Allure

Chapter 56

"The iron flower in Yincheng is a unique kind of fireworks, which is unique in the whole country. Commonly known as iron plowshare, iron firework or iron lihua, it is cast iron melted into viscous molten iron and thrown into the sky. Under the action, sparks will burst out naturally, it is said to be fireworks, even more fireworks... This is inseparable from the long history of iron smelting in our Luzhou area. Professor Zuo and Professor Song, you two are experts in this field , Am I being a bit tricky?"

Minister Xu smiled and turned back and said, two professors were sitting in the back of the car, and they came to watch the big folk film together. It took two months, but Minister Xu was a little more careful than the last time he accompanied him. The professor walked away in anger, and he was not less affected.

There is still more than 30 kilometers away from Luzhou City to Yincheng Town. At this time, Zuo Nanxia and Song Chengyang in the back seat are in a good mood. Just after dinner time, the slightly drunk Zuo Nanxia smiled and was humble. In one sentence, unexpectedly, the old friend Song Chengyang next to him revealed the truth, and said with a smile: "Minister Xu, you are really out of line. Old Zuo's mother's natal family is from Yincheng, and her natal uncle was the captain of the Tiehua team in the 60s. In the 70s, Mr. Zuo returned to Lu Zhou, I accompanied my relatives, when my uncle was 70 years old and still playing iron flowers."

"Really?" Minister Xu gasped in surprise. It was no surprise that Zuo Nanxia had a soft spot for this temple fair, so he wanted to come and see for himself.

"Hehe, we were both poor teachers back then, but we didn't have the treatment we have now."

Zuo Nanxia smiled, and then Minister Xu handed over a bottle of herbal tea, and put it in Song Chengyang's hands, taking care of the professor who was older than him, explaining the origin of it:
"Strictly speaking, this is a ritual of offering sacrifices to ghosts and driving away ghosts in Luzhou. In the past, the ritual of burying the dead was the iron flower. According to superstition, ghosts of the dead cannot be reincarnated, so every February [-], or On July [-]th, the iron flower is specially made to express grievances for wronged ghosts. The venue is specially chosen under the old locust tree, and the iron flower is intentionally beaten between the branches and leaves to symbolize the blossoming of the iron tree. In the past, this method was used to express sympathy for the dead ghost. I hope that they will be reborn as adults, and then the folk custom of making iron flowers on the Ghost Festival has formed... But because of the gorgeous charm of iron flowers, it has evolved into a kind of entertainment to celebrate the festival, and funerals do not use iron flowers, hehe, yes The evolution of folklore over time, like pros and cons in philosophy, can be transformed into each other."

"Oh, I've seen iron flowers many times, but I really didn't know that the origin was a funeral ceremony." Minister Xu had an educated expression, although he was flattering, he also showed respect. When it comes to folk customs, he is the only one. This native of Luzhou may not know more than these two old men.Professor Song who was sitting on the side also picked up the tune, and made a lot of folk customs such as octagonal buildings, eaves, stilts, Nuo opera, etc., and said that as early as the 30s, there were many Dutch missionaries who brought Luzhou The introduction of folk art to foreign countries, especially the folk art of eaves and iron flowers, is called "magical magic" in his book.

While the car was driving, chatting and laughing, Zuo Nanxia turned his head to look back from time to time, this time the pie field was bigger than last time, there were police cars honking their horns to clear the way, and the team leader had four Audis with the size O of the Municipal Party Committee. There are seven or eight cars accompanying Tianji Chemical, TV station, and film crew behind.

Hearing the sound of the police siren, Zuo Nanxia turned around with a slight frown, and Professor Song, who was blushing and blushing, asked jokingly, "What's the matter? It's ruining Lao Zuo's innocence again."

To be honest, a bit, my daughter is the chairman of Tianji Chemical, and the city regards attracting investment as the city's top priority, so the hospitality is a bit too much. A short section of the expressway has all the toll stations open, and there are traffic police saluting at the intersection. Congratulations, the empty road is full of traffic, needless to say, the road must be cleared, Zuo Nanxia breathed a sigh of relief, smacked his lips, obviously disdainful, shook his head, and said to Professor Song solemnly: "I will tell you, old Song, I I really didn’t expect that one day, I would also become a privileged class. When we returned to our hometown in the 70s, do you remember what kind of sex we had? The bus broke down halfway, and we went back to Yincheng in the donkey cart of a fellow villager.”

"This is also the mutual transformation of pros and cons, what can't you think about?"

Song Chengyang raised his head and laughed loudly, but the two in front didn't know that there was such a secret, so they all laughed. Song Chengyang understood the old friend's mentality at this time, and he might be a little bit critical of the city's arrangement, so he persuaded with a smile: " Do as the Romans do, you said that you have become such a big man, so you can't lead a donkey to send you off. I didn't see it, you were quite angry, and you left without saying a word. I, an old bone, still have to be Apologize for sitting with me."

"That's not right. I really didn't intend to embarrass you that time... I'm really angry. There's only one high school in the whole city, and it's like this."

"No matter what it looks like, you are not used to it, and you are trying hard to accept it."

"No, don't change the concept secretly. There should at least be a barrier between the educational atmosphere and the social atmosphere, right? I went to Luyuan and I really didn't know that there was a student strike just now, and then there was a fake and shoddy exposure... Let's not talk about this scene, but this school is like a vanity fair of intrigue, isn't that bad?"

"Southern, you don't look like you are seventy anymore, you seem to have just passed seventeen... I now find that you are pretending to be born. Hehe, I don't believe it. Now that every family is expanding enrollment and all people have education, you are here How much better can the university be than Lu Yuan? This is very similar to when the stinking old people were overthrown. The people who can turn the tide can change the status quo, even if there is, it is not you and me. Aren't we all survivors of the political torrent?"

The two choked for a few words, but it was Song Chengyang who said that Zuo Nanxia was speechless. In contrast, Song Chengyang, who had thinning hair, a dark face, wrinkles and age spots, really didn't mean anything out of the ordinary. The realm is a bit higher than Zuo Nanxia, ​​upon hearing this, Zuo Nanxia laughed, shook his head, and was speechless.

Minister Xu in front did not dare to get involved in the dispute between these two old men, and now he has a little understanding that the pain of going south is the destruction and destruction of folk customs by urbanization. The last time it was because of what happened in Luyuan It's a bad thing, it's too local to say it, and I feel a little more respect for this old man who doesn't have the aura of a rich gentry.

"Hey...Old Song, neither of us will live for a few years. I really can't imagine what kind of atmosphere our next generation, the next generation, will grow up in."

"It's time to grow up, and it will always grow up. We don't have the ability to predict the future, but we have done what we can for the future, and we have no regrets in this life. I am not worried about this. Just like what you said, cultural factors are rooted In the bones of everyone in this nation, if there is suitable soil and sunshine, there will always be branches and leaves... I will refute your worries with facts. I received the graduation thesis for the preliminary review of the whole department two days ago. Of course, most of them are rubbish, but in this rubbish, there may be an article you are interested in..."

As Song Chengyang said, he casually took a stack of paper papers from his old-fashioned bag, Zuo Nanxia thought it was old man Song who wanted to recommend someone, and smiled without revealing it. This kind of favor has already been sent out a lot when he came to Luzhou. After receiving the thesis, he glanced at the beginning of the paper. After reading a few words, his interest greatly increased. He held the reading glasses and called to turn on the light. Minister Xu hurriedly arranged for the windows of the front and rear compartments to be lowered, so as to give these two a quiet place to discuss academics. Space.

It was very quiet, Zuo Nanxia had been carefully looking at the thick thesis paper until Yincheng was in sight, but Song Chengyang smiled complacently, as if he was indeed superior to Professor Zuo.

The car got off the expressway and drove for a few kilometers, but it was all winding mountain roads. As the name suggests, this Yincheng City is a large town surrounded by high mountains. When entering the town, drive straight to the tallest building in Yincheng, the Yincheng Hotel. , The telescope has been set up on the roof, and the lifting filming equipment is driven into the square, waiting for the opening of the most grand iron flower fireworks at night.

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In the central square of the town, among the thronging crowd, Lei Dapeng, who had just come down from the Nuo opera scene, cheerfully made faces, and put them on Si Muxian's face. After kicking this guy, the two ran forward for a while, but they didn't see Shan Yong again, so they had to look back, and after pulling out the phone, they found that Brother Dan had climbed to the top of the eaves, looking straight at the bustling crowd.

"Wow, this idiot, I'm going to kill you." Lei Dapeng looked up, then turned around and said, the artificial eaves are more than ten meters high, and they are all made of rafters with thick bowls and red silk. , if you fall down, you will definitely be unable to take care of yourself, Si Muxian smiled and said: "I'm afraid I will die, and I may not be able to see Niu."

Oh, that's true. Looking around the square, there are more than a dozen actors and staff, stage setters, opera singers, lion dancers, and dragon dancers... Since the afternoon, tens of thousands of people in the town have been attracted to watch, and the police force in the town is about the same. They were all sent to maintain order. I heard that the local area has also spent a lot of money. The performance alone cost millions.

After waiting for a while, the two brothers saw that Shan Yong was still watching, and Lei Dapeng shouted at the top of his voice: "Brother Dan, come down quickly, the iron flower will start in a while."

"It's the boss, come down, can you see so many people? It's getting dark." Si Muxian also shouted.

I got down, and finally started to get down, only to see Dan Ge, who was wearing a yellow coat, a white turban, and red cheeks, slipped down from the eaves and pillars a few times, standing still, a vivid image of a peasant youth, It made Lei Dapeng want to touch Brother Dan's face, it was so funny, Shan Yong snapped the guy's hand, and ignored him.

The three brothers followed each other, and Shan Yong was in front, and Si Muxian was on the left and right, and came at the opening of the afternoon, but if you put Brother Dan's suona level among a group of old artists, everyone would disappear immediately, so that's it. Thanks to his young age, he stood in front of the suona team and blew a song called "Hundred Birds Chaofeng" and "General's Order", and a few wrong syllables were picked out by the live recording. Only then did he know that Shan Yong's suona style I haven't learned it systematically at all, and I just followed his father Shan Changqing to play it randomly. The song I am most familiar with is "Carrying the Sedan Chair". Whoever knows how to play it when doing business in the village can eat it first, but it's not good. Learn best.

As for Shan Yong, he might not be able to put his mind into this noisy scene, looking around from time to time, from afternoon to night, he didn't see the person he wanted to see, who to look at?Needless to say, Lei Dapeng knew all about it, and said with a numb and brave face, "Brother Dan, why are you crying so hard? I'm also broken in love, and I'm fine if you look at me. I'm not talking about you." , Brother Egg, you are chasing after the daughter of old man Zuo, that is called Bone Demon who wants to eat Tang Monk meat..."

"What are you talking about, second brother?" Si Muxian teased.Shan Yong ignored him.

"Wishful thinking." Lei Dapeng said, and then persuaded Shan Yong: "Also, if you two are together, what is that called, wearing pants and a tie."

"What do you mean?" Si Muxian asked again.

"It's not commensurate." Lei Dapeng said, he and Si Muxian winked and remembered again, and continued: "What else is it called... Shaving the eggs is also called wishful thinking..."

The two giggled and seemed to have reached an agreement to persuade Shan Yong.Shan Yong stared twice as he walked, and smiled, and said with a smile: "Mu Xian, you can use Lei Dapeng's mouth to hurt me, silly Lei, don't ask him if you want to learn the rest, you ask brother, brother Let me teach you, what is playing with a big knife in the crotch of your trousers?"

"I know, I know, I know, stupid (kill) hanging." Lei Dapeng said happily, and immediately came to his senses, dragging Shan Yong to reason: "Oh, is it cursing? Who is stupid. Hanging?"

"Who cursed... I said it was girls' pants. What is it?" Shan Yong smiled and asked. Lei Dapeng couldn't respond to this question. Shan Yong smiled and walked away. Thinking hard with his index finger, he couldn't figure out how to grab the smiling Si Muxian, and asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

"Stupid (kill) force it. You don't know if you change your pants and crotch?" Si Muxian smiled and left.

Lei Dapeng was spared this, he was scolded anyway, and he chased after him, and the two of them blinked and ran away laughing.

While chasing, Director Qin's voice came from the PA. When the conductors were on their positions, and Shan Yong and the three of them watched, the director's cars of several film and television companies were driving along the entrance from the outside of the venue, and people on the side of the road went to the two sides one after another. The long-awaited Tiehua team finally entered the arena, and the appearance was extraordinary. The 28 bellows stoves pulled on the car were emitting blue flames, followed by the Tiehua team. Whether they are pushing carts or playing with iron flowers, they are all dressed in straw hats, bare backs, red belts, and mille-soled shoes. There are so many bare-backed and tough people in the audience at once. Man, all the attention of the audience was attracted here.

"The suona team and the east field gather... gather at the northwest corner of the drum beating, the band from Dawangzhuang comes to the front of the stage, and the Tiehua team clears the field. Everyone pay attention to safety. Listen to the police comrades on the scene and give way to 50 meters away, Tiehua There is a certain degree of danger...you must pay attention to safety."

The director was shouting at the top of his lungs, Shan Yong and Si Muxian were walking towards the meeting place, Lei Dapeng, who was still wearing a costume, was fine, following behind the two, it's not like I've seen Iron Flower before, but In the urban area, I only occasionally saw seven or eight people playing in one car, two cars, etc. during the Filling Festival, but I have never seen a Tiehua team like Yincheng with dozens or hundreds of people. Every time I look at the man wearing a straw hat The man's dark skin and bulging flesh made Lei Dapeng touch his idiot belly with envy.

"Brother Dan, Brother Dan, let me play too, okay?" Envious, Lei Dapeng wanted to play in person.Shan Yong turned his head back disdainfully and said: "Don't mess around, do you know why you wear a straw hat? The temperature of the iron slag after flowering has exceeded [-] degrees, and the skin will peel off if it touches it. I dare not enter this place at all."

That's true, Lei Dapeng has heard of the danger of this thing.This time it was easy to maintain order. The crowd naturally gave way to a large open space in the middle of the arena. Shan Yong and Simuxian entered the band, each holding a musical instrument. Lei Dapeng leaned next to the band. The scene is getting more and more spectacular, but they dare not make mistakes.

To ignite the fire and put on the iron, mostly pig iron plows are used, and the iron sparks are also simple, which is to melt the pig iron, throw the molten iron into the air and disperse the sparks generated by natural oxidation.It is difficult to say, the temperature of the molten iron is thousands of degrees, and there is a risk of being scalded if you are not careful.

It's just that in the hands of an expert, it's a heartbeat to play, only to see the chant of "Hi Yo", the man who pulls the bellows stretches and retracts his thick arms, blowing the fire so that blue and white flames burst out, The conductor is looking at the director's gesture on the high platform, the color of the iron is gradually red, a gesture of preparation, the holder of the musical instrument class is in his hand, and with another movement, the intermediary tune of "Longtenghuyue" is played, and iron flowers are lined up in six rows, six rows and four squares The team held the wooden boards, knocked the ground as a festival, and used the chant as a guide. They could only hear a series of simple chant "Hey yo... Hey yo..." and the sound of footsteps stepping along with the music. The simple syllables were shouted out from the mouths of many tough men, and the momentum was quite astonishing.

"Come out... from the furnace!"

With an ancient chant, the iron flower team spread out along the circular fire, each holding a wooden board, and the molten iron that was burning bright red and almost liquid was accurately copied on the top of the wooden board by the blacksmiths, and the audience was buzzing. With blue smoke, the scene looked grand and strange.

The chant was chanting, the music was playing, and it gradually became more exciting. In an instant, the commander of the Tiehua team waved his hand and shouted, and the whole audience shouted a syllable in shock: "Hi!"

In an instant, the hundred and ten regiments of bright red molten iron were thrown tens of meters above their heads by the men of the Tiehua team, and the whole audience raised their heads in unison.

In an instant, the drums and music rang together, resounding through the audience.

Almost at the same instant, the bright red molten iron ball bloomed towards the highest point, and the 50-meter-square sky, like thousands of fireworks blooming at the same time, glowed with red, blue, and yellow incomparably gorgeous iron flowers. The square was brightly lit, and the stars in the deep sky faded away. Only the colorful iron flowers burst out a bright light and shadow, which disappeared in a flash, making the viewers dazzled.

There was a soft rustling sound, and a layer of black, oxidized iron filings fell down on the site of the forging iron flower, and it was still hot. If you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, you might not be able to imagine that such an inconspicuous iron filings can glow. Such gorgeous fireworks.

The second furnace is about to start.

Shan Yong threw himself on his shoulders, a few black iron filings, and that momentary light and shadow made him think about it, so he didn't forget his identity at this time, and forgot to play along to the tune.However, in the face of the absolute landscape, any language description, any background and music foil appear pale and superfluous.Looking at the scene, the dark back, the fiery red hearth, the fierce male body, the rough tools, and the ancient chant are a landscape that does not need any embellishment.

Shan Yong was thoughtful, holding the na in his hand, biting the reed whistle, covering the sound hole with his hand, puffing up his breath, and what passed through his mind was also a scene that he could not forget.

"Hi!" When another trumpet sounded, the molten iron flew into the sky.

Shan Yong slammed into the air, and a passionate, sharp, sonorous suona sound overwhelmed all the drum sounds. With the molten iron rushing straight up, it almost reached the extreme of high B key. The sound stimulated the surrounding people to cover their hands ear.

get up... get up again...

The moment the iron flower bloomed, the suona sound made several trills and roundabouts in the high B key. There was no tune, just a high note, like the words held in his heart, and Shan Yong had to work hard to blow them out.Excited to the extreme, it seems to have a desolate taste, resounding over the blooming iron flowers, and whirling with the fleeting iron flowers, as if it is a regret that this splendor cannot be retained, and it seems that it is a regret for this brilliance. Canguanghua can't sigh for a long time, it can only gradually disappear its sound along with the most beautiful light and shadow.

Suona, the sound stopped.

The iron slag fell down, like tears from fireworks, but the most beautiful light and shadow remained in everyone's memory.

Shan Yong closed his eyes, blowing for the first time made his brain a little hypoxic.It seems that phantoms are passing by in the eyes, as if the sound of the suona, like the whistle of the past, can attract the beauty to look back, but unfortunately, that beautiful image also flashed away like this iron flower, which cannot be traced or left behind. live……

He didn't notice that the photographer's lens captured him from the beginning of the sound. This strange sound seemed to be playing for the iron flower, an indescribable fit; he also didn't notice that many pairs of eyes saw him. The voice just now made people's hearts hang high for no reason.What's more, he didn't notice that on the roof of the Yinzhen Hotel, which was less than a few hundred meters away, there was a figure that made him toss and turn. The voice, perhaps only she can understand, understands the call of longing in the bottom of my heart, the tossing and turning thoughts.

When looking back, his father Zuo Nanxia and his sister Zuo Xirong were also looking away. Zuo Nanxia smiled and said, "This is a high B tune with only one syllable. It's a bit out of tune, but it's suitable for this occasion and has a bit of flavor."

All the accompanying people smiled kindly, they only paid attention to the blooming of the iron flowers, and didn't pay attention to the music until the strange suona tune came up, and they all heard it.Professor Song is also familiar with music theory, and he said that this seems to be the tune of the "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix". It fits the taste, not like nonsense.

Just as he was talking, when Zuo Nan went down to look at his daughter, he was nowhere to be seen. He beckoned and whispered to the life secretary, who nervously chased her down...

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"Hey, let me tell you, is there anyone in your team who plays like this? Are you the only one who is full of air and can play loudly?"

The conductor of the band is training Shan Yong.Blowing "Dragon and Tiger Leaping" all off the tune.

Shan Yong put down the suona, turned around and walked, and left the scene automatically.Unexpectedly, something unexpected happened, the leader of the Tiehua team, a man in his early forties, shouted: "Young student, play well, let's have another voice."

"Wait, don't go...just play the note you just made, play it again." Director Qin also caught up and dragged Shan Yong to complain. He played it all afternoon, but the note just now was still in harmony. The people are not allowed to leave.

This time the band was completely confused, playing a good tune and not playing, isn’t it playing the piano indiscriminately? The director went straight up and explained that the tune fits well with the fireworks blooming. Lower it for two beats, and try to jump up as high as possible with this one tone.Synchronized with the blooming time of the iron flower.Fortunately, Shan Yong was directly dragged into the Tiehua field by the director, and stood with the team leader, but unexpectedly, when he just stood up and picked up the suona, his hands trembled and he almost lost his grip.

In his eyes, he finally saw the figure of looking for a day, rushing forward, stopped by the police at the scene, standing at the forefront of the scene, smiling, waving to Shan Yong, as if appearing from the sky out of thin air, in the vast In the sea of ​​people, just to meet.In that smile, there seemed to be joy that he had not seen for a long time.Shan Yong subconsciously wanted to run up to meet him, but he was grabbed by the team leader, and he was still waiting to play. The iron flower hovered over the scene for a long time.

This time, it was Xinhua who followed the gorgeous Tiehua in full bloom...

(End of this chapter)