Taiyuan Character | Taiyuan | Index | Character
"Although it is hard to find a thousand treasures and ten thousand seeps, we can only reach gold after blowing out the raging sand." In the summer of 2004, as teenagers, we sat in a classroom at a high school in Taiyuan, attending the last history class of junior high school. The teacher wrote a poem on the blackboard, expressing the character he hoped we would have.
As time goes by, I can't help but examine myself: Are you still moving in the direction that the teacher expected back then? I have been away from my hometown for many years, but the footprints, friends I have met, and topics I have discussed here have not blurred with time and distance. Instead, they have become more profound in my mind: the fragrant vinegar on the dining table, the fragrant Fenjiu when I raise my glass, the surging burning black gold... What kind of Taiyuan has made me? What kind of countless "me" make up Taiyuan?
Mountains and rivers on the surface and inside
When I was in school, history was one of the subjects that I was most interested in, and I enjoyed listening to the teacher talk about the magnificent past from the podium. At that time, I knew that many historical stories happened in the place where I grew up. The mountains and rivers on the surface, as used by ancient people to describe Shanxi. The majestic Taihang Mountains, the surging Yellow River water, the thick loess plateau, the profound historical and cultural significance, the wisdom of the Jin merchants, and the exploration of the western frontier have created the calm and confident people of Taiyuan who are inclusive and have access to the world.
Ancient and modern intersect here. The transformation of old and new, the connection of vitality, and the fusion of human emotions have shaped the unique spiritual character of Taiyuan. Taiyuan to me is like an old friend who is low-key, simple, and full of treasures, eager to introduce himself to more people.
"Is there a mine at home?" Every child in Taiyuan knows from a young age that the coal in their hometown brings a continuous source of power to the cold nights and winters throughout the country.
Accompanied by the sound of the flute, the endless trains on the railway coal transportation line witness the contribution of coal to economic development and people's livelihood. Last year, the daily average coal production in Shanxi reached 3.56 million tons, with a total of 620 million tons of electricity coal supplied to 24 provinces at long-term contract prices.
Coal washing, coal selection, and loading... non-stop electric coal is produced from three coal mines of Xishan Coal and Power Group, and arrives at Yumengou Station of Taiyuan North Railway Station through a dedicated railway line. Here, it is assembled and grouped, transported from the Taiyuan North Railway Hub to more than 10 stations in Zhengzhou and Wuhan, ultimately lighting up the lights of thousands of households. The strict requirements of the station for electric coal transportation trains are "no delay in stopping at the station, no delay in operation, and no reservation within the management", which is also a simple commitment of "Jinmei Outward Transportation" to ensure supply.
The feeling of mentioning coal is not only proud but also heart wrenching. The elders once used "heart wrenching" to describe the feeling when they first went down an old coal mine. Frequent accidents once shrouded the shadow of coal mine production. In recent years, advanced equipment such as 5G and artificial intelligence have been put into use, leading to the rise of unmanned production with fewer people. Coal mine workers have gradually been freed from heavy and dangerous work. According to the intelligent roadmap of Shanxi coal mines, by 2030, various types of coal mines will basically achieve intelligence.
In the intelligent coal mines that have been built, inspection robots autonomously walk along the tracks underground. It is capable of 360 degree video monitoring, audio acquisition, infrared thermal imaging, and accurate recording of device operation status. The centralized control center on the well utilizes 5G technology, which can control the underground robot to "see" all underground scenes in real time on the electronic screen, "perceive" underground gas concentration, temperature and humidity, coal mining progress, and so on.
Shanxi once carried out several major reforms in mining rights and enterprise mergers and acquisitions with the courage of a brave warrior, and now actively embraces intelligent transformation. Coal mines are shining with a cleaner and safer new appearance.
Taiyuan's character is like the hidden black gold, heavy, low-key, and silently dedicated.
Time password
If the abundant energy is compared to the well-known external impression of Taiyuan, then the numerous historical sites remaining on the ground are the profound connotations of Taiyuan.
Most children in Taiyuan have written an essay about the Jin Temple during their student years. Perhaps at that time, after racking my brain and looking back, I realized how lucky I was to be able to feel the thousand year old Zhou Bai tree at the Jin Temple, cross time and space and gaze at the painted sculptures of the Song Dynasty, and listen to the endless flowing sound of Nanlaoquan. Since the Northern Wei Dynasty, it has been recorded for 1700 years that buildings from different dynasties have extended here, becoming a museum of ancient Chinese architecture.
The Fish Pond Flying Beam is one of the three national treasures of the Jin Temple and is known as the "earliest overpass in the world". However, the poetic and picturesque "fish swamp flying beam" is highly dynamic and sounds much more dynamic than the "overpass". "This style of stone pillar bridge is occasionally seen in ancient paintings, but the actual object is only this isolated example, which is truly precious." Mr. Liang Sicheng commented on "Flying beams in the fish swamp", saying that there has never been an ancient person before and no one has come after.
"Fish swamp flying beam" has a history of at least 1500 years. The bridge fully utilizes the advantages of materials in three different environments, with stone columns resistant to corrosion in water, wood having toughness and plasticity, and stone bridge slabs wear-resistant and fire-resistant, achieving the effect of sturdy and beautiful bridges.
What kind of bridge building wisdom could have enabled ancient people thousands of years ago to create such masterpieces of art? Every ancient building contains the code of traditional culture and solidifies the essence of time.
Ancient ruins, temples, grottoes, ancient pagodas, sculptures, murals... In Taiyuan, there are nearly a thousand cultural relics, telling the story of the ancient city's long history and glory. However, as a native of Taiyuan, there is always a hint of regret in my heart. The once lukewarm tourism industry has made many historical sites stand quietly and not well-known to the world. Pieces of cultural relics, everywhere remains, waiting for guests from afar to have a cross millennium encounter.
Fortunately, the collision between the past and the present has sparked new sparks. When history meets the Internet, Taiyuan's historic sites finally "come out of the circle" by means of live broadcast and other means. In the first half of this year, the tourist reception in Taiyuan was at a high level. Jinci Temple has received more than 70 research and learning teams with over 30000 visitors, and the number and batch of research and learning tourism reception have reached a new high.
The history of Taiyuan is grand, and life in Taiyuan is light. Managing every detail of daily life is a poetic and picturesque aspect of Taiyuan's character.
We once lamented the air pollution in our hometown, and the "side effect" of coal mining was to damage the environment; We used to mock our hometown as "not something". Shanxi was neither included in the western nor in the eastern part of the national strategy, as if it lacked some sense of presence. In 2015, after three years of hard work, Taiyuan withdrew from the ranking of the top 10 cities with the most severe pollution; Afterwards, he was nominated multiple times for the "Most Happiest City". Where does Xiaoque Xing, who belongs to Taiyuan people, originate from?
The answer is by the winding Fen River. The Fen River runs through the city of Taiyuan, flowing year after year, tirelessly day and night. It is precisely because of the generations of benefits brought by this great river that the initial human fireworks emerged in this land, becoming the profound source of the Three Jin civilization. Nowadays, people in Taiyuan have built a 40 kilometer long park and a 70 kilometer long riverside bicycle greenway along the river. The wheels rolled and the wind blew all the way. Strolling through the past and present, traversing the four seasons. This is the beauty that belongs to the people of Taiyuan.
The answer is at the convenience store on the street corner. "Three steps, one Tang Jiu, five steps, one Golden Tiger" is a description by Taiyuan people of the density of convenience stores. Tangjiu and Jinhu are the most familiar local convenience stores for locals, with over a thousand stores. Although the storefront is small, it has all the functions. Purchasing daily necessities, borrowing umbrellas, buying lottery tickets, express storage, ordering birthday cakes, free self-service printing, electric vehicle charging... Convenience stores are like "life helpers", meeting residents' emergency needs within 24 hours with the shortest distance and fastest speed, and also like inseparable old friends, bringing convenience stores closer to customers. In the 2022 China Urban Convenience Store Index, Taiyuan Convenience Store Development Index surpassed Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, ranking second in the country. This is a convenience that belongs to the people of Taiyuan.
The answer lies in every person from Taiyuan. A city not only means buildings and facilities, but also the people in the city. The city is nurturing its people, and at the same time, the people in the city are using their spiritual realm to nourish the city.
Philosophy of Life
Taiyuan has a long history of its culture. As an ancient city, its cultural heritage lies more in life itself. Through people's living habits and daily customs, we can infuse our character and inherit it. These customs are the most extensive hiding places for culture. Just like the vinegar on the dining table of Taiyuan people, it embodies the philosophy of life of the common people.
Leaving my hometown to study in a faraway place, even in a suitcase weighing tens of pounds, there is a bottle of aged vinegar to be packed. "Boarding dumplings and disembarking noodles" is a family custom. A plate of dumplings made by my mother, dipped in vinegar and steaming hot, symbolized growth - finally being able to leave home. However, after walking many roads, tasting many delicious foods and seeing many landscapes, my father could not afford to serve a bowl of Daoxiao Noodles after returning home. Add a little more vinegar, panting and panting, which means satisfaction - what's more beautiful than this?
Love is jealous, just like the personality of Taiyuan people, with a touch of humor in their simplicity. Even the tone of Taiyuan dialect has a hint of vinegar, making it sound like a curve. Vinegar is not a necessary seasoning, but the essence of enhancing flavor. "Summer sun exposure, winter ice harvesting", 1 year, 5 years, 10 years... After brewing for a long time, it is known that the vinegar has a strong aroma. The life lessons taught to me by Taiyuan also took time to experience and understand their profound meaning.
"Unable to catch up step by step, unable to catch up step by step" is the favorite catchphrase of the homeroom teacher when we were studying in Taiyuan, teaching us to take every step steadily. "Take advantage of small gains and suffer small losses, take advantage of big gains and suffer big losses" is a phrase my mother often says, reminding me to be a good person. When praising others, the people of Taiyuan say, "Returning outside is very casual," reflecting a low-key and humble attitude; Despite encountering difficulties, the people of Taiyuan still say, "It's very casual to return," demonstrating an optimistic and calm demeanor. These simple spiritual qualities are precisely the soil and water of Taiyuan that endow the souls of its people.
With the smell and character of vinegar, I have been studying, working, getting married, and having children. I have already lived elsewhere, and I haven't even taken my child back to Taiyuan once. Fortunately, he also likes to eat noodles to make some vinegar. I like to wander around, but I find that many places around Taiyuan have not been visited, and I always feel that they are very close and in time. I like to search for delicious food, but I have tried Shanxi restaurants around me but can't find the taste in my memory. I like to chat with people, my childhood friends who were joking and playful, but only greet them lightly during holidays.
A person can only accompany you for a distance, even a city. This feeling is probably homesickness. Unable to go back, unable to forget, moving forward with the cultural roots and growth power drawn from it.
Twenty years have passed, and the once spirited teenagers have all entered stable middle age. "Although it is hard to find a thousand treasures and ten thousand seeps, it is only after blowing out the raging sand that one can reach gold." Some people stay in Taiyuan, while others are in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, dedicating themselves to various industries and walking non-stop. Just like the sentence printed on the graduation photo of a junior high school class - "Gather a fire, scatter the stars in the sky."
Looking back, people are like a city, like aged vinegar. The most mellow taste takes time to age, and then, when harvested and matured, the aftertaste is endless. This is exactly the spiritual energy that Taiyuan has given me.
