Beautiful hometown in Aicheng

I always say that my hometown Peng'an is a love city hidden in the arms of the Jialing River. This is not something that came out of thin air. It was sung by Sima Xiangru's "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" a thousand years ago, nurtured by the gentle waves of the Jialing River, simmered by the smoke and fire of the ancient town, and engraved in my bones every stroke of the bluestone board I stepped on and tasted since childhood.

Sima Xiangru, a poet of the Western Han Dynasty, was born on this land. The song "Phoenix Seeks Phoenix", "Phoenix Xi Phoenix Xi Returns to Hometown, Roars Across the Seas Seeking Her Phoenix", not only sings the eternal love between him and Zhuo Wenjun, but also plants the gene of "love" into the urban veins of Peng'an. Now entering the ancient city of Xiangru, the bluestone road winds through, and the calligraphy on the Phoenix Seeking Phoenix Stele remains strong. With a gust of wind, it seems like the sound of a thousand years ago can still be heard, circling around the eaves of the ancient city and refusing to disperse.

In addition to the old city, Longjiao Mountain is also an irreplaceable scenery in the hearts of Peng'an people. It stands tall on the east bank of the Jialing River, facing the county across the river. Climbing to the top of Longjiao Mountain, the entire city of Peng'an and the U-shaped bend of Jialing River can be seen in full view. In the morning, the sea of clouds surges, and in the evening, the rosy glow spreads across the river, earning it the nickname "the first mountain of Peng'an".

Peng'an's love is also hidden in the mountains and waters of Jialing River. This is widely recognized as the "first mulberry grove of Jialing". The Jialing River has made a gentle bend around the city walls, embracing mulberry fields, villages, and ancient towns. In spring, the mulberry trees on the riverbank have sprouted new leaves, and the green color spreads along the river breeze to the horizon; In autumn, mulberry fruits turn red. Pick one and put it in your mouth. It's sweet and full of the taste nurtured by the Jialing River water. On this river, there is another scenic spot that cannot be ignored - the Hundred Bulls Crossing the River. Every early summer, hundreds of water buffaloes cross from the riverbank to the Sun Island in the center of the river, magnificent and magnificent, known as the "only ecological wonder in China and rare in the world".

Peng'an's love is even more hidden in the fireworks of Zhouzi Ancient Town. This ancient town, facing the Jialing River, has a history of over a thousand years. The bluestone road on the old street has been polished by time, and the old shops on both sides sell handmade noodles, northern Sichuan liangfen, and our most famous intangible cultural heritage delicacy in Peng'an, Heshu Tofu. When I was a child, I always followed my grandmother to the ancient town pier to buy a freshly fried piece of Heshu tofu. It was so hot that I stomped my feet but couldn't bear to put it down. The tender taste, like water, was a nostalgic memory engraved in the taste buds of every Peng'an person. The elderly people at the dock sway their bamboo fans and form a dragon gate formation. The river breeze blows, carrying the moisture of the river water and the fragrance of the neighboring noodle shop. Life slows down like the water of Jialing River, gentle and long-lasting.

Not far from Zhouzi Ancient Town, there is also a serene Baiyun Mountain Forest Park. The towering ancient trees in the mountains, the murmuring streams, and the cool summer breeze make it a natural oxygen bar for the people of Peng'an. The morning bell and evening drum of Baiyun Temple on the mountaintop, with incense wafting down, offer a distant view from a high vantage point, covered in lush greenery, evoking the poetic sentiment of 'where white clouds grow, there are families'.

Some people say that falling in love with a city is either because of someone, a story, or a taste. And Peng'an, this beloved city, has given you love, stories, and flavors. It doesn't have the hustle and bustle of big cities, only the tenderness of Jialing River, the romance of Sima Xiangru, and the fireworks atmosphere of ancient towns. I grew up here and engraved the love here into my bones. I also want to recommend this beloved city to every friend across the country. Come to Peng'an, walk around the bluestone slabs that resemble the ancient city, listen to the music of "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix", climb up Longjiao Mountain, witness a hundred cows crossing the river, wash their lungs in Baiyun Mountain, taste the fragrance of Heshu tofu in Zhouzi Ancient Town - in the wind of Jialing River, meet your gentlest love. (Zheng Hongcai, Agriculture and Rural Bureau, Peng'an County, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province)