Southeast Travel Notes | Chaozhou: Wandering through the old streets and listening to an old Chaozhou native talking

I have always heard that Chaoshan is rich, wealthy, and has an active private economy. What he said seems to be another Chaoshan, but it also somewhat confirms the Chaozhou I saw when I walked on the streets of Chaozhou.

There are only three days left in the journey, but we still have three places to go: Chaozhou, Meizhou, and Shantou.

1.

Chaozhou must be reached first when taking the high-speed train south from Xiamen, and from the perspective of local culture, Chaozhou is what we most want to see in the Chaoshan section. Meizhou is my ancestral home that I have never met before, so in terms of fulfilling a wish, I have to go there. My aunt, cousin, and family live in Shantou. They have traveled thousands of miles to get here, and my relatives also want to visit. What should I do if I can’t let go of any of them and my time is limited?

Fortunately, Chaozhou and Shantou are an hour's drive away and only take one day. On the last night, you can go from either of them to the "Chaoshan-Jieyang Airport" shared by Chaoshan. Meizhou is quite nerve-wracking. It is located in the inland mountainous area of ​​eastern Guangdong. Whether it is from Chaozhou or Shantou, the drive takes at least nearly 3 hours, and the round trip alone takes 6 hours. This is a chartered car. Switching to a bus will only lead to more twists and turns. In order to gain a longer tour time, I also thought about taking a five- or six-hour night train from Xiamen to Meizhou. It would be one o'clock in the morning when I arrived, then check into a hotel in Meizhou, charter a car to tour Meizhou and move to Chaoshan the next day. But the night train was too hard, and arriving in an unfamiliar place early in the morning made me a little worried.

The final plan decided with JF was: take the high-speed train from Xiamen for an hour and a half to Chaoshan Railway Station in the morning, take a public bus from the train station to a Chaozhou hotel, check into a hotel near Pai Fang Street around 10 o'clock, and then walk to Chaozhou Old Town. We contacted a chartered car that day and left early the next day and returned late to go to Meizhou. On the third day, we took a taxi from Chaozhou to a relative's house in Shantou in the morning and returned to Beijing from "Chaoshan-Jieyang Airport" in the evening.

This kind of time arrangement should be enough for a quick tour, but when you learn more about the local information, you find that the time is far from enough.

2.

In the morning, take the high-speed rail from Xiamen to Chaoshan Station, which takes only an hour and a half.

Although Southern Fujian and Chaoshan are two different regions in terms of administrative planning, Chaoshan and Cantonese (the Pearl River Delta region, the Cantonese-speaking area) are two different ethnic groups, but they are closely related to the Southern Fujian people. This is easy to understand. Administrative regions are created with a stroke of a pen from generation to generation out of macro-planning and other interests. Ethnic culture has been gradually formed with the natural migration, change and influence of ethnic groups over thousands of years. Although many bordering areas are located in different provinces or autonomous regions, cities and counties, their language, culture and lifestyle are the same. For example, some areas in Fuqing speak Putian dialect, which is the same system as Putian. They are not ostracized by Putian hometown associations overseas because they are not Putian people. However, Chaoshan culture has a long history and has gradually become very different from the maternal southern Fujian. It can compete with southern Fujian in culture, economy, politics, etc. Both the Chinese and the Hakka are the pioneers of Chinese immigrants overseas. Moreover, the Chaozhou people had an early advantage in the trade between China and Thailand by virtue of their "fellow townsman" relationship with the Thai Emperor Taksin of Thonburi and the Qing imperial government's demand for Thai rice. This also led to the formation of today's Most overseas Chinese in Thailand are from Chaoshan.

Today's Chaozhou City is a bit disappointing. But, from a traveler's perspective, it's a bit of a joy. Because it has not kept up with the major construction and development in the past decade or so, it has retained some of the features of old Chaozhou.

Like Chaoshan – Jieyang Airport, the newly completed Chaoshan High-speed Railway Station is also in a relatively central location, shared by the administrative areas of the three major Chaozhou sections of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang. From there, there are public buses that go to the urban areas of these cities that share the same mother and sister, and the journey takes about an hour.

3.

We settled in a hotel in the old town. I saw the legendary "Zhenji Beef Offal Shop" outside the hotel, so I went to eat a bowl of beef offal noodles. But it was very unpalatable, and the dining environment was also terrible, with wiped paper towels all over the floor. The next day, I heard from the chartered bus driver that the "Zhenji" sign has been abused, and only the one on Huancheng West Road is authentic.

After eating the terrible beef offal noodles, I walked along the road to the archway street. In the small shops along the way, the shopkeepers placed small tea trays by the door, and a few people or themselves drank tea. We arrived at a crowded area, surrounded by Buddhist ritual shops. It turned out we were at Kaiyuan Temple. Temples with this name are often found in the center of an old city. The temple called "Kaiyuan Temple" always has some peerless classics (if they have not been destroyed). The Main Hall in Kaiyuan Temple in Chaozhou has a very ancient feel, and the 4 stone scripture buildings from the Tang Dynasty in the courtyard in front of the Main Hall are both surprising.

After leaving Kaiyuan Temple, we entered Qilou Street. On both sides there were shops with a very old Chaozhou feel, selling all kinds of bamboo boxes, plates, dustpans, tea boxes, peaches, mangos, strawberries, plums...all kinds of licorice. Fruits pickled in syrup, piles of tangerines or pomeloes like landmines, as well as various vendors selling Phoenix Dancong, Kung Fu tea utensils, as well as Chaozhou cotton patchwork clothes, tablecloths, handkerchiefs... Although it is a commercial street , but it doesn’t feel like a commercial street specially designed for tourists, but more like a local shopping market for daily necessities. JF and I are like two people who have wandered in, and we are not very Popular - the owners of those shops really don't bother to pay attention to us. Even when we bought something, we looked impatient and indifferent. Neither JF nor I can figure out why.

After walking out of the old city gate, we walked along the Han River, looked at Guangji Bridge, returned to the city gate, and turned towards a street with archways one after another. This is Archway Street. Although this is the most famous street in Chaozhou, it was quite deserted when we arrived. Most of the doors under the arcades on both sides were closed. If it weren't for the bright sunshine in broad daylight, and if it weren't for those brand-new archways, it would be quite "drama". , I'm afraid you will feel the wind whistling, just like the scene in the movie when the zombies are preparing to move out, and the doors of each house are closed.

Later, I walked to some small streets and alleys where ordinary people live, and visited the "Jilue Huang Gong Temple", an old house in Chaozhou with gorgeous wood carvings. Then I casually walked to the Xuegong Temple at the intersection of Changli Road and Wenchang Road. The portrait of Saint Kong is a bit special, with a short stature. Then we went to Xu Huima's Mansion, an example of Chaozhou folk houses. There are pictures and texts in it that briefly describe Chaozhou wedding etiquette. The wedding room inside is really decorated as if funds are in short supply.

4.

After having an early dinner and going back to the hotel for a while, I remembered a place I should visit. It was after five o'clock, and the sky was still bright, so I went as I said, put on my shoes again, lightened my backpack, and went out to Jiadi Alley.

The hotel is only six to seven hundred meters away from Jiadi Lane. Walking in the direction of Kaiyuan Temple, turn right after seeing the sign for Xia Xiping Road, and enter a vegetable market street with arbors on both sides almost covering the road. There are not many people buying vegetables, and they shuttle around on motorcycles and electric vehicles. Among them, people were tapping their feet to trade with stall owners, but the cars were still roaring. Pass through this vegetable market and enter an alley with few pedestrians.

Following the navigation on Amap, I still haven’t reached my destination. I saw a house called "Wu Xiangdi" in an alley called "Xingning Lane". The sign at the door said that the locals called it a "folk palace." Passing through the passage and entering the courtyard, what you see when you look up is a surprising building, a tall three-story building with Roman columns and sandstone material. However, it is really unsightly. Inside, it is a restaurant run haphazardly, with plates and tables piled everywhere, and the smell of leftover wine lingering in the air.

In front of an ancestral hall in Xingning Lane, an old woman stood on the roadside in a daze. When I met her eyes, I said hello to her. She seemed to be stunned for a moment, and then her eyes and mouth were ready to respond to me in a friendly way, but it seemed a little late. I have already seen an uncle picking up a dustpan from the bamboo pole stand in the open space in front of the ancestral hall and preparing to leave. The dustpan contains today's results to be dried. I asked him how to get to Jia Di Lane. He stopped and recited "Alley A--" for a moment, and then suddenly understood: "Oh, Alley A, in the back, parallel to this alley. You can get there through here." He showed me the way. The old lady stood in front of the trail that the uncle mentioned, and raised her arm to point me in the direction, asking me to go that way.

Walking through the corridor sandwiched between high walls, a corridor that could only accommodate one person, there were no people, but there were traces of human life, exuding a damp and moldy smell. Many old houses, such as the alleys leading to the art garden in Suzhou, or the alleys around a special hotel by the seaside, are more poetic than reality.

5.

Jiadi Lane is obviously an alley that has been repaired by the municipal government. The road is paved with blue bricks and is wider than the Xingning Lane in front. There is an archway at the entrance of the alley, with official explanations such as historical alleys and so on. The doors from house to house are all decorated with plaques and couplets. On the lintels are engraved illustrious words such as "Da Fu Di", "Wai Han Di", "Long You Yan Sect", "Ru Lin Di", etc. The walls beside the doors are painted with pictures of birds and beasts. Some of the murals with themes of flowers, flowers and ancient subjects have fallen off, making the gatehouse more and more showing the traces of time.

The doors of many houses are closed. You can easily associate it with a mysterious private residence or a high-end club. Just when I was thinking this, an older sister came back from shopping for groceries on an electric scooter. She stopped in front of the door where I was about to take a photo, took out the key, opened the door, pushed the scooter in, and closed the door. At that moment, I caught a glimpse of some scenes inside - it looked very much like a large hutong courtyard in Beijing, but it was no longer the original structure of a single courtyard.

Passing by a "doctor's shop" with its double doors open, an old man set up a table inside the door to repair the semiconductors that had been disassembled from the television. I went over to inquire and asked when the painting on the wall was done.

The old gentleman came out and said it was from 2001. I said it's quite beautiful.

But he said something that surprised me: "We suffered a big loss!"

"Ah? How do you say this?"

"This painting costs 700 yuan. There are 12 paintings here, which cost nearly 10,000 yuan."

"Did you pay for this?"

"No, it's from them."

I didn’t know what he was going to say, “Well, someone else has done this for you. Isn’t it great?”

"Not good. Look, our door is recessed. We should get another railing here and lock it..." The door he was talking about is actually like the doors of those Chinese houses in Malacca, with a corridor outside the door. , you can add a railing or door to frame it. "Because of these paintings, we can't add railings. We have to apply, but it won't be approved."

"Huh? Does it matter whether you add railings or not?"

"Beware of thieves! The thieves here are very scary. They steal furniture and money. It's very scary. They pick the locks and some climb over the wall to get in."

"If you can climb over the wall, what's the point of adding this railing or door!"

But he began to branch out to another topic, talking about the decline of social morality, poor public security, disordered management, etc. It is said that moral decline is because the economy is not good and people are not living well, so they will steal and rob. He said that the monthly salary of workers in Chaozhou is only one to two thousand, and bosses can earn a little, but it is very restricted... and also talked about the difficulties of social pension and so on.

I have always heard that Chaoshan is rich, wealthy, and has an active private economy. What he said seems to be another Chaoshan, but it also somewhat confirms the Chaozhou I saw when walking on the streets of Chaozhou: traffic chaos (cars are really bad) The most common problems are ignoring traffic lights, scuffles between people and cars, very few taxis and high prices on the ground); poor business (the most prosperous Archway Street is crowded with people); quality (the shop assistants you encounter when shopping are cold, expressionless and intolerant). Asking too many questions will make the purchase very uncomfortable). I don’t know why, but Chaoshan, which I have always heard about being wealthy, looks like this.

I threw out my doubts: "But, I have heard that Chaoshan is very wealthy?"

"That was before. There used to be a lot of overseas Chinese who brought money back or sent it back. There was a lot of foreign exchange. They also invested here. But it doesn't work anymore. Those who go out don't come back very often, and they don't invest anymore. There are too many restrictions. "The control is too strict." Then he took a look and said: "In the Qing Dynasty, the red-headed ships were all sent from here."

The red-headed ship he was talking about was a merchant ship used by China to trade with Southeast Asia (especially Siam) during the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Taksin, whose ancestral home was in Chenghai, Chaoshan, established the Thonburi dynasty in Thailand (Siam), vigorously employed Chaoshan compatriots, and strengthened trade with China to consolidate his rule in foreign lands. Moreover, rice imported from Siam was an indispensable and important item in South China and was supported by central laws and regulations. With the development of rice trade between China and Siam, more and more Chaozhou people immigrated to Siam, and gradually a group of Chaozhou immigrants was formed locally. They operated the royal shipping business and served the Siamese royal family. Although Zheng Xin was ultimately defeated in a coup, in Bangkok, the capital established by Zheng Xin's next monarch, the rights and wealth of the Chaoshan people were not damaged by Zheng Xin's failure. The new monarch continued to protect Chaoshan merchants and welcomed them to Bangkok.

Although he mentioned the red-headed boat, it was difficult for me to get any more information about "Chinese immigrants" from him, and he changed the topic again. It is said that the houses on this street are not the houses of high-ranking officials. In fact, they are the houses of clay bodhisattvas who were demoted or fled in the past dynasties. Those who fled also used this place as a springboard to escape to Taiwan or Southeast Asia. Isn't Chiang Kai-shek the same? …

I asked him, are you an "Old Chaozhou"? He said yes.

"Then your family has always lived here? Are you the descendant of this house?"

"My family has always lived here... to fight against the local tycoons and divide their fields, you know..." Just when I was wondering if he was going to tell the story about how his family's house was divided, he started to tell the story about Ye Jianying, the top ten marshals. Moreover, it was an inside story that he knew, but I didn’t quite understand it. I also couldn’t understand the relationship between many characters in the story. Then he said that he was of a low level and was not living a good life and so on...

The street lights suddenly came on. Considering safety issues, I had to go back to the hotel. I told him: "The lights are on, you can go have dinner."

He said, 1, I had a little more to eat at noon. I didn’t eat just now because I wasn’t hungry.

I said, "Does someone in your family cook?" I didn't expect him to tell me again. He had to cook it by himself. He was never married and was alone all the time. It was hard and his level was low...

I listened to him talk a few more words and said that he was going to move forward. Thank you for telling me so much.

While saying goodbye, he said: "How many days will you stay in Chaozhou? You can come and have tea tomorrow if you are free!"

I said thank you, but I'm going to Meizhou tomorrow. He heard Meizhou clearly: "Ah, when you arrive in Meizhou, if you go to Ye Jianying's former residence in Bing Village, help me give Ye Shuai a piece of incense!"

"Cun Cun? I have no arrangements!"

"Or the Ye Jianying Memorial Hall in the city can also be..."

"Well, what's your last name? How do you call it?"

Then he told me his name, but added: "Don't mention the name, just say there is someone in Chaozhou. One incense is enough, not three...Thank you, thank you!"

I already felt sorry, because I really had no plans to go to the Ye Jianying Memorial Hall, so I could only give him a vaccination first: "I don't necessarily want to go there! If I go there, and they allow me to burn incense, I will I’ll give you this incense.”

"It's okay! Thank you, thank you..."