meaning of aurora

Chapter 12 Who is willing to do it (thanks to the leader of No. 001@cheng_da)
Wan'an Bridge.

Wooden arcade bridge.

It was built in 1090 AD, the fifth year of Yuanyou in the Northern Song Dynasty.

This ancient bridge has undergone three reconstructions.

The seventh year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, the 25th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty, and the 21st year of the Republic of China.

They are AD 1742, 1845 and 1932 respectively.

The number of large and small repairs is countless.

Even so, among the wooden arched bridges, Wan'an Bridge is still not ill-fated.

It even counts as luck.

The truly ill-fated wooden arcade bridge has long since disappeared on the earth.

Some survive in old photographs, many more seem to have never existed.

In the 21st year of the Republic of China, Nie Guangyi's grandfather was only a few years old.

In that year, Wan'an Bridge was rebuilt for the third time.

Nie Guangyi's grandfather was playful and ignorant when he was young, so he rushed backwards to the top of the bridge arch that was not built.

One didn't pay attention and fell directly from a height of more than eight meters.

free fall.

All the carpenters working on the bridge exclaimed.

But it doesn't help.

then……

The naughty little boy swam ashore unharmed.

This matter soon spread widely in the village.

Some people say that this child is really lucky.

More people think that this is a miracle brought by the ancient bridge itself.

Before the incident of falling into the water at a high altitude happened.

People in the village call this bridge the Long Bridge.

The long bridge is very long.

The kind of length that is invincible in the same category.

The village where the bridge is located is named Changqiao Village.

After the high-altitude falling into the water incident, this long bridge has a new name-Wan'an Bridge.

Since then, Wan'an Bridge is no longer just a bridge, but also the belief of people from all over the world.

Because of this, Nie Guangyi's grandfather had an indissoluble bond with this bridge.

He dedicated his whole life to this bridge, and gradually became the intangible inheritor of the traditional construction skills of wooden arch bridges.

As early as 2009, the traditional construction techniques of wooden arch bridges were included in the first batch of "Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Protection" by UNESCO.

Wan'an Bridge, located in a remote village, may not be well known to the public.

But there is a wooden arcade bridge, everyone has heard of it more or less.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a household name.

It appears in a painting.

One of China's top ten famous paintings handed down from generation to generation.

It, nationality first.

It is a national treasure.

It is - "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".

With real brushstrokes, on the five-meter-long scroll, it records the prosperous scene of Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, during the period of Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty.

The natural scenery on both sides of the Bian River, the architectural features of Bianjing City, and the thriving people's livelihood in the capital.

Compared with the other nine famous paintings handed down from generation to generation, "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" can be regarded as a unique cultural heritage.

It is very down-to-earth.

It truly records the city life of people in the Song Dynasty.

It provides important historical data for later generations to study the urban life of the Song Dynasty.

Its historical value is even higher than its artistic value.

Like the Dream of Red Mansions, "Surfing the River During the Qingming Festival" also has its own "school".

The research on "Surfing the River During the Qingming Festival" includes social history, architectural history, transportation history, shipbuilding history, urban history, commercial history, advertising history, folk history, clothing history...

In the center of the scroll, the Hongqiao across the Bianshui River is a typical representative of wooden arched bridges.

However, although the bridge on Bianshui is also a wooden arched bridge, it is only similar to the Wan'an Bridge in terms of construction techniques.

The construction of Wan'an Bridge adopts the most special, narrowest and most mature sub-category of wooden arched bridges - weaving wooden arch bridges.

This sub-category is an independent pearl in the category of ancient bridges in my country.

The only place in the world where the border between Zhejiang and Fujian can still see bridges built with this technology.

It's not that the wooden arch bridge is particularly exquisite.

On the contrary, the wooden arch bridge is the most practical technology in the most difficult and dangerous environment with the most limited cost.

Da Vinci actually designed a similar arch bridge structure.

The head of the three post-Renaissance masters is an undoubted genius.

But Da Vinci's achievements in arch bridge design are far inferior to those of the Northern Song carpenters who were born hundreds of years earlier than him.

Most of Da Vinci's designs could not be realized.

Just like the tank and locomotive he designed.

It's all just a fantasy.

The traditional construction techniques of wooden arch bridges are the crystallization of the life wisdom of the ancients.

The wooden arched bridge is the pioneering work of ancient carpenters in bridge construction skills.

The wooden arch bridge is an exquisite bridge-building technology that was forced out under extremely backward basic conditions.

The arch is woven with wood, and the mortise and tenon structure is used to connect the pieces of wood.

Practical is the essence of life wisdom.

Most of the existing wooden arch bridges are in their dying years.

From a modern point of view, there is nothing remarkable at all, let alone amazing.

Many people pass by, and they may complain: [What age is it, why do you still keep these dilapidated wooden bridges that can’t even be driven by cars? 】

The voices of these people actually represent the vast majority.

This has also led to the replacement of most of the wooden arch bridges by modern bridges made of reinforced concrete.

In the eyes of laymen, the wooden arcade bridge is "very old".

But it is an intangible cultural heritage of mankind that is difficult to restore with modern technology.

Today, there are only a handful of people who can fully master this intangible cultural heritage skill.

Wan'an Bridge, a wooden arcade house, has many piers and spans, like a dragon, entrenched on the stream.

With the three-span, four-span, and five-span wooden arcade bridges that once appeared in the old photos, they disappeared one after another.

The existence of Wan'an Bridge is not only a bridge, a belief, but also a living history.

In the sub-category of wooden arch bridges, the Wan'an Bridge with five piers and six holes is the most "existing" in the world.

It's a pity that the existing two words were burned out of quotation marks by the fire that made Nie Guangyi's grandfather furious last night.

……

"Guangyi, you shocked me today." Xuan Shi insisted that he should drive.

His original intention was to let Nie Guangyi take a good rest.

Get enough energy and go back to deal with things.

Nie Guangyi had no intention of resting at all.

He doesn't close his eyes and doesn't speak.

Not even an expression on his face.

Xuan Shi had hardly seen Nie Guangyi like this during the ten years of getting along with him.

"Huh?" Nie Guangyi did not refuse to communicate with Xuan Shi, and asked aloud, "Where is the shock?"

"Aren't you allergic to classics?" Xuan Shi further explained: "Including all elements related to ancient times and ancient methods. From poetry to poetry, to food and clothing."

"Is this strange?" Nie Guangyi asked back, "Aren't you also allergic to coffee for eight years?"

"I'm allergic to coffee because I'm afraid of being hurt by the scene." Xuan Shi deliberately probed, "Could it be that the dignified and broad-minded young man also has some unbearable past events?"

"I do not have."

Nie Guangyi obviously didn't want to discuss this topic in depth, so Xuan Shi didn't ask any further.

Speechless for a while.

The sudden silence made the atmosphere in the car a little depressing.

Xuan Shi played Shou Nie Guangyi's favorite "Aurora".

This release made Nie Guangyi angry: "Don't you think I'm not angry enough by Aurora? Play a song to anger me?"

"Then I'll turn it off?" Xuan Shi couldn't help being a little surprised after the compromise: "Don't you like this song by Angela Chang the most?"

Nie Guangyi did not answer.

Xuan Shi continued his question: "There are so many places in Europe where you can see the aurora, and you went to Alaska to shoot, isn't it because of this song?"

Xuan Shi wasn't particularly good at communication in the first place, but now that he was like this, he was already a bit out of ideas.

If the person sitting next to him wasn't in a bad mood, Nie Guangyi, Xuan Shi would have shut up and concentrated on driving.

After a long time, Nie Guangyi finally responded: "Do you think you know me well?"

"what?"

Xuan Shi didn't know how to answer this question.

Brothers who have been friends for more than ten years, if they don't understand, it is definitely impossible.

However, between brothers, more often, you just need to stop.

Nie Guangyi never asked Xuan Shi why he was allergic to coffee.

Naturally, Xuan Shi would not ask Nie Guangyi why he is allergic to classical music.

The generalized young and old seem to be outspoken, but in fact they are very limited.

It is for this reason that Xuan Shineng and Nie Guangyi became such good brothers.

"Do you know what my grandfather's last name is?" Nie Guangyi asked.

"Ah?" Xuan Shi didn't know if he heard it wrong.

Nie Guangyi repeated: "Let me ask you, do you know what my grandfather's last name is?"

"Nie?"

"no?"

"So, it wasn't your own grandfather who had the accident today?"

"It's my own grandfather, but his surname is not Nie."

Xuan Shi met Nie Guangyi's father, who was a doctoral supervisor in the Department of Architecture of Tongji University.

Professor Nie, no doubt surnamed Nie.

If my grandfather's surname is not Nie, then there is only one possibility.

"Your father is also the same as the little girl's elder sister today, is it the same as your grandma's surname?" Xuan Shi asked.

"My grandma and my grandpa have the same last name."

"Ah? Then why? You don't have to say it if you don't want to." Xuan Shi's shock today is not small.

"You are going back to my hometown with me. Even if I don't say anything, you will naturally know."

Nie Guangyi began to talk about his family's past: "My father is relatively old, born in 1952. On the day he was born, the Wan'an Bridge that was burned down last night was washed away by a once-in-a-century flood."

"You mean, Wan'an Bridge was rebuilt once in 1952?"

"No, the one in 1952 can't be considered a reconstruction, but a major repair?"

"Is it just a major repair?" Xuan Shi couldn't understand.

"Correct."

Nie Guangyi explained the reason to Xuan Shi.

Although the wooden arch bridge will be washed away by the flood, it is not particularly afraid of the flood.

The flood in 1952 destroyed two arches and twelve bays at the northwest end of Wan'an Bridge.

Eighty to ninety percent of the wooden structures were washed downstream.

The mountainous area where the Wan'an Bridge is located has narrow streams and a large drop in terrain, and the floods come and go quickly.

Nie Guangyi's grandfather, regardless of the newborn child at home, picked up along the stream, and half of them were usable.

At least thousands of wooden structures are needed to build a bridge. The wooden structures of Wan'an Bridge are naturally more than the general three-section seedlings and five-section seedlings.

With these original "accessories", the overhaul of Wan'an Bridge was able to retain many original features.

"Because the Wan'an Bridge was washed away on the day my father was born, my father was considered an unknown person." Nie Guangyi asked Xuan Shi, "Isn't it a bit ridiculous?"

"The countryside at that time." Xuan Shi said, "feudal superstition is unavoidable."

"Really?" Nie Guangyi twitched the corners of his mouth and said, "However, 20 years ago, on the same bridge, my grandfather fell from the bridge deck at a height of more than 8 meters and was not injured. It's Xiangrui."

"That's it..." Xuan Shi didn't organize his words for the time being.

Nie Guangyi asked again: "Tell me, does our family have a good relationship with this bridge?"

"Yeah." Xuan Shi nodded.

There was no way he could deny this.

"Fate made my dad, an unknown person, be given away before he was three years old." Nie Guangyi let out a long breath and said, "So, I don't like my dad very much."

"Ah? This..." Xuan Shi finally organized the words: "You can't blame your father for this, right? Isn't he less than three years old? How can he have any choice..."

"No, what I'm talking about is, his surname is Nie, why should he help a family with a different surname? My father didn't get married until he was almost 40 years old because of the family that didn't want him."

Xuan Shi glanced at Nie Guangyi in confusion, then turned back to stare at the direction of the car.

"You don't understand either, do you?" Nie Guangyi asked for approval.

"I... don't quite understand, what does helping others have to do with when to get married?"

"It's fine if you can't understand it. Let me tell you something that you can't understand. You know my high school grades best, right? Can I go to Tsinghua easily?"

"Well, I remember that your first choice was Tsinghua Architecture. In the end, you chose Tongji in order to do joint research with your father." Xuan Shi felt that he should express some comfort at the right time: "Tongji's architecture is also second to none in China. .”

"Do you know why I didn't go to Tsinghua University in the end?"

"Didn't you say at that time that you wanted to eat and die under Professor Nie's protection?"

"Do you believe me when I say that? If I really think so, why do I start all kinds of overseas exchanges as soon as I enter university?"

"Then what is it for?" Xuan Shi wondered after finishing the college entrance examination.

Xuan Shi's grades are also excellent, the kind that can easily get into 985.

However, compared with Nie Guangyi, who can pass the Tsinghua University exam casually, there is still a big gap.

Nie Guangyi once gave him two explanations.

The first one is to waste time under Professor Nie's protection.

This statement is not reliable.

However, when Nie Guangyi finished talking to him about the second reason - [It's not all because I don't want to leave you].

Xuan Shi immediately felt that the first reason was more reliable.

True or false, there was no conclusion on this matter until the end.

After many years, Nie Guangyi finally gave a positive answer today: "Because, the respected Professor Nie applied for an intangible cultural heritage project on the traditional construction skills of wooden arch bridges."

"And then?" Xuan Shi asked.

"Then, Professor Nie is just a simple scholar and has no hands-on ability. Although he has applied, he has no way to complete this project by himself. And his son, that is, I happened to be a long time ago. That’s what he showed talent for.”

"Then your father changed your wish?" Although he asked it himself, Xuan Shi still felt that this question was a bit weird.

"That's right, the highly respected Professor Nie changed his son's college entrance examination choice at the last moment."

"why?"

"In order to become an authority in this field."

"But isn't your grandfather the intangible inheritor of the traditional construction skills of wooden arch bridges?"

"A skill will only be included in the "List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Protection" when it is about to become extinct." Nie Guangyi asked: "Young people like us, who is willing to do this?"

==========
[Gone with the Wind]:
There may be a detailed description of "A Picture of Shanghe During the Qingming Festival".

If, just if, you want to read the story inside...

There are many studies on "Surfing the River During the Qingming Festival", and there are as many opinions as "Red Studies".

How many people are recorded in this painting alone can cause debates among generations of researchers.

Bai Shouyi's "General History of China" said more than 500.

Saito Ken's "Humble Hall Wenhua" said more than 1600.

The difference is more than three times.

This should be considered a more scientific question, right?

Google it, and you may get the answer of 815 people.

No version is acceptable to everyone.

Old paintings are not copyrighted.

Therefore, it is easy to find a high-definition version of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" on the Internet.

Friends who are idle and boring, you can study it.

Remember to combine work with rest and do eye exercises frequently~
　If there are 5000 words in this chapter, it can be counted as an addition.

　　But this chapter is only 4500, so it cannot be counted as an addition.

　　Just a simple thank you to Dadazi~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)