Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1775

The sun shines through the thin clouds and shines on the apron of Taiyuan Wusu International Airport. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei drag their suitcases and walk briskly out of the terminal. The air is filled with the dry and refreshing smell of the north, mixed with a hint of coal smoke. This is the unique smell of Taiyuan, and it also announces that their trip to Shanxi has officially begun.

"We're finally in Shanxi. I didn't expect that I would be so excited along the way!" Li Xiao took a deep breath, his face filled with irrepressible excitement, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Zhang Yuedong pushed up his glasses, raised the corners of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Yes, Taiyuan is a city with a long history and thousands of years of Chinese civilization. There are so many places worth exploring. It's exciting to think about it."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to take out his camera and took a series of photos of the street scene outside the airport. As he took photos, he said, "We must record our first impression of Taiyuan perfectly. We will definitely gain a lot in the days to come."

The three of them called a taxi and drove to the city. Along the way, high-rise buildings were lined up one after another, and the modern atmosphere was overwhelming, but the quaint buildings that occasionally flashed by on the street reminded them of the city's profound historical heritage.

After a short rest at the hotel, they headed to the first stop of the trip, the Jin Temple. Located at the foot of Xuanweng Mountain, 25 kilometers southwest of TY City, the Jin Temple was built to commemorate Tang Shuyu, the founding prince of the Jin State, and his mother, Queen Yi Jiang. It is the earliest existing royal sacrificial garden in China and also the ancestral temple of the Jin State.

When they stood in front of the gate of Jin Temple, a magnificent wooden memorial archway came into view. The two large characters "Jin Temple" on it were vigorous and powerful, exuding a simple and rustic atmosphere under the sunlight. Walking into Jin Temple, it was like stepping into an ancient world, with towering ancient trees, lush greenery, and leaves rustling in the breeze, as if telling a thousand-year-old story.

"Wow, the buildings here are so spectacular. Every detail shows the wisdom and superb craftsmanship of the ancients." Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh, and he was reluctant to take his eyes off those exquisite ancient buildings.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, these buildings are not only treasures of art, but also witnesses of history. For example, the Holy Mother Hall is the main building of the Jin Temple. It was built during the Tiansheng period of the Northern Song Dynasty, and has a history of nearly a thousand years. Its unique architectural style and diverse bracket sets make it an outstanding representative of ancient Chinese architectural art."

Lin Yifei kept pressing the shutter of his camera, wanting to record these beautiful moments one by one: "Look, the sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves onto these ancient buildings, and the light and shadows interweave. The photos taken must be beautiful."

They visited the Xiandian, Yunuma Feiliang, Shengmu Hall and other buildings along the central axis. Xiandian is a place for displaying offerings during sacrifices, with a simple structure, solemn and simple; Yunuma Feiliang is a unique cross-shaped bridge built over the Yunuma, with a peculiar shape, like a big bird spreading its wings to fly, and is the only example of an ancient bridge in China.

In the Holy Mother Hall, there is a statue of the Holy Mother Yi Jiang, surrounded by 42 colored sculptures of maids from the Song Dynasty. These colored sculptures are lifelike, with different postures, and their eyes and eyebrows seem to contain endless stories. Li Xiao approached a maid statue, carefully looked at her face, and said softly: "These colored sculptures are really exquisite. Each one has its own unique expression and demeanor. It feels like traveling through time and space and communicating face to face with the ancients."

Zhang Yuedong explained: "These colored sculptures not only have extremely high artistic value, but also reflect the social life and aesthetic concepts of the time. From their clothing, hairstyles and expressions, we can get a glimpse of the life scenes of the court maids in the Song Dynasty."

After visiting the ancient buildings of Jin Temple, they came to Nanlao Spring. Nanlao Spring is one of the three wonders of Jin Temple. The spring water is clear and flows all year round. The water temperature remains at around 17℃. On the octagonal pavilion beside the spring hangs a plaque with the words "Nanlao" written on it, which was written by Fu Shan, a famous calligrapher in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Lin Yifei squatted down and gently touched the spring water with his hand, feeling the cool touch: "This spring water is really magical. After thousands of years, it still flows continuously, as if time has lost its meaning in front of it."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Yes, no wonder the ancients used the word 'hard to grow old' to describe it. This is not only a praise for the spring water, but also a feeling of the endless life and the eternity of all things."

In the Jin Temple, they also admired many precious inscriptions and couplets. These calligraphy works were vigorous and full of charm, allowing them to appreciate the profoundness of Chinese traditional culture. Unconsciously, the sun gradually set, and the afterglow sprinkled on the ancient buildings of the Jin Temple, covering them with a layer of golden coat, making them look more solemn and majestic.

"Time flies so fast. A day has passed in the blink of an eye." Zhang Yuedong looked at his watch and said reluctantly.

Li Xiao stretched his body, a satisfied smile on his face: "I have gained a lot today. Jin Temple really opened my eyes. However, my stomach has begun to protest now. Let's go and try the food in Taiyuan."

Lin Yifei also put away his camera, nodded and said, "Yes, I have heard that Taiyuan's food is unique, I can't wait."

So, the three of them left Jin Temple with anticipation for delicious food and headed towards the food street in the city, ready to embark on a gustatory trip to Shanxi.

Ancient Pingyao, the echo of history
The morning sun gently shines on the walls of Pingyao Ancient City, giving the ancient city a golden glow. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei stood in front of the city gate, looking at the majestic and magnificent ancient city in front of them, their hearts filled with awe and expectation.

"Wow, I finally saw the ancient city of Pingyao. It's even more shocking than I imagined!" Li Xiao said excitedly, with excitement flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Yuedong nodded slightly, with a faint smile on his face: "Yes, this ancient city with a history of more than 2,000 years carries countless stories and memories. Every brick and stone seems to be telling the prosperity of the past."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to take out his camera and took a lot of photos of the ancient city: "Such a beautiful scenery, I must take a few more photos and go back to savor it."

They walked through the city gate and into the ancient city, as if they had traveled back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. On both sides of the ancient streets, there were shops and antique buildings scattered in an orderly manner, and the blue bricks and gray tiles revealed a strong historical atmosphere. The stone pavement under their feet was polished smooth by the years, and walking on it made a crisp sound, as if it was the echo of history.

"Look, the styles of these buildings are really unique. They have both the grandeur of northern architecture and the exquisiteness of southern architecture." Li Xiao said, pointing to a courtyard house on the street.

Zhang Yuedong explained: “The architecture of Pingyao Ancient City is a fusion of many styles, which is related to its past as an important commercial hub. At that time, merchants from all over the country gathered here, bringing different architectural cultures, which blended with each other to form today’s unique style.”

They strolled along the street and came to Rishengchang Bank. Rishengchang Bank was founded in the third year of the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty. It was the first private financial institution in China that specialized in deposit, loan and foreign exchange business and was known as "the bank that connects the world". Walking into the gate of the bank, an ancient courtyard came into view. The buildings in the courtyard were rigorously laid out and had distinct functions.

"This is the origin of China's modern banking industry. It controlled the financial lifeline of the whole country!" Zhang Yuedong said with emotion. Li Xiao looked around curiously: "It's hard to imagine how this place achieved the feat of 'connecting the world' in that era."

Led by the tour guide, they visited the business hall, account office, letter room, vault and other places of the bank, and learned about the operation mode and development history of the bank. Looking at the well-preserved account books, bills and seals, they seemed to be able to see the prosperous business and busy scenes of merchants in the bank.

"These account books record the rise and fall, glory and disgrace of Rishengchang Bank, and are also important witnesses to China's financial history." The tour guide said, pointing to a yellowed account book.

After leaving Rishengchang Bank, they came to Pingyao County Government. Pingyao County Government is located in the center of the ancient city. It was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and finalized in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is one of the most complete county governments in China. The county government is large in scale, with orderly arrangement of the main and subordinate parts and symmetrical layout. The court is in front and the bedroom is in the back, with civil affairs on the left and military affairs on the right. There are six courtyards on the central axis, from the outside to the inside, including the main gate, lobby, house gate, second hall, inner house and Daxian Tower.

"Wow, this county government office is just like a small palace. I didn't expect that the office of a seventh-rank official in ancient times would be so magnificent!" Lin Yifei exclaimed.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Although he was only a seventh-rank county magistrate, he held the power of life and death in the local area at that time, so the scale of the county government could not be small."

They walked into the lobby, where a plaque with the words "A Clear Mirror Hangs High" was hung high, and below was where the county magistrate tried cases. Various torture instruments were placed on both sides of the lobby, making people feel the majesty of ancient justice.

"Look, this couplet is so well written: 'Eat the people's food and wear the people's clothes. Don't think the people can be bullied. You are also the people. It is no honor to get an official position and no disgrace to lose one. Don't say an official is useless. The whole place depends on him.' This reflects the responsibility and feelings that an official should have." Zhang Yuedong said as he read the couplet.

Li Xiao nodded in agreement: "Unfortunately, there are not many officials who can really do this."

In the county government office, they also watched a court hearing performance. The performers, dressed in ancient costumes, vividly recreated the scene of the ancient magistrate trying a case, allowing them to have a more intuitive understanding of the ancient judicial system.

After visiting the scenic spots, their stomachs were already growling, so the three of them went to a local restaurant to taste Pingyao's delicacies.

"I've heard that Pingyao beef and bowl trays are very famous. I must try them today." Li Xiao said impatiently.

Soon, all the dishes were served. A plate of ruddy and fragrant Pingyao beef was placed in front of them. Li Xiao picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. The beef was tender and mellow, leaving people with an endless aftertaste.

"Well, this Pingyao beef really lives up to its reputation, it's so delicious!" Li Xiao praised it highly.

Then, they tasted wantuo, a snack made from buckwheat noodles or sorghum noodles. It has a chewy texture and is served with special seasoning. It is sour and spicy and has a unique flavor.

"This bowl of tofu has a unique taste and is very appetizing." Lin Yifei said as he ate.

In addition to Pingyao beef and bowl trays, they also tasted special foods such as bubble oil cakes and cat ears. They ate every dish with gusto and expressed their deep enjoyment.

After lunch, they took a short break and came to the streets of Pingyao Ancient City to watch a folk performance. At this time, the streets were already full of tourists, and everyone was looking forward to the performance.

Soon, a lively sound of gongs and drums sounded, and the performance officially began. The first to appear was the dragon and lion dance, with several giant dragons flying up and down in the hands of the dragon dancers, vivid and lifelike, while the lions jumped and played beside them, looking naive and adorable, winning rounds of applause from the audience.

"This dragon and lion dance performance is so wonderful, and the performers have such superb skills!" Li Xiao said excitedly.

Then, there were performances such as stilt walking and carrying sedan chairs. The actors were dressed in bright costumes, with bright smiles on their faces. They performed with great devotion, allowing the audience to feel the strong folk customs.

"These folk performances are full of life, they are really great!" Zhang Yuedong said with emotion.

After watching the folk performance, they continued to stroll around the ancient city. There were many shops selling specialties on the street, and the dazzling array of goods was dazzling. They walked into a shop filled with Pingyao polished lacquerware, Pingyao paper-cuts and other special products.

"This Pingyao polished lacquerware is so beautiful, and the craftsmanship is so exquisite!" Li Xiao picked up a lacquer jewelry box and looked at it carefully. The surface of the box was as smooth as a mirror, and the patterns on it were lifelike and colorful, exuding a unique luster.

Zhang Yuedong introduced: "Pingyao polished lacquerware is one of the four famous lacquerwares in China. It is known for its cumbersome and complicated production process. It uses natural lacquer and is made through multiple processes. It has high artistic value and collection value."

Finally, they picked out some of their favorite specialties and prepared to take them back to give to their relatives and friends.

During the day in Pingyao Ancient City, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei felt the profoundness of Shanxi merchant culture and the unique charm of historical relics, tasted delicious local food, enjoyed wonderful folk performances, and bought their favorite specialties. When night fell, they left Pingyao with beautiful memories of this ancient city and headed for the next destination.

A Trip to Mount Wutai, a Buddhist Holy Land
At dawn, the golden light shines on the earth, giving everything in the world a golden edge. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei are riding in a car that is slowly moving forward on the winding mountain road, heading towards the holy land in their hearts - Mount Wutai. As they get closer and closer to Mount Wutai, the air seems to be filled with a mysterious and solemn atmosphere, which makes them more and more excited.