novelaction Chapter 1185 Witnessing History, Warning History
Chapter 1185 Witnessing History, Warning History
The elderly couple from the Su family visited Beijing many years ago, but the city has changed so much since then.
Even if some famous and classic buildings and their overall framework remain unchanged, there are still significant differences in the details.
Their current trip to Beijing is a completely new experience.
Su Xing and He Xu spent the morning with the elderly Su family members at the Summer Palace.
I took many photos of the two elderly people, and they were very happy.
Grandma Su would occasionally come over to look at Su Xing's camera and admire her beautiful photos.
When they got tired from walking around and were looking for a place to rest, the elderly couple from the Su family couldn't help but sigh.
"The changes in Beijing now are truly earth-shattering..."
"Yes, it used to feel lively and bustling when I came here, but now it's all high-rise buildings and everything feels unfamiliar. Only this park still retains some of the old charm."
Su Xing smiled and said, "Our country has always attached great importance to infrastructure. If you don't visit a region for a while, you're sure to find great changes when you go back."
He Xu also said, "Indeed, not only in Beijing, but all over the country is now engaged in construction, and you can feel this vigorous vitality wherever you go."
After visiting the Summer Palace in the morning, the four of us chose a nearby restaurant for lunch.
Su Xing asked his grandparents, "Grandpa, Grandma, are you tired?"
"Tired? Not at all. Some young people aren't even as healthy as me!" Old Master Su said confidently, tilting his chin up.
Grandma Su also said, "We're not tired, we're all in good physical condition."
Su Xing said, "Okay, let's continue shopping this afternoon."
He Xu suggested, "How about we go to the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park?"
"Okay!"
"Let's go!"
Everyone agreed, and after leaving the restaurant, they headed straight to the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park.
The four of them were quite happy while strolling around the Summer Palace in the morning, but when they arrived at the Old Summer Palace Ruins Park, all four of them stopped smiling.
They entered the park from the east gate.
The moment you step into the park, the hustle and bustle seems to be shut out by the weight of history, leaving only the whisper of the wind through the treetops and the faint chirping of birds in the distance, weaving together the prelude to time.
As they walked along the stone path, the first thing that caught their eye was a vast, open lake. The water reflected the bare weeping willows on the shore and the distant mountains, creating a desolate yet tranquil scene.
It's hard to imagine that this park, now known as a ruin, was once a royal garden hailed as the "Garden of Gardens," a culmination of Eastern and Western architectural art, and a treasure trove of rare and precious artifacts from around the world.
Broken stones and broken steles can be seen everywhere along the way. The blurred carvings on the steles still reveal their exquisite beauty in the past, but they have lost their former glory due to the erosion of time and the wounds of history.
Su Xing, who majored in cultural heritage, was naturally familiar with the Old Summer Palace. She acted as a tour guide for her grandparents, while He Xu occasionally added a few words.
She explained, "This is the site of Danbo Ningjing, once a place where Qing Dynasty emperors would escape the summer heat and study. Although only the foundation remains today, the scattered steles and rammed earth traces still allow us to imagine the orderly layout of the 'Tianzi Hall' in its heyday. If you continue walking forward, you will reach the core area of the Western-style buildings ruins—the ruins of the Great Fountain..."
The once spectacular fountain is long gone, leaving only a bare stone base standing silently in the wind.
Sunlight filters through the broken arches, casting dappled shadows on the ground, as if telling the story of the catastrophe that occurred more than 160 years ago.
Su Xing continued, "This is the site of the Dayuan Yingguan, where Emperor Qianlong used to enjoy the Western spectacle. The remaining stone pillars are exquisitely carved, revealing the extravagance of that time in every detail..."
Grandpa Su raised his hand, his fingertips lightly tracing the cold stone wall. The uneven surface still bore the marks of the flames, and an endless sense of heaviness and emotion welled up in his heart.
"Sigh..." Grandma Su couldn't help but sigh at this moment.
Grandpa Su glanced at his wife, feeling that her sigh had touched a chord deep within him…
They passed by sites such as Guanshuifa and Xianfashan along the way, each carrying rich historical information.
He Xu said, "By carefully observing the carving marks on the stone wall, one can feel the ingenuity of the ancients and the vicissitudes of civilization."
After visiting the Western-style buildings ruins, they continued westward to the Fuhai Scenic Area, which boasts a vast expanse of water and beautiful scenery; it is the largest lake in the Old Summer Palace.
Afterwards, they traveled south to visit Qichun Garden, admiring the scenery of the Jiangnan garden style.
However, now that it is winter, the scenery has lost its gentleness and gained a desolate feel, making it seem somewhat bleak.
The sun sets in the west.
The four of them finished exploring the ruins park.
As they reached the exit, they all glanced back at the weathered garden, their feelings a mix of emotions.
He Xu said in a serious tone, "It is no longer the extremely luxurious royal garden it once was, but in its ruins, it has become a witness and warning of history."
Grandpa Su nodded and sighed, "Every broken stone tablet and every standing stone pillar here tells us a truth: backwardness invites aggression!"
The four left the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park to go have dinner.
Now that we're in the capital, we definitely have to eat Peking duck.
He Xu had already made a reservation at a famous roast duck restaurant, and the four of them went there directly.
The elderly couple from the Su family didn't dare to eat too much greasy food in the evening, fearing it would be hard to digest, so they only ate until they were about 70-80% full.
In the end, most of the food on the table ended up in Su Xing's stomach.
Grandma Su suddenly realized that it was good to raise a child with a big appetite, as no matter how much food he ordered, he wouldn't be afraid of wasting it.
After dinner, everyone went back to Peking University together.
It's a bit cold tonight.
The elderly couple from the Su family didn't want to go for a walk outside, so they went back to their hotel room early.
Su Xing and He Xu spent some time with the two visitors, chatting with them.
At 7:30, the two said goodbye to the Su family elders and left the hotel.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, He Xu asked Su Xing, "Shall I take you back to your dorm?"
Su Xing said, "It's still early. I'll go back with you for a walk, and then go to the studio to work for a while."
Upon hearing this, He Xu's eyes immediately filled with a smile. "Alright, let's go then."
Su Xing took He Xu's arm, and the two walked out of the school together.
Back at the apartment, as soon as they opened the door, their two furry friends were waiting for them at the entrance.
A little one, wagging its tail and with its eyes glazed over, started whimpering.
One of them lay at their feet, wriggling its body seductively, meowing softly.
Su Xingmo patted the big dog's head, then reached out and picked up the stumbling block. "Mommy's little darlings, did you miss Mommy?"
"嘤嘤嘤~~"
“Meow~ meow~~”
Watching Su Xing interact with the two furry friends, He Xu felt a warm, tingling sensation in his heart.
The two went inside to feed the cats and dogs, then put a leash on Bu Diu and went out for a walk together.
Bu Diu's favorite Samoyed sister is currently in heat, and her owner hasn't taken her to the park to play during this time.
Not losing him, he made some new good friends among the dogs.
It gets along quite well with a female golden retriever.
They were playing and fighting over the ball when a girl walked by with a Doberman.
The golden retriever's owner was a woman nearing forty. Seeing the approaching girl and Doberman, she frowned slightly and muttered under her breath, "Here they come again..."