During the originally fully scheduled Spring Festival vacation, suddenly there were three extra days. I was as surprised as receiving an unexpected gift and decided to go to Xiangxi.
When I went to Xiangxi, my biggest wish was to meet my old classmate Wu Dong, whom I had not seen for 32 years after graduation. This classmate who voluntarily gave up his scholarship in the early 1980s left me curious and moved. Ten yuan seems not worth mentioning now, but at that time it was half a month's living expenses for students.
Under the soft light, he stretched out his warm hands to me. The ancients said: Three mornings and three dusk, and I don’t realize that my temples have become silky. Thirty-two years have passed, and he has gained weight. Although his handsome silhouette is still there, his whole body is stained with the frost and dust of time. Fortunately, his eyes are still as clear as before, and he can vaguely read his past style. He has now been the deputy director of the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention for many years. According to classmates Zhang Jiashang and Qin Zhangshi who were at the table at the same time, he is the most hard-working and enthusiastic leader of the center. Without any pretense, he personally handles the work he is in charge of and often goes deep into the lowest levels of coal mines to understand the occurrence of occupational diseases among coal miners. In the mountainous area of ??western Hunan, there are a large number of coal miners, who are a group that cannot be ignored for occupational disease prevention. It is also one of the key tasks of the center.
What’s rare is that in addition to his work, he is also a good husband and son-in-law. The old mother-in-law has been paralyzed in bed for twenty years, and she relied on the couple's careful care, otherwise she would have been dead long ago.
I believe this. As classmates and colleagues, no one has the most say. Amid everyone's praises, classmate Wu Dong had a simple and honest smile on his face, and his face turned red unconsciously, which made the white hair on his temples even whiter. Based on this alone, I think it’s the right time to come to Xiangxi. Some people come into the world to bring warmth and strength to others. Wu Dong is such a person.
The topic turned to the itinerary for the next two days. In the discussion, the theme gradually became clear, and the highlight was to visit the characteristic villages in western Hunan.
First stop: Golden Dragon in the Cloud. Early the next morning, accompanied by classmate Jiashang, the car drove to Jinlong Village in Huayuan County, more than 100 kilometers away from Jishou. The eight words "Cliff Miao Village, Golden Dragon in the Clouds" have now become the symbol of Jinlong Village. This is attributed to the famous prose writer Peng Xueming in western Hunan who published an article "Beauty in the Purdah Unknown" in the People's Daily, which made this unknown village in the past The village became famous for a while, and there was an endless stream of visitors.
Before coming, I already had a preliminary impression of the golden dragon in my mind. It is located in the alpine lava area, one of the countless ordinary Miao villages in the mountainous areas of western Hunan. What is special is that the entire village is built on a cliff with an average altitude of 900 meters, and the opposite mountains are far away and the cliffs are dense. It is separated by a large canyon, which is natural. During the farming period, due to the high mountains and long roads and inconvenient transportation, the village was almost isolated from the world. Therefore, despite its beautiful scenery, it was not known to outsiders. After reporting the report, it was listed as a healing point by the Organization Department of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee. Sightseeing planks were built, roads connected to the outside world were opened, and spring water was introduced. Only then did Jinlong Village fully reveal itself to the world with its beautiful mountain topography and simple Miao customs. .
Finally stood on the wooden plank road. Looking around, I could see nothing but a few trees in front of my eyes. The fog that is usually light and weightless is now as dense as cotton wool, filling the sky and the earth. While I was feeling annoyed, a voice rang in my ears: Look, the fog has dispersed! Really, the fog that was as thick as honey just now was dispersed by a pair of magical hands, and the green mountains and towering cliffs on the opposite side miraculously disappeared. Appeared, looking through the passing clouds and mist, it was really as beautiful as a fairyland. I looked down, trying to see the deep valley, but I saw only a faint green line, stretching into the distance. Before I could take a closer look, the thick fog closed again like eyes, and the sky and the earth were once again indistinct and chaotic as before.
There is no wind, so why does the fog disperse? Is it to comfort people coming from afar? Nature is really mysterious. I was unwilling to give in and wanted to wait a little longer to take another look at the wonderful scenery just now. In the end, we didn’t wait. I was afraid that the road would be icy and the car would be difficult to drive, so I had to hurry down the mountain. I think of how barren and lonely my life must have been for the people who have lived here for a long time, especially in the era of slash-and-burn farming! It is said that the farmers here mainly grow tobacco, and the mountains also produce sweet cherries and Mountain cloud tea. Fortunately, times have changed, and these local specialties can be brought out of the mountains, so that Jinlong people can also enjoy the rich and beautiful life brought about by the changes of the times.
Second stop: villages with clusters of caves. Shibadong Village in Huayuan County became famous because national leaders visited the place at the end of 2013 and proposed "targeted poverty alleviation" for the first time. This Miao village with an average altitude of 700 meters is also very poor because of the scarcity of cultivated land and insufficient products. The famous "Singles Village". After my experience in Jinlongzhai, I don’t have too many expectations about whether I can see the strange landscape of connected caves in Shibadong Village. Sure enough, the mountains and caves were so tightly wrapped in clouds and mist that you couldn't see much even if you opened your eyes wide. The village is built on a hillside with a similar architectural style, with adobe bricks, black tiles and wooden walls, with uneven heights. The roads paved with granite are cleaner than those in the city. People nearby sell local products and open restaurants. Classmate Jia Shang led me to a house at the highest point of the village.
He said that this is a must-visit place when visiting Shibadong Village.
Entering the hall, you can see a photo of the general secretary and the villagers hanging in the middle of the wall. The two old people sitting next to the general secretary are sitting by the fire on one side to warm themselves up. , looking at us with a smile. His family also opened a small restaurant, which was open to the public. We were so excited that we decided to dine here. Four dishes were served, a large pot of Xiangxi bacon and fish, plus konjac greens. The bill was 30 yuan per person, and the meal for three people did not exceed 100 yuan. I asked, why is it so cheap? They replied that all the farmhouses in the village have this standard. This shocked me again. Even the standards were unified. I really didn’t expect it.
Leaving. We asked to take a photo with the two old men, and they readily agreed. At first, I sat by the stove and took photos. Later, the old man named Long Decheng motioned for me to take a photo in the hall where the photos were hung. I saw her getting up and moving a chair wrapped in red cloth from the room next door. Although I couldn't understand the Hmong language she spoke, I could understand that she wanted me to sit on this chair. I dare not sit down. But she held my hands tightly and asked me to sit down, and then looked at the camera with a smile. After the photo was finished, she returned the chair to the back room. Looking at her figure walking back and forth, my heart felt very warm. This old man who has become the "image ambassador" of Shibadong Village deserves to have a heart of gold. Her enthusiasm deeply infected me, and I can no longer forget this village hidden in the mountains.
Under the guidance of targeted poverty alleviation policies, Shibadong Village has now established a thousand-acre kiwi fruit orchard, which will be able to bear fruit this year. Kiwi flowers are the most fragrant in bloom and can be smelled ten steps away. The golden flowers are especially fragrant when picked and soaked in water. Unfortunately, I came at the wrong time. I believe that people here, under the guidance of good policies and with their hard-working hands, will definitely create a beautiful new life.
Author: Zou Dan
Public account: Frontier Writer