Storied history flows through ancient village

Several hundred meters to the north of the famed Jinci Temple, Chiqiao is one of the most scenic villages in the Shanxi provincial capital city of Taiyuan, with attractions including a clear stream, an ancient bridge, a mountain of lush vegetation resembling a crouching tiger, ancient streets and temples and old residences and mills.

What makes it stand out among the many ancient villages in Taiyuan, which was known as Jinyang more than two millennia ago, is its remarkable history.

Locals said Jinci Temple and the village of Chiqiao are the silent witnesses to the rise and fall of the ancient Kingdom of Jin during the Western Zhou Dynasty (C.11th century-771 BC) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

The Kingdom of Jin, a vassal state which was founded in Western Zhou, had developed into one of the most powerful states in the early and middle Spring and Autumn Period. And Jinci was the family temple to worship the royal ancestors of Jin.

In the latter part of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Kingdom of Jin was dominated by the four powerful noble families of Zhao, Wei, Han and Zhi. Ignoring the authority of the royal family, the families had been engaged in wars spanning decades.

The clear stream running through the village is called Jinshui, originating from the neighboring Jinci. During that conflict, it was used as a fatal weapon.

Zhao Xiangzi, head of the Zhao family; and Zhi Bo, head of the Zhi family, were arch rivals during the conflict. As there seemed to be no end to the war, Zhi decided to divert the Jinshui Stream to flood the barracks of Zhao. Knowing the information in advance, Zhao gave the order to break the embankment near Zhi's barracks, letting the torrential water wash the enemy soldiers away and Zhi was killed during his retreat.

Local researchers stated that the section of the stream that Zhi wanted to cut, and Zhao eventually breached, was in Chiqiao village.

Several years after the battle, the three families of Zhao, Wei and Han announced the founding of their own independent kingdoms by splitting the land of Jin. That marked the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the more turbulent Warring States Period (475-221 BC).

But the account of water-based warfare is not the only story to be told. One tale that is often remembered by locals is about failed assassination attempts, with the village being named after such an incident.

After Zhi Bo's death, Yu Rang, one of his diehard followers, tried to assassinate Zhao Xiangzi twice. Zhao set him free after his first attempt.

The second time he hid himself under the stone bridge in the village as he learned that Zhao would pass by. Being captured again, Yu was brought to the deck of the bridge and was asked his last words before his execution.

"I stayed true to my faith and mission.

And I know failure is part of my fate.

If you are a true gentleman, please give me a knife and take off your robe.

After three stabs into the robe, I will kill myself to be reunited with my deceased lord," Yu said.

Zhao did so and Yu cut his throat after stabbing the robe and the bridge was stained red with his blood. That's why the village is named Chiqiao, or Red Bridge.

After two and a half millennia, the Jinshui Stream is still flowing through the village with the Red Bridge spanning its waters. They have become landmark attractions in the village.

But there is no more blood on the bridge. The water in the stream is used for irrigation and running papermaking mills. The bridge reaches across the water linking hundreds of residences on both sides.

Where a street ends at the foot of the crouching tiger mountain, there is an ancient Buddhist temple called Lanre, which is said to have been built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577).

Lanre is the Chinese pronunciation of a Buddhist term, which literally means a place of supreme serenity.

The village was listed as one of the famed traditional villages in China by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction in June 2019. That status has helped it attract more tourists.

Visitors to Chiqiao can easily find enthusiastic locals who love to tell stories about the village.

Lao Li, a retired teacher, is one of the enthusiasts. The well-educated old man likes to use a quote of William Shakespeare to conclude his narration: "It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury."