vstars Chapter 141 Xining’s Favorite Things
Chapter 141 Xining’s Favorite Things
The next morning, the tour guide arrived. Zhang Tingjian was in high spirits and asked the tour guide to give Xining a detailed introduction: The long scroll of the history of the Hehuang Valley
The tour guide was a mahjong expert. He sighed and introduced the Xining History Museum. This ancient city located in the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is like an unpolished jade polished by time, quietly emitting a unique luster. It has a profound historical heritage, and every page carries the legendary story of ethnic integration, cultural interweaving and civilization development.
Echoes of Xining Through Time – A Museum Tour
Stepping into the Xining History Museum is like pushing open a heavy door that has been covered in dust for a long time. The creaking sound rings in your ears. In an instant, the history of the thousand-year-old Hehuang Valley rushes towards you, wrapping you tightly in it.
The museum is softly lit, and the first thing that catches your eye is the ancient stone tool exhibition area. Crude choppers and scrapers from the Paleolithic Age are quietly displayed in glass cases. The worn edges of the stone blades silently tell of the ancient people's arduous struggles against wild beasts and the harsh climate on the land of Xining. Back then, they lived wherever there was water and grass, hiding in caves along the Huangshui River. Using these crude stone tools as blades, they cut animal flesh and peeled tree bark, marking the first steps of civilization in the wilderness. The fire of survival quietly and tenaciously survived in the land of Xining.
The Shang and Zhou Kayue Culture exhibition area features dazzling painted pottery. The patterns on pottery jars resemble mysterious inscriptions. Swirling patterns evoke the surging Huang River and the swirling stars, while broken lines evoke the undulating mountains and tribal migration routes, condensing the ancient people's primitive worship of nature and their naive understanding of it. Nearby, bronze daggers and spears, their green rust barely concealing their former sharpness, reveal the intricate and sophisticated smelting techniques, revealing the dawn of craftsmanship in Xining during the Bronze Age. Burial regulations hint at the emergence of tribal hierarchies, and the outlines of social structures emerge amidst the gloom of history.
Entering the Qin and Han Dynasty exhibition hall, the recreated scene of "Xiping Pavilion" is breathtaking. Wooden fences enclose a military fortress, tents scattered across the landscape, and soldiers, armored and weapons in hand, look resolute. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Huo Qubing's cavalry swept through, forcing the Xiongnu to flee. Xining returned to the Han Dynasty, and a pavilion and county were established. From then on, political policies, culture, and agricultural techniques from the Central Plains flooded into the area. In miniature fields, iron plow models turn the soil, and millet seeds are arranged, recreating the grand scene of immigrant settlements. The fragrance of wheat and millet wafts in the air, and trade camel caravans set off along a branch of the Silk Road. Tea and silk traveled westward, while fine horses and spices arrived eastward. Xining became a crucial link connecting the East and the West.
The Three Kingdoms, Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties exhibition showcases the turbulent rise of the Southern Liang Dynasty. A dazzling array of Tuoba Xianbei clothing and utensils are on display. Narrow-sleeved, waisted robes embody the heroic spirit of a nation steeped in horseback archery, while pottery wine vessels exude a sense of grandeur. In a model of the palace in the capital, Xiping (present-day Xining), counselors plot and generals compete for merit. Xianbei customs collide and merge with Han traditions. New sounds of Hujia and Qiang flutes gradually find their way into Han Dynasty folk songs, while Chinese absorbs Xianbei vocabulary. Multi-ethnic culture nurtures extraordinary phenomena in turbulent times.
In the Sui and Tang Dynasty exhibition area, a group of wax figures depicting Emperor Yang of Sui's grand western tour come alive. The emperor's resplendent canopy, his retinue august, and foreign envoys, each in their own unique attire and respectful demeanor, fully demonstrate Xining's crucial position on the Silk Road. A sprawling mural depicts Princess Wencheng's journey to Tibet during the Tang Dynasty, depicting her with dignified demeanor and resolute gaze. The marriage procession, laden with scrolls, agricultural supplies, and precious treasures, woven the threads of Tibetan-Han friendship from Xining. As Buddhism spread eastward, a model of the predecessor of Ta'er Monastery reveals the lingering sound of Buddhist chants and the unfurling of prayer flags, a vivid reminder of the grand scene of cultural exchange.
The tea-horse trade market during the Song and Yuan dynasties was bustling. Tea merchants negotiated prices with the Tibetans, tea bags piled up like mountains, and fine horses neighed anxiously. The Northern Song used tea to control the Tibetans, and the Xining Tea and Horse Commission was once powerful. Behind this economic exchange lay a political chessboard. The palaces of the Tubo-Zuosilo regime have been restored, and exquisite Tibetan Buddhist statues, featuring the compassionate brow of Tara and the wrathful gaze of Vajra, are found. The yellowed pages of Buddhist scriptures bear witness to the legacy of faith. Confucian schools also existed in the streets and alleys of the market, where children's recitations intertwined with the chanting of monks.
In the Ming and Qing exhibition halls, magnificent sand tables and city walls are displayed. The Ming Dynasty border walls, built to resemble a winding dragon, towering beacon towers, and soldiers toiled in military settlements, their wives and children bringing them food. The streets and alleys of Qing Dynasty prefectures and counties have been restored, showcasing the carved beams and painted buildings of the Shanxi and Shaanxi Guild Hall. The aroma of aged vinegar and Fenjiu wafts through the air, merchants exchange silver bills, and the bustling streets of the market. The academy's desks and chairs are neatly arranged, with brushes, inkstones, and paper laid out. Portraits of sages and great scholars lecturing hang high, and the eyes of students gleam in their eyes. Examination papers are displayed, testifying to the flourishing of culture and education. Local talents expressed their feelings through writing, integrating Xining's cultural veins into the vastness of China.
Strolling through the Modern History section, the graphic materials depicting the Xining Uprising during the 1911 Revolution are breathtaking. Patriots raised their arms and cheered, the masses enthusiastically followed. The scene of pigtail cutting was electrifying. New textbooks enlightened the people. Though the uprising was difficult and the sacrifices were tragic, it shattered the gloom of Xining, heralding the dawn of the Republic. A display showcases the years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, stacked with bags of Xining salt and wool. Letters from those who supported the front, written in simple handwriting, tell of the unwavering commitment and fervent patriotism of those who supported the front. Xining was never absent from the tide of the times.
As we leave the museum, we gaze back upon the collection, a star-studded tapestry of artifacts that traces Xining's long journey from ancient times to modern times. Every inch of space condenses fragments of history: the arduous journeys of our ancestors, the rise and fall of dynasties, the integration and coexistence of ethnic groups, and the inheritance and innovation of cultures. These echoes, etched deep within our souls, are Xining's unique birthmark, waiting to be disseminated by those who depart, allowing its story to spread far and wide.
Xining's history dates back to ancient times. The Hehuang Valley, a fertile land nurtured by the Yellow River and its tributary, the Huangshui River, has long witnessed human activity. In the Late Paleolithic period, our ancestors, armed with rudimentary stone tools, moved erratically, hunting and gathering, establishing the first steps of civilization in this land. They inhabited caves, sheltered from wild beasts and the harsh climate, and adapted to nature with primitive wisdom. Though their remains are mottled, these crude stone tools tell the story of humanity's fearless beginnings in conquering the wilderness.
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the Xining region entered the Bronze Age, and the Kayue culture emerged. The Kayue ancestors demonstrated remarkable skills in pottery painting and bronze smelting. The pottery features mysterious and complex patterns, depicting the sun, moon, stars, or tribal totems, expressing reverence for the gods of heaven and earth. Their bronze daggers, spears, and halberds were ingenious and practical, demonstrating the ingenious fusion of military and craftsmanship. Artifacts unearthed from tombs bear witness to the early development of social organization, with the emergence of class distinctions, laying the foundation for the dawn of slavery.
During the Qin and Han dynasties, Xining was drawn into the vision of the Central Plains dynasties. Qin Shihuang dispatched his army westward, penetrating the Hehuang River and establishing a preliminary administrative framework. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Huo Qubing led his army westward, defeating the Xiongnu. The Huangshui River basin was officially incorporated into the Western Han territory, and the "Xiping Pavilion" was established. This fortress gradually became both a military fortress and a commercial post. Immigrants from the Central Plains brought in agricultural techniques, and iron plows unleashed dormant land. The fragrance of millet and wheat wafted through the air, and cattle and horses neighed. This alternating agricultural and pastoral landscape transformed Xining's economic ecology, and cultural exchange unfolded through the sound of camel bells along the Silk Road.
During the Three Kingdoms, Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, China was in turmoil, and Xining became a battlefield for multi-ethnic regimes. Cao Wei established Xiping Commandery to strengthen its border defenses. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Southern Liang established its capital in Xiping (present-day Xining), where the Tuoba Xianbei (or Tuoba Xianbei) briefly enjoyed hegemony. Xianbei and Han cultures collided, forging a unique fusion of clothing, language, and customs. For example, the narrow sleeves and waist-cinching elements of Xianbei clothing permeated civilian clothing, while Chinese absorbed Xianbei vocabulary to enrich its expressions, marking the beginnings of a multi-ethnic symbiosis.
During the prosperous Sui and Tang dynasties, Xining returned to the embrace of the Central Plains, yet it also shouldered the heavy responsibility of ethnic integration. Emperor Yang of Sui, during his western tour, hosted a banquet for his ministers at Bayan Mountain, an unprecedented event. Kingdoms from the Western Regions came to pay tribute. Xining, a key hub on the southern Silk Road, welcomed merchants and foreigners, bringing with them rare treasures: silks from Chang'an, spices from India, and jewelry from Persia. During the Tang Dynasty, Princess Wencheng passed through Xining to enter Tibet, bringing with her a vast contingent of agricultural and medical texts and the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. This strengthened the bond between Han and Tibetan Buddhism, and Buddhism spread eastward along this path. Han and Tibetan Buddhism influenced each other in temple architecture, sculpture, and interpretation, and renowned temples like Ta'er Monastery gradually became beacons of faith.
During the transition from the Song Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, Xining held a crucial military and strategic importance. To defend against the Western Xia, the Northern Song Dynasty stationed a heavy garrison, spurring the rise of the tea-horse trade, where tea was exchanged for fine horses. Behind this economic synergy lay political power, with Xining becoming a key bargaining chip. The Tubo-Zuosiluo regime, which maintained its dominance, alternated between war and peace with the Song. Culturally, Tibetan Buddhism continued to flourish, with numerous temples, pagodas shimmering in the sun, prayer flags fluttering, the sounds of monks preaching, and the people devoutly worshipping the Buddha. Confucianism in the Central Plains was also quietly passed down through official and private schools, quietly interacting with the two through popular beliefs and academic discussions.
With the establishment of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Xining's administrative system was upgraded, with garrisons, prefectures, and counties improving their administrative systems. The Ming built border walls to defend against the remnants of the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty, and military settlements and civilians reclaimed wasteland, leading to a rapid population growth. During the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, Xining Garrison was transformed into a prefecture, sparking a surge of immigration. Merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi moved westward, bringing with them vinegar and noodle-making techniques, which were integrated into local cuisine. Specialty snacks like fermented rice noodles and sweet fermented mash were either adapted or reborn, and the streets flourished. In terms of culture and education, academies flourished, with sages and scholars lecturing, fostering a flourishing academic atmosphere. Numerous local talents emerged, and a growing body of literary and historical works documented local customs while integrating them into mainstream Chinese culture.
Since modern times, despite its inland location, Xining has been hard-pressed to escape the tide of the times. When the Xinhai Revolution erupted, Xining embraced the Republic, cutting its braids and changing its clothing, promoting new learning, and dismantling old institutions. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Xining became a hub for the transportation of supplies from the rear areas, sending salt, furs, and other materials to the front lines. People of all ethnic groups united to resist the enemy, and passionate young men bravely fought on the battlefield, ingraining patriotism in their blood. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xining's industry took off, with factories crisscrossing the Third Front construction area. The roar of steel and machinery marked the beginning of development. Urban expansion and improved infrastructure transformed the ancient city into a modern metropolis, the sound of camel bells replaced by the hustle and bustle of traffic. Yet, Xining remains true to its cultural roots, with diverse folk festivals and traditional skills passed down from generation to generation, telling the world about the millennia-old story of the Huangshui River. Focusing on the present, Xining is poised to embark on a new and glorious journey.