"Jincheng is surrounded by Qingfeng, and the mirror water divides the bottom of the ravine equally." This is the stone drum pavilion couplet on the embankment of Cihu, just north of Guxian County, Cicheng, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
"Ten hectares of blue waves" is located in Wangfeng Peak in the north of Cihu Lake, and the south is under the jurisdiction of Gucixi County. It is the geomantic lake and the water to protect the city in Cixi county in the old days, and it is also an important "water tank" of the Grand Canal (east Zhejiang section) (water storage and flood diversion).
In the Yangtze River Delta cultural tourism circle, the ancient town of Cicheng, where Cihu is located, is a hot spot. However, tourists often leave in a hurry after a cursory visit to the ancient county towns of Cixi, such as Ya and Confucius Temple, and rarely experience the "quiet" soul and "slow" silence that really breeds the temperament of Cixi.
If a tourist can listen to the waves and have a rest on the magnetic lake, he will be surprised to find that there are not only charming lakes and mountains, but also rich cultural attractions. To the north of the ancient city and to the south of Qingshan, there is a beautiful lake, neither deep nor shallow, neither too big nor too small, which has given birth to too many stories.
The pictures in this article are provided by Li Wei, Wang Qi and Xu Xiaoxing.
Lake of Humanity: "The flowers in front of Kanxiang are like brocade, and Yang Gong Temple is like water."
The poetic dwelling of human beings is always accompanied by lakes. For thousands of years, from the misty Dongting Lake in Taihu Lake to Walden Lake surrounded by dense forests, and then to Lugu Lake in Yunnan, where the sky can be clearly reflected, a bird's eye view of the earth is like a lake mirror, which also reflects the literary mind of people living in the lake. The scenery of Cihu Lake has attracted many cultural "people with heart" to stay.
In the second year of Wu Chiwu (239), Kan Ze, a famous figure in the Three Kingdoms period, donated his book collection to the shore of Cihu Lake and renamed it "Fu Sai Ji", which is a much-told story in the history of Buddhism in China. The mansion of Kanyu was rebuilt in the late Tang Dynasty, and was named by Kan Ze with the word "Derun". The two existing classic buildings of the Tang Dynasty in eastern Zhejiang are from this temple.
When it comes to ancient knowledge in eastern Zhejiang, today's pursuit of Wang Yangming is at its peak. However, before Wang Yangming, the academic research in eastern Zhejiang was a link between the past and the future, and few people knew about Emperor Wen of Sui, who founded the "Mind Study" in Cihu. Emperor Wen of Sui, one of the "Four Masters of Cherishing Spring", retired from Cihu in Song Lizong and founded Cihu Academy to give lectures. Yang Jian loved the water near the living room, so in response to the origin of the name of Cixi County, he took the allusion of his eldest son An Dong's "pumping water to serve his mother" and renamed the lake "Ci". Emperor Wen of Sui also claimed to be "Mr. Cihu" and integrated his knowledge with this landscape. Emperor Wen of Sui's philosophical quintessence "The Legacy of Cihu" puts forward that "the difference between clear and turbid is both things" when discussing the origin of matter, probably because he is integrated with the landscape of Cihu!
The east and west lakes of Cihu are separated by the central levee built in the Northern Song Dynasty. Named in memory of Mr. Emperor Wen of Sui, the "Shigu" hexagonal double-eaved pavilion was built in the fifth year of Song Tiansheng (1027), located in the middle of the lake embankment and connected with the carved stone lion arch bridge. Sitting in the pavilion, you can have a panoramic view of the four sides of the lake: when the weather is good, you can watch the sunrise facing the East Lake and enjoy the sunset gazing at the West Lake, which is really one of the scenery of Cihu.
The main building was built in Shigu Pavilion during the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty.
Shishi in Rainbow Bridge in the middle of the lake.
The beautiful scenery in the center of Cihu Lake is praised by many famous literati. Zhang Jian, a poet in Yuan Dynasty, marveled at "picturesque scenery" after visiting Ci Lake. The sunset overlooking Cihu in the pavilion is the most haunting thing for him, and there are Zen ideas such as "crossing the sunset boat with the white-headed monk". Tang Xianzu, who wrote Peony Pavilion in the Ming Dynasty and enjoyed the reputation of "Oriental Shakespeare", once wandered in the middle embankment of Cihu and wrote the poem "Looking at the bright moon on the lake embankment".
Cihu sunset
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were many temples on the north bank of Ci Lake, and there was once a "body bodhisattva" in Fu Saiji, which was heavily regulated. The continuous prosperity of Buddhism has injected long-term vitality into the context of Cihu, and Cihu has once become the release pool of Buddhist temples on the lakeside. During the Republic of China, Cixi junior high school intended to expand its campus, but buddhist nun, who should be relocated, insisted on not moving, claiming that Chiang Kai-shek's mother often worshipped Buddha here and offered a portrait of Chiang Kai-shek as a threat in buddhist nun. The school was forced to inform its alumnus, Chen Bulei. After Chen reported to Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Kai-shek flew into a rage and ordered a quick solution to the relocation problem. This episode has also become an anecdote in the history of Buddhism in Cihu.
In modern times, Cihu inherited the legacy of the sages, and string songs continued. 1902, Cihu Middle School was founded in the former site of Hubei Cihu Academy, facing the "Taixi New School". The school was later changed to Cixi County Junior High School, and now it has become Cihu Middle School in Ningbo.
In the past century, Qiao Shi's wife, Chen Xunci, a famous historian who guarded Ge's Sikuquanshu during the Anti-Japanese War, and Mr. Ying Changqi, the inventor of Ying's Weiqi Rules, all studied in Huci.
Nowadays, Cizhong adopts "new Chinese style" and absorbs traditional architectural elements such as tile walls, which complement the natural scenery of Cihu Scenic Area. Cihu Middle School also has a "Cihu Culture Museum". The school specially collected some ancient inscriptions and old photos scattered around Cihu. If you want to know more about the cultural customs of the Cihu Lakers, it is also a good choice to visit the Cihu Cultural Museum.
Aerial photography of Cihu Lake and its lakeside space
On the campus of Cihu Middle School, there are four thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, which are said to have been planted by Emperor Wen of Sui in the Southern Song Dynasty. Every autumn, golden ginkgo leaves hang all over the treetops, and the distance is beautiful.
In China culture, Xingtan is a symbol of education and environment. The ancient ginkgo biloba in Cihu, together with the cultural context she saw in Cihu, has undergone changes and remained unchanged for thousands of years.
Millennium Ginkgo biloba on the campus of Cihu Middle School
Natural "Slow Lake": Waterfront Leisure Land "Deep Breathing" in Four Seasons
Cihu, full of humanity and elegance, is also a natural "slow lake". The West Lake is not crowded with people, but it has both the charm of the West Lake and the spirit of Taihu Lake. Here, sit down and have a cup of tea, take a deep breath, look at the green hills, listen to the running water and find the long-lost peace.
Cihu Summer Morning (West Lake)
Cihu Winter Morning (East Lake)
It is a timely effort to experience the "slow lake" life in Cihu.
In spring, there are many wild flowers on the north bank of Ci Lake, which are suitable for finding incense along the stone road by the lake.
In summer, the sun is like fire, and you can enjoy waterfront tea under the shade of the Hunan coast. In summer, the blue sky of Cihu Lake is intoxicating, and the reflection of the lake is also blue. Staring at the lake is especially enjoyable.
After autumn, the Metasequoia glyptostroboides forest in Cihu West Lake is gradually rich in color, with red and yellow intertwined. At this time, I strolled on the wooden plank road and looked up at the towering Chinese fir in the refreshing earthy smell of autumn. The mottled sunshine and autumn leaves were beautiful.
After the autumn rain, the yellow leaves in Cihu Park paved the way.
Cihu Lake in winter is suitable for taking a nap in the middle of the lake in the afternoon. Precious winter sunshine warms your ears, and listening to a song is more comfortable. A few years ago, it snowed in Cihu, and goose feathers brushed the lake. How can we not let the audience remember the five years of Chongzhen and Zhang Dai's "Going to the Huting to See the Snow Alone"? Time flies, and it's really hard to enjoy a lake with the ancients.
Proofreading: Zhang