Thousand eyes gentleness

Author: Su Cangsan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features:
1. On a February morning in the early 1970s, Xixi Lake witnessed a rare phenomenon of the sun and moon shining together. In the east, a rose-red dawn rose, while in the west, a pale yellow full moon hung in the sky, like two gentle eyes of the heavens gazing down at the mortal world. Suddenly, the morning mist dispersed, and the thousands of interconnected lakes and ponds of Xixi Lake, like thousands of clear eyes, opened wide in unison, gazing deeply at the two gentle eyes of the heavens. All was silent, as if time had stopped, as if the earth had aged, and the sky had become desolate. At this moment, from somewhere, a small bamboo raft slowly drifted out, gliding through the clear waters of Xixi Lake amidst millions of ancient plum trees standing by the water. Where the breeze passed, petals fell in abundance, like snowflakes flying, slowly drifting onto the raft. The raft drifted slowly to the shore of an unnamed small island, near the earthen walls of a hermitage by the water. Suddenly, it was caught by an old plum tree at the base of the wall, spinning in the water. "Hmm ah—" a delicate cry of an infant drifted out from inside the raft. Across the wall in the thatched cottage, a boy of about ten years old ran out quickly upon hearing the sound. He had delicate features, wore an old red scarf, and was dressed in a loose, faded military uniform. He ran to the water's edge, quickly rolled up his pants legs, stepped into the water, crouched down, and stretched out his arms, forcefully pulling the raft closer. He saw a grass basket on the raft, and inside it, a swaddling cloth! The cotton lining and silk surface of the blanket were embroidered with real silk and gold thread, very new and shining brilliantly. The infant's cry suddenly stopped. The boy hesitated for a moment, cautiously lifting the corner of the swaddling cloth, only to see a pink infant suddenly open its eyes, wrinkle its nose, and show a toothless mouth, smiling brightly at him. The boy was startled, quickly turned around, and shouted loudly, "Mom! Mom! Come quickly!" A rural woman in her forties then came out of the thatched cottage. Her face was dark yet flushed, her figure short, and she walked with a limp, half-bent over, her long braid swaying behind her, looking very cumbersome. She struggled to reach the water's edge, hastily picked up the infant, gave a quick check, and whispered, "It's a girl!" This woman, who had let out a soft exclamation, was Lian, a widow. The boy was her son, Qingchuan. The name "Qingchuan" was given to him by an elder, reportedly derived from the name of an ancient recluse in Xixi. "A few acres of reeds border the fields, and a winding stream meanders through mist." Xixi Lake is just one mountain away from West Lake, a typical Jiangnan water town and urban wetland, with a unique pastoral charm and wild beauty. It has been known since ancient times as one of the "Three Xis," along with West Lake and Xiling. Three hundred years ago, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Xixi was renowned for its fragrant Ten-Mile Creek, hundreds of hermitages, and the moonlit reeds, and was known alongside Lingfeng and Gushan as one of Hangzhou's three major plum-blossom viewing spots, a paradise for scholars, officials, and the elite, leaving behind the footsteps and literary works of famous figures such as Su Shi, Qin Guan, Tang Yin, Zhang Dai, Li Ao, Yu Dafu, and Xu Zhimo. Lian, holding the infant in the swaddling cloth, hesitated for a moment, then took a step toward the incense-scented hermitage. Qingchuan quickly grabbed her sleeve and asked, "Mom, where are you going?"