Chapter 49 rhine river

rhine river The Rhine (The Rhine) originates in the Swiss Alps, passes through eastern Germany, and flows into the North Sea, with a length of about 2,500 miles.It is divided into upper, middle and lower parts.From Mayence, Mains to Cologne can be regarded as the "Middle Rhine"; all those who swim on the Rhine take this section.The natural scenery is not unusually good; the monuments are unusually numerous.Especially between Marns and Koblenz, the mountains on both banks are full of old forts, high and low, scattered and mottled: some are dilapidated, some are still intact.Heroes and thieves lived here, some were proud of their dangers, some were galloping, and there was a lot of excitement.Now he is listless, letting the sun and the wind blow without making a sound.Sitting on the ship and watching from both sides, those antique and various fortresses passed by vividly; it seems that I have jumped out of this era and lived an unrestrained life in those fortresses.During this journey, the train is not as good as the steamer: the morning sun is not as good as the setting sun, the sunny day is not as good as the cloudy day, and the cloudy day is not as good as the moonlit night—the moonlit night, plus a few fireflies, twinkling like looking for ghosts in the wild grass.Better still have to climb up the hill and wander around inside and outside the fort.

This area not only has many historical sites, but also many legends.The most desolate one is of course the well-known fairy girl named Yantou.Shengwen Rock is on the east bank of the river, with a height of 430 feet. It is a large dark hanging rock with jagged backs. When the river reaches the south of the rock and turns eastward into a small bay, there is a large echo here, hence the name of the rock. .According to legend, in the past, there was a beautiful fairy in Yantou who sang continuously all day long.A boatman sailed in the evening and passed under the rock.Hearing her singing, looking up, I couldn't forget why, even the boat and people crashed on the rock.Then another count's son died.This can lead to disaster.The count sent troops to avenge his son.They intended to catch her, lock her up, and throw her from the top of the rock straight into the river.But she didn't want to die at their hands, so she called Mother Rhine to come and fetch her; and the river was really white-capped, so she jumped into it.From then on, there is no song heard under the rock, no beautiful shadow, only the sunset glow on the top of the rock.The great German poet Heine wrote a poem about this matter; this matter has spread widely, and this poem is also related.My friend Mr. Gan Kechao once translated the first chapter:

Rumor has it that the old days are low, what's my heart. The two peaks hide the setting sun, and the Rhine flows endlessly. A beauty in the peak, a brilliant golden invention, When singing a song in the Qing Dynasty, the remaining sound enters the clouds. Listening and staring again, Zhouzi forgets where he is going, Strange rocks are in the middle of the stream, and people and boats are lost. ①According to Mr. Zhu Shaohua's "Rhine Journey", read "Walking Clouds and Flowing Water". This rock has now passed through the tunnel and the train. Cologne is on the west bank of the Rhine River and is the largest city in the Rhine region and the third largest city in Germany.From the deck, the bell tower and steeple of the church are here and there.Although it is such a prosperous commercial city, there is not much vulgar dust on its face.British poet Coleridge said:

People know the Rhine River, cleansing the city of Cologne; Narcissus, tell me what kind of power you have now, Wash the Rhine water? Those buildings and towers suppress the dust and prevent it from flying up, which is similar to the washing of the Rhine.Goron's cathedral is Goron's glory; that alone keeps Goron alive.It's a Gorsch, one of the largest Gorsch churches in the world.The building was built in 1248, and it was not fully completed until 1880.This is often the case with European churches, probably because there is not enough money.The doors and walls of the church are magnificent, with pointed arches and straight edges, which are deliberately dense, and some small flowers, small animals, and "Bible" characters are carved here and there.The two minarets on the gate wall, five hundred and fifteen feet high, reach straight into the sky.What the Goxi style wants is high and dexterous, so that the soul can easily reach the sky.This is also bullish in the moonlight.The light blue sky is clean, only two sharp shadows are reflected on it; it looks like the only passage between man and heaven, and it also looks like a pair of arms for man to pray.Sen is serious and solemn, not saying a word is worth a thousand words.The church is very large, with a ceiling height of one hundred and sixty feet.There are rows of big stone pillars, one hundred and forty-eight feet high and sixty feet low, all of which can be embraced; walking inside is like being in a big forest, cut off from the world.The minaret can go up, it is exquisite and transparent, and it has the potential of Lingyun.The corridor under the tower.Looking down into the church from the corridor, I feel that other people are pitifully small and I am strangely tall, which is really an upside-down dream.

Made on March 14, 1933. (Originally published in "Middle School Students" No. 35 on May 1, 1933)