Xu Zhimo: Cambridge as I know it.
As far as I know, Cambridge
On both sides of this river are the most lush lawns that are evergreen all the year round. Looking from the upstairs of the alumni's residence, there are always more than a dozen oxen and white horses on the grassland on the other side, no matter in the morning or evening. Their shin and hoof are not in the wild grass, chewing indulgently, and the yellow flowers of the stars are turbulent in the wind, so they should be brushed with their tail bristles. The two ends of the bridge are protected by leaning weeping willows and shadows. The water is completely clear, less than four feet deep, with long strips of aquatic plants evenly. This lawn on the shore is my favorite pet. In the Qing Dynasty, in the evening, I often sat on this natural brocade, sometimes reading, sometimes watching the water, sometimes lying on my back watching the clouds in the sky, and sometimes cuddling the tenderness of the earth.
but the romantic scenery on the river is not limited to the beauty on both sides. You have to buy a boat to play. There are more than one kind of boats: there are ordinary sculls, there are light Canoe, and there are the most chic long Punt. The last one is not common anywhere else: it is about twenty feet long and three feet wide. You stood straight on the stern of the boat and walked with a long pole. This support is a technology. I'm too stupid to learn. When you first try, it's easy to cross the boat in the river and bump it around. English people don't laugh easily, but be careful of their silent frown! I don't know how many times the originally leisurely order in the river has been disturbed by my reckless layman. I really never learned; Every time I go to rent a boat and try again, a white-bearded boatman often sarcastically says to me, "Sir, it's hard to prop up a boat, and it's tiring in hot weather. Let's take a thin kayak for a walk!" I wouldn't listen, but the long pole pulled the boat away at a little bit, and the result was that I cut off the river in sections.
You stand on the bridge on the river and watch others support you. It's effortless and beautiful. Especially on Sunday, there are several expert girls, dressed in white mourning clothes, whose skirts are fluttering in front of the wind, wearing a wide-brimmed tulle hat, and the shadow of the hat is shaking among the weeds. You can see their wantonness when they are in bridge opening, twisting up a long pole without weight, only gently. Their agility, leisure and lightness are really worth singing.
In the early summer, when the sun is getting warmer, you can buy a boat, cross it out and lie in the shade of the bridge, reading your book or dreaming. The fragrance of Sophora japonica floats on the water, and the sound of fish is teasing in your ear. Or in the early autumn dusk, close to the cold light of the new moon, looking at the secluded place in the upper class. Lively teenagers, with their girlfriends, are holding a pair of oriental colored paper lamps and chatterboxes on the side of the boat. The boat is padded in the heart, and they are also driving to no one's place to enjoy their wild happiness-who doesn't like to hear the underwater music describing dreams and spring scenery on the quiet river!
it is not easy for people who are used to living in cities to know the changes of seasons. When you see leaves falling, you know it's autumn, and when you see leaves green, you know it's spring; When it's cold, install the stove, and when it's hot, dismantle the stove; Take off the cotton robe, put on the double robe, take off the double robe and put on the single robe: that's all. The news of the stars in the sky, the news in the underground soil and the news of the wind blowing in the air are none of our business. Busy, there are so many things, who is patient with the transfer of stars, the rise and fall of flowers and plants, and the changes of the situation? At the same time, we complain about our life, which is painful, boring, restrained and boring. Who will admit that being a man is happy? Who doesn't curse life?
On both sides of the river are the most lush lawns that are evergreen all the year round. Looking from the upstairs of the alumni's residence, there are always more than a dozen oxen and white horses on the grassland on the other side, no matter in the morning or evening. Their shin and hoof are not in the wild grass, chewing indulgently, and the yellow flowers of the stars are turbulent in the wind, so they should be brushed with their tail bristles. The two ends of the bridge are protected by leaning weeping willows and shadows. The water is completely clear, less than four feet deep, with long strips of aquatic plants evenly. This lawn on the shore is my favorite pet. In the Qing Dynasty, in the evening, I often sat on this natural brocade, sometimes reading, sometimes watching the water, sometimes lying on my back watching the clouds in the sky, and sometimes cuddling the tenderness of the earth.
But dissatisfied life is mostly due to self-help. I am a believer in life, and I believe that life is by no means as gloomy and miserable as most of us just push from our own experience. Our root cause is forgetting our roots. People are natural children, just like flowers and birds on branches are natural children; But unfortunately, we are civilized people. Our entry into the WTO is as deep as a day, and we are as far away from nature as a day. Can you be happy without flowers and plants in the soil and fish in the water? Can you survive? From nature, we get our life; From nature, we should share our continued nourishment. Which swaying big tree does not have a wrong root and goes deep into the endless hidden land? We can never be independent. There are children who are happy and never leave their mothers, and people who are healthy and always close to nature. You don't have to swim with the deer, you don't have to go back to the "abode of fairies and immortals"; In order to cure the current embarrassment of our life, as long as we don't completely forget nature, there is hope that our symptoms will ease. Take a few rolls in the grass, take a few baths in the sea, and go to the heights to see the morning glow and evening photos several times-the burden on your shoulders will be relaxed
This is a very superficial truth, of course. But if I hadn't met Cambridge, I wouldn't have such confidence. I've only had that spring in my life. It's a pity to say that I haven't wasted it. Just that spring, my life was natural and really enjoyable! Although it happened that it was also the period when I felt the most pain in my life. ) At that time, I had plenty of leisure, freedom, and absolute solitary opportunities. Strange to say, it seems like the first time that I recognized the brightness of the stars and the moon, the green grass, the fragrance of flowers and the hospitality of running water. Can I forget the arrogance of early spring? How many mornings have I braved the cold to walk alone in the frosty Woods-to listen to birds, to look forward to the sunrise, to find flowers and plants waking up in the soil, and to experience the most subtle and wonderful spring letter. Ah, that's the new thrush trying its new sound on the endless green branches over there! Ah, this is the first little snowball to earn a semi-frozen ground! Ah, isn't this the new moist with lonely wicker?
It's very quiet. This water-soluble avenue is only dotted with the silence around by the milk truck in the distance. Go along this avenue, come to the end, then turn into the path in the Woods, and go to the smoky place. The top of the head is the shade of elm trees, revealing the bleak dawn; Further on, after walking through this forest, Yuan Ye is flat at present, and you can see the cottages, the early green wheat fields, and three or two steamed buns-shaped hills further away to cover a passage. The horizon is foggy, and the sharp shadow is the temple near the village. Listen, the gentle sound of Xiao Zhong. This area is the plain in the middle of this state, and the terrain is like light waves in the sea, with heavy ups and downs; Mountains are invisible, some are evergreen grasslands and fertile fields. Looking up at the mound, Cambridge is just a lush forest with several graceful pavilions. There is no trace of the charming Kanghe River. You can only imagine the first-class simplicity by following the brocade-like trees. Cottage and Woods are the chess pieces on this site. There are cottages with good shade and cottages with good shade. This morning is the time to watch the kitchen smoke: the fog gradually rises, which reveals the gray sky (preferably after the twilight). The kitchen smoke from far and near, silky, wispy, rolled, light, heavy, thick gray, light blue and pale, rises gradually in the static vitality and gradually disappears, as if it were people coming to China. Chaoyang is rare, the weather in early spring. But it is a great pleasure to get up early when it comes. In an instant, the color of the field was deepened, and a layer of gauze-like gold powder covered the grass, the tree, the passage and the farmhouse. In an instant, there was a rich gentleness in the morning around here. In an instant, your heart also moistened the glory of being born during the day. "spring" The clear sky of victory seems to whisper in your ear. "Spring!" Your happy soul seems to be there.
Waiting for the scenery on the river, there is news day by day this spring. Care about the moss marks on the stone, the flowers in the rotten grass, the urgency of the current, the growth of aquatic plants, the clouds in the sky and the new birds' songs. The timid little snowball is the messenger of Tanchunxin. Lily of the valley and vanilla are the first sounds of joy. Gentle and graceful lotus, exquisite daffodils, lively Krooks, hard-working dandelions and daisies-at this time, spring is already rotten in the world, and there is no need for diligent inquiry.
magnificent spring flowers. This is the time for your outing. Lovely road administration, here is no better than China, where is not an open avenue? Hiking is a pleasure, but riding a spin bike is a greater pleasure. Cycling in Cambridge is a common technology. Women, children and old people all enjoy the happiness of this pair of round dances. I heard in Cambridge that spinning cars are not afraid of being stolen, just because everyone has their own cars and no one wants to steal them. You can choose a direction, you can go to a passage, follow the grassy breeze, and let the wheels go far away. Keeping your half-day leisure is a tonic for your soul. There are plenty of clear shade and beautiful grass on this road, and you can rest anywhere. You love flowers, and there are many splendid grasslands here. You love birds. There are many skillful songbirds here. If you love children, this country is full of amiable children. If you love human feelings, there are many villagers here who don't mind traveling far away. You can "hang up the bill" for the night everywhere, with yogurt and tender potatoes for you to feast on, and dazzling fruits for you to taste new. If you love wine, every "hope" in this country stores good new wine for you. If dark beer is too strong, cider and ginger wine are all for you to quench your thirst and moisten your lungs. ..... Take a book, walk ten miles, choose a quiet place, watch the sky, listen to birds, read books, and dream in the grass when you are tired-can you imagine a more suitable pastime?
Lu Fangweng has a poem: "Call the swift horse to welcome the new moon, but take advantage of the cool night"; This is the romance of being a local official. Although I didn't ride a horse or sit in a sedan chair when I was in Cambridge, I also had my romantic life: I often rode a car to catch up with the flat sun in the sky when the sun was setting. I can't catch up with the sun. I don't have the absurdity of Kuafu, but the tenderness of the evening scene has been stolen by me. There are three or two painting-like experiences that are still vivid today. Just watching the sunset, we usually only know climbing mountains or facing the sea, but in fact we only need a vast sky, and the sunset glow on the flat ground is sometimes just as magical. Once I rushed to a place, holding the fence of a village in my hand, and watching the changes in the western world through a field of wheat waves. At one time, a large flock of sheep came back from grazing on a broad road. The huge sun was shining on their backs with Jin Hui, but the sky was dark and blue, leaving only a road and a group of creatures in this incredible light! My heart suddenly felt the oppression of the opposite sex, and I really knelt down and faced the golden light of Ran Ran. Once again, it was an unforgettable wonder. It was near a vast grassland that was endless, full of brilliant red poppies. In the grass, it was graceful like ten thousand golden lanterns. The sunshine came from brown clouds obliquely, turning into a strange purple, which was transparent and could not be stared at. Suddenly, in my dazzling vision, this grass field became ... Let alone, you don't believe it!
It's been more than two years since we left each other, Cambridge. Who knows my homesickness? I don't want anything else. I just want the evening shaken by the late clock, the uncovered fields, leaning alone in the soft grass and watching the first big star appear on the horizon!
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