bookrandom Chapter 1299 They've been caught
Chapter 1299 They've been caught
Su Xing hailed a taxi and headed to Hanshan Temple.
Hanshan Temple has not yet undergone large-scale commercial renovations, and the roads in the scenic area are not as congested as she saw in the video a few years later.
At the entrance of the scenic area, there are only a few small shops selling incense, candles, and postcards. The owners sit together chatting and basking in the sun. When they see someone passing by, they just raise their eyes and smile, without any eagerness to solicit business.
Su Xing went to the window to buy a ticket. The ticket seller handed him a ticket with the entire poem "A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge" printed on it. The paper was rough but smelled of ink, and the back also had a brief history of Hanshan Temple printed on it.
She had her ticket checked and stepped through the mountain gate.
The palaces with yellow walls and black tiles are built against the mountain, and the copper bells hanging from the eaves sway gently in the wind, their tinkling sounds delicate and far-reaching.
She walked along the bluestone path, where a few buds of wintersweet still remained on the roadside trees, their petals glistening with morning dew.
Upon arriving at the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Maitreya Buddha inside, with his chest and belly exposed, smiles at the visitors. The four guardian deities on either side are majestic and imposing, their robes fluttering. Although the colors have faded slightly due to the erosion of time, their imposing presence remains undiminished.
A monk was gently sweeping fallen leaves in the courtyard with a broom. His movements were slow and devout. The rustling sound of the leaves rubbing against the broom mingled with the faint chanting of sutras coming from afar, making people unconsciously slow down and breathe more gently.
The Mahavira Hall is the core building of Hanshan Temple. Its roof is covered with green glazed tiles, which gleam with a warm luster under the pale sunlight. Inside the hall is a golden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is several meters tall and has a solemn and dignified expression.
The gilded iron Arhats on both sides of the hall are cultural relics from the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. They have different expressions and are lifelike. Some have angry eyes, some have kind eyes, some hold ritual implements, and some sit in meditation. Even the folds of their clothes and the details of their hair are depicted with great care.
After passing the main hall, you will arrive at the Sutra Repository.
Downstairs in the Hanshi Hall, the statues of Hanshan and Shide, the two immortals of harmony, attract many tourists to stop and admire them.
One of them held a lotus flower, and the other carried a round box, their faces beaming with smiles, their expressions endearing. Legend has it that Hanshan was a poet-monk of the Tang Dynasty, and Shide was his close friend. The two often composed and exchanged poems in the temple, leaving behind many verses that have been passed down through the ages.
Inscribed on the walls of the hall are their "Questions and Answers of Hanshan and Shide," which includes the line, "If someone in the world slanders me, deceives me, insults me, laughs at me, belittles me, despises me, hates me, or cheats me, how should I deal with it?"
"Just tolerate him, let him be, let him do as he pleases, avoid him, be patient with him, respect him, ignore him, and wait a few more years and you'll see."
Su Xing imagined that a few years later, the era of short video explosion would arrive, and this conversation would become very popular online.
The bell tower next to the Sutra Repository is one of the most representative buildings of Hanshan Temple.
A replica of a Tang Dynasty bronze bell hangs inside the building. It is about 1.3 meters tall and weighs over two tons.
Although it is impossible to verify whether the "midnight bell" described by Zhang Ji is the same bell, its sound still carries the poetic sentiment of thousands of years.
Su Xing spent five yuan to buy three chances to ring the bell.
She held the wooden mallet and gently struck the bronze bell.
"Boom-"
The first chime of the bell was deep and resonant, as if it had traveled through time and space, allowing us to have a dialogue with Zhang Ji from a thousand years ago.
The second, clear chime swept away the dust from my heart.
The third chime, long and drawn out, carrying a sense of Zen and hope, lingered in the air above the ancient temple.
As soon as Su Xing released the bell hammer, tourists in line immediately took over.
Below the bell tower is the stele gallery, which contains four steles with the core ancient poem "A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge", as well as some steles with poems of "A Night Mooring at Maple Bridge" written by modern celebrities.
Su Xing stood there for a while, observing for a long time before continuing to stroll forward.
Inside the Puming Pagoda courtyard stands a pagoda in the style of the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda is made of wood and has upturned eaves, giving it a solemn and elegant appearance.
Su Xing walked around the tower along the stone steps at its base.
A breeze blows through the eaves of the tower, carrying a faint fragrance of grass and trees, which refreshes the mind and body.
When Su Xing came out of the east gate of Hanshan Temple, it was almost 3 p.m.
She saw a food stall at the entrance, went over and bought a few pieces of crabapple cake, and immediately started showing off.
Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, sweet but not cloying, so delicious!
She ate as she walked along the path in front of the door.
In just three or four minutes, we arrived at the Fengqiao Scenic Area.
There are no extra tickets for Fengqiao Scenic Area; you can step into the real-life scene described in the poem with just a few steps.
Walking along the path beside the canal, you will reach Maple Bridge.
This stone arch bridge spanning the ancient canal is the prototype of the "Maple Bridge" in Zhang Ji's poem.
The bridge is about 40 meters long and 5 meters wide. The bridge surface is paved with bluestone slabs. After thousands of years of being trampled, the slabs have been worn smooth and shiny, and there are also lines of varying depths carved on them, like marks left by time.
Strolling across Maple Bridge, the stone railings on both sides are decorated with simple and elegant carvings, with geometric patterns and ruyi patterns scattered around. Although some carvings have been weathered and blurred, the exquisite skills of the craftsmen of that time can still be seen.
Su Xing stood in the middle of the bridge, looking around.
To the southwest of the bridge are the red walls and black tiles of Hanshan Temple, from which the faint sound of its bell can be heard.
To the west is the ancient city wall of Tieling Pass, exuding the weight of history.
Beneath our feet flows the ancient canal, its clear waters reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the shadows of the bridge.
At this moment, the scene of Zhang Ji mooring his boat on the riverbank a thousand years ago seems to be right before my eyes: The moon sets, crows caw, frost fills the sky; River maples and fishing lights reflect my sorrowful sleep. Outside Suzhou city, at Hanshan Temple, the midnight bell tolls to the traveler's boat.
However, Su Xing did not feel the melancholy of a traveler as described in the poem, but only the leisurely and pleasant feeling of strolling in Jiangnan.
A gentle breeze from the river, carrying moist air, made her feel refreshed.
Several elderly people were fishing by the bridge, their fishing rods swaying gently as they patiently waited for a fish to bite.
Another couple sat on the stone steps, talking softly, their faces full of happy smiles.
"Hello……"
Su Xing suddenly heard a slightly hesitant greeting from behind him.
She turned around and saw a boy standing not far behind her.
The boy's eyes lit up when he saw her turn around.
Su Xing asked, "Are you talking to me?"
The boy nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes! That's right! You...you're awake??"
Su Xing: "...Hello, it's me."
Looks like I've run into fans again.
She doesn't usually post selfies on Weibo, so why are fans recognizing her so often lately?
"It really is you! You really came to Suzhou!! I'm such a fan! I've been trying my luck at museums and tourist attractions in Suzhou these past few days, and I actually ran into you! That's wonderful!!"
The boy was so excited that his face turned slightly red.
Su Xing asked with a smile, "You knew I came to Suzhou?"
"Yes! I saw someone post a photo of themselves with you on Weibo, saying they ran into you at the Suzhou Museum!"
He attends university in Suzhou and just returned to school these past two days.
He saw that his favorite blogger had come to Suzhou, so he quickly went out to try and run into her. Unexpectedly, he was quite lucky and actually managed to catch her!
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