That day, when I ran from Beijing to Huailai for an interview and passed Ji Ming Post, the night had already begun. But the snow outside the city is as big as a seat. The buildings preserved in the ancient post station are like rows of soldiers guarding the border, watching in the battlements outside the Great Wall and in the snow. I walked up the steps of Chengguan, but I didn't see the words "Hengyang geese go, the smoke is long" in General Fan's eyes, nor did I hear the poet's description of "the sound is longer, and the Qiang tube is long", and I didn't take a glass of turbid wine to influence poetry ... When I was disappointed, I vaguely smelled a faint fragrance. So, looking for fragrance, under the dim light, I saw a Chimonanthus praecox stand out in the gap of an ancient brick, and its delicate petals quietly bloomed in the blurred space.
I'm thinking, whether it's Gu Mei or Mei Xin, whether it's naturally generated or artificially cultivated, Chimonanthus praecox always supports the hermit-like detachment with its proud snow posture to welcome the arrival of spring. Just like the bricks and tiles of the ancient post station, it has never seen brilliant hype, but it has remained detached from the ancient style so far.
Suddenly, I felt a strong wind coming, and powdery snow fell from a rotten grass at the head of the city and hit my face. The cool feeling refreshed me. I am thinking: there are many similarities between Vientiane in the world and life. There are glorious days and declining days, and the postal history of China is not exempt from customs. Ji Ming Post, which was founded in Yuan Dynasty, has experienced years of bonfires and storms, and witnessed the rise and fall of hundreds of generations. Jiangfeng blew down the trees of the former dynasty, and it was expanded on a large scale in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1420), which became the first transmission center of Xuanhua Prefecture to Beijing in that year. It has two functions: military postal service and folk postal service, and enjoyed the rule of Yongle and Ren Xuan for more than 100 years. Then, it began to face a "civil rebellion" from prosperity to decline, and the horn blew like smoke ... It was not until 19 13 that the Beiyang government cancelled the national ancient post station and opened a post office that Ji Ming Postal City ended the "glorious years" of "a thousand years of postal roads spread bonfires and Wan Li mountains and rivers brought home letters". It was not until the end of last century that Ji Ming Post finally became a wonderful flower in the tourism cultural landscape.
Snowflakes are large and small, and hexagonal "elves" dance under the lights of ancient streets. I wandered around Yicheng, browsing the temples, offices, ancient city walls, ancient businesses and ancient houses left by ancient post stations ... as if I were visiting the ancients who had been sleeping for many years and witnessed the vicissitudes of life. When I was full of thoughts, I actually thought of the stamps that caused infinite longing when I was a young artist. ...
Those are stamps with face value of 4 cents or 8 cents. Used for my contribution to the editorial department of newspapers and periodicals. The former is used for local postage, and the latter is used for postage from other provinces. Every time I finish writing a poem and put it in a homemade envelope, I stick this small stamp carefully and go to the mailbox on the street with great interest. Then, wait patiently day by day. Until the postman sent a rejection letter or a selection notice, until he was beaming with the newspaper that published his work, until he smelled the faint smell of ink on the paper ... During that time, whenever I studied low-priced stamps with commemorative patterns, I always thought of the postal delivery road that was closely related to people's emotions and experienced storms.
When you walk into Jiming Ancient Post Station, you will see two streets running through the east and west. The south side is connected with Dongchengmen, which is Qianjie; The north side connects the east and west doors, which is the back street. Both the east gate west and the west gate east can pass through the north-south passage of Qianbei Street. Overlooking Yicheng, it is not difficult to see that the ancient post station generally presents a "well"-shaped "three areas and nine domains" In the ancient post station on a winter night, "calm" makes people feel a little timid. I walked through the white and soft snow outside the Great Wall, facing the alleys, sparse pedestrians, old shop plaques covered with flying snow, sparrows rustling on cold branches, and occasional dog barking from the old house in Chai Men ... For a time, time and space seemed to turn in the snow and confusion, and I was dragged into the ancient post city of Ming and Qing Dynasties in a trance ... As a result, I suddenly felt very lonely and helpless, and I really wanted to find a restaurant and restaurant that was not opened. Until the shopkeeper looked tired, until I said goodbye late at night.
What I can't bear to leave for a long time is that there are still some relatively complete ancient buildings in the middle section of Qianjie in the ancient postal city, such as Longwang Temple, Chenghuang Temple, God of Wealth Temple, Guandi Temple, ancient stage, government house and Hejia Courtyard. Some buildings still maintain a relatively complete ancient appearance, paving the way for those who seek seclusion and visit the ancient times to remember. I stopped in front of a courtyard along the street and slowly pushed open a wooden door. The main room is brightly lit, greeting the old man who looks after the ancient courtyard. I was very interested to see me visit the ancient post city on a snowy night. Lend me a portable emergency light with excellent lighting effect, and please let me have a look at the deep ancient courtyard at will.
In the corner of the ancient courtyard, I saw the stone tablet of "Cockcrow-Post Office". Although the handwriting is full of words and the snow is half hidden, I am deeply moved. Because this ancient monument is clearly engraved with "thirteen years of Yongzheng in Qing Dynasty to two years of Qianlong". (1735 —— 1737) It can be proved that China's postal service was more than 40 years earlier than the first "Dalong Stamp" issued by Germans in China Customs. As the physical witness shows, this is the first postal institution in China established according to administrative establishment.
Facing the ancient ruins, when I was arousing a lot of emotions, the driver who came to the county hotel to pick me up arrived. I don't want to leave Jiming Ancient Post Station.
The distance between the snowy road and Yi Shan and the garage still doesn't affect me to look back often. I wish this landmark ancient building can endure for a long time under the high care of relevant departments and shine brilliantly in the gradual sublimation of the tourism culture market. ...