Mojiang Bixi Ancient Town

There is an ancient town of Bixi, 11 kilometers northwest of Mojiang. We took Hani Avenue to connect Bixi Road and G227 National Highway and arrived there in about half an hour. The free market at the edge of the town is in full swing, with various vehicles parked on the roadside. The market is crowded with stalls and people. We walked through the market and into the streets. We saw a tofu pudding workshop doing a booming business. It was about to close, so we quickly bought two bowls. I had heard that Bixi's tofu pudding was famous and I had to try it myself, but our tongues did not taste anything special. Walking northwards for more than 100 meters along the street, there is an octagonal pavilion with double eaves and a pointed roof, which should be the center of the ancient town. It can be seen that the ancient town is in the shape of a cross street. The southwest corner of the street pavilion is the former residence of Yu Enyang, the national defense general during the Republic of China period. The streets to the south and west of the street pavilion have lost their ancient charm, but those to the north and east still retain their ancient style. Especially the streets to the east can be said to be the original form of the ancient town. There are many shops along the street, which are both stores and homes, selling all kinds of dry and fresh agricultural and sideline products at reasonable prices. After walking along a street paved with flagstones and pebbles for about 200 meters, you will see a city gate with a single eave and large upturned corners, with the inscription "Bi Shuo" on it. Bixi was originally named Bishuo. It was built by the soldiers and civilians of the Ming Dynasty after they moved south, so the original inhabitants of the town are Han people. A hundred steps past the city gate, there is the Li Family Courtyard, which faces north and south and is a quadrangle with a corner building for horse racing. The owner of the house was executed by firing squad in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The courtyard became a village office and is now an exhibition room. We found an inn in the town to stay in. It was a four-story building, not luxurious but clean and tidy. Standing on the roof of the inn and overlooking the ancient town in the early morning, the ancient buildings with blue bricks and blue tiles only occupy a small part of the town, and most of them are new houses built in recent decades. What attracts tourists is the ancient town’s ancient style, but when the locals become rich, they demolish the ancient buildings and build new houses or inns in order to improve their lives and make more money. This is understandable, but gradually, what will be left of the ancient town except its name? Over the years, how many stories of destroying the truth, creating falsities, building new things and praising the ancient have been staged on the land of China! We don’t know how to cherish what we have, and we want to have it again after we lose it, which makes us sad and painful. Alas! Thinking too much makes me tired, watching the world change coldly, appreciating the flowers in spring and watching the moon in autumn, what do you think?