The moon is bright in my hometown

Author: Ji Xianlin

Read aloud: Zhang Bin

Everyone has a hometown, and everyone's hometown has a moon. Everyone loves the moon in his hometown. This is probably the way things are.

However, if there is only one lonely moon, it seems a bit lonely. Therefore, in ancient Chinese poetry and prose, the moon always has something to set off, most of which are mountains and water, and there are countless things like "high mountains and small moons" and "three pools imprinting the moon".

My hometown is on the great plain in northwest Shandong. When I was young, I never saw mountains, and I didn't know what mountains were. I used to imagine that the mountain was probably a round and thick pillar, standing upright and imposing. Later, when I arrived in Jinan, I saw the mountain, and suddenly realized that the mountain was like this! Therefore, I looked at the moon in my hometown and never connected with the mountains. As Su Dongpo said, "The moon rises from the east mountain and hovers between bullfights", which is totally beyond my imagination.

As for water, my hometown village has plenty of it. Several small reed pits account for more than half of the village. In my child's eyes, although not as grand as the "August Lake Water" of Dongting Lake, it is also a bit of vastness. In summer, after dusk, I lay on the ground in the yard near the pit and counted the stars in the sky. Sometimes a campfire is lit under the ancient willow, and then the cicadas fly down in groups after they are shaken up in the tree. It is much easier to stick them with chewed wheat grains in the daytime. I enjoy it every night and look forward to the early evening.

Later, when I walked to the pit, I saw a bright moon in the clear sky, which was shining all over the place and matched the moon in the water. Although I didn't know what poetic interest was at that time, I was happy with it and felt something was sprouting in my heart. Sometimes I play for a long time by the pit before going home to sleep. In my dream, I saw two moons stacked together. The clear light is more crystal clear. The next morning, I got up and went to the reeds near the pit to pick up the eggs laid by ducks. With a white flash, my hand reached into the water and it was an egg. At this time, I was more than happy.

I only stayed in my hometown for six years, and then I drifted away from home. I have lived in Jinan for more than ten years, spent four years in Beijing, returned to Jinan for one year, then lived in Europe for eleven years, and returned to Beijing again. It has been more than ten years now. During this period, I have visited 30 countries in the world, and I have seen many moons. I have seen the moon on the beautiful Lake Lemang in Switzerland, in the vast African desert with flat sand, in the vast sea with blue waves, and on the lofty mountains. These moons are wonderful and I like them very much. But when I saw them, I immediately thought of the little moon on the reed pit and in the water in my hometown. In contrast, in any case, I also feel that these big moons in the vast world are absolutely inferior to my beloved little moon. No matter how many thousands of miles I left my hometown, my heart immediately flew in. My little moon, I will never forget you!

I am now nearly eighty years old and live in the resort of Langrunyuan. To exaggerate, there are lush forests and bamboos, green water circulates, and several earth mountains dotted here. The scenery is undoubtedly wonderful. A few years ago, when I came back from Lushan Mountain to recuperate, an old friend of mine came to see me. Seeing the scenery, he said with emotion, "Why do you go to Lushan Mountain when you live in such a good place?" It can be seen that Langrun Garden is very impressive. Since there are mountains, water, trees, flowers and birds in this place, every night when you look at the sky, the moonlight shines on the blue waves, up and down in the sky, green for thousands of meters, and the lotus fragrance is far over, and the birds sing quietly, it can't be said that it is a moon watching resort. The wonder of moonlight over the lotus pond is just outside my window. No matter who comes here, can we be happy regardless?

However, when it comes to the beautiful scenery on such a beautiful day, I still think of the ordinary little moon in the reed pit of my hometown. It has become my regular experience to miss my hometown when I see the moon. The disease of homesickness is neither bitter nor happy, including reminiscence, melancholy, nostalgia and regret. The fleeting light will never come again. There is sweetness in the slight bitterness.

The moon is bright in my hometown. When can I see the moon in my hometown again! I look sadly at the south sky, and my heart flies to my hometown.

(e employees of CRCC)