I haven't been back to Xupu for many years, and I haven't seen the pontoon bridge for many years. The old impression is already a little vague. Different legends make me elusive. I don't know who built this pontoon bridge at first. I don't know, it has been repeatedly hit by floods, experienced many tests of life and death, and made too many great contributions. I don't know why the previous pontoon bridge was often washed away, but the later pontoon bridge was as safe as Mount Tai. I want to get to the bottom of it.
Professor Wang Jiong-hua is a very rigorous scholar. He studied in Xupu when he was young and worked in Wuhan when he was an adult. He published many academic monographs in his life. He told me solemnly that the ancestor of Xupu pontoon bridge was General Chen Xialing. After its owner was killed by mistake in 5, it was also washed away by the flood. Later, the party and government rehabilitated Mr. Chen, and later people came back from the United States to thank the people in their hometown for their grievances and donated money to rebuild it again. Rebuild later and contribute to the county government. Mr. Mi Zhihua was born and raised in Xupu, and has been working in Xupu County Committee. He has published and edited many books. Despite being in different situations, they all said in unison: "Xupu pontoon bridge was originally built at the expense of Mr. Chen Yaling, the general of Conway, in the 194s. After several renovations, it will contribute to the county government. " They are all cultural celebrities, and all of them are well-founded. The statements of Mr. He Xianpei and Mr. Yu Jingan are consistent with the records of Xupu County Records checked by Mr. Qin Kun, saying that it was built by the county Zhengyang South Goods Store in 1943. After three restoration, all of them were funded by the county government. Everything has nothing to do with Chen ...
words are spoken by people, news is passed on by people, stories are made up by people, and County Records is written by later generations. Everyone has the possibility of remembering the wrong characters, and there is also the possibility of deliberately arrogant in a specific historical background. I don't blindly comment on what is right and wrong, and I don't rashly judge who is wrong and who is right. Because there are so many things in this world that I don't know the truth, I can't prove it. Even if the textual research comes out, what's the point if people go to the building? I believe in my own eyes, my own experience and my true feelings.
I first saw the pontoon bridge in the 198s.
I went to the teachers' training school that day. I just arrived in Xupu. Standing on the bridge and leaning against the railing, I saw a clear river flowing slowly from east to west. The river is full of jade, from far to near, shining with fine scales.
In this distant sight, there is a pontoon bridge that looks like the first photo, lying quietly on the Lianshui River. There are no fixed piers and no high arches. I saw more than a dozen wooden boats, propped up by wooden planks, like millipedes painted by artists, lying on their backs and showing their bellies. The wooden boat has a square end and a sharp end, and it is moored in the water. From a distance, it looks like a bullet lying on the glass surface. The wooden Fang is the same thickness and length, aligned with the wooden boat, tied with steel cables, and stretched to both ends. Like a wide and long bullet belt, it hangs around the waist of the big man in Lishui, with one end pulling the north and the other pulling the south, closely connecting the north and south banks.
the north of the city is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the river is surrounded by trees. At first glance, you can know that it is a land of feng shui. In the meantime, it is the political, economic and cultural center of Xupu, with numerous institutions, businessmen and humanities. Rows of high-rise buildings, facing south, are surrounded by mountains and waters, squeezing both sides of the street tightly. Houses of different sizes, with different heights and styles, sealed the riverside tightly. Deep river street, ancient alley, from the old railway station to the front of Siping, extends for several miles. And the jagged diaojiao building is like a naughty girl, some put their legs into the water, and some put their feet on the land, showing their charm to the fullest, and freely venting their individuality ... All this shows the prosperity here and constitutes the quaint and beautiful scenery of the city.
the south of the city is a vast area, which is the junction of urban and rural areas, the gateway to and from the county seat, and the hometown of Chen Yaling, a patriotic general of the Qing Dynasty. People from the south to the north have to pass through here. Commodities bought in the east and sold in the west have also flowed in and out from here. Although it has just been included in the category of towns, it is also a relatively lively place with dense houses, large population and several factories.
The appearance of the pontoon bridge has become a beautiful thing on earth, bringing convenient transportation and smooth communication to the north and south of the city.
but the past is hard to remember, which makes people feel sad.
Before that, Lishui was like a giant python, lying in front of us, blocking the road. The north and the south, like a pair of mandarin ducks, are eager to cling to each other, but there is an insurmountable stick in the middle. Another example is the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, who are located on both sides of the Milky Way. They can stare at each other, but they can't walk into each other's side. It is said that the pontoon bridge has been built twice here, but it can't stand the impact of floods, and only an empty battlefield is left. There is a highway bridge in the west, but it is far away and it is inconvenient to go around. People often choose the ferry when crossing the river. But it's a waste of time to wait for the boat. It's not safe to take the boat. Whenever the flood comes, either a ferry is swept away by the flood or a passer-by is killed here. Among them, there are four families, and three people unfortunately fell into the water. When it was salvaged, it was still tightly hugged. Tears of relatives flowed into the river. On the bank of the river, there was a sad cry.
At that time, it was still very poor. Facing the wide river, the people could only look at the ocean and sigh. It was really helpless. They all pinned their hopes on the county party committee and government.
in 1985, the county government formulated the development strategy of the south of the city, and built a business street and an agricultural product trading market opposite the West Lake mouth. In order to facilitate communication, the government funded the construction of more than a dozen wooden boats, bought wooden Fang and steel cables, built two bridge piles, and built the pontoon bridge that we saw, just like the first photo. Linking the north and the south, the drowning barrier has become a thoroughfare.
During the day, passers-by cross the pier, step on the trembling pontoon bridge and walk to the other side, which not only saves the time of waiting for the boat, but also enjoys quickness, comfort and safety.
at night, street lamps are lit on both sides, and the pontoon becomes a crescent moon, falling from the sky and lying in the water. Tired people come here, enjoy the cool breeze and lingering, enjoy the bimonthly silent sex, and suddenly their fatigue disappears and their troubles are dispelled. The graceful woman walks on the bridge, and the graceful figure is reflected in the water, just like Chang 'e dancing in the moon palace, which is really intoxicating!
unfortunately, the pontoon bridge needs the cable tied to the iron column on the stone pile to be stable and safe. The bridge was repaired, and no one supervised it properly. After only a few short years, the stone pile failed to withstand the impact and collapsed. The iron column lacked protection and rusted. The cable couldn't bear to wear and fell apart. Wooden boats and bridge slabs floated on the water, unable to be fixed, followed the flood, entered Dongting, crossed the Yangtze River and drifted to the Pacific Ocean.
people are asking for reconstruction. But the government's finances are tight and it can't pay for it at the moment. It dragged on for years.
Time is like an old man, walking with difficulty. Every time I walk around, I am worried about the heartstrings of the leaders of the county party Committee and county government.
in order to live up to our mission and facilitate the people in the county, in 1999, the county government resolutely proposed that we are parents of the people, and we can't live up to their expectations no matter how difficult it is! So special funds were allocated from the tight funds to rebuild a new pontoon bridge exactly like the last photo.
Although this new bridge is still in the same place, it is also composed of the same four main parts. However, the county government led scientific planning and design, and learned from previous experiences and lessons, and took a series of effective management and protection measures. The bridge built is more spacious, firmer, more stable and more beautiful than before. Three lighthouses were built on the bridge to guide passers-by. Although the bridge slab is still wooden, it is wider, thicker and longer. Anti-corrosion oil is boiled inside, the surface is painted with anti-corrosion paint, and a hard and wear-resistant alloy plate is nailed on it. The load-bearing steel ship has a larger and longer hull, which is soaked with antirust oil and coated with antirust agent. Although the steel cable is still used, the steel wire is wound more tightly, and the inside and outside are waterproof and antirust. Rust spots are hard to grow without water. Crucially, the reinforced concrete piles, which play a fixing role on both sides of the river, have large and thick bases and long and thick columns, which are deeply embedded in the earth and become the backbone of the pontoon bridge. They are both stable and firm, pulling steel boats and bridge wood.
Now that the flood has passed, the water level has already fallen. On the embankment, there are high traces of floods. In the river, the pontoon bridge is like a kind old man, silent and safe. The river is crystal clear, and the river field is as green as blue. The pontoon bridge, clear water and green grass are perfectly integrated, which makes people relaxed and happy.
The pontoon bridge is very low in the county seat, so it is very inconspicuous. Nowadays, with the tall and gorgeous reinforced concrete bridge, it is even less noticeable. No one sings praises for it, no one promotes it, and Baidu can't find a special webpage. But like Buddha and Bodhisattva, it is sincere and kind, and welcomes all beings, regardless of sex, age, wealth, rank, position, workers, businessmen, fishermen and farmers alike. It braved the wind and rain, suffered repeated shocks, endured hardships and vicissitudes, paid much service and played much role, and did not make public. The old man stepped on it and went to the hospital to see a doctor, saving his life and health. Young and middle-aged people worked hard and realized their values and dreams. Children who step on it and enter the classroom will become the pillars of the country. Zhai Gengjia walked past it and organized the establishment of a secret party branch in Xupu. Shu Xincheng went to Shanghai through it, and edited and published a dictionary of Ci Hai. Wang Yaowen walked through it to Manshui Village to experience life and wrote a long masterpiece Manshui. Teacher Shu Xinyu walked by it, "awakened" Qu Yuan to sing "Nine Songs" and "invited" Xiang Jingyu to Xupu. How many commodities have merchants provided to the public through it? How many tall buildings have been built by migrant workers' brothers ... Who knows how much weight it has carried day and night?
When I wrote this article, but didn't write the specific name of the bridge builder, Professor Wang Jiong-hua told me, "When writing Xupu pontoon bridge, I can't help but write Chen Ya-ling. Because he is the ancestor of Xupu pontoon bridge. Don't forget the well digger when you draft. We can't forget him!
Maybe everyone wants to remember the good thing of investing in the pontoon bridge, but they don't remember exactly who did it. It is a pity that I dare not write anyone's name at will without textual research. But I don't think it's important, because it's not the original intention of doing good deeds to impress future generations. People who do good deeds are not interested in fame and fortune. What's important is that from Professor Wang's words and deeds, I can see everyone's sincere respect for those who do good deeds, the gratitude of Xupu people and the sincerity of Xupu people. Yes, whether it is Mr. Chen Xialing or Zhengyang South Goods Store, whether it is the initial bridge builder or the later bridge builder, whether it is the county party committee and county government or ordinary people, as long as they do something beneficial to the people, everyone will respect them. While I admire and thank those who contributed to the bridge repair, I also deeply admire and thank Professor Wang Jiong-hua, Teacher Mi Zhihua, Teacher He Xianpei, Teacher Yu Jing 'an and Mr. Qin Kun. They are all people I have never met, but they are all so enthusiastic, so sincere and so serious in helping me answer my questions, regardless of being unfamiliar or looking down on me. I think they are the inheritors of the spirit of pontoon bridge, showing their opinions and spreading great love, right?
it's been 28 years since I first saw the pontoon bridge and now I'm writing about it. With the earth-shaking changes in Xupu, the original diaojiao building disappeared and was replaced by a high-rise building. Laohe Street was demolished and a strong and beautiful flood control levee was built. The streets are wider, there are more shopping malls, the railway station has moved, and highways and high-speed railways are about to open to traffic. Zhangjiaqiao stinking ditch has been filled, and a wide Qu Yuan Avenue has been built. Manshui village has become a farm for leisure and holiday. The size of the county has expanded several times, and the south of the city has become a busy town. Several bridges have been newly built ... but the pontoon bridge has been preserved by the government according to the wishes of the people. So far, it is still lying on the river in Xupu County, sticking to its post all year round, enjoying warm wind in spring, enjoying cool in summer, being lonely in autumn, kissing snow and frost in winter, welcoming the rising sun in the morning and sending the sunset in the evening, relying on the strength of reinforced concrete columns and the strength of the deep earth, welcoming and sending it with great love. At the same time, it has become a history and ideological and moral textbook, from which we may be able to read more and more ...