Kaifeng legends and stories
1. The sound shook the sky
During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, a father and son fled to Kaifeng and stayed under the Drum Tower. The head of the government office saw that they were pitiful and took them in as errands in the Drum Tower. The father served as the drum chief (the drum chief is the person who beats the drum regularly), and the son was responsible for sweeping the streets. The two men are loyal, honest and diligent, and are praised by all the residents nearby. Everyone calls them "Lao Sigu" and "Little Street Sweeper" when they meet. No one knows their real names.
The literati and poets at that time often gathered in the Drum Tower Hall, reciting poems, painting and splashing ink. At this time, Lao Sigu would always quietly sit in a corner of the wall, close his eyes and meditate. The little street sweeper couldn't sit still, spreading paper and polishing ink, running around and busy serving. Everyone was used to it, and no one took them seriously. Days like this passed by for more than ten years.
Yan Xingbang, the governor of Henan Province, is in charge of Kaifeng. The governor is the highest official of a province. Seeing that the Drum Tower was in disrepair, he raised funds from the whole city and spent three years renovating the Drum Tower. The new Drum Tower is magnificent and magnificent. On this day, Yan Xingbang held a banquet for guests in the Drum Tower. Almost all the talented people in the city and famous calligraphers came.
Yan Xingbang smiled and cupped his hands and said: "Rebuilding the Drum Tower has been a prosperous and prosperous period for thousands of years. However, it lacks a huge plaque to add the finishing touch. Today, I specially invite you to inscribe a plaque for this building to make it famous for generations to come." The guests were all filled with joy and thoughtful thoughts. Quanguang, secretly determined to show off his skills, and soon handed over dozens of notes. Yan Xingbang read through them one by one, but he didn't like any of them.
He frowned and said: "What you have written is all about the feeling of 'small bridge and flowing water', but it lacks the spirit of 'big river goes eastward'. If you can help me think more, people will understand. Today's banquet was not delicious, so I had to scratch my head, rack my brains, and think hard. Yan Xingbang remained silent and sighed: "Oh, is there no one with real talent and learning in such a big ancient city?
Everyone was so ashamed that you could hear a pin drop in the hall. Suddenly an old voice sounded from the corner: "Sir, can a villain show his embarrassment?" When the head of the government office saw that it was Lao Sigu, he was afraid of making a joke and scolded: "Today is a grand gathering of the literary world. You are full of shit, why are you joining in the fun!"
Lao Sigu took a few steps forward, bent down and said with a smile: "I heard that the adults have a big belly. The villain said it wrong, so I should just take it as a joke." " Yan Xingbang saw that he had an ordinary appearance, but he had good words, so he said: "You might as well give it a try. "How about "the sound shook the sky"? As soon as this statement came out, the whole room was shocked. Yan Xingbang said with a smile: "Please tell me the details. “The land of China is divided into nine states, Henan is located in Zhongzhou, and Kaifeng is in the middle of Zhongzhou.
The Drum Tower is in the middle of Kaifeng, which is the center of the world. If you hit the drum, the sound will shake the sky! "The sound shook the sky and was majestic. Yan Xingbang stood up with a slap on the table. He was so excited that he let Lao Sigu sit on his seat and poured three glasses of wine to reward him. Lao Sigu raised his glass high and bowed to everyone. He said: "As the saying goes, It is well said, 'Learn from good people and learn from witches'.
You are all learned people, and you often come to Drum Tower to meet friends through literature. I listened for a long time, and my mind gradually became clear. I have been thinking about these four words, 'sounding in the sky' for a long time. Now that I have been chosen by the governor, I have to thank you all! "Lao Sigu's words were very appropriate, and the visitors' faces were bright, and the hall was full of laughter.
Yan Xingbang said enthusiastically: "Now let's ask a master of calligraphy to calligraphy on the spot and make a plaque to hang high. "Anyone who can draw a few strokes is not far behind, with real grass and seal script, dragons and phoenixes are dancing. Yan Xingbang watched from the table and said loudly: "You guys are really wonderful with your pen, but it is a pity that the characters are too small, and the tall drum tower. It doesn't quite match. "Everyone recommended a famous old calligrapher.
After writing big characters half a person's height, Yan Xingbang still shook his head and thought it was too young. When everyone was disappointed, the little street sweeper who had been bringing tea and water interrupted. : "Sir, can I try? Yan Xingbang looked him up and down and asked, "What do you do?" "I am Lao Si Gu's son. Everyone calls me Little Street Sweeper." Yan Xingbang asked the squad leader to bring him pens, inks, paper and inkstones for him to choose from.
The little street sweeper picked up a broom from the corner and said with a smile: "My guy is still the best!" "I saw him carrying half a bucket of water, pouring in the ink and mixing it, and then walked out of the palace gate, and people swarmed to follow him.
What a little street sweeper. I saw him tightening his clothes, dipping the broom in thick ink, waving it on the paper, and using it freely. Do you think: can the characters written by this rare broom pen in the world still be small?
Yan Xingbang was amazed: "How did you learn such a unique skill?" The little street sweeper bowed deeply to everyone. "Seniors often come here to discuss calligraphy and improvise. I wait beside you and try to figure it out in secret. Every day after I clean the area around the Drum Tower, I dip a broom in water and practice calligraphy on the ground. It's still dark after I run out of a bucket of water. , It’s like this every day.”
“Nothing is difficult in the world, only those who are willing to do so!” Everyone was so moved that they no longer dared to look down on these two men. Soon a huge plaque was hung on the eaves of the Drum Tower, which read the words "The sound shook the sky". The font was strong and powerful, and it could be seen clearly even from outside the city. But who would have thought that this famous sentence through the ages was actually written by the old drummer and the young street sweeper.
When Kaifeng was first liberated in 1948, the huge plaque in the Drum Tower and the Sound that shook the sky was unfortunately damaged in the war. It is still a mystery as to who inscribed this plaque and who wrote it. People crack.
2. Yang Jiye sent troops to Youzhou to save the country
Yang Qilang got into trouble because of a fight. Taizong believed the traitor Pan Renmei's slander and ignored the Yang family to protect the Song Dynasty. After Yang Jiye was relegated to Xiongzhou for his great contribution in the war, the Liao Kingdom took the opportunity to send troops and designed to trap Song Taizong in Youzhou City. After Yang Jiye held the imperial edict to save him, he still focused on the great cause of the country and called out the Eighth Route Army. The two sons discussed rescue strategies.
Your Majesty said: "Long live, the ministers and princes are trapped in Youzhou. If something goes wrong, not only the country of the Song Dynasty will be in danger, but the people of Li will also suffer..." Liulang stood up: "Dad, please hurry up. "Send reinforcements." Qilang also shouted: "Last time, the child was beaten and the whole family was hurt. This time I want to fight for my father and save him first."
Ling Gong knows that he is excellent in martial arts. If he could stand alone, he agreed to lead the cavalry first. Yang Jiye then sent troops to rescue him, and he and Hu Yanzan escorted the grain and grass to Youzhou at night. This story shows the noble character of the Yang family and his son who put the great cause of the country first and devoted themselves to protecting the country of the Song Dynasty.
3. Qilang broke into Youzhou
Song Taizong was trapped in Youzhou. The Yang family and his son sent troops to rescue him. Qilang led 500 cavalry as the vanguard officer. Qilang rushed to Youzhou (today's Beijing) after a long journey, and did not dare to neglect. He rode on horseback from the Liao camp and rushed to the city. Pan Renmei, the commander of the city guard, refused to let him enter the city because Qilang defeated Pan Renmei's son Pan Bao in a beating in the capital. He had a grudge against Qilang and forced him to kill three people in a row.
Of the five hundred cavalry, only Shichiro was left riding alone. He had been fighting and fighting all the way, and now he was hungry and exhausted. Cursed: "Old thief Pan Renmei, you are so cruel! Wouldn't this ruin national affairs? I will settle the score with you after I kill the Liao soldiers."
4. Dalang replaced the dragon. Banquet in a tent
King Tianqing of the Liao Kingdom set up the "Shuanglong Meeting" in Jinshatan Beach, plotting to take the opportunity to kill Song Taizong. Yang Jiye followed Han Ji Xin's plan to save Emperor Gaozu from Xingyang, and falsely presented a letter of surrender to the Ban people to receive him from the west gate, while the holy driver came out from the east gate. King Tianqing used a turning pot to make Yanping drink poisonous wine. Yanping knew it was bad as soon as he drank it.
At this time, King Tianqing took the opportunity to slip away, but Yanping grabbed him. He raised his arm, and a sleeve arrow pierced King Tianqing's throat and immediately fell to the ground and died. In this battle, Dalang died for the King of Song; Erlang replaced the Eight Wise Kings; Sanlang was trampled into mud by a horse; Silang and Eighth Lang lost their country; Wulang became a monk and became a monk; Liulang and Qilang escaped from the tiger's mouth.
5. Taijun She selected generals from the Yang family
Most of the passionate men of the Yang family died in the battle at Youzhou. Only Liulang escaped from the tiger's mouth and returned to the capital to be with his eighth sister. , Jiumei executed Pan Renmei, but unexpectedly angered Da Zong because Pan Renmei's daughter was Taizong's concubine. So Liulang was demoted to serve in Hedong. Liulang fell ill on the way. He happened to meet Wulang who was a monk in Mount Wutai. He came up with a plan to fake his death, falsely reported that Liulang had died of illness, and secretly sent him back to the Yang Mansion.
Hidden in the back garden. At that time, there was an emergency at the border, and unscrupulous generals from the DPRK and China set out to fight. Kou Zhun thought that Liulang's death was sudden, so in the name of keeping a vigil, he conducted a private investigation with his back to his boots, and found that Liulang had "faked his death to hide his name." Liulang confessed his crime to the Eight Wise Kings, but Zhao Defang laughed it off and didn't mind: "Now that we are trapped in the three passes, and the unscrupulous generals in the court are rescued, it is up to you to lead the troops!"
Kou Zhun said: "That's not right. Jun Ma killed Pan Renmei and pretended to die. How could the Holy One spare him so easily? In my opinion, Chitose should take command and lead the female generals of the Yang family to the border to rescue the siege. Yang Jun Ma secretly transported grain and grass until the third pass. After defeating the enemy and making meritorious deeds, it would be better to report to the Ming Sage that the merits of the general should be reduced.
"Zhao Defang thought that what Kou Zhun said was reasonable, so he asked Taijun She to select generals for the expedition.
Taijun She ordered Yang Hong to beat drums and bells to gather the generals. The eight daughters-in-law of the Yang family: Zhang Jinding, Li Cuiting, Hua Concubine, Yu Guiying, Luo's daughter, Chai Junping, Du Jin'e, Yu Cailuan, the eighth sister Yang Yanqi, and the ninth sister Yang Yanying were all handsome and majestic. The eight wise kings and Kou Zhun were full of praise: "The female generals of the Yang family are full of women, and they are truly worthy of their reputation!" ”
Taijun She inspected for a week, and his eyes fell on Du Jin’e. She was skilled in bow and horse, and superb in martial arts. Taijun loved her very much, and immediately agreed to let her go with the army with her eighth sister and ninth sister. This story shows The female generals of the Yang family, full of women, are heroic in defending the motherland.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Kaifeng