When I came back from Zhanjiang, the intoxicating scenery of Zhanjiang was always lingering in front of my eyes. Everything in front of the window in Beijing that I was familiar with usually seemed dim.Until a few days ago when I woke up and saw the dazzling light in front of the eaves, I hurriedly climbed up and looked through the window. It turned out that there was a heavy snowfall last night!The ground on the house is thick and soft, and the ground is thick and soft. A few chipmunks are chirping up and down on the dead branches covered with snow flakes; Snowball was running and chasing it on a newly swept path, shouting and laughing.In the glazed world, a few white-bark pine trees standing on the hill, set off by these dancing red and blue dots, appear doubly fresh, solemn and lively.A feeling of happiness surged into my heart. The winter in our motherland is so lovely no matter where we are in the north and the south!

I went back to ten days ago, where I lived in Zhanjiang, which was the Zhanjiang Seaside Guest House. The word "seaside" alone gives people a refreshing feeling!Outside my window is a clump of green bamboo as thick as a small wine bottle, so green that it is black.Next to the emerald bamboo, there are a few "poinsettia" trees as tall as a person, which are full of large red flowers the size of a plate; behind this is a row of white magnolia trees with light green leaves; behind the magnolia trees , is another row of acacia trees, the leaves are like eyebrows, slender and slender, with small yellow flowers on the treetops; behind the acacia trees is a row of heroic casuarina trees, this kind of tree is worthy of our special mention, Praise praises!In terms of its image, it is really vigorous and graceful, with pines and cypresses outstanding and willows attached. Its upright trunk and long needle-shaped leaves are stronger than willows and softer than pine. Covered in a veil-like smoke.This kind of tree has another most endearing feature, that is, it loves the sea, and the more it is planted on the seashore, where it is exposed to the sea breeze and waves, the faster it will grow!The people of Zhanjiang, feeling its nature, used the power of agricultural cooperation to build a Great Wall of casuarina trees densely on the 800-kilometer-long coast.These tens of millions of trees are like long-haired girls with arm in arm and laughing in the wind. Amidst the turmoil of the waves, they gather sand and build rocks, and compete with the sea for land... The smart and brave people of Zhanjiang will tell you, How much happiness these trees have brought to people who have been plagued by sea and sandstorms for thousands of years!

It's too far to say, I should rein in the wild horse in my pen and talk about the "flowers" in Zhanjiang.In Zhanjiang, there are really beautiful flowers, and no leaves are not fragrant!In addition to poinsettia, there are too many varieties of safflower over there. Zhanjiang people think safflower too cheap, single-petaled, double-petaled, with long stamens hanging down...as long as it is red, They all answer you in a general way: "There is no special name, it is the big red flower anyway!" That kind of proud and "indifferent" look that is commonplace makes people envious and jealous!

Over there, not only the flowers are fragrant, but the leaves are also fragrant. Lemongrass grows everywhere, and there are vetch roots, eucalyptus, and eucalyptus... Just pick a leaf and rub it in the palm of your hand, it will be fragrant.What a plump and fertile land vein. In the past twelve years, the people have turned over, and the land vein has been liberated. It presents and radiates from every flower and leaf its brilliance accumulated over thousands of years. Color and fragrance! Zhanjiang is bright red, and Beijing is white. Between the north and the south, the new Chinese people who live and visit here are extremely happy!I am singing praises in my heart.

(This article was originally published in "Beijing Evening News" on January 14, 1962, and later included in the collection of essays "Xiaozha Gleaners".)