Du Fu couldn't help but write poetry to express his grievances. On July 6th of that year, he wore a lantern boat
On July 6th, the first year of the Qianyuan reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang Dynasty, Du Fu, a member of the Huazhou Military Service, was wearing official clothes and reviewing official documents. The weather was scorching and unbearable, and he couldn't help but write a poem to express his grievances: "On the sixth day of the seventh month, it was scorching and steaming, and I couldn't eat a temporary meal yet... My belt was wild and I wanted to scream, and I couldn't wait for a book to arrive. Looking south at the short ravine of the green pine frame, I was content to step barefoot on the layer of ice."
The ancient people had limited cooling methods, so it was really hard to think about how to avoid the heat. A common method is to go boating and seek coolness in the water and wind.
The habit of boating for summer has existed before the Song Dynasty. Li Xun of the Five Dynasties wrote a poem called "Nanxiangzi", which goes: "Leaning green ants, red snails. Leisurely inviting female companions to gather and sing sheng songs. In the light waves of the summer boat, leisurely playing games, dipping lychee red wine on the shore." Green ants refer to wine foam, while red snails refer to wine glasses. In Lingnan at that time, young women would sail together, drink alcohol and play music in the summer. The bright and full lychees on the shore hung low on the water, complementing the faces of people, and a youthful atmosphere was vividly displayed on the paper.
By the Northern Song Dynasty, this way was also prevalent among literati and officials. During the Qingli period of Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty, Wen Yanbo served in Chengdu. On the first, middle, and last days of the summer, he would gather his subordinates to enjoy the cool breeze. After the morning banquet, he would go boating in the pool and return to the hall for a banquet. In Guangzhou, there is still a stone carving that is the title of a group of four officials, Jin Junqing and Xu Yanxian, during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, who went boating in mid summer to escape the heat.
Compared to the previous dynasties, Song people took boats to escape the summer heat, which gave rise to some new trends - strong sunlight during the day, only suitable for travel in secluded forest areas, usually in the suburbs; As for the city, it is often necessary to wait until night falls and the cool breeze blows before boarding the boat.
This was very unlikely in the past. Until the Tang Dynasty, cities were still divided into several parts based on neighborhoods. The doors of the neighborhoods opened at sunrise and closed at sunset. Commerce is limited to specific areas, known as markets. For example, in the Tang capital of Chang'an, transactions are concentrated in the east and west markets, and the commercial markets are also open and closed at times. At night, each neighborhood and city is closed to each other. There is no way to start with the release of boats in exile.
From the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, the walls were demolished and shops scattered throughout the city. Accompanied by this, curfews were abolished, the neighborhood system gradually disintegrated, and commercial development "broke all old rules aimed at preserving the aristocratic nature of the city.". The residents of Fangshi gradually gained the freedom to go out at night, and summer night boating began to rise.
During his tenure as a judge in Hangzhou, Su Shi wrote "The Five Wonders of West Lake at Night". The fourth one said, "Zipu has boundless water, lotus flowers bloom at night with the fragrance of wind and dew. Gradually, I see the lights shining out of the distant temple, and wait for the moon to darken to see the lake." He gazed at the clarity of the moon, still unsatisfied, and wanted to see the lake water behind the moon. At that time, the surroundings were black, and the lake surface was half hidden and half visible, emitting a dim and eerie luster. At this time, Su Shi had an official position, but being able to wander the lake all night without worrying about breaking the law was an unprecedented blessing.
Urban boating to cool down has become a trend and is bound to further commercialize. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the West Lake cruise ships in Hangzhou stopped sailing into the Li Lake as summer approached. During the day, they were mostly parked under the shade of trees and rented to the people for cooling. At night, if there are good things to do, they can simply lay pillows, sleep in a high sleeper boat, or even row to the center of the lake and sleep until dawn. On the cruise ship, various fruits, preserves, chilled drinks are sold, and there is also a play of "Guan Pu" where copper coins are thrown to determine the ownership of the goods. Such a lively atmosphere is clearly a different development from Su Shi's Qingshang.
The urbanization and commercialization of summer by boat have become increasingly popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Among them, the lightboat can be regarded as a representative. Xu Ke's "Clear Barnyard Rice Banknotes - Boat Cars" summarizes: "Lantern boats are found in Jiangning, Suzhou, Wuxi, and Jiaxing, all used for sightseeing and banquets. On the evening, lamps are set up inside and outside the boats, and torches are arranged like day. Summer is prosperous, accommodating the midstream, and providing shelter from the heat." The four cities listed in the article are all convenient waterways and economically developed. No wonder people take boats to spend the summer, competing for wonders and cleverness. In addition, in Yangzhou and other places, lantern boats are also popular.
The so-called lantern boat, as the name suggests, is a ship with hanging lights, and the number is far more than usual. This type of ship is divided into different sizes. Initially, the hull was about 6 meters long, with dozens of lights hanging on it; The central fence curtain of the ship creates a space for banquets and music. From the Ming Dynasty to the mid Qing Dynasty, this form was maintained. Descending to the late Qing Dynasty, the ship's hull expanded on all four sides, reaching a length of five zhang, about 16 meters, with over a hundred lights; The center of the ship is parallel to the door, middle, and rear cabins, and can accommodate several tables of feasts, making it spacious and luxurious.
Lantern boats from various regions are also the most famous on the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Nanjing was a first tier city with a dense canopy. In the fourth and fifth months of the lunar calendar, the Yangtze River is at high tide, and the surface of the Qinhuai River is rising. The water is vast, and the lantern boats are just showing off their skills.
There are two unique features of this lightboat:
One is that multiple ships connect head and tail, forming a long dragon. According to Zhong Xing's "Qinhuai Lantern Boat Ode" during the Ming Dynasty, there were forty to fifty boats at their peak. "Each boat carried twenty or so people... They were tied with ropes to hold their tails, like a boat," measuring two to three hundred meters. When the night shrouds summer, a long row of boats meanders over, and thousands of sheep horn lamps shine brightly, illuminating both sides. The top song is played in competition, and a big drum is placed at the stern of the ship, with the sound of the drum as the rhythm. When the complex sound promotes the festival, the hammer beats the drum and beats the wave heart.
The second is that the river houses stand between the banks, complementing the lantern boats in a charming way. The Qinhuai River houses are either self occupied or rented, with carved windows from Zhu households, magnificent and exquisite. At night, windows and doors opened, allowing everyone to enjoy the river view.
On the other hand, for the people in the river boat, the river house is also a sight. In the 24th chapter of Wu Jingzi's "The Scholars", there is a vivid description of this: "The girls living in the river houses on both sides, wearing light gauze clothes, with jasmine flowers on their heads, rolled up the Hunan curtains together and listened quietly by the railing. So, with the sound of the lantern boat and drums, the curtains on both sides rolled up the windows, and the burning dragon saliva, sinking, and speed in the river houses sprayed out together with the fragrant mist, merging with the moonlight and smoke in the river, gazing at the fairies of Langyuan and Yao Palace."
Fragrant mist emanates from the window of the house, spreading over the river surface; The bright light boat and the bright moonlight add three points of confusion; The rich aroma enters the nose and penetrates the body, making people feel like falling into a dream, like climbing a fairy palace.
At least half of the reason why the summer scenery of the Qinhuai River is unique is attributed to the lantern boats. Boating for summer has evolved to this point, clearly shifting its main purpose from cooling off to entertainment.
Such an unparalleled spectacle naturally attracts literati and scholars to sing it. Among them, Du Jun's "Chu Wen Deng Chuan Gu Chuo Ge" written in the early summer of the fourth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty is most praised. It is said that the famous scholar Zhou Lianggong held a banquet for guests in the Qinhuai region, while also observing a lantern boat. During the banquet, he took out a hundred pieces of gold and publicly solicited poems. Without waiting for anyone to react, Du Jun stood up and grabbed the money bag with his hands, saying, "Brother Zhou is thinking that my family is poor and intends to help me." After a moment of contemplation, he straightened his pen and wrote a 174 sentence long song, which impressed everyone.
Du Jun should not give up, not only being arrogant and talented, but also having long-term thinking as his foundation. He used the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty lantern boat to observe the changes in political affairs and national fortune. In the poem, it is written: "On this day, Jiangling became prosperous and strong, and the Sage's Palace played the Cloud Gate. Later, all the prime ministers were blessed, and the world's material strength tilted southeast."
The lantern boat was born during the Wanli period, after the Zhang Juzheng Reform. This reform saved the government's finances, which were originally left with limited resources, but the economic trend of moving south and retreating north became increasingly prominent. In the sixth year of the Wanli reign, the local tax on silk and silk was as high as the ratio of the north and south to the eight and one. Eighty percent of the land is in the south, and the vast majority is contributed by regions such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Therefore, Du Jun has the lament that the natural resources of the world are tilting southeast. The lantern boat is the project that was born in this colorful land realm.
By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Qinhuai lantern boats were always shining brightly. Emperor Hongguang of the Southern Ming Dynasty ascended the throne in Nanjing, and his regime only lasted for one year. Even at this moment, he still dreams and strives for excellence in the lantern boat performance. Kong Shangren's "Peach Blossom Fan", based on this background, wrote that Chen Zhenhui and Wu Yingji visited Ding Jizhi's Water Pavilion. The little boy replied, "My master has gone to the Lantern Festival." Contacting the current situation made people unable to help but anger the ongoing struggle of the Hongguang regime. When the Qing army captured Nanjing, the prosperity on this cliff came to an abrupt end.
In the early Qing Dynasty, emperors revered frugality and simplicity, and the recovery of lightships was slow. After Emperor Qianlong ascended to the throne, the national treasury was full, and the lantern boats were revived in one fell swoop, and they continued to flourish. In the middle of the Qianlong reign, Xia Zhirong, the head of Zhongshan Academy, wrote in his poem "Xie Taishou Prohibited the Qinhuai Lantern Boat, Poetry for Beauty" that "Recently, there have been more beautiful tower boats, with red curtains on all sides and blue gauze green." He annotated that "the system of blue gauze tower boats was only five or six years old, and it was first adopted by wealthy families, and then followed suit.". Download wine from the bottom of the cabin, sit passengers in the cabin, chisel windows on all sides, and use blue gauze as curtains, which are valuable and more suitable for sightseeing. During the five or six years, it became popular, indicating the rapid transfer of customs.
Seriously speaking, lightboats not only provide entertainment, but also livelihood. It goes without saying that artists and boatmen benefit greatly, as do lamp shops and hotels. The south facade of Changchun Lane in Yangzhou is mostly a rental lamp shop. On the slim West Lake, all the lantern boats were rented for eight yuan per lamp, and many people were supported.
In the third year of the Tongzhi reign, Zeng Guofan conquered Nanjing and made the revitalization of the lightboat a top priority. Governor Tu Zongying of Jiangning specifically paid a visit to the Zeng family and advised them to ban the use of light boats to prevent any trouble.
Zeng Guofan smiled and said, "Let me first experience it, and then it's not too late.". He made an appointment with Li Lianxiu, the newly appointed head of Zhongshan Academy, to visit Qinhuai at night. I saw lightboats scattered all over the river, and the sound of music kept coming and going. Zeng was very pleased and enjoyed playing all night. In the morning, he was still full of enthusiasm and drank alcohol by the shore.
The next day, I entered the official office and summoned Tu Zongying to inform me that I had stayed on the river all night and everything was fine. I can rest assured. Moreover, the common people rely on this for their livelihood, and the lightboat cannot be banned. Tu Shi only retreated. The Qinhuai lantern boat grew from small to large and was lowered in the third year of Tongzhi.
The Qinhuai River channel is narrow, and if there are too many large light boats that are over ten meters long and nearly three meters wide, they will not be able to operate. At the end of the Guangxu reign, the number of such large ships increased to thirty or forty, and they jostled one after another in the river, often colliding with each other, which was extremely inconvenient. As a result, after 50 years of popularity, headlight boats declined.
In August 1923, Zhu Ziqing and Yu Pingbo traveled together to Qinhuai, and the widest ship they could see was only "capable of accommodating two or three to ten people", which had been reduced back to the old scale of "each boat carrying more than twenty people" described by Zhong Xing.
Looking at the changes in ancient Chinese summer boating customs, there is a close correlation with urban morphology, economic trends, dynastic changes, policy orientation, and even natural landforms. The legendary figure Huang Jun once said, "Anyone who talks about the joy of traveling and exploring must know that even small things are related to the rise and fall of historical sites and terrain." This is truly an unpublished theory.
