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20260810 181300 UTC
266 transcript segments
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[00:01:30] The pulse of the Central Plains' culture
[00:01:38] this is the century-old bridge town
[00:01:41] of Yunnan Heshun.
[00:01:44] 。
[00:01:48] In our country's southwestern frontier, there is such a mysterious
[00:01:52] road. It starts in Chengdu, Sichuan, crosses the Gaoligong Mountains
[00:01:56] at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, passes through Tengchong, Yunnan, and exits to Myanmar.
[00:02:06] This road is the Southern Silk Road.
[00:02:07] 。
[00:02:16] At this moment, Old Ding, who has been researching ancient cultures for many years,
[00:02:19] is trying to measure this
[00:02:23] ancient tea road under the most realistic conditions of the mule caravans
[00:02:26] of that year.
[00:03:39] The story of Heshun begins with the twists and turns
[00:03:43] of the Hengduan Mountains. Heshun Ancient Town is located 4 kilometers
[00:03:47] southwest of Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, nestled in the open area
[00:03:51] on the western side of the southern section of the Gaoligong Mountains. The mule caravans crossed the entire
[00:03:55] mountain range, with no retreat, so they could only grit their teeth
[00:03:58] and continue westward.
[00:04:05] Fortunately, the Longchuan River, Daying River, and Binglang River, originating from the depths of the mountain range,
[00:04:09] carved out a corridor leading to the outside world between the cliffs.
[00:04:12] It is this layout of one mountain and three rivers
[00:04:16] that naturally made Heshun the last important commercial town
[00:04:20] before the mule caravans went abroad.
[00:04:22] 。
[00:04:30] For departure,
[00:04:33] I , in my
[00:04:36] heart, set off.
[00:04:39] Call out my
[00:04:42] name.
[00:04:44] ,
[00:04:47] Old Lady Tian and her teammates are singing a song that Heshun people have sung
[00:04:51] for nearly 200 years, "Yang Wen Tun Xiao Ye."
[00:04:54] 。
[00:04:57] Our Heshun people are Yang Wen Tun villagers.
[00:05:00] Before the Guangxu years, the "Wen Tun Xiao Ye"
[00:05:04] was circulated to educate descendants on how to live.
[00:05:07] More than six hundred years ago, Ming Dynasty border
[00:05:11] soldiers came here. They saw that after the morning mist in the mountains dissipated,
[00:05:15] the first ray of light always fell on this slope, so they named
[00:05:18] this place Yang Wen Tun.
[00:05:20] ,
[00:05:23] In the early Qing Dynasty, the three rivers in front of the village flowed through
[00:05:27] the village, so it was renamed Heshun. During the Kangxi period,
[00:05:30] it was named Heshun, meaning peace and prosperity, and elegantly named Heshun.
[00:05:34] 。
[00:05:40] The seeds were already sown.
[00:06:22] It's like a fan slowly unfolding. The main street,
[00:06:25] Huaxiang Road, serves as the fan's edge, making it Heshun's widest and longest street,
[00:06:29] convenient for mule caravans to quickly trade and immediately depart.
[00:06:32] Extending from the fan-shaped edge up the mountain,
[00:06:36] most villagers gather together, forming one family
[00:06:40] per alley, possessing great strength.
[00:07:13] From
[00:07:13] the corner of the mountain, it goes to the support inside.
[00:07:20] Each street connects to a main gate for cleaning.
[00:07:26] It's for people in front of the door.
[00:07:31] From Huaxiang Road, heading south,
[00:07:34] from east to west are the four main alleys: Li Family, Da Shi, and He Family.
[00:07:45] Daqiao Xiang and Yin Family Xiang are mainly residential old houses, forming the ancient town's
[00:07:49] comprehensive living area. Li Family
[00:07:52] Lane is the residence of a family of teachers, which can be said to be the cultural
[00:07:56] and educational center of the ancient town. Da Shi
[00:07:59] Xiang, on the other hand, is where one of Tengchong's largest trading firms, Yongmaohe,
[00:08:03] is located, becoming a representative lane of overseas Chinese business culture.
[00:08:06] Around the four main lanes, there are many
[00:08:10] smaller lanes.
[00:09:29] Finally, pour a bowl of warm, cold-expelling brown sugar ginger water, and the preparation is complete.
[00:09:32] This high-calorie food can provide a
[00:09:36] sense of fullness and help people resist the humidity and cold
[00:09:40] of the mountains in the morning and evening.
[00:09:44] The people of the Central Plains from the border brought not only
[00:09:48] a regional flavor but also all their longing for home.
[00:09:51] 。
[00:09:56] Walking through the streets of Heshun, you can easily see many
[00:09:59] typical characteristics of Chinese architecture. Three sides facing a screen wall,
[00:10:03] horse-running corner buildings, but you will suddenly be attracted by
[00:10:07] the South Asian style gates and European-style iron window grilles.
[00:10:10] 光 。
[00:10:16] How did these Western-style architectural elements end up in
[00:10:20] this border town?
[00:10:21] This is also
[00:10:34] as a native of Tengchong, he compiled and published in 2006
[00:10:37] three books: "Historical Heshun," "Environmental Heshun," and
[00:10:41] "Residential Heshun," preserving traceable genes
[00:10:45] and blueprints for Heshun's unique architectural style.
[00:10:48] 20
[00:10:51] years ago, I did a survey here.
[00:12:25] There is an intriguing detail: among the intricately carved
[00:12:28] Chinese window grilles, there is surprisingly a cast-iron
[00:12:32] floral window, and the patterns on the window even
[00:12:35] feature images from Western mythology such as unicorns.
[00:12:39] This is not an accidental mix-and-match; it's because the Heshun
[00:12:43] ancestors, who traveled far and wide, relied on mule caravans to bring
[00:12:47] cast-iron patterns from various countries back to their hometown.
[00:12:50] Within one window, East and West
[00:12:54] blend harmoniously.
[00:13:06] What's truly amazing is that
[00:13:09] as you walk along the main circular road, you will see a series
[00:13:13] of public buildings, a rural library with over 100,000
[00:13:16] volumes,
[00:13:20] and a well-regulated Wenchang Palace.
[00:13:24] 。
[00:13:57] Jia Zhiwei, a private collector, lived during the Daoguang period. His grandfather was a member of the southbound mule caravan and established the Meixinghe trading firm.
[00:14:12] From this Daoguang period import release form in his collection,
[00:14:17] one can see the scale of trade at that time.
[00:14:21] The imported goods totaled 11,000 items.
[00:14:25] In accordance with the commercial and customs tariffs of the 20th year of Guangxu,
[00:14:29] they were released. The release form clearly indicated the types
[00:14:33] and quantities of goods, proving that the transactions were not small-scale
[00:14:36] local products, but rather large quantities of raw materials for textiles. Their origin pointed
[00:14:40] to Myanmar. The prosperity of this important hub on the southwestern Silk Road
[00:14:44] was evident. And what allowed
[00:14:48] this prosperity to be sustained was the Wanyouzi residential complex
[00:14:52] hidden in the Dashixiang of the ancient town.
[00:14:57] It was once the residence of the Li family of Yongmaohe, a famous trading firm in Heshun.
[00:15:01] 底
[00:15:02] 。
[00:15:10] In the late Qing Dynasty, Heshun had over 200 large and small trading firms,
[00:15:13] and over 20 of them were financially strong.
[00:15:17] The Li family of Yongmaohe was one of the three
[00:15:21] most powerful trading firms in Tengchong at that time.
[00:15:31] Yongmaohe truly began its business operations in the mid-Qing Dynasty, dealing in jade, silk, tea, porcelain, cotton,
[00:15:34] and matches. Suzhou embroidered
[00:15:38] screens and Chinese-style discussion chests were the eight major industries of that era.
[00:15:42] 。
[00:15:45] Entering its courtyard is like stepping into a quiet period of old
[00:15:49] times. The family's reception hall, accounting room,
[00:15:52] and that safe that came all the way from England
[00:15:56] all seem to narrate the commercial story behind this
[00:16:00] mansion.
[00:16:03] At its peak, Yongmaohe had 14 branch companies.
[00:16:07] At the same time, it was engaged in import and export trade. Its dedication to the country
[00:16:11] was as far-reaching as its commercial empire.
[00:16:14] During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Heshun's overseas Chinese merchants,
[00:16:18] represented by Yongmaohe's Li family, donated 5 billion yuan
[00:16:21] to support the country in purchasing planes and cannons.
[00:16:25] 买 飞 机 大 炮 。
[00:16:28] Having a sense of home and country is a shared quality of Heshun's overseas Chinese merchants.
[00:16:32] 。
[00:16:36] East Alley, West Alley, Wanyouzi.
[00:18:03] Speaking of which, it's a long-standing story. 2.6 million years ago, the area where Heshun is located was still a geologically active volcanic zone with intense movement. The Indian
[00:18:06] plate and the Eurasian plate collided violently again,
[00:18:10] compressing and triggering a series of
[00:18:14] massive Quaternary volcanic eruptions. Hot, molten
[00:18:18] lava erupted from the ground, flowing across the
[00:18:21] mountains and plains, and then slowly cooled
[00:18:24] and solidified on the surface. Over time,
[00:18:28] volcanic rocks with varying textures and compositions
[00:18:31] formed around Heshun.
[00:18:35] This is it.
[00:18:56] This is precisely the best opportunity for ancestors to use their
[00:18:59] wisdom according to their talents. This volcanic rock has large
[00:19:03] pores, low hardness, good water absorption, good breathability.
[00:19:07] And it's easy to process, so it's very suitable for use as our
[00:19:11] building material. The unique
[00:19:14] honeycomb-like porous structure of volcanic rock allows it to breathe,
[00:19:18] absorb water, insulate heat, and prevent moisture.
[00:19:22] It perfectly adapts to the humid and rainy climate with large
[00:19:25] temperature differences between day and night. And the rock itself is hard,
[00:19:29] resistant to weathering, wear, and corrosion, enough to withstand
[00:19:33] a hundred years of wind and frost. Such naturally endowed
[00:19:36] materials, when met with skilled craftsmen, gave birth to
[00:19:40] the most acclaimed craftsmanship in Heshun architecture:
[00:19:43] the clear-water stone wall.
[00:19:47] You see its craftsmanship, each stone and every space between stones,
[00:19:51] it doesn't use modern sand or cement for adhesion. But
[00:19:55] the seams are so tight that not even a needle can fit in. This
[00:19:58] craftsmanship is our local typical clear-water stone
[00:20:02] wall craftsmanship. Volcanic rock
[00:20:05] blocks themselves are porous, coarse,
[00:20:09] and vary in size and thickness. Heshun's clear-water wall craftsmanship relies entirely on craftsmen manually grinding and leveling them,
[00:20:13] with very little use of cement mortar between
[00:20:17] the stones, entirely relying on craftsmen to perfectly fit
[00:20:21] and join each volcanic stone.
[00:20:25] Each volcanic stone forms a seamless whole. Heshun's
[00:20:28] architectural wisdom is deeply rooted in this volcanic land.
[00:20:32] Volcanoes not only endowed Heshun with the foundation
[00:20:36] of a prosperous home, but also shaped the local customs and topography, allowing
[00:20:39] this land to yield abundant fruits.
[00:20:43] 。
[00:20:49] In the city,
[00:21:08] just to precisely pick fully ripe fruits. Yunnan small-grain coffee is one of the most representative coffee varieties in China, known for its characteristic
[00:21:11] full-bodied taste and floral and fruity aroma.
[00:21:15] In the 2022 International Coffee Quality Competition, it won the gold
[00:21:19] medal.
[00:21:22] The problem is that coffee likes hot and humid tropical climates. Why can
[00:21:26] Yunnan, far from the equator, produce world-class
[00:21:30] gold medal small-grain coffee? Speaking of which, this is a
[00:21:34] perfect match of geography and climate. Baoshan, Yunnan, is located
[00:21:37] near 25 degrees north latitude. The core area for coffee cultivation is at an altitude
[00:21:41] of 1,000 to 1,800 meters. The average annual temperature is
[00:21:45] 18 to 22 degrees Celsius, and the entire year is warm
[00:21:49] and humid. Millions of years of volcanic activity
[00:21:52] have produced loose and fertile volcanic ash soil, rich in
[00:21:56] potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. Coupled with a daily temperature difference
[00:22:00] of nearly 20 degrees Celsius, coffee accumulates sufficient
[00:22:04] sugar and aromatic substances during the day, ultimately creating a unique
[00:22:08] flavor that is rich but not bitter, full-bodied and smooth,
[00:22:11] with distinct floral and fruity notes.
[00:22:13] 。
[00:23:42] A border town with a population of less than 8,000 was able to build a public library with 130,000 volumes, a scale and ambition that was rare at the time.
[00:23:45] The library is closely associated with many cultural celebrities.
[00:23:49] 后 ,
[00:23:51] Mathematician Xiong Qinglai inscribed, "For the people, by the people."
[00:23:55] Educator Guo Shaoyu inscribed, "The House of Books."
[00:23:58] , 徒 书 之 府
[00:24:00] 。
[00:24:03] Today, after nearly a century, the Heshun Library
[00:24:07] has become the only national key cultural relic
[00:24:10] protection unit in the ancient town. It silently witnesses the persistent
[00:24:14] pursuit of knowledge and civilization by the local people.
[00:24:17] 。
[00:24:24] The tradition of Heshun people valuing culture and education was
[00:24:28] deeply rooted in their hearts a hundred years ago.
[00:24:31] When the library was first established, due to inconvenient inland
[00:24:35] transportation, newspapers and magazines would take months to reach Heshun
[00:24:38] after numerous transfers. The librarians then entrusted fellow villagers
[00:24:42] in Myanmar to transport books and magazines from Shanghai
[00:24:46] and Guangzhou to Myanmar, and then back
[00:24:49] to the village. This route was twice as fast as the inland route.
[00:24:52] Thanks to this cross-border book channel, Heshun not only
[00:24:56] had early access to original foreign books in English, Burmese, etc.,
[00:25:00] but also, in that era of information scarcity,
[00:25:04] was the first to access new Chinese and foreign knowledge and advanced
[00:25:07] ideas, becoming the most well-informed news center in western Yunnan. Even intellectuals
[00:25:11] from Tengchong city would make special trips just to read the latest books
[00:25:15] and newspapers as soon as possible.
[00:25:16] 。
[00:25:21] Turning the pages of history, Heshun people's cultural foundation
[00:25:24] was deeply rooted as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties.
[00:25:28] This border town once produced over 400 xiucai (scholars) and juren
[00:25:32] (provincial graduates), and in modern times, a group of influential
[00:25:35] outstanding figures emerged. Marxist philosopher Ai Siqi,
[00:25:39] with his "Popular Philosophy," enlightened countless
[00:25:43] people on the path to truth. He was praised by
[00:25:47] Mr. Sun Yat-sen as a leader of overseas Chinese and a nationalist.
[00:26:11] This dedication to culture has nourished generations
[00:26:15] of lives, even
[00:26:16] until
[00:26:20] today. In front of the library, there is now a lotus
[00:26:23] pond where many tourists
[00:26:26] take photos and check in every day.
[00:26:29] 。
[00:26:32] However, few of them know that this lotus pond
[00:26:36] was once a swimming pool for Yiqun Middle School.
[00:26:38] 。
[00:26:42] In 1940, Yiqun Middle School was founded, with educator Cun Shusheng
[00:26:45] serving as its first principal. In
[00:26:49] that era of war, it was extremely rare for a rural
[00:26:53] area to have a middle school, and Yiqun Middle School even
[00:26:57] built a swimming pool for
[00:29:08] affairs, tell our Chinese stories well, and
[00:29:12] inherit our excellent traditional Chinese culture.
[00:29:15] 。
[00:29:21] Heshun's 600-year story has always answered the same
[00:29:25] question: How to create infinity within finitude
[00:29:28] and embrace the world while rooted in the local land.
[00:29:34] The courage to go out and the vision brought back transformed into
[00:29:38] Heshun's endless creativity, solidifying into
[00:29:42] a strong bond between Heshun and the wider world.
[00:29:45] 。
[00:29:47] The way of Heshun is just a small part of Chinese civilization. Thousands
[00:29:51] of similar wisdoms grow and integrate in this land,
[00:29:55] jointly solidifying into the spiritual strength
[00:29:59] of the Chinese nation.