not have any peculiar smell and exude a light fragrance, which makes people think that it is because of its purity that they can raise fat and white silkworms, and that silkworms can spin silk as white as snow and weave silk as thin as cicadas. Wings, silk as bright as clouds, it is really an extremely beautiful imagination.
The clear spring water in the pool is still clear and sweet, but I no longer have the mood or courage to lie down and have a full drink.
I suddenly discovered to my joy that downstream of the spring pool, a little girl was playing with water in a small bucket. As she gently scooped water, streams of lively water splashed on the stone slabs. , splashing with sparkling water. This was the scene that moved me the most, so much so that I just stared blankly and forgot to capture that beautiful moment with my camera.
When I picked up the camera and wanted to press the shutter, the girl in pink clothes and makeup suddenly got up and left, leaving only a beautiful back in my frame.
Perhaps, the memory of childhood is like the back of the little girl in front of me, leaving me with endless attachment and sadness?
Less than three hundred meters down from the spring pool, I found another place. A glance at the spring. It is located under a steep mountain. There is no water in the ravine, and of course the spring is exhausted. However, it used to be the place we would visit when we got home from work. It is the clear spring closest to home. Stop by it, grab a handful of water to wash away the sweat on your face, take a sip of water to moisturize your dry and itchy throat, or take off your shoes and step on the dark red sand downstream of the spring. I rubbed the soles of my feet, washed away the dirt, and drove away a lot of fatigue. It felt very comfortable.
I saw the tragic scene that I least wanted to see and had to take pictures: the river was filled with colorful and smelly garbage! It was thrown away by the people who lived by the river. . They are very hard-working and very hygienic, but only in their own courtyards. After leaving home, they seemed to be completely different people. They never cared about the harm their bad habits would bring to nature and others, and they did not even consider the cities down the river that loved them so much. Children and grandchildren!
The river bed was filled with gravel. What was missing was the clear water and the sound of nature. Finally I saw the river completely disappearing. It was so sleepy. It was flowing lazily, as if it suddenly disappeared?
Because the surface water could no longer meet the needs, or could not be safely consumed, the villagers took a sip of 100 grams from the lower reaches of the river. Motorized wells several meters deep and thousands of meters of underground pipelines have been laid over the mountains and ridges, delivering them to the courtyards of every household. Fortunately, the water quality is good. It is said to be rich in minerals and is a natural mineral water.
There is also a large well built by the small river, with pipelines and a machine room. However, the eighty-nine-meter-deep well only contains less than half a meter of water, and the water pump leaks outside, like a cold well. Exclamation mark!
Some villagers built small stone weirs in the river. They wanted to block as much water as possible. Others dug "river wells" in the river bed to facilitate irrigation. The deep well shafts and clear spring water reflected the white clouds in the blue sky, seemingly without a trace of sadness.
As I continued walking in the river bed, I was greeted by only white gravel, which was glowing in the midday sun. So, I quickly chose to escape.
But I know that there is still spring water flowing under the gravel, flowing all the way to the Mi River, until it converges into the waves of Juyang Lake, and then flows to the city, flowing to the blood of every city dweller?
Author: Guo Baoxue
Official account: Linqu