Singing under the banyan tree

In the south, the banyan tree is the most intimate and awe-inspiring of all trees. This large evergreen tree has a huge, lush crown that shades the sky, a thick and unique shape, aerial roots that hang down to the ground, coiled roots, and a solitary tree that never withers for thousands of years, making it a very strong and vigorous tree that is very mysterious. The banyan tree is regarded as a symbol of good fortune, peace and longevity, and is a precious tree for the village, living in symbiosis with the village.

In my hometown of Tengxiang, there was an ancient banyan tree in front of the theater, and in the 1960s, its trunk was as thick as two to three people's embrace, with roots extending from the top and branches flourishing, providing a huge shade for the people, and becoming an important venue for the people of the pueblo to relax and chat, not only witnessing the prosperous development of the pueblo, but also being a participant and loyal audience of the theater performances. Even people think that its shape and unique posture is also very long art, the dark gray bark is clearly read the world, calm and steady and well-versed in the world of the old man's complexion, twisted in the trunk of the air roots is a raised under the skin of a blood vessel, branches hanging down a thin air roots as if his beard fluttering, the wind blowing green leaves sound like a whisper, swaying branches and leaves as if flexible The dance.

But then the tall, luxuriant banyan tree collapsed with a bewildering drumming noise, and a huge, huge pit was dug just to remove the old, extended roots. To this day, the people of Guxue cannot understand how such an old banyan tree could be cut down. Was it a misperception caused by the extreme leftist thinking that spread in those days? Or was it a matter of necessity? Or what other reasons? Unfortunately, this ancient banyan tree became a victim. From then on, people never saw it again, the theater performance lacked a participant and a loyal audience, and the ancient pike was missing a bearded elder.

Without the shade of the big banyan tree, people could only chat and play mahjong under a later planted longan tree next to the felled one. Although the canopy is small and not comparable to the banyan tree, after all, there is a tree to cool off and chat when relaxing, so it's a good idea.

In fact, the people of Guxue have not forgotten the banyan tree. After the reform and opening up, with the reconstruction of the ancient polder, the north end of the polder was demolished and relocated to the north side of Yongwu Road and the road to Fuliang, people's memories and buried love for the banyan tree awakened, so a banyan tree was planted in the place vacated by the demolition. It has been more than 30 years since then, and the banyan tree has grown into a tall, sturdy tree with a sturdy trunk, lush foliage and a large, lush, verdant canopy that provides shade for relaxation. Because the polder street ground cement hardening, people with cement and brick around the roots of the tree into a foot-high protective circle, around and above are tiled, both beautiful and clean. Inside the concrete tile circle is soft soil, and although the banyan tree's roots cannot be raised and stretched like a dragon on the ground, they are rooted deep in the ground inside the concrete ring, expanding and extending outward to send every green leaf up to the blue sky with sufficient nutrients. Although it stretches out its huge branches and also drops a bunch of thin airy roots, this banyan tree is in its young prime, showing its strength and grace to flourish and prosper, bringing green shade and wonder to the ancient polder.

In the past, the ancient banyan tree was by the stage, guarding the intersection at the south end into the polder; now this banyan tree is by the roadside at the north end of the polder, guarding the dingle intersection to the north. The banyan tree has become a favorite place for people to relax, cool off, chat and sing again.

Nowadays, both sides of the road are lined with stalls selling things on the north side of the polder field, extending all the way to the outside of the intersection towards Fuliang. The northeast section is mainly selling fruit, the northwest section is selling chickens and ducks. Both are sold during weekdays, more on pueblo days, stalls one by one. The banyan root concrete tile guard ring becomes a sitting bench for people, which can sit a lot of people, so it is a place for people to relax and sing and chat. In the hustle and bustle of the pueblo and the sound of bargaining, you can hear the melodious music and clear, loud songs coming from under the banyan tree. If you follow the sound, you can see people playing and singing under the banyan tree. Playing the yangqin is Zhang Huayuan, a 70-year-old artiste from Cenlin Tun in Tengxiang Village. There is a flute next to the yangqin, so he picks up the flute and blows when he needs it, sometimes using the yangqin and the flute in a piece of music. He has a good knowledge of music, can compose, play and blow, and the sound of the piano and flute is very infectious, so he can be considered a representative old country artist in this place. Zhang Guangyuan, who plays the electric piano, is also from Tengxiang Village's Cenlin Tun, and he is nearly 70 years old, but he also brings his wife along to sing. The erhu player is called "Lao Jiu", and there are several other people who play the erhu, so whoever is free will come and play. The singer is Su Aiqiong from Yiling Village, who has a sweet and booming voice and sings many songs. Among the people who often come here to sing are Ruan Zhongna and Ruan Xiuxiang from Yiling village, Su Daoquan and Su Wanquan from Fulin village, and eight or nine others. Wang Tiansuke, an old literary artist from Tengxiang pueblo who cuts people's hair downstairs opposite the banyan tree, comes to sing a song or two in his spare time (waiting for someone to cut his hair). He also played erhu and flute, and he was the accompanist when there was a lack of accompaniment. My partner, Jinmei, also sang a few songs. She had studied vocal music at the Guangxi Arts Institute and the China Conservatory of Music, and every time she returns to Tengxiang, she can't sit still when she hears singing coming from under the banyan tree at home, so she rushes downstairs to sing a few songs to get over it. People also have a mobile amplifier and wireless microphone, so the sound is loud and can be heard from afar. The band has a music stand for each person, the singer also has a song sheet, can not remember the lyrics of the song can look at the score to read the lyrics to sing, so what song you want to sing. There are Guangxi mountain songs such as "Mountain songs are better than spring river water", "Returning from the dike, ah li li", etc.; old songs such as "Red lake water waves", "Shandandan flowers bloom Red and beautiful", "Small town story", etc.; there are also modern songs such as "Today is a good day", "Father and mother" "Earth Flying Song", "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" and "I and my motherland" and so on. As long as you can sing or like to sing, or even want to try to sing, you can feel free to sing. Interestingly, the branches of the banyan tree above the head hang down in a row of air roots, which looks like a harp from afar. Under the banyan tree is a small stage, sitting at the roots of the concrete tile guard ring and people around, as well as stalls selling fruit people, and even people passing by, are the audience, listeners.

Several villages around Tengxiang Ancient Pike are the hometown of art, people generally love literature and art, and there are many people who can play, sing and dance. Every village prepares a song and dance program for the New Year's Eve, and performs on the stage, or participates in the district (county) performances. On dike days, many old literary artists and enthusiasts stop by the banyan tree to play and sing themselves. Not only the dike catchers, people passing by can also stop and sing a song or two if they are interested. The people who come here to play and sing, although most of them are over the age of the elderly, children and grandchildren, but everyone is full of energy, red face, sitting in the shade of the tree, fiddling intently with the instruments in their hands, or holding a microphone to open their voices to sing, one after another. Banyan tree under the blowing and singing become a beautiful scenery of the dike, showing a beautiful picture of the harmony of man and nature, adding a charming color and a rich artistic atmosphere for the ancient dike. And a good interpretation of life, to prove that the countryside elderly can also live their own wonderful.

Every time I go back to my hometown, my partner and I feel that in Tengxiang ancient pueblo more sense of life and human feelings. An important reason is that the local atmosphere, the convenience of life and the greenery here make people feel comfortable from the bottom of their hearts.

What is comfortable? Comfortable is to walk casually in the polder, greet acquaintances, or stop to chat; comfortable is to cook and then go to the polder to buy some fish and meat, buy some vegetables, you can do a good meal; even cooking found no soy sauce and vinegar, you can first turn off the fire and go out in the polder near a food store to buy back and then do, also just a few minutes; even if you live in the village near the polder, you can ride an electric bike a few minutes to polder to buy meat and household goods, round trip is only ten minutes, so convenient; comfortable is the heat when sitting under the banyan tree feel relaxed, eliminating fatigue, so that the mood smooth and refreshing; comfortable is in the shade of the banyan tree play the piano, play erhu, bright voice to sing a few favorite songs ......

Life is as bright as a song. Because of the lush trees and green leaves whispering and singing; with the shade of the big banyan tree guarding, and reflected in the ground dappled; with the familiar and favorite piano song, and a happy mood, and a lot of convenience; Gu Wei people's life is more fun and comfortable, showing a good state of existence of traditional, modern, human, simple and true, quiet and elegant, calm and comfortable. Life is so beautiful.