North-South dividing line, you should know the origin of Huaihe River.
What is the Huaihe River? This question has different answers in different times.
In the early days of ignorance, people thought that the Huaihe River was transformed by the blood of Pangu, the great god of creation, and it was one of the four most important rivers in China, along with the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and Jishui. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, there were temples in Sidu, and when emperors offered sacrifices to famous mountains and rivers, the Huaihe River was on the list. Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which connects the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, the Huaihe River, the Haihe River and the Qiantang River in series, was born. As an important channel connecting the north and the south, the Huaihe River has witnessed numerous prosperous ups and downs.
After the Song Dynasty moved to the south, the Huaihe River became the front line of confrontation between Song and Jin Dynasties. The poet Yang Wanli wrote in "Four quatrains when I first entered the Huaihe River": "... the Changhuai River is separated from the north and the south, and who do you want to blame with tears and autumn wind? The boat in the Huai river runs counter to the opposite, and even the ripple marks that have been aroused can hardly be achieved. Only the gull heron is unrestrained, and it is flying from the north to the south. " The north of the Huaihe River has become a hometown that can't be returned, and it has also become an eternal pain in the hearts of Nandu scholars. In the mid-Southern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River burst its banks, and the Yellow River rushed south to seize the Huaihe River. A huge amount of sediment from the Yellow River quickly silted up the Huaihe River, and the Huaihe River overflowed, causing frequent floods. The people along the Huaihe River were like hanging basins, and they lived in panic for 8 years.
Nowadays, few people talk about the floods in Huaihe River. Only the older generation recalls their fiery years-Chushandian, Wangjiaba, Linhuaigang and Bengbu Gate ... and water conservancy projects tamed the raging floods. What is the Huaihe River like now?
verdant Tongbai Mountain, the mysterious source of Huaihe River
Tongbai Mountain is a mountain in the transition zone of Qinling Mountains and Dabie Mountains, with the highest peak Taibaiding at an altitude of 1,14 meters. This is not a very majestic mountain, but it is located at the junction of Henan and Hubei, which makes it look at the Central Plains in the north and Chutian in the south.
At the top of the misty mountain, the Sanskrit sounds are heard from the ancient Yuntai Temple from time to time. There is a well in front of and behind the temple, which has not withered for many years. They are called Dahuai Well and Xiaohuai Well respectively. They are the highest water level points in the whole Huaihe River basin and have always been regarded as the source of the Huaihe River.
When you walk into Tongbai Mountain, visitors will be fascinated by the lush forest, which frequently touches people's hearts, as well as waterfalls and flowing springs that can be seen everywhere in the mountain. Glittering streams fall from the rock wall, pass through boulders and dead trees, and appear in the flowers and grass, gurgling endlessly. If the stream is compared to a child, then Tongbai Mountain is covered with countless naughty elves.
During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Wu Cheng'en, a frustrated genius, visited Tongbai Mountain. He went to Shuilian Temple at the foot of the mountain, made a pious worship, and then walked around the cliff behind the temple by a path. He saw a waterfall as white as practice floating high, just like a white dragon sucking water, clean and vigorous. There is a huge cave hidden behind the waterfall. Climbing up, you can enter the cave. The abode of fairies and immortals is separated from the temple by a water curtain, which is like a world outside. According to local legend, Wu Zhiqi, a water demon, fought fiercely with Dayu here, and was finally subdued by Dayu and suppressed by chains at the bottom of Huaihe River. The scenery and legends here became the source of inspiration for Wu Cheng'en's creation of The Journey to the West. It is speculated that water curtain cave in Tongbai Mountain is the prototype of water curtain cave in Zhongguo Mountain in The Journey to the West, and the water demon suppressed by Dayu at the bottom of Huaihe River is also the prototype of the stone monkey suppressed by Buddha at the foot of Wuzhishan.
The Journey to the West began by saying, "Chaos is not divided into heaven and earth, and no one can see it. Since Pangu broke HarmonyOS, it has opened up a clear and turbid distinction from here ... "Tongbai Mountain is also the famous hometown of Pangu. It is recorded in ancient books:" Pangu opened the heavens and the earth, and the joints were mountains, rivers, blood, and hair. " As a result, Tongbai Mountain, as the source of Huaihe River, is associated with Pangu. Even the locals believe that after Pangu opened the world, the initial position was in Tongbai Mountain. There are many relics commemorating Pangu on Tongbai Mountain, and folk customs and sacrificial activities related to Pangu are also widely circulated in towns and villages at the foot of the mountain, which is unusual in other areas.
Little-known Three Gorges of Huaihe River
When the Huaihe River leaves Tongbai Mountain, it enters the magnanimous North China Plain, all the way to the east, out of Henan, across Anhui, and finally into the Yellow Sea from Jiangsu, winding around for 1, kilometers, but it is always unremarkable, with few rapids and rapids, so the slightly turbulent places will attract special attention.
Although the Three Gorges of Huaihe River is also known as the "Three Gorges", it is far from the magnificent Three Gorges of Yangtze River. Bagong Mountain in Huainan, Anhui Province is the first mountain that the Huaihe River passes through after flowing out of the source area. The Xiashan Gorge at the end of the west mountain is therefore known as the "First Gorge of the Huaihe River". I'm there, but it's hard to connect it with the canyon-the east and west banks are just two round hills, which are neither dangerous nor deep. Visually, they are more like a stone gate stuck in the river.
Jing Tu Shan in Bengbu is the second and third mountain that the Huaihe River passes through. Jingtu Mountain is only more than 6 meters apart. Huai River comes from south to north. When it hits Jingshan Mountain head-on, it breaks two big bends and passes through the cracks between the two mountains, which forms the second gorge of Huaihe River-Jingshan Gorge. Compared with Xiashan Gorge, Jingshan Gorge is superior in imposing manner. I feel a little oppressive in the steep mountain gorge.
Fushan Gorge, the third Three Gorges, is located at the junction of Anhui and Jiangsu. Fushan Mountain is just a short red ochre hillside, close to the south bank of Huaihe River, but there is no opposite peak on the north bank of Huaihe River. It is called "gorge" probably because the river suddenly narrows at the foot of the mountain, and the boat is like crossing the gorge.
The Three Gorges of Huaihe River is not outstanding in landscape, but there are countless related histories and legends. In the Yao-Shun era, Xiashan Gorge was narrow and closed, and floods often overflowed because of poor flood discharge, and the people along the coast complained bitterly. When Dayu guided the Huai River, he led the people to cut mountains and stones and dredge the gorge, which greatly eased the flood. More than 4 years later, in 1991, Xiashan Gorge was widened by more than 2 meters manually. Today, only the ancient Yuwang Temple on an isolated island in the middle of the river silently tells the story of the past dangers and floods.
Similar to Xiashan Gorge, Jingshan Gorge was very narrow at first, and only after several explorations by Dayu and later generations did it show its present appearance. However, the story of Jingshanxia is richer, because in addition to water control, Dayu married a daughter-in-law and gave birth to a child here, and convened the world's princes to form alliances, laying the foundation of the Xia Dynasty. The allusion of "going through the house three times and not entering" also happened here. On the Tu Shan, there is a natural rock resembling a human figure, which is independent on the cliff and overlooking the Huaihe River. The locals say that it is the Wangfu stone transformed by Dayu's wife.
The most profound impression of Fushan Gorge is a history of blood and tears. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, Liang Wudi in the Southern Dynasty built a weir here to stop the Huai River, hoping to replace soldiers with water and defeat Wei Jun. However, it is not easy to block the river. Hunger and cold in the middle of winter and epidemic disease in the middle of summer claimed the lives of more than 2, servicemen. When the high weir was built, the upstream 15 kilometers were all flooded; That autumn, the weir was washed away by the soaring river, and the flood peak was like thunder, rushing to the downstream village, and countless people were flooded. Innocent people have paid a heavy price for Liang Wudi's perversion.
Huaishang, an ancient city with a rich culture,
The Huaihe River is not too long. It starts from Taibaiding in Tongbai Mountain, Henan Province, and flows into the sea at Biandan Port in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. The total length of its main stream is about 1, kilometers, which is less than one-fifth of that of the Yellow River and one-sixth of that of the Yangtze River. However, the 1,-kilometer-long river surface, like a clear boundary, divides the eastern mainland of China into the south and the north in a geographical sense.
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, the ancients realized that "oranges born in Huainan are oranges, while those born in Huaibei are oranges". The warm temperate climate and subtropical climate developed separately on both sides of Huaihe River, giving birth to totally different agricultural ecology and folk customs with different styles. The Huaihe River Basin, which lies between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, has naturally become one of the most active and densely populated areas in China because of the interweaving and blending of North and South cultures. This land once gave birth to a group of thinkers who laid the foundation of Chinese culture, such as Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Mozi and Han Feizi, and also nurtured a group of doers who influenced the historical trend of China, such as Guan Zhong, Li Si, Liu Bang, Cao Cao, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhou Enlai.
"It's better to travel thousands of miles than to cross the Huaihe River." In the era when there is no flood disaster, the rich areas along the Huaihe River are the land of plenty that everyone yearns for. In the period of dynasty change or confrontation between the north and the south, the Huaihe River is the most frequent area for conflicts and wars. The tide of history surged back and forth on both sides of the Huaihe River, giving birth to many famous cities in the world.
Xinyang, Henan province is the first prefecture-level city where the Huaihe River flows, and is known as the "first city of Huaihe River". The beautiful Shihe River passes through the city, giving the city a touch of agility. There is an artificial lake with a vast water area in the west of the city. The low hills near the lake are the main producing areas of Xinyang Maojian tea. The green and round tea forest is like a furry green carpet, which stretches endlessly at first sight. It used to be the intersection of the Central Plains, Jingchu and Wuyue cultures, and the Zhou Emperor set up many vassal states in this area. Today, traces of many vassal States can still be traced. The ancient city sites of Shen, Xi, Lai, Huang and Jiang can be found along the Huaihe River in Xinyang. These ancient countries have gradually evolved into the origins of many Chinese surnames, so Xinyang is also known as the "hometown of overseas Chinese in the Central Plains".
Shouxian County, Anhui Province, known as Shouchun in ancient times, is located at the foot of Bagong Mountain, adjacent to Huaihe River in the west and Feishui in the north. It is a military commander who controls the north and south. Shouchun was originally the fief of Chun Shenjun, one of the four sons of the Warring States. When Qin Jun attacked Chu, the king of Chu fled all the way to the east, and Chun Shenjun dedicated this place to the king of Chu as the capital, but Chu only lasted for 18 years and was destroyed by Qin. In the subsequent history, Shouchun was ruled by the capital twice and the county 1 times by virtue of the terrain with water in the Jinshan Mountain. Numerous events and events were staged here, and a large number of cultural relics were deposited here, making it the hometown of idioms and allusions in China and the treasure house of cultural relics in Anhui Province. Shouchun's most eye-catching cultural relic is the surrounded, tall and solid city wall. This city wall was built in Song Dynasty, and it is one of the most complete ancient city defense systems in China. The wall is 9.7 meters high, nearly 2 meters wide at the bottom, and 7.1 kilometers in circumference. There are four gates in the city, each with a urn, and drainage culverts and moon dams for flood control and drainage are cleverly set up in the east and west corners of the north of the city. For thousands of years, Shouchun City Wall has not only shouldered the heavy responsibility of resisting invading enemies, but also intercepted the Huaihe River floods that frequently harass. Because of this, this city wall has survived to this day. Walking slowly through the city gate, the smooth jade-like bluestone slabs whisper the vicissitudes of the ancient city under their feet. Under the ancient pagoda with green eaves, in the temple gallery, the residents' ordinary and simple life of fireworks blends harmoniously with the endless stream of fresh tourists, while the stone artifacts that have been rediscovered shine in the window of the museum ...
Huai 'an, Jiangsu Province is the hometown of Premier Zhou Enlai, as well as the birthplace of military genius Han Xin and literary master Wu Cheng'en. The main city is located at the intersection of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Huaihe River. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was once tied with Suzhou, Hangzhou and Yangzhou as four metropolises of the Canal. Hundreds of years of vigorous grain transportation not only brought mountains of goods and endless business trips, but also brought prosperity and richness better than Jiangnan. "The canal is 3, miles long, and Qingjiangpu is the most memorable." Qingjiangpu is a port business town on Huai 'anli Canal. In the canal era, it was the most important transportation hub north of the Yangtze River, with the reputation of "thoroughfare of nine provinces", covered by boats, dense streets, pavilions and gardens. Today, the Puheli Canal in Qingjiang River has been calm. In order to meet the navigation needs of large ships, people have dug a new river to the west of the Li Canal, which passes through the high-rise buildings. The wide river surface is still a busy scene of hundreds of battles, while the ancient Li Canal has hidden its merits and fame and has become a beautiful urban landscape. When you search along the Li Canal, you can visit Zhenhuai House, which has stood for thousands of years, the Governor's Office of Water Transport, which is in charge of the world's water transport, and the ancient town of Hexia, where talented people come forth in large numbers, and feel the most beautiful memory of Huai 'an.
Huai River flows into the sea, and the river An Lan
As early as about 2,6 years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period, amazing water conservancy projects appeared along the Huai River-Dayepi and Shaopi (in today's Huoqiu and Shouxian counties) built by Chu Xiang Sun Shuao, and they have been used ever since. Therefore, in a long historical period, the Huaihe River basin was a rich granary in the world, but all this came to an abrupt end after the Yellow River burst its banks in 1194.
The invasion of the Yellow River caused the overall disorder of the Huaihe River system, and the increasingly silted riverbed made it difficult for the upstream water to vent. These rivers, which were supposed to flow eastward into the sea, gradually gathered in the plain in the east of Xuyi, and connected the original Shui Ze and in series, resulting in the vast Hongze Lake. In the Ming Dynasty, in order to ensure smooth water transportation, a hundred-mile embankment was built east of Hongze Lake to accumulate the silt in the canal washed by the lake. The dam was built higher and higher, and Hongze Lake eventually became a suspended lake that could burst at any time. After the return of the Yellow River to the north in 1855, the river below Hongze Lake was silted up, and the Huaihe River completely lost its access to the sea, so it had to borrow the Yangtze River to enter the sea. The river can't discharge flood effectively, and the Huaihe River has also become a disaster-prone river. According to incomplete statistics, during the 755 years from 1194 to 1949, there were 316 large-scale floods in the Huaihe River Basin, which happened once every 2.4 years on average. Every time a flood strikes, tens of millions of acres of cultivated land are submerged, countless towns and villages are swallowed up by turbid waves, and thousands of people drown in the bottom of the water ...
In 195, the new China, which is in a state of great urgency, implemented two major measures at the same time, one was to resist US aggression and aid Korea, and the other was to control the Huaihe River. Under the call of Chairman Mao that the Huaihe River must be repaired, the people along the Huaihe River have devoted themselves to the cause of harnessing the Huaihe River with great enthusiasm. After nearly 7 years of hard work, * * * has built more than 6,3 reservoirs, 63, kilometers of dikes, 22, sluices, 27 flood storage areas, and countless ponds, pumps and irrigation canals, thus making the Huaihe River the first river in China to be comprehensively and systematically harnessed.
Today, when tourists stroll along the Hongze Lake, there is a misty water surface on one side and a leafy shelter forest on the other. The stocky levees extend to the horizon in a wave shape, and the villages and towns next to the levees are hidden by flowers, so they are clean and elegant, and they don't feel the slightest uneasiness of hanging the lake. On the east side of the levee, three artificial rivers drive in parallel on the vast plain of northern Jiangsu, leading directly to the sea. After more than 8 years, the Huaihe River finally has its own access to the sea. Huai River enters the sea, and the great river An Lan, the bitter history of this ancient river is gone forever.