Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 188 "Autumn View of the Three Gorges" [Seeking monthly votes!]

Lu Beigu took a deep breath of the cool river vapor and turned to enter the cabin with Cui Wenjing.

Lifting the thick bamboo awning curtain, a complex aroma, a mixture of aged tung oil, damp wooden planks, the fishy smell of river water, and a faint scent of sweat, rushed out and instantly enveloped Lu Beigu.

He frowned slightly, trying to adapt.

The cabin was dimly lit, with no lights on, only a few rolled-up bamboo blinds letting in the faint morning light.

Underfoot was a slightly rough boat plank, covered with a worn-out bamboo mat with slightly worn edges, which felt very hard.

Because the boat itself was not large—it was a typical medium-sized passenger boat on the Song Dynasty inland waterways, about seven zhang long and one zhang and two chi wide—after deducting the area of ​​all the necessary functional areas, the "cabin" area where they chartered the boat was also narrow, only able to accommodate two beds.

Lu Beigu's gaze swept across the cabin. The cabin walls were made of thick wooden planks, with clear mortise and tenon joints and filling material visible at the joints. This material was a mixture of hemp fiber and tung oil, and its color was dark brown.

He curiously reached out and touched it; it felt hard and cold to the touch.

He did know what this thing was used for; it was a waterproof material used to ensure water tightness.

Near the rolled-up bamboo curtain by the porthole, he could see the rushing river and the rapidly receding shoreline, with light and shadow dancing and shimmering on the bamboo-woven canopy.

Cui Wenjing explained the route to him in detail.

"After passing through Fuzhou and Zhongzhou, we will soon reach Kuizhou, which is the entrance to the Three Gorges."

"Qutang Gorge is majestic, Wu Gorge is beautiful, and Xiling Gorge is dangerous. As the ancients said, 'The Three Gorges of Badong and Wu Gorge are long, and the cry of the ape brings tears to one's clothes.' Although I have passed through the Three Gorges to leave Sichuan many times, I have different feelings each time I come. The shock is indescribable without seeing it with my own eyes."

"Once we leave Xiling Gorge, we will reach Xiazhou in Jinghu North Circuit. After passing Jingmen Mountain, we will continue downstream to Jiangling Prefecture."

"Upon arriving in Jiangling, one embarks on the imperial canal transport network, with routes extending in all directions. Whether hiring a boat or otherwise, it is very convenient, and one can easily travel directly to Kaifeng along the waterways."

Lu Beigu nodded. He was very good at geography and knew the route very well.

However, this was indeed the first time he had ever traveled down the Yangtze River from Sichuan.

Once the sun had fully risen, the chill of the autumn morning began to dissipate, and the temperature inside the cabin rose noticeably.

"Shall we go for a walk? I'll show you this ship," Cui Wenjing suggested.

"it is good."

As he lifted the curtain, a refreshing river breeze rushed in, instantly invigorating Lu Beigu.

Bathed in the warm autumn sunshine, he stepped onto the deck and began to observe the ship.

The mainmast is located in the middle of the ship, near the front. The mast is a very thick piece of wood, and its height seems to be about the same as the length of the ship if it were to fall down. A huge rectangular cloth sail is suspended from the top of the mast. The sail rigging consists of hemp rope foot ropes and sling ropes.

In addition, there is a smaller foremast at the bow, with a small triangular sail, which is used when there is no wind or when it is necessary to sail against the wind.

In addition to the sails, the ship was powered by several long wooden oars on each side of the deck, operated by the boatmen on both sides of the deck, and there were also oars at the stern.

Fire was strictly prohibited on the ship, except for a clay stove fixed near the stern.

The charcoal fire in the stove was glowing red, and an iron pot was placed on top of it, with water bubbling and steaming inside.

This was the only source of hot food and boiled water for everyone on the ship from then on.

Lu Beigu walked to the back and happened to run into the boatman from earlier. He asked curiously, "Boatman, does the boat's stern being raised so high really help when sailing?"

The boat captain wiped his sweat, grinned, and said, "This stern, when sailing downstream, looks like a duck's bottom, which helps to push the water to both sides, saving a lot of effort. In the rapids of the gorges, the bow is less likely to plunge into the water, making it more stable!"

"This oar looks heavier than a paddle, so it must be difficult to control, right?"

The boat captain patted the smooth oar handle: "Hey, it's very handy! The oar is a hard push, but this oar, you just rock and pull it in the water, it's called 'holding the stern,' it's less strenuous than the oar, and it's more powerful. You rely on it to steer and turn! It's much more flexible than that hard rudder."

The boat rocked powerfully, propelled by the surging river current, cutting through layers of white waves, and resolutely heading east.

The green mountains on both sides of the river are like dark eyebrows, and the forests are dyed in autumn colors, which are even more magnificent in the golden glow of the morning sun.

After several days of sailing, the green mountains on both banks stretched endlessly, and the river flowed increasingly swiftly.

Upon reaching the entrance to the Three Gorges, the river suddenly narrows, as if the once wide river surface has been abruptly closed by two enormous, dark blue stone gates.

"This is the Kui Gate!"

Cui Wenjing pointed ahead and said to Lu Beigu.

Lu Beigu looked at Chijia Mountain and Baiyan Mountain standing opposite each other across the river. The cliffs were thousands of feet high and pierced the clouds, as if they were huge fissures left when the world was created. The exposed rocks of the mountains were reddish-brown and grayish-white, which looked even more desolate and majestic in the autumn morning light.

The river beneath their feet began to be squeezed, like an angry beast, churning and roaring, stirring up turbid waves and whirlpools, emitting a deafening roar.

Their seven-zhang-long ship, at this moment beneath the gaping maw of the Qutang Gorge, appeared as insignificant as a fallen leaf thrown into the turbulent current.

The captain had already furled the small triangular sail at the bow, and the mainsail was also lowered to the halfway point, leaving only the necessary windward side exposed.

He stood firmly on the stern, his eyes wide open, his muscular arms bursting with astonishing strength, rocking the huge oars with a creaking sound that seemed to blend together, fighting against the surging undercurrents and turbulent eddies, trying his best to stabilize the ship and make it speed down the narrow waterway.

The boatmen rowing on both sides shouted in unison, their chants echoing through the canyon and even drowning out some of the noise of the waves.

As Lu Beigu passed through the Qutang Gorge, he strained to look up, only to feel as if jagged rocks were hanging overhead, and towering cliffs seemed about to collapse, leaving only a sliver of blue sky visible. Sunlight could not fully penetrate the deep canyon; the huge shadows of the rock walls shrouded the river surface, and a chilling atmosphere pervaded the air.

The boat was swept along by the rushing river and rushed downstream at an astonishing speed. The violent rocking and swaying forced Lu Beigu to hold on tightly to the gunwale.

He was deeply shocked and truly felt the power of nature.

As the passenger ship sailed out of the Qutang Gorge, the river flow slowed down slightly, but the banks remained a continuous series of sheer cliffs.

After a short while, a completely different scene suddenly unfolded before our eyes.

—We've arrived at Wuxia Gorge.

The mountains on both sides of the river are no longer as bare and menacing as those at Qutang Gorge, but are instead adorned with the rich colors of autumn.

The verdant pines and cypresses are interspersed with fiery red maples, golden catalpas, and dark brown oaks, layer upon layer, like a huge, colorful tapestry spread across the steep mountainside.

But the clouds and mist are the soul of the Wu Gorge.

White clouds entwine around the mountainside, sometimes gathering into clusters, sometimes drifting like gauze, adorning the peaks of various shapes like a fairyland.

The river water also began to turn a deep, emerald green, as lovely as flowing jade, reflecting the colorful autumn scenery and ever-changing cloud shadows on both banks.

Occasionally, a long, mournful cry of a monkey would drift from the depths of the misty forest, breaking the silence of the canyon. It would echo the creaking of the boatman's oars and the splashing of the paddles as they cut through the water, adding to the ethereal and desolate atmosphere.

Lu Beigu gazed at the otherworldly scenery before him, the famous line from the ages lingering in his mind.

After a long silence, he sighed softly, “Li Daoyuan was not deceiving me. If I hadn’t come here, how could I have known that the poem ‘The Three Gorges of Badong and Wuxia are long, and the cries of monkeys bring tears to my eyes’ is so poignant and real.”

"The clouds and mist rise majestically, the landscape is like a painting; how could there be no poetry?"

Cui Wenjing took a deep breath of the misty air, his expression both intoxicated and wistful, as if this earthly paradise had washed away the frustration of his repeated failures in the imperial examinations, leaving only boundless gratitude for this wonder of nature.

He looked at Lu Beigu with an inviting gaze: "Brother, with such a magnificent view before us, why don't we follow the example of the ancients and compose a poem in the breeze?"

Lu Beigu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Brother Cui's poetic talent is outstanding, so it is only right that we invite him first."

After a moment's thought, Cui Wenjing's gaze swept over the misty peaks and the rushing blue water at his feet. The pent-up emotions in his heart transformed into a sense of relief, and he recited it aloud.

"Thoughts on Passing Through Kuimen on the Way to Beijing"

A single reed can traverse the vast Yangtze River, while a winding dragon meanders across the rolling hills and open fields.

Startled, I gazed upon the mist-shrouded Wushan Mountains; horrified, I witnessed the raging torrents of the Kui Gorge.

Seagulls and egrets perch on the sandbars, while sails cut through the waves in the vast sea and sky.

My body has already wandered beyond the misty waves, why seek traces of the past in Penglai?

Its clear and melodious sound echoes faintly in the canyon. The poem expresses both amazement at the magnificent landscape and a sense of melancholy after overcoming numerous obstacles.

"What a fine line, 'My body has already been entrusted to the mists and waves, why should I seek my old traces in Penglai?'" Lu Beigu praised.

Unlike Cui Wenjing, who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations in his middle age, the young man, dressed in a blue robe, was upright and had a bright look in his eyes. When he crossed the Three Gorges, he did not see the melancholy of the vast expanse of water, but rather the magnificent grandeur of the world.

At this moment, Lu Beigu felt a surge of heroic spirit.

He took the gourd from his waist, and though there was no wine, he tilted his head back and drank a mouthful of water.

"Then I'll also compose a poem in response, 'Autumn View of the Three Gorges'!"

He stood by the railing, facing the towering green mountains and the rushing river, and responded loudly.

"The golden crow leaps over the white salt peak, and the frost-covered maple leaves dye the red cliffs with smoke."

In my youth, I was so ambitious that I could conquer the waters of Sichuan and Chongqing; my light boat seemed poised to break through the passes of Chu and Jing.

As the clouds part, a thousand sails race across the Wu Gorge; as the waves surge, ten thousand horses whirl in the Qutang Gorge.

"On this journey to Bianliang, I'll pluck the stars from the sky, lest autumn's beauty fade over the river and sky!"

With his last sentence, he almost let out a long, unrestrained roar that reverberated through the valley, filled with boundless anticipation for the future.

Similarly, regarding the scene of sailing through the Three Gorges, Lu Beigu wrote, "Clouds part in the Wu Gorge, a thousand sails race; waves surge in the Qutang Gorge, ten thousand horses whirl." The first half of the line uses the scene of countless boats riding the wind and waves to metaphorically represent the magnificent scene of talents from all over the world vying for advancement. The second half describes the raging waves of the Qutang Gorge as being as powerful as warhorses charging into battle, implying their fearlessness in the face of dangers ahead.

It can be said that the passion and fearlessness of youth throwing themselves into the tide of the times in his poems are completely opposite to the leisurely carefree seagulls and egrets, the loneliness of sails breaking through the waves, and even the desire to retreat when seeing the vastness and emptiness in Cui Wenjing's poems.

Cui Wenjing, who felt a sense of melancholy, seemed to be infected by his heroic spirit and said excitedly, "Our trip will be a good opportunity to witness the magnificent beauty of the Great Song Dynasty and the glorious imperial palace!"

The passenger boat sped downstream like an arrow, carrying the two scholars toward Jinghu Lake.

A bright future lies ahead, though the journey may be long and arduous.

[Volume Two, "A Youthful Journey," concludes.]

(End of this chapter)