Firmament

When will there be no worries.

- Han proverb

In Xihai Nian Bowei, Gong Shixiang's descendant, Gong Jicheng's son, inherited his father's business and continued to run a private social school to teach literacy for the children of the nearby people.

The population is small, the number of children is very limited, and the income from social studies alone cannot support the whole family. Sometimes, Gong Jicheng would take pen and paper and go to the mountain villages of Beishan to write letters and Spring Festival couplets for wealthy families to earn a little money to subsidize the family.

Once, Gong Jicheng came to the most remote Dala Villa. At the entrance of the village, he met some mountain people he had never seen before.

The costumes of these mountain people are somewhat similar to those of the Tibetans and steppe people. The woman braided her jet-black hair into a large, thick braid. The long braids are embellished with ornaments such as flowers and shells. Men's and women's clothes had embroidered high collars. The pattern is beautiful and exquisite, and the colors are bright. Women's clothing is mostly small collared and slanted. The sleeves are made of red, yellow, green, purple, blue and other 5 colors of cloth, which is beautiful and coordinated. Wear a wide and long ribbon around your waist. The ends of the ribbon are embroidered with various motifs such as flower petals, birds, bees, butterflies, and clouds.

Gong Jicheng initially regarded these mountain people as Tubo. He mentioned the mountain people when he wrote Spring Festival couplets to the landlord Li Mancang.

Li Mancang held a brass hookah, spit out white smoke from his mouth, and said: "These mountain people are not Tubo people, nor are they grassland people. They call themselves the Hol people. We call them natives. The people of the city called them Fanren and Savages. Legend has it that they are the descendants of the ancient Tuyuhun people. During the Tang Dynasty, the Tuyuhun Kingdom was wiped out by the Tubo people and dispersed into 3 parts. Those who surrendered melted into the Tibetans. Those who migrated east merged into the people of the East. The people who stayed in Liangzhou, Qilian and Nao (Xihai dialect, we) Xihai Haomen and Hehuang became the current Turen. "

Gong Jicheng answered: "It turns out that there is such a story. "

Li Mancang said: "There are more than a dozen villages called Tuhun in the northern mountains. At first, the Nao people followed them and called Tuhun, but as a result, it was spread that it became a Tuguan and a red building. In fact, whether it is Tuguan or Tuohong, it is all a transposition of Tuhu. "

Gong Jicheng asked, "Tuhun is the meaning of Tuyuhun?"

Li Mancang replied with a smile: "It seems that it is not necessarily now. The main thing is about Tuhun and there are other sayings. Some people say that Tuhun means human in the grassland language, and most people simply call them Turen. What is a headache is that the natives have no history books handed down, and no one can make a mistake about Amen. Some natives call themselves steppe people. They say that the ancestors were steppe people. At that time, the general of the steppe country was stationed at Sobtan, and later died. His subordinates settled in Sobtan, intermarried with the local herdsmen, the Hor people, and multiplied to form the present Tu people. "

Gong Jicheng asked, "What customs do they have?"

Li Mancang took a puff of hookah and replied: "Every year from July 12 to September 15, more than 20 natives of Dazhuang Kuo take turns to hold the 'Naton Meeting'. Men, women, and children put on beautiful clothes, and brought steamed buns the size of an iron pot and a whole vat of barley wine. Outsiders can tell the quality of the harvest from the steamed buns and barley wine they bring. Nau, this is a cat and a tiger, simply give you a noise. In the summer and autumn, come and see for yourself if you have time. The 'Naton Meeting' is very lively. "

Gong Jicheng listened to Li Mancang's narration while observing the natives coming and going in Zhuangkuo.

They all have thick eyebrows and big eyes, full faces, prominent cheekbones, and their complexion is black and red due to the strong ultraviolet radiation on the plateau. Everyone looked so healthy, as if they were statues made of brass.

A 4 or 5-year-old native child stuck out half of his head from outside the gate and looked at Gong Jicheng curiously.

Gong Jicheng smiled and beckoned to the child.

The kid was not timid, and ran straight to Gong Jicheng's side. His face was red from the cold. Two black eyes stared intently at the brush and red paper in Gong Jicheng's hand.

Gong Jicheng asked kindly, "Gava, what's your name?"

The kid didn't understand his words, and opened his small mouth and said a string of words that Gong Jicheng couldn't understand.

Gong Jicheng picked up the brush, wrote the word "Fu" on the remaining small piece of red paper, and handed it to the Turen child.

The native child happily took the red paper and ran back to his yard.

Gong Jicheng wrote the Spring Festival couplets for Li Mancang, packed up the pen and ink and inkstone, and set foot on the path back to Nian Bowei. He had just walked a few steps when he suddenly heard the crisp cry of a child behind him. He stopped and turned around, and saw the native kid shouting at him.

The native child held an artichoke the size of a baby's head in both hands and ran vigorously towards it.

Gong Jicheng stood in place and waited patiently.

The native child ran to Gong Jicheng and stuffed the artichoke in his hand into his hand.

Gong Jicheng took the huge artichoke, and felt the whirring in his hand. This is a potato that has just been taken out of the pot.

The native child grinned brightly and ran back again. He ran to the adults at the gate of the courtyard, leaned his body against them, and waved his little hand to say goodbye to Gong Jicheng.

Gong Chengji's heart suddenly warmed: a small piece of red paper was exchanged for such a big artichoke. The natives are really simple and kind!

He took the artichoke under his nostrils and sniffed it. The aroma of artichoke is fragrant. He took a gentle bite and chewed a few times. The mouth is full of creamy and fluffy artichoke meat.