Amidst the vast blue water and haze of a lake, on a Qianlin Island with sparse flowers and trees, a two-story tower with red pillars and blue tiles is like a legendary sea city that has landed on earth, attracting tourists. Such as weaving, it inspires people's reverie. This is the Yanyu Tower, the Yanyu Tower in the Chengde Summer Resort Garden Scenic Area.
The Yanyu Tower is one of the core attractions of the Summer Resort. When we took the tour bus specially designed for tourists, starting from the palace area of ??the villa, we jumped onto the winding mountain path in the northwest mountain area, passed through the dense jungle, crossed the layers of deep ravines, and admired the lush scenery of the Northern Plateau. After that, it winds down from the northeast to appreciate the lush green grass and open pastures in the plain area, such as the yurts with falling white clouds and the green fields. Then we arrive at the edge of the plain area of ??the villa. In front of us is a glimpse of the northern country and the south of the Yangtze River. Splendid views of the lake area. After getting off the car, I stood on the shore of Chenghu Lake and looked southward. In the mist and mist, the beautiful garden buildings appeared and disappeared one after another. I suddenly felt like I had arrived in a fairyland on earth. Among these buildings, the most eye-catching and alluring one is the Yanyu Tower standing in Chenghu Lake.
We arrived at Ruyizhou, the largest island in the western part of the lake area. We crossed a curved bridge of about 20 meters to the north and then stepped onto Qianlin Island. Looking around, we saw a picture from the Qing Dynasty The three golden characters "Misty Rain Tower" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong shine on a two-story building. The Yanyu Building is built on the water, with five rooms in width and two rooms in depth. Although it is only twenty meters high, it already looks quite majestic against the backdrop of the vast surrounding lake. Walking through the hall to the courtyard, you can see a Fang Pavilion and a Qingyang Bookstore in the east, where Qianlong studied and rested; there is a rockery in the west, and you can reach the wing pavilion on the top of the mountain through the moon gate, where Qianlong used to play and admire the moon. at. Inside and outside the courtyard and around the halls, exotic flowers, rare herbs, and precious trees are planted everywhere. Looking back at the couplet of Yanyu Tower written by Qianlong: "A hundred feet above the sky, the sky is full of green and the lotus island is covered; the eight windows are facing the Yuanhu Lake, which is clear and clear." I suddenly felt that this place is full of poetry and verdant green. The so-called "Lotus Island" in the title couplet refers to Qianlin Island. When Emperor Qianlong inscribed the Thirty-six Scenes of the Summer Resort, he changed it to Qinglian Island because green lotuses were planted all over the island; Yuanhu Lake is Yuanyang Lake in Jiaxing, which means You can also enjoy the artistic conception of visiting Jiaxing Yanyu Tower.
I stood on the Yanyu Tower and suddenly felt that I was standing in the heart of the summer resort. This is a central viewpoint for visiting the summer resort. Standing on this building, looking northward, you will see towering mountains, criss-crossing ravines, the twists and turns of the city wall of "Erma Road", and the steaming clouds and rosy clouds of "Green Maple Island", which is a northern scenery; overlooking the nearby area, you can see the verdant trees of "Ten Thousand Trees Garden" and "Test Horse". "Dai" is a flat river, "Rehe Spring" is steaming with heat, "Wenjin Pavilion" is quiet and elegant, with a simple atmosphere of the Central Plains; turning to the south, the mist and rain are hazy, the lake is misty, "Jinshan Pavilion" is towering near the lake, "Qu Shui Lotus" is "Xiang" is quiet and picturesque, a beautiful scenery of the south of the Yangtze River; looking around, you can see rippling clear water, winding bridges, scattered flowers and trees, and intertwined purple mulberries. There are rockery pavilions for climbing, and study rooms for swimming. , it is truly a place that entertains the mind and the eyes.
The Mountain Resort is one of the four famous gardens in my country, and the Yanyu Tower is the back cover of the Mountain Resort. According to historical records, the entire construction history of the Summer Resort was completed from the time the site was selected for construction in the 42nd year of Emperor Kangxi's reign to the completion of the Yanyu Tower in the 45th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign. People often say that a summer resort is equal to half of the history of the Qing Dynasty. That’s a good thing to say. The eighty-nine years since the establishment of the villa coincided with the "prosperity of Kangxi and Qianlong" in history. This is not a coincidence, but a product of the rising stage of the rule of the Qing Dynasty. The completion of Yanyu Tower marked the culmination of the historical stage of the "Kangxi and Qianlong Dynasties". From then on, China, the world's largest power at that time, gradually declined from prosperity, beginning the end of my country's feudal society that suffered more than a hundred years of suffering due to weakness. A humiliating history of bullying by foreign powers.
Standing in front of the Yanyu Tower, admiring the picturesque landscape and pavilions, I don’t know whether I should be happy or worried.
The Yanyu Tower is a grand gesture of Qianlong, the hero of his generation. During his more than 60 years in office, Qianlong inherited the legacy of his grandfather Kangxi, studied civil and military affairs, worked hard to govern, and opened up new territories, making important contributions to the stable development of society and the construction of a unified multi-ethnic country. When the Yanyu Tower was built, it was the most prosperous period of the Qing Dynasty. According to records, the country's population at that time reached more than 300 million, its territory reached more than 13 million square kilometers, and its GDP accounted for more than 70% of the world's total. , becoming a veritable world superpower. At this time, Qianlong was already very satisfied. He made many tours to the south, which were called to visit the people's sentiments, comfort the people and control floods, but in fact they were to show off his political achievements and martial arts. Qianlong was erudite and talented, especially good at poetry. He wrote more than 40,000 poems in his life, making him the most famous poet in China. He also loved to visit famous mountains and beautiful waters, and his footprints were found wherever there were scenic spots. Jiaxing Yanyu Tower, built in the Later Jin Dynasty during the Five Dynasties and rebuilt during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, is steeped in the rich beauty of the south of the Yangtze River amid the vast smoke. It once became Qianlong's favorite. He visited the south of the Yangtze River six times and visited it eight times. He composed more than 20 poems praising the beauty of its scenery. Then in the forty-sixth year of Qianlong's reign, he personally selected the site and ordered his ministers to build a replica of Yanyu Tower in Chenghu, a summer resort.
On the day when the building was completed, Qianlong not only inscribed the name of the building himself, but also wrote a poem: "The best place to tolerate rain and smoke, without blocking the sky and high ground. But it is better than those who admire it when visiting the south, the wind of Pinghu "The so-called "the sky is high and the sky is vast" is a true portrayal of Qianlong's ambition to conquer the world at this time. He is confident that he has reached the highest point in history.
At this time, we seem to be able to imagine that Qianlong was standing on the height of the Yanyu Tower, facing the sky, with his hands up, chanting the heroic sentiments and majestic posture of the poem; look at the three words "Misty Rain Tower" again, his strength and character, as if Steel is made of iron, which fully demonstrates the determination and confidence of Kangxi's winner at that time.
Suddenly, I also became excited in my contemplation. I couldn’t help but feel proud and proud of our status as a superpower in the world, just like Qianlong.
However, history took a big turn here. Originally, in the later period of Qianlong's reign, either due to old age and frailty, or due to the pursuit of great achievements, or due to the intolerance and selfishness of feudal rulers, they were blinded by power and luck, and neglected to govern officials, which led to corruption among officials and extravagance among courtiers. In addition, he established literary prisons, etc. The foundation of his rule has been greatly shaken. The subsequent emperors of Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng were incompetent in governing the country, and each generation was worse than the last. From then on, the national power deteriorated. By the time of Cixi and Guangxu, the country was already like the Ningrong Mansion described by Cao Xueqin. Although the outer shell was there, the inside was already So weak. Qianlong once said about their original intention of building a summer resort: "My emperor built this mountain resort outside the Great Wall, not for his own travels in Yunnan, but as a construction that will last for eternity!" The intention was to "unify the hearts of both the inside and outside, and create a consolidated cause." political purpose. However, after the completion of the Yanyu Tower, not only did not a single new building facility be added to the summer resort, but it became increasingly dilapidated. It actually became a "Yuyou" place and refuge for the royal family, and even the Jiaqing and Xianfeng emperors died of illness here. This is a great irony. Today, the so-called "dragon bed" of the two of them is still preserved in the Yanbo Zhishuang Hall in the palace area. Before Xianfeng died of illness here, he also personally signed the "Beijing Treaty" signed by the Qing government with Britain, France, and Russia, which was humiliating and humiliating the country, and recognized the validity of the "Sino-Russian Aihun Treaty," causing our country to lose a large area of ??territory and sovereignty .
After thinking about it at this point, I can no longer tell whether I am happy or sad about the completion of Yanyu Tower. Although it is the symbol of the last heyday of our country's feudal society, even though it has left an amazing legacy for our tourism industry today, in the TV series "Huanzhugege" screened in recent years, even in the past The Yanyu Tower is also more famous for its interpretation as "Shufangzhai", but as a historical relic, it was also the beginning of the decline of China's feudal rulers. From then on, the Chinese feudal empire that dominated the world was no longer in glory. , seeing it often reminds us of the tragic history of the Chinese nation being ravaged by invaders in modern times.
Yanyu Tower! You embody the beautiful beauty of the south of the Yangtze River and the history of the rise and fall of the Chinese nation hidden behind you. It makes us excited and proud, and also makes us think deeply and introspect.
Today, when the people of our country are working together with a new attitude to realize the dream of a China with a prosperous country, a rejuvenated nation, and a prosperous people, perhaps it will be beneficial to us to review this period of your history!