Special: How magical is the Chishui River?

On the land of China

Among thousands of rivers

Chishui River

It is a magical existence

When the rainy season comes

Its red water is like flowing blood.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the red Chishui River, photographer @杨建)

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After the rainy season

It gradually returned to its former clarity.

The world-famous Maotai liquor is produced with excellent water quality

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the "world's best bottle" of Moutai, backed by a tributary of the Chishui River, photographer @陆宇堃)

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As a tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River

It is only over 400 kilometers long.

In front of the more than 6,300-kilometer Yangtze River

Seems insignificant

Although it does not have the body of a "galloping dragon"

But he wrote the war myth of "Four Crossings of Chishui River"

The unyielding spirit of the Long March flows

(The Red Army's Fourth Crossing of the Chishui River Memorial Tower in Maotai Town, Zunyi, Guizhou, is located on the west bank of the Chishui River. Image source: @Visual China)

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"Wine River" and "Hero River"

Such a small river

Won many honors

Why is it so magical?

Under the mysterious veil of Chishui River

How many stories are hidden?

01

Qianli Gallery

Chishui River

Originated from northeastern Yunnan

On the border between Guizhou and Sichuan

Bend your torso into an elegant "V" shape

Finally, it flows into the Yangtze River

(Sketch of the Chishui River Basin, drawn by @Gao Liqian/Planet Research Institute)

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From the source to the estuary

It is accompanied by mountains almost all the way

On its southwest side, the Wumeng Mountains are surrounded by peaks.

On the east side, Dalou Mountain stands tall.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, morning glow in Wumeng Mountain area of ​​Zhenxiong County in northeastern Yunnan, photographer @李东旭)

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The towering green mountains blocked the wind and rain

The mountains are often filled with water vapor.

The Chishui River is hidden under these mountains.

Looking down from a height, it is as thin as a ribbon

(The Chishui River after the rain, shaded by green mountains, looks like red silk. Image source: Visual China)

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However, in the long geological time

This stream of water is like a sharp blade

As it swings, it lifts the mountain

Cutting out deep canyons

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the upper reaches of the Chishui River, with thin streams of water and cliffs on both sides, photographer @柴俊峰)

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More than just a canyon

The Chishui River and its tributaries

When we meet the mountains

It creates a beautiful and boundless

Qianli Gallery

The inflection point of its "V"-shaped trunk is the dividing line.

The upstream current meets

Limestone mountain that is easily soluble in water

The water that seeps into the rock strata dissolves and hollows out the mountain.

"Excavating" caves of different sizes

Continue to dissolve and "chisel" the cave roof

The cave turned into a tiankeng

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Wude Tiankeng in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan, near the source of the Chishui River, photographer @李东旭)

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Between the "excavation" of caves and tiankengs

This stream is sometimes dark and sometimes bright

It may be hidden in a cave.

Or suddenly emerge from the mountains

You can't see the beginning or the end

At its source, the Chishui River even "enters and exits" three times

The source of the Chishui River was once a mystery

It was not until the beginning of the 21st century that the origin was successfully traced.

(Please watch in horizontal mode. The third outlet of the Chishui River source in Guozhu Township, Zhenxiong County, Yunnan Province was once considered the source of the river, but the real source is still upstream. Photographer @李东旭)

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Water flow below the "V" inflection point

The widespread red sandstone and mudstone

The soil they weathered

It stands out among the green mountains and trees

(Terrace fields on the Chishui River Valley, the soil is red, picture source: @图虫创意)

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The rainy season comes from June to September every year.

The fine rain turns into a mountain torrent

Carrying a lot of rock debris and soil into the river

The river water turned red, hence the name "Chishui River".

(Chishui River in the rainy season, the river water is red, photographer @杨建)

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Chishui River flows here

It has entered the transition zone between the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Sichuan Basin

Strong crustal uplift in geological time

Plus the dramatic height difference

Enhance the erosion capacity of running water

The ability of "water dripping through stone" should not be underestimated

Water flows along the cracks in the rock formations

The cracks continue to expand and become deep valleys

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the cliff inside Danxia Valley in Zunyi, Guizhou, photographer @佐蚁)

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The valley continues to widen

The valley walls on both sides are constantly retreating and collapsing.

The rock formations that finally remained standing

Become a high and steep Danxia cliff

(Chishui Foguang Rock, Danxia surrounding the cliff, photographer @杨建)

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The water encounters a steep cliff

It turns into a waterfall, pouring down from a height

Chishui Waterfall

It is 76.2 meters high and 80 meters wide.

Its water is as powerful as a river bursting its banks.

Comparable to Huangguoshu Waterfall

(Chishui Waterfall in Guizhou, also known as Shizhangdong Waterfall, picture source: Visual China)

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Yanziyan Waterfall

From the quiet valley,

Soft as smoke

(Swallow Rock Waterfall, Chishui City, Guizhou Province, photographer @小强风景摄影)

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This thousand-mile gallery created by water and mountains

It is also a natural paradise for living things.

The maximum elevation difference between the source and the estuary of Chishui River is more than 2,000 meters.

The height difference between the river valley and the cliff is hundreds of meters

The climate in the basin is complex and changeable, and the vegetation is rich.

On the mountain

The cool climate breeds a sea of ​​rhododendrons

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Baili Rhododendron in Bijie, Guizhou, near the Chishui River Basin, photographer @何雄周)

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The warm and humid climate inside the Chishui River Valley

Create a "subtropical botanical garden"

There are tall nanmu trees here.

There is a sea of ​​bamboo swaying in the wind

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Chishui Bamboo Sea, photographer @何雄周)

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In addition, the tree[suō]Altissima[luó], which was contemporary with the dinosaurs,

Escaped the catastrophe of extinction

Survived here till now

Today, thousands of Alsophila spinulosa trees are spreading their umbrella-like branches and leaves.

Welcome the sunshine and rain with us

(Alternaria spinulosa, photographer @何雄周)

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Danxia, ​​Chishui, Silver Waterfall, Green Trees

It constitutes the colorful landscape of Chishui River.

However, Chishui River is more than just a beautiful sight.

In the mountains

Chishui River as a natural channel

It is an important transportation artery between Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the dynamic Chishui River, Hejiang section, Luzhou, Sichuan, photographer @张华)

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A beautiful river is also

The "Mother River" of the People Along the Chishui River

Nurturing thousands of families

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Thousands of households

Thousands of years ago

The ancient people lived in the Chishui River Basin

Since then, people have continued to move in.

Edge of the location, hidden mountains

Instead, it created a colorful "Thousand Islands of Culture"

Miao, Yi, Ge Lao and more than 30 other ethnic groups

Here we live together

(A Miao girl is making a bamboo umbrella in Datong Ancient Town, Chishui City, Guizhou Province. Photographer: @陶洪)

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Chishui River is like a bond

Stringing together the colorful nations

Under the mountains and valleys, the flowing river

Carrying out the function of transportation

In the middle and lower reaches of the Chishui River

Wood, bamboo, etc. are transported out along the water flow

In order to prevent the loss of wood during the drifting process,

People stand on a log to watch over

Over time, they mastered the skills of "single-wood drifting" and "single-bamboo drifting".

(Single bamboo rafting has become a folk art. The young man jumps onto the bamboo pole, stands on it, and paddles with the pole in his hand. Photographer @陶洪)

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However, most of the Chishui River has many rapids and rapids.

There are more than 200 dangerous beaches of various sizes.

Boating is extremely dangerous

There is a poem in the Ming Dynasty saying

"The raft rode down the rapid current, and the mast pierced through the angry rocks.

I advise you not to cross the river now, not just because of the storm."

The Chishui River is full of dangerous rapids

Only sections can be used

Boat inconvenience

The transportation of materials depends entirely on people and animals.

(Rocks and rapids along the Chishui River, photographer @小强风景摄影)

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Even so, the Chishui River is still a

Important " lifeline "

Guizhou has not produced salt since ancient times, relying entirely on external imports

One hundred kilometers away from the mouth of the Chishui River

Zigong City, Sichuan Province

It is the largest well salt producing area in my country.

Go up the Chishui River, along the Sichuan-Guizhou border

It is a major channel for Sichuan salt to enter Guizhou.

(There are four routes for Sichuan salt to enter Guizhou, and the Chishui River route is a convenient and important one. Map by @Gao Liqian/Planet Research Institute)

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Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties

As Guizhou was incorporated into the jurisdiction of the central dynasty

A large influx of population has led to a huge increase in demand for salt

The imperial court encouraged salt merchants to sell salt to Yunnan and Guizhou

The Chishui River was dredged several times.

Therefore, in the Chishui River Basin

A magnificent picture slowly unfolds

Salt-carrying ships move slowly along the Chishui River

On both sides of the Chishui River, trackers are tightening the ropes

Shouting in unison

The voice was high and passionate, echoing through the valley

The tune is sometimes fast and sometimes slow, just like the flow of the Chishui River

(Three Gorges trackers, for illustration only, photographer @黄正平)

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If you encounter a dangerous rapid that is difficult to pass

You need to change to a small boat or carry it by manpower.

Salt carriers

They are men and women, old and young

Walking on the rugged mountain road

"The saltman... got up from his back...

I traveled day and night, my legs were numb and my eyes were dizzy."

A song about carrying salt tells the hardships of salt carriers

For them

Eating salt is survival, carrying salt is livelihood

(Salt carriers in Xituo Ancient Town, Chongqing. This is a performance, for illustration only. Photographer: @张坤琨)

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The busy salt transport along the Chishui River

It also brought prosperity to trade.

At ferry ports and land and water transport

Boatmen, trackers, and salt carriers gathered here

Restaurants, inns and shops were set up one after another.

Commercial towns are dotted along the Chishui River.

For example, Datong Town is located at the junction of Sichuan and Guizhou.

Caravans stopped here to rest and replenish supplies.

The streets and alleys extend along the river, and the shops are built facing the river.

(Datong Ancient Town, photographer @小强风景摄影)

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Bing'an Town, which stands on a huge rock by the river

At a glance, the stilt houses are scattered in different heights.

Climb up the stone steps

Only then can you see the daily fireworks of the town

(Bing'an Ancient Town, photographer @小强风景摄影)

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Tucheng Town, an important port for salt transportation on the Chishui River

On the terrace along the river, there are many boat gangs and salt ships.

Layered buildings, simple and elegant

(Tucheng Ancient Town, photographer @弹指间行摄影)

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The most lively one is Maotai Town

It is the turning point of the "V"-shaped trunk of the Chishui River.

It is impossible to sail upstream any further.

Therefore, this is also the terminal of Chishui River water transport.

The salt ships finally gathered here

On the Chishui River

This magnificent picture of "Sichuan salt entering Guizhou"

Lasted for hundreds of years

At its peak, it transported more than 40% of the salt in Guizhou Province.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Maotai Town, image source: Visual China)

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This exciting history of salt transportation

It merged into the gurgling water of the Chishui River

This river on the edge

These marginal towns

These people on the margins

Maybe never thought of

They will be connected to a more exciting history

(In the morning light, residents of Bing'an Ancient Town carry water up the stairs. Image source: Visual China)

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The Red Army arrived in Zunyi, Guizhou in 1935

Facing heavy siege from the Kuomintang army

The previous few defeats caused the Red Army to suffer heavy losses.

Faced with such a difficult situation, Mao Zedong led more than 30,000 Red Army soldiers

Weaving around the banks of the Chishui River to lure the tiger away from the mountain

Successfully broke through the encirclement of more than 400,000 enemy troops

This is the famous " Four Crossings of the Chishui River " in the history of the Long March.

(Sketch of the Red Army's four crossings of the Chishui River, drawn by @高麗倩&刘志鹏/Planet Research Institute)

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The Red Army marched along the Chishui River for more than three months

The ferry and town where salt was transported became the stronghold of the Red Army

Residents along the Chishui River dismantle their door panels

Provide wood for the Red Army to build a pontoon bridge

The military and civilians jointly created this "war myth"

Today, the fierce smoke and flames of war have long gone

The Chishui River surges forward

Leaving behind it the exciting history

(On October 21, 2016, Chishui City, Guizhou Province, held a series of activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. Image source: @Visual China)

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Today, millions of people live by the river.

This river, with its past

Together they merged into the hometown memories of the people living along the Chishui River

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Chishui City in Guizhou Province is covered in clouds and mist, image source: Visual China)

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This memory has red river water

There are inspiring slogans and thrilling stories

Maybe there is also a scent

03

Thousands of flavors

Live by the mountain, live by the water

Chishui River, where mountains and water coexist

The first flavor for the riverside people

Fresh

Ancient tea trees grow among the mountains

Thousands of years ago, they listened

The sound of bells of the caravans on the Ancient Tea Horse Road

Today, the tea plantations all over the mountains

Telling the prosperity of tea trade in the past

Every spring, tender green tea leaves are

Send the first delicious taste of spring

(Wangyunfeng Tea Garden, Chishui City, Guizhou Province, photographer @小强风景摄影)

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In the valley, bamboos stand tall

Spring bamboo shoots emerge from the soil

People pick fresh bamboo shoots and put them into soup or stir-fry with seasonings.

If you wrap bamboo leaves around the "pig cake"

It is soft and sticky, and has the fragrance of bamboo.

(“Zhuerba”, glutinous rice skin wrapped with pork filling, people use a small piece of bamboo leaf or vegetable leaf to decorate the appearance, photographer @方映nic)

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River food is also one of the important flavors of Chishui River.

Red sandstone and mudstone on both sides of the Chishui River

Soil formed by weathering

Large porosity and rich in minerals

Rainwater is purified by layers of vegetation, rocks, and soil

Carrying minerals from the soil into rivers

The Chishui River has clear water and is rich in 45 kinds of high-quality fish.

One fish can be used to cook several dishes

However, as a rare fish protection area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River

Fishing has been banned in Chishui River since 2017

(A dish of "sturgeon sashimi" at the Chishui River sturgeon feast, photographer @陆宇堃)

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On the banks of the Chishui River, this delicious dish is not bland.

Because it will clash with another flavor

That's spicy

Guizhou has been short of salt since ancient times, so spicy food is used instead of salt

Chishui River has a long history of pepper cultivation and a variety of varieties

(Villagers drying red peppers in Zunyi, Guizhou, image source: @Visual China)

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There are also many ways to cook chili peppers.

For example, "pickled pepper", chop fresh red pepper

Marinate with seasonings

For example, "chili dip", roast the dried chili and mash it into a paste

Mix with seasonings and soup

(In Bing'an Ancient Town, fragrant and spicy chili noodles, photographer @张华)

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Then, the addition of salt makes these chili products

Pushing the limits of taste buds

Salty and flavorful chili products are a must-have in meals

A bowl of light tofu pudding only needs dipping water

It directly hits the soul of the people in Chishui

(Tofu pudding with dipping sauce, image source: @图虫创意)

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In the Chishui River Basin

The simplest ingredients can create the ultimate flavor

Grains and cereals are brewed and fermented

The fragrance will overflow

Brewing and fermentation are not uncommon in the Chishui River Basin.

Near the mouth of the Chishui River

Hejiang County, Luzhou City, Sichuan

On the slope next to the river

6,000 sauce jars neatly arranged

Soybeans, wheat and other raw materials are being fermented in the tank under the sun.

After 3 years, it becomes a fragrant soy sauce

(Soy sauce brewing workshop in Xianshi Town, Hejiang, Luzhou, Sichuan, image source: @Visual China)

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In Chishui City, Guizhou

There are also open-air sauce jars

Wheat, rice and other raw materials are fermenting in the tank

After 3 years, it becomes sour and fragrant vinegar

(Guizhou "Chishui Sun-dried Vinegar", image source @Visual China)

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The clear water of Chishui River

Different grains produce different aromas

On both sides of the Chishui River, sorghum fields are everywhere.

Mild climate, mineral-rich soil

The grown glutinous sorghum has thick skin and firm grains.

Resistant to multiple steaming and stirring

This is the raw material for brewing Maotai liquor, "Hongyingzi"

(Maotai liquor’s raw material, glutinous sorghum, picture source: @Maotai)

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However, to make good wine

It also requires the cooperation of the "geographical advantage" and "time" of the Chishui River.

The river valley where the Maotai Distillery is located

It is the turning point of the "V"-shaped trunk of the Chishui River.

Surrounded by high mountains, the Chishui River meanders through it

The valley is warm in winter and hot in summer, with an average annual temperature of about 18°C

Warm climate is conducive to the growth of microorganisms

(Moutai "The Best Bottle in the World", photographer @陆宇堃)

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Chishui River provides Maotai with

A natural "big cellar"

Such a favorable geographical location has made high-temperature koji making and high-temperature fermentation possible

Moutai brewing technology

And this brewing technology also depends on the "time of the day"

One year is one production cycle

Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, the rainy season arrives

The muddy river water reminds people to start making koji

Grind the wheat into powder, add the mother koji and water

Using hot summer weather to promote microbial growth

(The muddy Chishui River, photographer @傅吨)

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The rainy season ends around the Double Ninth Festival.

The river water gradually becomes clearer and the summer heat subsides

Then they put in sorghum, commonly known as "xiasha"

Crush the glutinous sorghum, steam it, and mix it with koji powder.

First put in half of the material, and wait for one month of fermentation.

Re-stock the remaining sorghum

That is, "secondary sanding"

After feeding

After that, it needs to be steamed once every month of fermentation.

Then mix the koji powder and continue fermentation.

(Workers at Maotai Distillery steam the sorghum after mixing it with koji. Photographer: He Xiongzhou)

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Throughout the production cycle

After 9 steaming, 8 fermentation and 7 wine extraction

After the wine is taken, it needs to be aged for about 5 years.

To become the mellow and rich Maotai liquor

(Moutai liquor production, image source: @Moutai)

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Maotai Town hundreds of years ago

Boatmen unloading the boat ashore

At this point, they shouted "Drink a single bowl"

One bowl, two taels of wine, drink it all up

Fading away the hardships along the way

(Locals hold a banquet in Tucheng Ancient Town, Zunyi, Guizhou. Image source: Visual China)

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Now, the shouting has faded away

All the stories have turned into strong liquor that people drink today.

Every sip of wine is the crystallization of the story of Chishui River

In this story

The beautiful scenery of Chishui River

There is a magnificent history of the Chishui River

The ultimate flavor of Chishui River people

(Please watch in horizontal mode, sunrise over Chishui River, photographer @傅琨)

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This article was created by

Written by : Qingliu

Image : Long Shijie

Design : Liu Zhipeng

Map : Gao Liqian

Proofreading : Gong Zekai & Shi Xiaofei & Chen Zhihao

Cover Photographer : Yang Jian

【References】

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[5] Renhuai County Political Consultative Conference of Guizhou Province, Renhuai County Literature and History Data Editorial Department. Renhuai County Literature and History Data, Volume 9 [M]. 1992.

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