Chapter 43 above ground and underground

The "new village" in Hujiapu is divided into two types: above-ground and underground. The "new village" on the ground is inhabited by living people.Each building has a brand name. The underground is where the dead live.Column by column, there are also monument numbers. This is another great pioneering work of Hu Tiancheng. During the "Cultural Revolution", the "Four Olds" were destroyed everywhere, and the broken things were broken to the head of the dead.The superior gave an order to make the graves of every village flat.As a result, the tombs of those ancestors were leveled out one by one, and crops were planted one after another.It turned out that the three surnames Hu, Liu, and Wang in the village had three large cemeteries. After they were all leveled out, the villagers had no place to burn incense and paper.As soon as Qingming comes, the daughters-in-law will casually find a place to burn it to express their meaning. After the "Cultural Revolution", the rumors were not so tight. It was seen that the neighboring villages erected the graves of their ancestors one by one. The Hujiapu people also wanted to do the same, but no one dared. The elders approached Hu Tiancheng and talked about "ancestors".At that time, Hu Tiancheng was leading the villagers to concentrate on building a new village. He didn't care about it, so he said: "I remember this, let me think about it." Suddenly, I came up with a whim, saying that we should also build an "underground new village" so that those who have left can live this collective life in the underworld, so as to save them from being lonely after death.Having said that, the elders surnamed Hu, Liu, and Wang looked at each other, but they couldn't raise any objections for a while, so the matter was settled like this.

The shady site of the "Underground New Village" was chosen by Hu Tiancheng himself, and he chose it on Xigang.Xigang is a sunny wasteland, but there is no access to water.Hu Tiancheng looked at it and said that this place is good.This place does not occupy a lot of arable land, and it is sunny and full of wind, so it is a good place.So, it was settled. However, when it was time to move the grave, something happened again.First of all, it is difficult to unify the opinions of the three surnames Hu, Liu, and Wang.Because the tomb has been leveled for many years, many people can't even remember the names of their ancestors.The three surnames Hu, Liu, and Wang, should they be arranged by surname or by seniority?Opinions vary.The old people said, there must be a rule.People with other mixed surnames are even more troublesome... As a result, they fought and fought, and no one obeyed the other.When they were arguing, Hu Tiancheng kept silent.In the end, people said, let Tian Cheng decide.So, it was Hu Tiancheng who set down another principle.He said that since it is a "new village", it must have the appearance of a "new village".Let's arrange them according to their numbers, each surname is buried according to their surnames, they are numbered uniformly, and monuments are erected uniformly in the village.

On Xigang, Hu Tiancheng asked people to build a brick flower wall, planted a few rows of pines and cypresses, built a gate, and built two stone lions in front of the gate. On the top of the gate were written four characters: Underground new village.The stele is uniformly made of cement board.In any case, when the ancestors return to their thrones, at least they have an "identity".This "identity" is a number for the ancestors.In fact, when the graves were moved, after many coffins were opened, the insides were empty and there was nothing left.Some have only a piece of cloth left, some have two broken bones left, and some can't even find the bones, just some broken wood residue.Another biggest problem is, who is who?The memory is good, but I can only remember the general direction, but I can't figure it out very clearly. You say it's your fifth uncle, he says it's his sixth master, and some say it's my fourth grandma, right? ... just moved over in such a muddle-headed way.

As a result, those who moved to the "new village" can only be regarded as the souls of the ancestors at best.Here, each soul becomes a number, starting from 001, followed by 002, 003, 004... and so on.There was a person in the Liu family ancestor who was suppressed in the early days of liberation; there was also a person in the Wang family who died during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.So, the members of the Wang family said, I, Tu Chengye, is a martyr!How can it be the same as Liu Laomao?The Liu family said that people have been dead for so many years, and their bones have been turned into ashes.The Wang family said, how can we not care about it, a martyr is always a martyr.As a result, after arguing and fighting, Hu Tiancheng still made a final decision, saying: Let’s do this, let’s not talk about those who are suppressed; for those who are martyrs, add a red star to show the difference.

After the ancestors returned to the throne, the Qingming Festival was celebrated in the first year, and the women in the village stood in the "underground new village" and shouted: "How much is our master?" Someone here shouted loudly: "My grandfather is 175, and my grandma is 143!" The other side said: "Why is there a difference?" Said here: "My grandma left early! I don't know if it was my grandma who got confused. Let's go." Someone else shouted: "Is 287 our father or our mother?!" Over there, they hurriedly shouted: "Third Uncle, that's our Third Uncle!"

Later, Hu Tiancheng said, let's stop engaging in feudal superstition.When it comes to Ching Ming Festival, the village collectively sends two wreaths to mourn and let them "get together".As a result, no one gave away "paper money" anymore, and let them "get together" by themselves. In this way, over time, when offering sacrifices to ancestors, the memory of numbers is gradually greater than the memory of blood.For some reason, when people talk about the dead, they can't help but think of the monuments in the "New Underground Village", and those numbers immediately appear in their minds.When it is mentioned, it is "a few, a few".

As a result, in Hujiapu, the power of seniority and surnames naturally weakened a lot. But no one would expect that once the dead are different, the living will also want to "distinguish".Regarding this matter, the one who reacted most strongly was Eight Circles! This winter, Baquan fell ill, and he was very ill.In the first two days, some people saw him picking manure in the vegetable field with a stick. After a few days, he couldn't get out of bed.In terms of age, eight laps is considered a long life, and he looked sickly, but he lived to be more than eighty years old.Because Baquan has never been married all his life, he is considered a widowed old man. Although he lives alone, his life should be managed by the village.As soon as Baquan got sick, he said to people: "The ancients said, seventy-three, eighty-four, Lord Yama will not find himself. Look at this, I can't live for a few days. Can you let me meet Tiancheng?" People persuaded him, "Master Quan, there is nothing you need to say. It's time to see a doctor. Huber is too busy, why do you see him?" He said, "I just have one request, let me meet Tiancheng." But that For a while, Hu Tiancheng was too busy and never had time.As a result, eight circles began to "write a letter".Lying on the hospital bed, he asked someone to write letters to Hu Tiancheng one after another.Every time he "sent a letter", he would stare and dictate solemnly: "Dear Tian Cheng... The second letter was changed to: Dear Comrade Tian Cheng... The third letter was: Most, most beloved, Comrade Tian Cheng." , I am a dying person...

Just wrote three letters in a row, and one night, Hu Tianguo saw him come.When he saw Hu Tiancheng, Baquan's eyes lit up and he said, "Tiancheng, you're here." Hu Tiancheng walked to the bed and said with a smile, "Uncle Quan, I have received your letter. How is it? Let the doctor come and show you again?" Baquan said: "Don't look at it. Tiancheng, I've lost. There's something I want to tell you..." Hu Tiancheng said: "Uncle Quan, you don't have to be so pessimistic, people all have their time of getting old. If you have anything to say, just say it."

Baquan's hand tremblingly stretched out from under the quilt. What he was holding was a piece of paper. He shook the paper in his hand and said, "Tian Cheng, look, I've been rehabilitated. The county troupe has already Just rehabilitate me. Here is the red-headed document, official." Hu Tiancheng nodded and said, "I know. Uncle Quan, I know you've been rehabilitated. Tell me what you want." Baquan took a breath and said, "In the first half of my life, I have sung for half of my life; for the second half of my life, I have spent half of my life picking dung, so I have made a contribution to the people..."

Hu Tiancheng said: "That is, that is. The contribution is not small." Eight circles said: "Then I am now...'the people', right?" Hu Tiancheng smiled and said, "Of course it's the people. What are you if you're not the people?" At this moment, Baquan's face blushed slightly, the redness was like that of a girl, but there was a hint of shyness in it.Baquan said, "Then I have a small request..." Hu Tiancheng said: "Uncle Quan, you don't have to hesitate, what do you need to say?" Baquan said cautiously: "I'm about to enter the earth. When I enter the 'underground new village', can you give me a few words?"

Hu Tiancheng said, "What word?" Baquan said: "Look, I'm an opera singer. I've been singing Daner all the time. I have a stage name... When I get there, I still want to sing for everyone." Hu Tiancheng smiled and said, "That's great. Tell me, what's the word?" So Baquan prayed to Hutiancheng like a child, and said, "Look, can you write me four words on the stele: People's artist." Immediately, Hu Tiancheng fell silent.He was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled again.He smiled and said, "Uncle Quan, your request is not low." Baquan's face turned red all of a sudden, and he said hastily, "Look, look, I'm a 'people', right? You just said I'm a 'people'..." Hu Tiancheng said: "Uncle Quan, it is true that you are the people. I never said you are not the people. But this 'people's artist'... I think let it go." Baquan said helplessly: "Tiancheng, look, I've sung for most of my life, so it must be true, right?" Hu Tiancheng nodded: "Really." Baquan said, "Then I'm an artist, right?" Hu Tiancheng said: "Artist, you are an artist." Saying that, Baquan cried.Baquan shook the paper in his hand, sobbing and repeating, "Look, you all say I'm a 'people', now, I'm an entertainer... I've been rehabilitated, Hongxiaxia's seal is stamped, this is again It’s not fake? You can’t even give me four words..." Hu Tiancheng said: "Uncle Quan, I can agree to anything else you want..." Baquan said: "I don't want anything, I just want these four words..." Hu Tiancheng said: "Uncle Quan, it's not that I don't follow you. These four words are too heavy and there is no precedent. If I give you a book, will others not read it? I'm afraid we have to discuss this matter..." Eight circles said confusedly: "In the early years, I was popular. At that time, you didn't know how popular I was. When I went to a village to sing an opera for people, the crowd was dark, and some people hid under the countertops and walked through the cracks. Picking my feet... When I was leaving, the eldest daughter and the young daughter-in-law were sent ten miles away with a group. They all called me 'Shilixiang', and some people called me 'Lang Bancheng'. This is true..." Hu Tiancheng turned his back and remained silent. At this time, someone next to him reminded him: "Master Quan, don't talk about it, it's the old society..." Baquan still dazedly said, "I sang in the old society, but I still sang in the new society, but the lyrics are different. I can sing in the underworld, but I can't sing in the underworld?" Hu Tiancheng remained silent. Seeing that Hu Tiancheng didn't speak, Baquan said, "Tiancheng, I want these four words. Let's discuss it. I'll wait. When will I discuss it? When will I close my eyes..." Hu Tiancheng sighed, and finally said: "Then just wait." In the time since then, eight circles have been waiting.He stared blankly at the roof, and it took him a while to let out a breath, but whenever someone came to see him, he would anxiously ask, "Is it approved?"