Zhonglou Ancient Village

1. Overview of the ancient village

? Bell Tower Ancient Village is located in the northwest of Taiping Town, Conghua District, Guangzhou City. It was built during the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty and is about 13 kilometers away from the town government. In the Qing Dynasty, the village belonged to Shuixibao Jinggang, Conghua County, Guangzhou Prefecture. During the Republic of China, it belonged to the Southern District of Conghua County, Guangdong Province (later known as Heping Township, District 2, Conghua County, directly under the Office of the Commissioner of the Guangdong Provincial Government). After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it belonged to Sinan Township, Southern District, Conghua County, Beijiang Provisional Administrative Committee, Guangdong Province. In March 1955, it belonged to Lianlou Township, Taiping District Office, Conghua County, Shaoguan Commissioner's Office. On October 1, 1958, it belonged to the Taiping Commune Bell Tower Brigade. In January 1987, it belonged to Zhonglou Village, Shengang Town, Conghua County. In 2004, it belonged to Zhonglou Village, Taiping Town, Conghua City. From January 2014 to present, it belongs to Zhonglou Administrative Village, Taiping Town, Conghua District, Guangzhou City.

2. Legend of the ancient village

The surname of the villagers in Zhonglou Village is Ouyang. According to records, in the Song Dynasty, the Ouyang surname moved from Taihe, Jiangxi to Fengyuan, Guangdong. In the Qing Dynasty, some people moved to Donghuali in the city. Ouyang Renshan's two sons, Ouyang Shu and Ouyang Zai, moved from Donghuali to the present-day site.

The construction of Bell Tower Village was planned from Ouyang Renshan, and building the village required a lot of funds. So, where does the funding come from? There are many versions of this answer, and the answer is still inconclusive. Renshangong's predecessors moved from Fengyuan Village to Donghuali, mainly for the convenience of doing business. They had opened a grocery store and a pawn shop, and the business was still decent. The income was not much, and they were still a little short of money, which was far from the cost of building a new village. Ouyang Shu once said in "The Story of the Bell Tower": "But I, the great ancestor of Ji Jun, lived in the same house. In terms of food, he could only make ends meet, and in terms of income, he could only get more than 20 people. From this point of view, it is wrong to move safely, and it is wrong to move not." The servant is weak and laments the displacement of the previous generations. Seeing the loneliness and weakness of the present, he can't help but worry about where he came from... He knows that Donghua is not a place where he can stay for a long time. He is eager to move to a new place and is very focused on choosing a place."

? Ouyang Shu said that his eagerness to move and his single-mindedness in choosing a place were mainly influenced by his father. "This opinion was stated by my uncle before my father, and it is said to be correct." It can be seen that the father and son have a discussion. The three of them, father and son, have a very good relationship. They are brothers of the same mind, discuss things with each other, divide work and cooperate, and everything will naturally fall into place.

There is no official record of this village construction fund. Among the people, it was quite popular. In the early years of Xianfeng, the scope of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom activities was expanding. Hong Xiuquan and others were preparing to start an uprising in Guangxi, and many of his colleagues had gathered in Guangxi. It is said that the villagers in Shiwu and other villages in Paitan, Zengcheng are all members of Shi Dakai's tribe, and they also responded to Shi Dakai's call and moved closer to Hong Xiuquan of Guangxi. Carrying their luggage, gold and silver jewelry and other family property, they marched from Paitan to Conghua, heading towards Guangxi. Worried about being pursued by the government and traveling day and night, someone might have fallen behind, and the treasure he picked up might have been lost and happened to be discovered by Lord Renshang. When Lord Renshang picked up treasure, he didn't dare to say that he picked up something from the Taiping Army. He became rich all of a sudden. He was no longer "just enough to live on" and he became generous with his money. Neighbors also knew that he had made a fortune, and some even suspected that he had made a fortune selling opium, but there was no evidence. It is a bit far-fetched to say that you can make so much money by doing business. In order to prove that the source of his huge wealth was correct, he simply publicly stated that he picked it up on the road when he got up early in the morning to do business. He picked up a jar of "Seven Stars with the Moon". The "Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon" treasure jar is very strange. The treasure inside will increase automatically the next day as much as you use it. It will never be used up. Only those who are born with good luck can encounter it. Anyway, he said so, he picked it up, and other neighbors also said so, and the origin of the funds spread like this. This story was still circulated in society until the Republic of China, and still had influence in the early days of liberation. When I was a child, I heard my seniors say it themselves, and they looked envious when they said it.

The story has been compiled and someone needs to perform it along with it. So he took several of his long-term workers to the side of the intersection near Donghuali and planted a banyan tree to thank the road god of the land. According to the custom at that time, planting a banyan tree was detrimental to the person who planted the banyan tree. The so-called banyan tree was not intolerant of people. But Lord Renshan had his own way. Although he planted the banyan trees himself, he dug the pit and asked the long-term workers to dig it. After the pit was dug, he asked several long-term workers to lift the tree to the pit, and then asked the long-term workers to cultivate the soil. After cultivating the soil, he stepped on it a few times and it was considered the banyan tree he had planted, fulfilling his wish to repay the gods.

He felt that the banyan tree was not planted by himself, but by long-term workers. God wouldn't let him! Since then, he felt at ease, and he actively used the treasure he obtained to expand his business, making more and more money. This also verified his statement about the "seven stars accompanying the moon" treasure jar, and his wealth was really increasing.

As the business grew bigger and bigger, the money became more and more, and conflicts within the family also arose. The shortcomings that occur in many wealthy families also appeared in Ouyang's family. Some women spend money lavishly. Anyway, the money is spent and not in vain. Some younger generations are unwilling to make progress and are afraid of hard work in studying and doing business. There are more and more people who are lazy and lazy. What's more, some people learn to eat, drink, whore, and gamble. Many bad habits in small towns seriously affect the development of the family. Seeing this, Renshang Gong felt more and more uncomfortable the more he thought about it, it was all the fault of the rich. Living in the county is convenient for doing business and spending money, but sitting there and living will definitely lead to bankruptcy, which is detrimental to the development of the family. So, he learned from the experience and came up with the idea of ​​moving. After discussing it with his two sons, the three of them hit it off and agreed. The rest of the story happened next.

He handed over the business to his two sons and went outside the county to look for geomantic treasures to build a new home. Soon, he found the vicinity of Jinzhongwei and saw a mountain as solid as a golden bell, covering a precious land. A small river flowed in front like a jade belt. Looking at the fields, it was just farming. The traditional thought of farming and reading passed down from his family aroused a passion in his heart, prompting him to make up his mind to move out of the county.

He found out that the ownership of this land belonged to the Kapok people. Is there any way to get the Kapok people to transfer this land? He has "seven stars accompanying the moon", so buying them with money is not a problem. Kapok is a big village with many powerful households, and they are not short of money. Generally, their ancestral fields will not be sold. After careful consideration, he decided to play the family card and marry his smartest and most beautiful daughter Guixiang to the son of a landlord in Kapok Village. From then on, he and the landlord became in-laws. I usually send gifts to each other in the name of my children and their in-laws, leaving a very good impression on them. Now, the word "Guixiang" on the alley near the ancestral hall is engraved on the alley door of Zhonglou Village. The other alley doors are not engraved. It is said that Ouyang Shu inscribed it in memory of his younger sister and contributed to the construction of the village. Do it intentionally.

Then, through the relationship between his in-laws, Renshangong built a shack at the foot of Jinzhong Mountain and raised many chickens, geese and ducks. The poultry he raised often ate up all the rice from his parents-in-law and nearby villagers, and everyone was very dissatisfied with him. He immediately said he was sorry and doubled the compensation for everyone's losses, so everyone had nothing to say. After the compensation, he often chatted with these villagers, saying that compensation was not an option because chickens and ducks were inhumane and would constantly trample crops in search of food. It would be difficult to harvest any more from these fields. It would be better to sell these fields to him, and he could pay a much higher price. In this way, one household after another worked hard, and before they knew it, all the fields at the foot of Jinzhong Mountain were bought.

? Then, he stopped raising chickens and ducks. On these fields, he hired a large number of workers to make bricks and tiles, and they took mud and made bricks and tiles in the places he planned. Day after day passed, the dredged area had turned into a huge fish pond, and the burned bricks and tiles were piled up in piles in the open space surrounded by the fish pond. When a worker asked him: "Boss, you asked us to burn so many bricks and tiles, but they are not used to sell or build houses. What are they used for?" Renshangong smiled and said: "You have food. , As long as you have money, why ask so much? "It wasn't until a few years later that Mr. Renshang got old, exhausted his efforts, and fell ill. He looked at the piles of bricks and tiles and the fish ponds, and the village in his mind had been built. After his death, his two sons followed his will and "built their father's grave" and buried him on the hillside of Admiralty Mountain. Then "I thought about it morning and night, and I saw that the felt was very wide, and it could be used as a Yang base." So the brothers inherited their father's legacy, hired a large number of construction workers, and built Bell Tower Village as planned. After the workers arrived at the construction site, they fetched bricks and tiles on the spot and followed the owner's instructions. The project progressed quickly. "Two kilns were built, and the workers gathered hundreds of people. The materials were transported by water and land, and they were always concerned about them. The workmen were always concerned about whether they were heavy or light. The spirit moved alone, forgetting the spring and autumn years; the mind and heart worked together, and they did not know how to prepare for the hard work. "The construction of the wall was not completed in Wuwu. The wall was completed in Gengwu. Jinhuo originally lived in Wuyue." "The Bell Tower" says so.

Bell Tower Village was finally built. Seeing the beautiful Bell Tower Village, people remembered Renshangong’s good intentions. Renshangong’s original plan can be said to be perfect and fully functional.

In the green brick and stone alleys, every household watches and helps each other, the walls are high, and there are watchtowers at the four corners. In the northwest corner, a large five-story watchtower was built to protect the entire village. After the village was built, it is said that there were no more than twenty green bricks left, which shows the exquisite design and accurate calculation.

? The village is located from west to east, and the dug fish pond just surrounds the east, south and north of the village. When the sun rises from the mountains to the east, it is reflected in the pond, forming the landscape of Shuangyangzhao Village. A long row of single-room houses was built behind the village, which were allocated to each household for storage of firewood and sundries. They also served as the fence behind the village. An exquisite gatehouse was built in the middle of the village. On the road between the two fish ponds outside the gatehouse, another magnificent Wufulinmen Mountain Gate with gray plastic bricks was built. Unfortunately, it was later demolished when the village road was expanded. There is a legend that because the village gatehouse was built in the middle of the village, the village was called Zhonglou Village. When the government posted house numbers on the houses in the village, they also wrote "Zhonglou Village". But the villagers prefer "Bell Tower" Village. The word "Bell Tower" on the gate tower was written by Ouyang Rutuan, a calligrapher in the village and former principal of Shengang Middle School. Most of the couplet plaques in the ancestral hall in the village are written by him.

The two brothers built the village and were so happy that they wanted to invite their families to live there. But most of the family members objected. You can live well in the county and have good food, so why would you want to move to a mountain village? Many people couldn't figure it out, and the female relatives were even less willing to go. If you move to a mountain village, who can you look for to conquer the Sifang City?

The two brothers felt that procrastinating like this was not the answer. Only by moving to the bottom and cutting off all escape routes could they take root and spread their branches in the new village. So, the eldest brother took the lead and held a family meeting, saying that the two brothers had worked hard to build the new village, and it would be fine if they didn't move in. Now that you are planning to join a new village, you have to go and have a look! Those female relatives, you look at me and I look at her, they all feel that they shouldn’t go too far. They still have to go to join the new house, but it’s just hard work along the way...

? The eldest brother Ouyang Shu seemed to see through these people's worries, so he stood up and said, "Don't worry about the hardships along the way. I have hired bearers, donkeys and horses, and provided food and accommodation along the way." Someone is taking care of me." With such concern, everyone really had nothing to say but agreed.

In this way, a large group of people set off from Donghuali, passed through Fengmeiling, went to Sanjiang, and then passed through Dahao Jinggang and other villages, stopping and walking, eating and drinking along the way. , but the journey is extremely slow. When we arrived at Bell Tower Village, it was already sunset. A ray of sunset shines on the magnificent Five Bats Linmen archway, which is very eye-catching and dazzling. When the servants led them into each room, they were even more surprised. They saw that the rooms were filled with familiar things, including the beds, tables, tables, etc., which were exactly the same as those in the Donghuali home.

It turned out that the Ouyang Shu brothers had already hired a big boat and were waiting at the pier at the intersection of Liuxi River. As soon as the family members came out of the gate, a large number of hired workers immediately came into the house and packed away the furniture. All supplies and supplies were marked and loaded onto the ship. The big boat sailed along the Liu Xi River, and soon arrived at Kui Tsui Pier, and then along the Che Tsai Hang River, a tributary, to the vicinity of Zhonglou Village. Then by land, a large number of migrant workers moved furniture and sundries to Zhonglou Village. Each house and household is decorated as it was when they were in Donghuali. In order to have enough time to move, Ouyang Shu brothers also specially ordered the bearers to take more detours, rest more, stop and go, and serve them with good food and drinks along the way, so as to delay the time as much as possible. In this way, when the family members arrived, the sun was already fading. As soon as I see a room that feels like my own home, I feel a sense of belonging. Although some people made a fuss and wanted to move back to Donghuali, when they heard that everything in their homes in Donghuali had been moved to Bell Tower, they had no choice but to give up and settle down in Bell Tower Village.

Nine years later, Ouyang Shu was so happy that he couldn't help but write "The Bell Tower". He said: "Looking back to the first time we moved, it has been nine years now. I wonder where you live? I want to think about people now. There are ten men and women, and the national tax meter is several liters long. The second son's business has been in Xiang, and everything in the family is going well. Who is coming is unknown, what is going is as expected? Is it because of the spirit of the earth? Looking at the beautiful dragons and guarding the sand in the open air, I look at the water that greets me calmly, and the spiritual light shines inside everywhere. In the middle. The prosperity is waiting, and each good thing should be done first. From then on, the two brothers divided their labors, either keen on farming and studying, or good at business, and spread their branches. Zhonglou Village became famous far and wide in the land of Congyi.

3. Anecdotes

? (1) Two Strange Wells

? It is said that there are two strange wells in Zhonglou Village, one is Wangding and the other is Prosperous wealth. The water from Wangding's well is clear and sweet, and has the effect of beautifying the skin. Men and women who drink the water from this well for a long time will become more and more beautiful. Even if you marry an ugly wife, if you drink water from this well for a long time, you will become beautiful. The daughter-in-law is beautiful, and the men are willing to get along with her day and night, and are unwilling to leave home to go out to do business. They live a farm life with their daughter-in-law, working at sunrise and resting at dawn. In this way, the population will naturally grow. Gradually, the population increased, expenses increased, and savings gradually decreased. People said that the well was prosperous but not prosperous. The water from the other well contains trace elements that promote brain thinking. People who drink the water from this well for a long time will become smarter and smarter. Even children who are unresponsive at birth will become active and flexible in thinking if they drink water from this well for a long time. These people are unwilling to live in the countryside. Most of them go out to explore the world, become officials, do business, and make a fortune. I spend less time at home and spend less time with my wife at home. Seeing that men are not at home, women gradually become lazy to dress up and gradually become "ugly". The number of people in the family is getting smaller and smaller, but the accumulation of wealth is increasing. People say that this well is prosperous in wealth but not in children. Can you tell which well is prosperous and which is prosperous?

These two wells are located in the village. Few people use them now, and the water quality has also changed. For safety reasons, they are now covered with cement boards and sealed.

(2) Private School "West Garden"

In the eighth year of Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty, a private school "West Garden" was set up in the bell tower. It was located in a house at the back of the west corner of the village, with a continuous hall, as a symbol of classroom. Being close to a large watchtower, maybe children should be protected first!

In the second year, Xiyuan achieved results. "The second son entered Xiang, and everything went smoothly for the whole family." The second son became a student and was already taking the imperial examination. Ouyang Shu's happiness and satisfaction can be reflected from this passage: "The house is close to the green mountains, and the lush pines are lush; the jade belt on the door knocks, and the beautiful bamboos are dancing. I can't see the mulberry trees in the south acres, and I can't hear them. After reading the poem in the West Garden, the spring flowers and the autumn moon are full of poetry; there are many bright windows, and there are many delicacies. The vegetable garden can be used for meals; although the guests have no taste, this is a rare thing. The Wangchuan of Jiejie is even more difficult than the Mengcheng of Juyi. Liao said: I also love my house, but it still has the flavor of Confucianism! How can I be happy with the elegance of Lanting and the joy of Pangu? "

"I also love my family" is the same in ancient and modern times.

(3) Curved fence

According to retired man Zhu Huanzhen, the residence was not a gift from the imperial court. The walls were built purely based on the wisdom of the infrastructure builders, who contacted relatives and friends extensively, invested huge sums of money, and conducted friendly and fair transactions. It is true that construction will be built later.

This is evidenced by the current wall in front of the village from the left to the west of the east gate tower. Several Xie family tombs were blocked from being relocated and were forced to build a curved wall; another example is the west side of the village. Because the Chen family in Xiling Village was somewhat unwilling to sell it, they were forced to build a z-shaped fence. This became a model for infrastructure builders to abide by township regulations and civil covenants, which shows the virtues of infrastructure builders in this regard. This also demonstrates the elegant demeanor of the infrastructure builders. ……