Shanxi Travel Notes | Qikou Ancient Town: The rise and fall, the desolation and tragedy by the Yellow River

The Yellow River, with its nine twists and turns, meanders from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the east. When it flows through the middle section of the Luliang Mountains, the broad river surface is suddenly squeezed by two rapids and shoals, resulting in a relatively narrow river. At the exit, the originally calm river suddenly surged majestically. People living on the banks of the Yellow River in Luliang call such rapids and shoals "Qikou".

When the Shanxi merchants of the Qing Dynasty traveled across the country, the reputation of Qikou Ancient Ferry was also spread to all directions by the sound of the Yellow River water. At that time, the goods bought and sold by Shanxi merchants "taking the west entrance" from Baotou, Inner Mongolia, were loaded onto ships and flown down the Yellow River. After arriving at Qikou, they were unable to continue by waterway due to the strong currents.We had no choice but to dock here, unload the goods from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Mongolia, and Gansu, and then send them overland to all parts of the country. Vice versa, materials from the southeast and central plains were transferred by land at Qikou, and then delivered by water to the northwest outside the Great Wall. Food, medicinal materials, cloth, salt, oil, utensils... You can think of all the rich products that are closely related to people's lives, and they will be gathered and distributed in Qikou, creating this glorious flood and drought dock, with boats stacked on the shore, and people's shadows longing, day and night. .

Qikou, which occupies a favorable geographical position, is naturally indispensable for the right time and people: from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, Shanxi merchants contributed to the flames. The Qiao Zhiyong bank account seen in the ancient town and Kong Xiangxi's commercial port are all full of this first place in the Nine-Meander Yellow River. The town's commercial footnote. "Wufu is a small city where people are prosperous, and the sounds of rivers and mountains are great." Every tour guide girl explaining at Qikou will recite this sentence skillfully. The ancient ferry, which was once bustling with traffic and merchants, carried the ups and downs of wealth dreams of Shanxi merchants, traveling along the ninety-eight bends of the Yellow River. And after its prosperity, it inevitably declined: The flooding of the Yellow River and the development of modern highway transportation caused the prosperity of Qikou to eventually fade away with the decline of waterways. However, watching the Yellow River turn here, Qikou people know that an era will inevitably turn, and there will always be new scenery at the end of the corner.

The Black Dragon Temple located at the top of the ancient town is the only scenic spot in Qikou and can be seen from the parking lot. Standing on the top of the Black Dragon Temple, the Yellow River water comes from the north, the Qiushui River merges into the Yellow River from east to west, and Crouching Tiger Mountain lies across the north of the town. The Black Dragon Temple was built to ensure safe passage of ships. According to historical records, more than 400 businesses donated money when the Black Dragon Temple was built and decorated. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and underwent many additions and repairs. During the Yongzheng period, a music building was added, and during the Daoguang period, the Xiu Hall and the East-West Er Hall were rebuilt. The architectural layout is symmetrical and reasonable.

Climb up the steps from the gate of the parking lot, pass through several cave dwellings, and soon you will come to the main entrance of the Black Dragon Temple: the main entrance consists of three stone arches. In front of the door is a three-room wide courtyard, with another A gatehouse was built, and the two-story building was supported by eight large wooden pillars. The couplets on both sides of the door are famous: "The people in Wufu are a small city, the sound of the river and the mountains are a great article", which was written by Cui Bingwen, a county resident, in the second spring of Guimao in Daoguang. At the same time, the Black Dragon Temple is also a theater. Theater troupes still come here to sing operas every year. The sound transmission effect of the stage in the temple is very good. Because the other side of the Yellow River is Shaanxi Province, there is a saying that "Shanxi sings opera, Shaanxi listens". In the past, operas were performed here almost every day to fulfill wishes. Even if you don’t have the voice, you can still shout a few words here and experience the scene of Qikou merchants singing "wish operas".

Standing on the top of the Black Dragon Temple, you can see the undulating mountains of the Shanxi-Shaanxi Plateau in the distance. The Yellow River and the Qiushui River meet at Qikou Beach and the waves are rolling. Although it is no longer prosperous, you can still imagine the ancient town in the past from the surging Yellow River water. scene.

Whether Qikou is big or not, Qikou Town during the Ming and Qing Dynasties had a very reasonable urban planning layout. It was divided into three major areas according to functions: namely, Xishi Street, which is dominated by docks and large grain and oil warehouses, and banks Zhongshi Street, a high-end commercial district dominated by service industries, and Dongshi Street, dominated by camel and mule transport stores. On the streets of Qikou today, you can still find the post stations, business roads, warehouses, ticket offices, pawn shops, escort offices, and temples of the past from the three main roads in the east, middle, and west.

The main commercial street - Zhongshi Street has a newly titled plaque hanging on it. Most of the stores sell handicrafts and daily necessities, and there are "Shiyi Escort Bureau", "Xiangji Tobacco", "Yongyu Store", etc. hanging on it. The plaque has nothing to do with it. You can even find Kong Xiangxi’s Yee Kee Mobil Kerosene Company on the side of Zhongshi Street (yes, it is the Mobil we know now, and there was a Sino-foreign joint venture at that time), but most of these shops have been transformed into inns or shops. , except for the dilapidated signboard outside the door, which still reminds people of the busy traffic in the past.

Walking down the streets of Qikou, you will notice that the most impressive shops along the street must have been transformed into inns. If you want to stay in Qikou, you can choose Yellow River Hotel and Qikou Inn by the Yellow River.

The former Yellow River Hotel is a five-story duplex cave dwelling, formerly known as Rongguang Store. It was founded in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty or even earlier, and mainly engaged in the grain and oil business. The predecessor of the latter Qikou Inn was called "Sihetang". It was one of the grain and oil warehouses that served as warehousing and transshipment wholesale in Qikou during its heyday. It was also the largest oil store in Qikou at that time. This building is said to date back to the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty. Later, because the four people formed a partnership to do business, they named it "Sihetang", which means that the four people work together and make money in harmony. In 1940, the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army invested in and opened a "commercial house" at the original site of Sihetang, specializing in the movement of overloaded goods, which prospered the economy of the border area. It wasn't until 2005, as Qikou's reputation gradually grew, that someone raised funds to restore the inn. Based on the principle of restoring the old, it recreated the century-old style of the inn that "carries the ancient charm of a commercial port and is full of national flavor." Both inns provide parking spaces and private bathrooms, and the prices are very affordable. More importantly, you can experience life in a cave dwelling.

In Qikou Ancient Town today, even in the peak summer season, it is rare to see crowds of people. In addition to self-driving passengers traveling between Shanxi and Shaanxi, there are more students who come here to sketch. The famous painter Wu Guanzhong visited Qikou and nearby Lijiashan twice in the 1980s, attracting a large number of art lovers. In the ancient town, apart from the elderly, the most common people he saw were students painting. .

The prosperity has long gone, but the magnificent scenery of the Yellow River and the simple Shanxi merchant buildings give Qikou Ancient Town a desolate and tragic beauty no matter what angle it is viewed from. Those stone walls and wooden doors are cracked and mottled under the scorching sun, and every gray brick and tile is full of traces of time. Passing by the town along the Yellow Highway, the bustling traffic and merchants of the past, along with the descendants of Shanxi merchants who stayed and lived leisurely in the ancient houses of their ancestors, easily appeared in front of us, vividly.

---

Food

Most of the inns in Qikou Town also operate restaurants. There are also places similar to food stalls on the left side of the entrance to the ancient town. There are many dining options here, most of which are Northern Shaanxi specialties. The names and photos of the food are posted on the walls of the stalls, and the most common ones are: Fried Evil. The so-called stir-fried potatoes are to boil the potatoes, peel them, squeeze them into thin strips with a special pasta tool, mix them with mashed potatoes, add starch, cook them and let them cool. "E" is usually eaten stir-fried. The cooled "E" slices are cut into thick slices and stir-fried with seasonal vegetables. You can add tomatoes, peppers, carrots or bean sprouts according to your choice. The texture is smooth and tough, similar to Konjac, this kind of food can only be eaten here.

In addition to stir-fried evil, there is also Helenze: still a potato powder product, roll it into small balls, mix it with vinegar, garlic juice, chili, coriander, etc., and add them one by one. When eaten as a dip, He Leng itself does not have an excessive taste, so seasoning is very important.

Three pieces of tile : A stir-fry dish, served with three pieces of old tofu. The minced meat marinade is poured over the tofu to impart flavor and stimulate the bean aroma. Tofu is as much a specialty here as pasta.

Wan Tu : Cold dish, opaque potato powder mixed with cucumber shreds and chopped peanuts, plus vinegar, very similar to Liangpi jelly.

---

Accommodation, arrival and departure

Be mentally prepared first. The accommodation conditions in Qikou are limited and cannot be compared with the express hotels in the city. In addition to the Yellow River Hotel and Qikou Inn recommended above in the ancient town, there are many accommodation and farmhouses to choose from by the Qikou Bridge opposite the ancient town.

Self-driving is the best way to get to Qikou Ancient Town. Starting from Qikou Ancient Town, you can go north to Xianglu Temple in Jia County, Yulin, Shaanxi Province, and to the south you can expand your itinerary to Yan'an or the Hukou Waterfall area.

Self-guided tourists generally choose to depart from Luliang to Qikou Ancient Town. To go to Qikou from Luliang City (Lishi), you need to go to a T-shaped intersection called Monument by the locals. The T-shaped intersection is located across the river from the Red Cross Hospital in Luliang City. Here you can find a green minibus to Qikou The fare is about 15 yuan, and the train departs when seats are full. The minibus stops on the other side of the Qishui River in Qikou, and you need to walk across the Qikou Bridge to reach the ancient town. The departure time of the return bus is not fixed. The latest minibus back to Luliang (Lishi) usually leaves around 16:30. It is best to confirm with the driver in advance.

Lijiashan Village is about 6 kilometers away from Qikou. You can charter a car in front of the gate of Qikou Ancient Town. The charter fee is about 50-100 yuan. The driver can explain it along the way. There are also minibuses taken by local villagers to Lijiashan Village by Qikou Bridge. The departure time of the minibus is not fixed and the fare is about 5 yuan. If you have the time and energy, you can also hike to Lijiashan Village. Start from Qikou, cross the Qiushui River and walk 200 meters to the right. Then go up the mountain on the left hand side toward Chenjiaheng Village. Turn right at all intersections. , it takes about an hour's walk in total to reach the top of Lijiashan Village. Along the way, you can also overlook the magnificent scenery of Qikou Ancient Town on the other side.