Chapter 101 Songtang Travel Notes

Songtang Travel Notes Last summer, we lived in Songtang with Mr. S and his wife for three days.It's rare to be free for these three days. We made an appointment not to do anything, but to play, and we also brought two books, but we just prepared for entertainment when we really have nothing to do. On the eve of departure, there was a sudden thunderstorm.The pillow is quite melancholy, isn't God so unbeautiful!Early the next morning, it turned out to be a sunny day.After getting in the car, the trees along the way were shining green with the rain. There were only some ponds underground, without any dust, and there were not many pedestrians.It is quiet and clean.

Thinking that it was still early, the car stopped not far from Hongshantou.The two big red doors are closed tightly, and the front door is the Xishan Ranch of National Tsinghua University.After patting on the door for a while, no one came out. We were helpless when a passing child said that the door was locked and we had to go through the side door.There is a sign on the side door, "There is a vicious dog inside".When I was a child, I was most afraid of dogs, and I was a little swaying.Someone came out from the door and went in with protection, yelling at the barking dogs while saying, "No hindrance, no hindrance".

After passing through two small gates, it suddenly becomes clear that there is no other world.At first glance, there is a tall, straight-up, vigorous and graceful white-bark pine.White bark pine is not unusual, it is good in abundance, it is not uncommon for you to squeeze me and I to squeeze you, and it is well sparse, it should be like a courtyard of a house, with one tree on each of the four corners, isn’t it sparse?Who likes to watch?Here is the yard is big, that is, it is good to come from all directions.In the middle is the Pine Hall, which was originally rebuilt from a stone pavilion. This pavilion is tall and spacious, worthy of the surrounding pine trees, marble columns, and marble railings. They are all in good condition, white, slippery, and cold.You Pisong didn't have many shadows, and there were few clear windows in the hall. Sitting down, I clearly felt that I was really too small under such a high roof.There are few shadows in the trees, but it is not hot. Looking at the graceful postures and white skins of those pine trees in the corridor, a faint coolness hits my heart.

There is a rockery behind the hall. The stones are not good, and they are stacked so that they are not foolish.There is a small hole hidden inside, with shrines, stone tables, stone benches and the like.But if you look at it from the outside, you won't be able to see it unless you look carefully.It takes a while to find out.The rockery can be climbed over, it is neither easy nor difficult.There is a beamless hall in the back mountain, with red walls, glazed bricks and tiles of various colors, and three bottles on the roof. The sun is shining anciently.The hall is located in the middle of the mountain, standing alone, with a view overlooking the Baji.The beamless hall in the Temple of Heaven is too small, and the Linggu Temple in Nanjing is too dim, and they are all on flat ground.There are still some old blockhouses left on the mountain, which were used by Qianlong to practice Jianrui Yunti camp in Xishan when he was fighting in Jinchuan. It is most interesting to see in rainy days or in the setting sun.There is another white jade archway, just like the one in front of the Biyun Temple Pagoda. For some reason, it fell down in the spring of the year before last. It seems strange.

It's a pity we didn't come at the right time. After dinner, we waited for the moon in the dark on the porch. The moon never rose. We talked about everything, recited poems, and sometimes remained silent for a while.Darkness also has dark benefits, the long shadows of the pine trees are eerie, a bit like ghosts picking up dirt.But if you look at it this way, the courtyard of Songtang is still far away, and the white bark pine is too delicate. I think of Guo Moruojun's poem "Ten Miles of Pine at Night", which is quite eerie - and you have to be alone.Well, the moon came up, but it was half covered by the clouds, hiding far away between the trees, like a country girl, shy.The ancients said: "After a thousand calls, I come out, still holding the pipa and half covering my face." It's a little bit!The cloud is getting thicker and thicker, let him do it, he is too lazy to take care of it.But I thought, if it was an autumn night, a little westerly wind would be fine.Although it is not a real pine tree, the sound of the surging "Tao" should be heard.

Of course the west wind will not come.Before going to sleep, we lighted two or three sticks of wax in the hall.The timid Yanzi was pressed down by the big roof, unable to breathe.We looked at each other through the candlelight, as if covered by a layer of smoke.It was pitch black outside, like the sea.Only a few barking dogs near and far tell us that we are still in the human world. (Originally published in "Tsinghua Weekly", Volume 43, Issue 1, May 15, 1935)