Empress Dowager Xiao didn't know Cao Xueqin, Shichahai is more famous than Zhangjiawan, and see the past and present of Beijing's first artificial river

Number of days: 2 days
Time: November
Average cost: 500 yuan
With whom: and friends
Tour kinds: Photography, self-driving, humanities, hiking, cycling, weekend tours
The author went to these places: Tongzhou
Updated: 2021.11.07

As far as the title is concerned, this is obviously inappropriate, especially when it comes to history, where there is no room for jokes. However, Empress Xiao and Cao Xueqin, though separated by hundreds of years, are both inextricably linked to one place: Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou, southeast of Beijing.

Zhangjiawan sand table model

Zhangjiawan Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge)

Let’s talk about Empress Xiao first. I believe everyone is familiar with her. The popular TV series "Yanyuntai" has given young people some understanding of this "controversial" historical figure and that period of history. The drama positively portrays Empress Xiao's willful, intelligent, daring character, and far-sighted vision, and how, with the joint efforts of Han Derang, Yelü Xian, and others, she propelled the Liao Dynasty to prosperity. However, older readers, regarding the Empress Xiao in "The Romance of the Yang Family Generals," see the "loyal and valiant Yang family" as their sworn enemy, nearly wiping her out. While both the storytelling and the novel somewhat deviate from historical reality, Empress Xiao's contributions are undoubtedly invaluable. Empress Xiao's grain transport river also has varying legends regarding the origins of the river's name. Legend has it that when Empress Xiao was leading her army to conquer the Northern Song Dynasty, they passed through the outskirts of present-day Beijing. Her soldiers were extremely thirsty, so she reined in her horse, whipped her whip, and a clear, sweet river appeared before them. The soldiers cheered and drank heartily to quench their thirst, and later generations named this river Empress Xiao River. Another story goes that Empress Xiao once led her army for an extended period outside Nanjing, where a water shortage drastically reduced their combat effectiveness. In despair, people finally found a clear but nameless river. Empress Dowager Xiao was so delighted that she ordered the river to be named after her...

Zhangjiawan Museum

Some answers seem to be vaguely found in the Zhangjiawan Museum and the tour guides. Although there is no trace of it in the official history, there are some records in the Ming and Qing Dynasty notebooks. From the notes, we know that the construction of Empress Xiao's River began in the sixth year of Tonghe (the Liao Dynasty), during the reign of Empress Xiao. As the first artificial canal, she undoubtedly personally participated in the project. After the canal's success, the name Empress Xiao's River was a natural progression. Regardless of whether Empress Xiao actually dug the River, its construction, at least as a water supply for the army and grain transport for the capital, certainly had positive significance. Zhangjiawan Museum Exhibition Zhangjiawan Museum With the development of waterway transportation, Zhangjiawan, a key stop on the Grand Canal and known as the "Confluence of Four Rivers," gradually flourished. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, it had become a sizable market town, lined with shops and bustling with merchants from all over. This gave Zhangjiawan its exceptional status, leading to the saying, "Zhangjiawan came before Tongzhou." The magnificent scene of "Ten Thousand Boats Gathering Together" is one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Tongzhou" of the time. Stone lions on Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge) Stone lions on Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge) Deck of Empress Xiao Bridge (Tongyun Bridge) Today, Zhangjiawan and the Empress Xiao River look rather desolate and desolate. Compared to Shichahai, also a terminal point on the Grand Canal and now a popular online check-in destination, the difference is stark! Perhaps out of concern for cultural relic preservation, the Yuntong Bridge has been largely preserved in its original form. The deep ruts on the bridge deck, known locally as Empress Xiao Bridge (Yuntong Bridge), reveal its former bustling scene, while the present scene, now weathered, appears somewhat desolate, dilapidated, and utterly desolate.

Zhangjiawan Museum

Next, let's talk about an even more shocking figure closely associated with Zhangjiawan: Cao Xueqin. This groundbreaking discovery was made thanks to a tombstone unearthed here! The name engraved on this tombstone is none other than "Cao Gong Zhenzhan Tomb Renwu." The original name of the cultural giant Cao Xueqin was "Cao Zhan"! Zhangjiawan Museum (Cao Xueqin Tombstone) In the winter of 1968, a major land leveling campaign took place. Zhangjiawan Village was responsible for the area north of Empress Xiao River and south of Huazhuang. Construction progressed to... the intersection of four directions, the Cao Family Tomb area. Village member Li Jingzhu discovered a cyan tombstone one meter underground. This is the stone tablet inscribed with "Cao Gong Zhenzhan Tomb Renwu" in the picture above. Li Jingzhu donated the tombstone in 1992, and the discovery immediately caused a sensation in the Redology and archaeology communities.

Zhangjiawan Ancient City Wall

Although there is still heated debate in the Redology community about the authenticity of the stone carvings on Cao Xueqin's tomb, the only thing that can explain the story behind it is probably the dilapidated remains of the old city wall standing alone on the bank of the river where Empress Dowager Xiao transported grain.

Zhangjiawan City Gate

It's undeniable that Zhangjiawan is an ancient town that thrived on canal transportation, but its cultural history extends far beyond this. The canal culture, the ancient city culture, and Cao Xueqin's "Dream of the Red Chamber" all have intricate connections.

I believe that with the successful application of the Grand Canal for World Heritage status and the changing times, the development of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt will continue unabated. Zhangjiawan, now and in the future, will surely showcase its profound cultural heritage to the world. The future of Zhangjiawan will surely become even more beautiful!