The legend of Jiuxianqiao

In the past, the Jiuxianqiao area in the eastern suburbs of Beijing was a very desolate place. We can know the past from the nearby place names such as Liugong Tomb and Wangye Tomb. This is a cemetery for dignitaries. I saw a broken monument by the riverside of Jiuxian Bridge 20 years ago. The base of the tombstone was a beautifully carved turtle. The body of the monument and the base had been separated and were several meters apart. The left side of the broken stele was in Manchu, and the right side was in Manchu. It's in Chinese, and I don't know Manchu. From the incomplete Chinese characters, I can still find a sentence like this: "First-class Jingbu Hafan... I am deeply saddened...". It can be seen that the owner of the tomb is not an ordinary person.

So where does the place name Jiuxianqiao come from? In the past, there was a stone bridge less than 20 meters long and five or six meters wide about 800 meters west of the current Jiuxian Bridge. The stone bridge was composed of many half-meter-wide stone strips, with each stone strip every 10 meters. There are water chutes engraved on each centimeter, so water will not accumulate on rainy days, and pedestrians and carriages will not slip. The bridge is no longer visible, but it is the Jiuxian Bridge that the name of Jiuxian Bridge refers to. The story of Jiuxian Bridge is still there. Let’s start from the beginning.

The old bridge was located on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The section of the canal where the stone bridge was located was called Bahe. Today, there are two place names in the eastern suburbs of Beijing: Dongbahe and Xibahe. This was due to the lack of farmland. The name comes from the construction of dams to store water. There is a temple to the north of the stone bridge. The temple faces south. The temple is not big, less than 20 meters wide. It is a courtyard with two entrances. There are three very tall pine trees in the front yard, which can be seen from a long distance. Seeing that although the location of the temple was very desolate, there was no shortage of money for incense. The old abbot of the temple took in a little orphan and taught him first to help with cooking and then to fetch water. The monks all called him "Stool", and Stool lived in the porterhouse in the front yard. The small porter opened a window to the passage into the yard. Even if the entire courtyard door was closed, guests could call for Stool through the window.

Days passed, and the stool had been in the temple for many years. From childhood to adolescence to today's youth, he had become accustomed to the life here and considered himself a member of the temple. , now he is responsible for carrying water, cooking, cleaning the yard and other chores in the entire small temple. The old abbot watched him grow up and liked him from the bottom of his heart. He knew that he did not want to enter Buddhism, so he allowed him to have some work. Sora did something on his own to make plans for marrying a wife in the future.

The sesame cakes made by the stools are very delicious. Most of them are enough for the monks to eat, and the remaining stools are sold. During the Qingming Festival or the death anniversary of some officials who have been in the court for generations, the stools The business was very good, and the clay jars containing copper coins were all full, so Shi Shi asked someone to build a wooden money cabinet. The money cabinet has two layers, with the money on the lower layer and the loose money on the top.

One day, just after the fourth watch, someone knocked on Shizi’s window. Shizi vaguely thought that someone wanted to buy his sesame cakes, so he brought the sesame cakes to the window and opened the window. Because the night was too dark, The stool couldn't see the face of the person coming. He could only tell that the person's figure outlined by white clothes was a young woman. Her voice was a bit soft. Maybe it was her white clothes that made the stool feel that her voice was a bit cold. , she only wanted a sesame seed pancake, but gave Shi Zi a couple of silver. Shi Zi said he didn’t have that much money to change, but the visitor said there was no need to change. Stool was also afraid that others would say that he wanted ill-gotten gains, so he subconsciously put the money in the lower layer of the money cabinet.

The stool didn’t feel anything special during the next day, and he continued to do things in the temple as usual. However, he woke up at the fourth watch. Sure enough, after a while, someone knocked on his window again. From the voice, Shizi knew it was the same woman as yesterday. She still only wanted one sesame seed cake but gave Shizi a couple of silver, and Shishi still took it. In this way, this woman came to the stool after the fourth watch every day to buy sesame cakes, but the stool never saw the woman's face clearly.

This day is August 15th. The stool counts the money in the lower layer of his money cabinet and there are already twenty taels. He really wants to see what this woman looks like, so he does not close the window. , the moon hangs big and round in the sky, and the stool is lying on the bed with his eyes open. The moonlight shines through the window on the table by the window at the foot of the stool. Because the window faces east, the moonlight draws a bright line on the table. , this bright line to the window is a curtain made of moonlight. The curtains shake gently, and shiny silver colors slide down from top to bottom. There are also small bright spots floating upward starting from the bright line on the table. In fact, they are dust. The leaves of the pine trees in the yard rustled due to the autumn wind, and there were autumn insects chirping in the corner. Shi Zi felt a little sad. He had never experienced the warmth of family affection in his life, let alone the warmth of love. He was very lonely in this world. . It was the fourth watch again, and the stool missed her a little...

Suddenly, the stool saw her shadow appearing outside the window, but why didn't she block a trace of the moonlight? Shi Zi didn't feel scared at all. He jumped up from the bed and came to the window. Through the moonlight, Shi Zi saw the face of this generous woman for the first time. Maybe Shi Zi had seen too few women. In his eyes, this woman is simply as beautiful as a fairy. Her big, shiny eyes, her curved eyebrows match her eyes so harmoniously, her straight little nose, and her small mouth. Although she lacks some rosiness, she has Her complexion was like white jade without any impurities. The stool was stunned by the beauty of the woman in front of him, and his mouth was so wide that he couldn't close it.

The stool was in a daze for who knows how long before he asked this woman who always visited late at night if she was also buying fire tonight. The woman said: "No, I am saying goodbye to you today, and I will not come again in the future. ". The stool asked the woman to wait a moment. He wanted to come out and talk to her for a while. The woman nodded lightly, and then just smiled softly. The stool was intoxicated by her smile, and he immediately fell in love with the woman in front of him.

The woman told Shizi that her nickname was Dimples. She was born in a lower-middle-class family. Her father was a winemaker. And because her parents saw that she was beautiful and had two dimples, they gave her a nickname. She got this name. When she was fifteen years old, because she was very beautiful, she was spotted by an admiral of the imperial court. Although the admiral was more than thirty years older than Dimple, her parents felt that Dimple would become the queen in the future. I went to the admiral's wife and lived a good life, so I agreed to this marriage. Who knew that Dimple's life would be difficult? In the second year of marriage, the admiral died before he was fifty. The admiral liked his little wife Dimple the most and wanted her to be buried with him. That day the admiral's After her family gave her poisoned wine, Dimple's soul left and her body floated up. She saw herself and the admiral being buried two miles southeast of the stone bridge. Dimple was unwilling to give in. She was exactly Erba. Time, you haven’t had time to enjoy life yet.

Stool listened to Dimple’s story and felt very sad for her. He wanted to use his own hands to warm Dimple’s little hand, but he was unable to do so. He really wanted Dimple to be a person instead of a ghost. , the stool innocently asked Dimple: "How great would it be if you could survive?" Dimple answered the stool: "As long as you really like me, you will have a way, and love will bring you wealth."

"What do you want me to do?"

"The money I gave you before was money from the underworld. You will know it when you go back and look at it today. But as long as you do what I say, you will You can get more than this, but the price you pay is also very high, and your efforts can easily fail."

"What exactly do I need to do?"

"I need a man to love me for thirty years and not have any emotional involvement with any other woman during this period. Can you do it?"

"I can!"

"But by the time we can be together, we are both old. Can you really persist?"

"As long as you let me see you, I can do it." < /p>

"From now on, you can see me on the fourth watch on the night of August 15th every year, but our meeting can't last more than a quarter of an hour, so you'd better wait for me in front of my grave before the fourth watch."

As soon as Dimple finished speaking, he disappeared like a gust of wind.

Stool returned to the house and took out the cash cabinet. It felt much lighter. When he opened the lower layer, he was not surprised at all. All the silver turned into paper money. But he firmly believes in what Dimple said, love will bring wealth; in fact, in Shizi's heart, even if loving Dimple does not bring wealth, he is willing.

After we met that day, Shizi was counting the days. The long nights of missing each other were so painful, but Shishi had hope in his heart for the full moon on August 15th, and was looking forward to the moment when we meet again. That was really painful. It's just a moment.

Stool still cooks and carries water for the monks in the temple, and sells some sesame cakes himself, living a simple and lonely life. When the weather gets cold, he chops wood for the temple and lights a fire to keep the monks warm; It's snowing, and although the river is flowing, it's also frozen; winter is deep, and Bench has to wear a cotton-padded jacket when working; Spring Festival is here, but for Bench, this festival has little meaning; spring is here, and the river is blooming , the magpies began to call on the three pine trees, but the day was still a little cool; the wild flowers by the river were blooming, and the stool thought that Dimple's appearance was more delicate and beautiful than the flowers, and she felt happy in her heart. The stool often went to Dimple's grave. In front of the house, fill some soil for her grave and plant some wild flowers; summer is here, the grass by the river has grown so high, the frogs in the river croaked together in summer night, and the stool often dreams of dimples at night, dreams of dimples As he smiled, the stool also smiled in his dream. He laid soil for Dimple's grave. Over the past few days, he slowly built bluestone steps in front of Dimple's grave. Finally, in autumn, the cicada screamed miserably on the pine trees. , Shibao hopes that time will pass quickly and arrive at August 15th earlier. Just a few nights before August 15th, Shibao suffers from insomnia.

This day finally came, and just after midnight, I took the mooncakes I made and set off. The stone bridge looked like jade in the moonlight, and the waves of the river sparkled in the moonlight. In the light of the sky, the stool walked towards the cemetery. He had already built bluestone steps for Dimple's grave. A round bright moon hung high in the sky. The stool sat on the bluestone steps. The autumn wind brought his newly added blue cloth, which was not fastened tightly. The corners of the gown were blowing. It hadn't rained for many days. The grass was dry and yellow, and it made a dry sound when blown by the wind. There had been no one in this cemetery all this time. Only the moon knew how much the stool missed its dimples, and the crooked The river water knows that the stool has passed day by day. The stools are anxiously waiting for that moment to come, but they are also afraid of that moment coming, because they only have a moment.

It’s finally the fourth watch. Just now, the path in front of the stool was the same path he had trodden night after night. Now the dimple is right in front of him. He is still wearing the same white clothes and has a graceful figure. The stool stands up and approaches. Dimple, under the silver moonlight, Dimple looked purer and more beautiful. Stool clearly saw that Dimple's eyes were filled with tears. Stool grabbed Dimple's hand and stared at her affectionately. Dimple asked Stool: "What year have you had?" How did you get through it? Do you miss me?"

"I miss you all the time!"

"I know all this, but if you insist on it for thirty years, can you still persist?"

"I love you, no matter how long it takes, I will wait for you."

"Have you seen my tears?"

"Yes, why are you unhappy? ?”

“I miss you too. Wait for my tears to stay in my dimples, use reeds to remove the tears from my dimples, and then keep them in a small jar to prevent the tears from drying up. , just add some water from the river to the jar and seal it. Do you know? When you miss me, just open it and smell it. There is my smell in the jar."

"Okay, I got it." The stool quickly went to find the reed, cut off the cleanest part, ran back to the dimple quickly, and sucked the tears from the dimples into the reed. After that, the stool smiled when he saw the dimple. , lovely and lovable. The stool looked at the dimple happily and wanted to kiss the dimple, but time is a naughty guy who likes to tease people. When he wanted it to stay, it slipped away very quickly. He only heard the dimple say: "Remember what I just said Say that." The dimple disappeared silently in front of the stool.

The stool was stunned for a moment. Remembering what Dimple said, he carefully held the reed and ran back to the temple. He did as Dimple said, found a small jar, and blew Dimple's tears into the jar. He went to the dam river to take a small spoonful of river water, poured it into the jar, and then sealed the jar.

From then on, whenever Dimple missed Dimple, he would open the jar, and a faint fragrance came out of the jar. Stool had long forgotten what Dimple said about love can bring wealth, which stayed in Stool’s mind. Only thoughts.

It is only a little over two miles from the small temple to the tomb of Dimple. As you walk further, you will find a clear path. You can always see stools on this path late at night. This is a road that guides longing, a road that ties in love. The dust on the road knows their story. Shiqiao knows the weight of the stool's lovesickness. When the stool passes by the stone bridge, Shiqiao can feel the steps of the stool. Shocking.

Spring has passed and autumn has come again. I am writing quickly here, but do you know how the three hundred and sixty-five days of the stool passed? The stool had prepared reeds this year. He thought that if Dimple still wanted him to use reeds to remove her tears, he would be able to save some time and talk to Dimple for a while if he was prepared.

The moon this year is still big and round. When the stool sees Dimple appear, Dimple has already seen the reed in the stool's hand, the reed carefully prepared by the stool, and the stool made for Dimple. Dimple didn’t have time to eat mooncakes last year.

"Stool, you still have to find a reed, the old one won't work, you have to cut it out new." Seeing the tears of lovesickness in his dimple eyes, Stool almost cried himself, but he still Listen to Dimple and find new reeds.

Same as last year, when the stool used reeds to absorb the tears from Dimple's dimples, he saw Dimple's knowing smile, and the stool's heart blossomed. Dimple asked Stool: "How does the taste in your jar taste?"

"Okay, it smells very fragrant, just like yours"

"These three hundred and sixty-five days It's hard, how long can you hold on?"

"I will persevere, and we will be reunited when you come back."

"I miss you too." As soon as Dimple finished saying this, he disappeared again.

Stool followed Dimple’s words last year, blew Dimple’s tears into the jar, added a spoonful of water from the Ba River, and sealed it. In Stool’s eyes, this jar only represents longing, nothing else. It doesn't make any sense.

In the third year, Shi Shi was afraid that he would not find new reeds soon when they met, so he asked others for advice on how to plant reeds. After learning how to plant reeds, he planted a large area of ????the river embankment next to Dimple Cemetery. But in the third year, Dimple told the stool that it could not be cultivated artificially and had to be wild. The time they spent together was still so little.

Time passed like this day by day, year by year, and on the tenth year, when they met, Dimple asked Stool: "You didn't use the contents of that jar for anything else." "

"I think that jar is for when I miss you, I take it out and smell it, it has a very refreshing smell, it's your smell."

"You. Just take some of my tears and put them into a wooden barrel filled with water, and the water can be turned into wine. You can sell the wine, and it will definitely sell well."

But the stool didn't show up. He felt that there was no point in asking for money, and nothing was more important than missing Dimples.

Time passed like this year by year. In the 29th year, Shizi still lived in a small temple and lived a lonely and poor life, although he had changed from a young man to an old man. His temples were already gray. He was thinking about the future, looking forward to the days when he and Dimple would be reunited, and thinking that they would need some money for their lives in the future. It was only in this last year that he filled a jar full of Dimple tears and opened it with just a drop of the jar. The water in the river, and the wooden barrels filled with Bahe water are overflowing with the aroma of wine.

He took the barrel to the stone bridge and sold it. Everyone who drank from it praised it, and the stool business became prosperous immediately. As Dimple said, your love can bring you wealth. In just half a year, Stool earned one hundred and eighty taels of silver by selling wine.

Shi Zi is not a money-grubbing person. He has an income from wine. He still insists on making sesame cakes, but his sesame cakes are given to people who buy wine and people who have no food. They no longer charge money.

The stool has been waiting for Dimple for thirty years. He has been looking forward to using his love to restore Dimple and live an ordinary life together. The stool and Dimple met for the thirtieth time. The day was coming. She had been waiting for this day for thirty years. On August 14, She went to the dam river to fetch water with a wooden bucket as usual. He felt that someone was secretly monitoring his movements in the grass. She did not pay attention to.

On August 15th, Shi Shi didn’t go to Bahe to fetch water at the fourth watch like he had in the past six months. He wanted to see Dimple. On this day, Dimple didn’t come out only after the fourth watch. She only came out after the third watch. She walked towards the small temple where Shizi lived. She shed tears when she reached the stone bridge. Because the King of Hell had violated his previous promise, she could never return the sun and she could never be with her beloved Shizi. Today is the last time they see each other and their farewell.

The stool came out of the small temple and immediately saw Dimple. He ran towards Dimple happily, thinking that they would never have to separate from now on, but when he learned that the last quarter of an hour was hers Farewell to him, Shizi's heart was cut by a knife, but Shishi did not cry with Dimple. He wanted this last quarter of an hour to become Dimple's beautiful memory. He quietly held hands with Dimple and walked forward along the river. I want to keep looking at the dimples and looking at her like this until the moment she disappears.

There was a jealous man who peeked at the secret of the stool. He told people that only at the fourth watch, you can go down from the stone bridge and go to the Bahe River to get a barrel of river water to make wine. In fact, it is because in August On the fourteenth day, a teardrop with a dimple in the river was caught by him. When the man said this, no one bought the stool's wine anymore.

Actually, Shizi didn’t want to sell wine anymore. On August 16, Shizi jumped from the stone bridge into the dam river with a jar full of Dimple’s tears, and he went looking for Dimple. On this day, the fragrance of wine drifted for thirty miles from Shiqiao to Xiba River, and even the air was filled with the fragrance of wine.

But from then on, people could no longer drink wine from the stool. They thought that the stool was the wine fairy. In order to commemorate the wine he once brought to everyone, the place where he lived his whole life was also the place where he went. This stone bridge was renamed Jiuxian Bridge.