Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei stood at the exit of Taiyuan Wusu International Airport. The wheels of their suitcases made a cheerful sound on the ground, which complemented their excitement at the moment. "We are finally in Shanxi. I can't wait to start this journey!" Li Xiao said excitedly, with anticipation in his eyes.

Zhang Yuedong took a deep breath, feeling the unique atmosphere of Taiyuan, and responded with a smile: "Yes, I have been looking forward to it all the way. Taiyuan, here we come!"

Lin Yifei had already taken out his phone and was taking photos of the sign outside the airport. He said as he took the photos: "Let's record this historic moment first. The days ahead will surely be exciting."

They took a taxi to the hotel, and along the way, the scenery outside the car window kept passing by. The wide Yingze Street was busy with traffic, and the buildings on the street included both modern high-rise buildings and traditional pavilions with ancient charm, which set off each other and showed Taiyuan's unique urban style.

"Look, that's Yingze Street. It's worthy of being the main road of Taiyuan. It's so magnificent!" Li Xiao pointed out the window and exclaimed.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "I heard that this street has a long history and has witnessed the development and changes of Taiyuan. Let's go shopping later."

After arriving at the hotel and taking a short rest, the three of them strolled along Yingze Street. The sun shone on them, making them feel warm and comfortable, and the breeze blew gently, bringing them a sense of comfort. The shops on both sides of the street were full of dazzling goods, and pedestrians came and went, making it very lively. Not far away, the gate of Yingze Park came into view, and the flower shapes at the gate attracted many tourists to take photos.

"Let's go to Yingze Park and take a look." Lin Yifei suggested.

Walking into Yingze Park, you will see green trees, rippling lake water, and scattered pavilions, like a beautiful painting. Willows are swaying by the lake, and their slender branches are dancing in the wind, as if telling the tourists the story of the park. On the lake, there are many cruise ships, and tourists are laughing and enjoying this wonderful time.

"I didn't expect Yingze Park to be so beautiful. It's even better than I imagined." Li Xiao said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong said with a smile: "This is just the tip of the iceberg of Taiyuan. There are more exciting places waiting for us."

They strolled along the lake, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Occasionally they stopped to chat with the tourists passing by and learn about the local customs and practices of Taiyuan. Unconsciously, the sun gradually set in the west, and the sky was covered with gorgeous sunset glow, dyeing the entire park orange-red, which was beautiful beyond words.

"Time flies. It's almost evening." Lin Yifei said, looking at his watch.

Li Xiao stretched and said, "I've been walking around for the whole afternoon and I'm hungry. Let's go try some delicious food in Taiyuan."

The three of them left Yingze Park and came to a nearby food street. The street was filled with the aroma of various delicacies, making people salivate. They shuttled through the crowd, looking at the signs of each store, and didn't know how to choose.

"I heard that Taiyuan's knife-cut noodles are very famous, let's go try it," Zhang Yuedong suggested.

So they walked into a popular knife-cut noodle restaurant. The restaurant was full of diners, and everyone was enjoying the food and chatting happily. The waiter came up to them enthusiastically and recommended the restaurant's special knife-cut noodles to them.

After a while, three bowls of steaming hot sliced ​​noodles were served. The noodles were thick in the middle and thin on the sides, shaped like willow leaves. They were smooth on the outside and chewy on the inside, soft but not sticky, and the more you chewed, the more delicious it became. Paired with the delicious marinade and rich side dishes, it was a memorable dish.

"This knife-cut noodles is really as good as its reputation, it's so delicious!" Li Xiao ate the noodles in big mouthfuls and praised it highly.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Indeed, this texture and taste are absolutely amazing!"

Lin Yifei ate with gusto, wiping the soup from the corners of his mouth with a tissue from time to time, and said with a smile: "This is my first delicious meal in Shanxi, and it is so satisfying. I am really looking forward to the days ahead."

After eating the sliced ​​noodles, they strolled around the food street and tasted other special snacks, such as toad, fried meat, Taigu cake, etc. Each kind of food has a unique flavor, which gave them a deeper understanding of Shanxi's food culture.

As night falls, the streets and alleys of Taiyuan are brightly lit and bustling. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei return to the hotel with a full sense of happiness, looking forward to tomorrow's journey.

The next morning, the sun shone through the hotel window onto the faces of Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei. The three of them got up early, washed up briefly, and headed to Jin Temple. Along the way, they were full of anticipation, imagining what Jin Temple would look like.

"I heard that Jin Temple has a long history and unique architectural style. Today I can finally see it with my own eyes." Li Xiao said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, Jinci has a reputation of 'If you don't visit Jinci, you've been to Taiyuan in vain'. It will definitely not disappoint us."

Lin Yifei was looking up information about the Jin Temple and added, "The Jin Temple was built to commemorate Tang Shuyu, one of the founding princes of the Jin State. There are many precious cultural relics and ancient buildings inside, such as the Holy Mother Hall and the Fish Pond Flying Bridge, which are all treasures in the history of architecture."

Soon, they arrived at Jin Temple. Standing in front of the gate of Jin Temple, a simple and elegant building came into view. The vermilion gate was inlaid with golden door nails, which looked solemn and majestic. Above the gate hung a plaque with two big characters "Jin Temple" written on it, which was vigorous and imposing.

Walking into Jin Temple is like stepping into an ancient world. The garden is full of towering ancient trees, shady green trees, flourishing flowers and plants, and fresh and pleasant air.

A clear stream meanders through the garden. The gurgling water makes a pleasant sound, as if telling the history of Jin Temple.

Walking along the central axis, the first thing that comes into view is Shuijingtai. Shuijingtai is a stage in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties, with unique architectural shape and exquisite decoration. The top of the stage is a hip roof, with flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted buildings, and bright colors. In front of the stage stand two tall stone pillars, on which are engraved exquisite couplets, with strong and powerful fonts and neat parallelism.

"This Water Mirror Platform is so beautiful. It deserves to be one of the landmark buildings of Jin Temple." Li Xiao couldn't help but admire.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded and praised: "Yes, this construction technology is simply amazing. In ancient times, this place must have been very lively, and there were often opera performances."

Lin Yifei walked around the water mirror platform, carefully observing the carvings and decorations on it, and said: "These carvings and decorations are not only beautiful, but also contain rich cultural connotations. They are the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient working people."

Going further, we came to the Golden Man Terrace, which is a square platform with an iron man standing at each corner, which looks lifelike.

These iron men are tall and mighty, wearing armor and holding weapons, as if they are guarding the Jin Temple. One of the iron men has survived thousands of years of wind and rain, but is still well preserved, with a surface as smooth as a mirror, and is called "Song Dynasty stainless steel."

"These iron men are so majestic. Standing here, I seem to be able to feel the wars and battles of the past." Li Xiao looked at the iron men and said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "It is said that these iron men can also suppress water. The ancients had a very rich imagination." Lin Yifei became interested in the inscriptions on the iron men. He carefully read the words on them and said, "These inscriptions record the casting time of the iron men and the information of the donors. They are of great value for studying the history of Jin Temple."

After leaving Jinren Terrace, they came to Duiyuefang, a four-pillar, three-story memorial archway with an exquisite shape, gorgeous and elegant.

The beauty of art also contains profound cultural connotations." Li Xiao exclaimed sincerely.

Zhang Yuedong also agreed: "Yes, every time I see such calligraphy works, I can feel the profoundness of Chinese culture."

Lin Yifei explained: "This memorial arch is not only to commemorate the ancestors, but also to encourage future generations to inherit and promote the virtues of their ancestors."

After passing through Duiyuefang, a unique building appears in front of you, which is the Xiandian.

"The design of this offering hall is really unique. It has no walls and is well ventilated. It is perfect for storing offerings." Li Xiao said, looking at the offering hall curiously.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "The wisdom of the ancients is truly infinite. This design is both practical and beautiful, and it also reflects the importance attached to the sacrificial ceremony."

Lin Yifei added: "The beam structure of the Xian Hall is also very distinctive. It adopts the method of revealing the top, which makes the whole building more simple and elegant, and also demonstrates the superb skills of ancient craftsmen."

After passing the Xiandian, a cross-shaped bridge spans the water. This is the famous Yunuma Feiliang. Yunuma Feiliang is an exquisite ancient bridge building and one of the "three treasures" of Shanxi Jin Temple. It has a history of more than 1500 years. It is actually a cross-shaped bridge. This is the first time I have seen such a bridge. "Li Xiao exclaimed.

Zhang Yuedong was also attracted by the beautiful scenery and couldn't help but sigh: "This is simply an artistic bridge. It not only has a unique shape, but also complements the surrounding buildings. It is really a work of art."

Lin Yifei introduced: "The architectural structure of the Uonuma Flying Bridge is also very ingenious. It makes full use of the characteristics of stone pillars being resistant to corrosion in water, wood being tough and plastic, and stone bridge boards being wear-resistant and fire-resistant, making the bridge both strong and beautiful.

Mr. Liang Sicheng once commented on it: "This type of stone pillar bridge is occasionally seen in ancient paintings, but it is the only real example, which is truly precious."

The three of them walked up to the Yunuma Feiliang Bridge, feeling its unique charm. Standing on the bridge, overlooking the surrounding scenery, they saw green trees, rippling clear water, and pavilions scattered in an orderly manner, like a beautiful painting.

"It's such a pleasure to walk on a bridge like this, as if traveling back to ancient times." Li Xiao said, closing his eyes and feeling the breeze on his face.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "Yes, at this moment, time seems to have stopped, leaving only this beautiful scenery and our awe for history."

Lin Yifei took out his camera and kept taking pictures of the beautiful scenery around him. He said, "Such a beautiful scenery, I must take more pictures as a souvenir."

After walking across the Yunuma Feiliang Bridge, you will arrive at the main hall of the Jin Temple - the Holy Mother Hall.

"This Our Lady Hall is so magnificent. It deserves to be the core building of Jin Temple." Li Xiao looked up at the Our Lady Hall and exclaimed in admiration.

Zhang Yuedong was also shocked by the grandeur of the Holy Mother Hall. He said: "This hall not only has a unique architectural style, but is also very well preserved, which is really rare."

Lin Yifei introduced: "The Holy Mother Hall enshrines Yi Jiang, the wife of King Wu of Zhou, and the mother of King Cheng of Zhou and Tang Shuyu. There are also 43 colored sculptures from the Song Dynasty in the hall. These colored sculptures are lifelike and have different expressions. They are treasures of ancient Chinese sculpture art."

Walking into the Notre Dame Hall, a solemn atmosphere hits you. The light in the hall is soft and the atmosphere is peaceful.

In the shrine in the center is a statue of the Holy Mother Yi Jiang, wearing a phoenix crown and a shawl, sitting on a phoenix-head chair, looking dignified and elegant. The 42 statues of maids around her are vivid and lifelike, with some holding objects, some bowing their heads in thought, and some whispering to each other, in various shapes, as if telling every detail of the palace life.

"These colored sculptures are so lifelike, each one seems to have its own soul." Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the colored sculptures.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the sculpture skills of the ancients were really superb. These colored sculptures are not only works of art, but also witnesses of history."

Lin Yifei explained: "These colored sculptures were created according to the 'Six Shang System' of the Song Dynasty court, and are of great value for studying the court system and life of the Northern Song Dynasty. Moreover, their costumes, hairstyles, makeup and other details are very exquisite, reflecting the social outlook and aesthetic concepts of the time."

The three carefully admired each colored sculpture in the Notre Dame Hall, feeling the historical and cultural connotations they contained. They exchanged their views from time to time and were amazed at the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient art.

After leaving the Holy Mother Hall, they visited other scenic spots in Jin Temple, such as Tang Shuyu Temple, Nanlao Spring, Jellyfish Tower, etc. Each scenic spot has its own unique charm, which made them linger.

At the Tang Shuyu Temple, they learned about the history of the Jin State and the achievements of Tang Shuyu; at the Nanlao Spring, they witnessed the crystal clear spring water and felt the magic of nature; in the Jellyfish Building, they admired the exquisite murals and appreciated the charm of ancient art.

"Jin Temple is really a treasure trove. We have gained a lot from every scenic spot there." Li Xiao said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong also agreed: "Yes, this place not only has beautiful natural scenery, but also rich historical and cultural heritage, which really makes people linger."

Lin Yifei said: "This trip to Jin Temple has given me a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese architecture and culture, and has made me cherish these precious historical heritages even more."

Before they knew it, it was already noon, and the three of them left Jin Temple with a lot of gains. As they walked, they recalled the beautiful scenery and historical culture of Jin Temple, and their hearts were full of expectations for the next stop of the journey.

After coming out of Jin Temple, Li Xiao and the other two's stomachs started to growl. They decided to find an authentic Shanxi restaurant to taste the delicious food of Taiyuan.

After some inquiries, they came to a time-honored restaurant called "Linxiangzhai". This restaurant has a long history and is famous for its traditional Jin cuisine. It is a household name in Taiyuan.

As soon as they entered the restaurant, the rich aroma of food hit their noses, which greatly increased their appetite. The decoration inside the restaurant was simple and elegant, with wooden tables and chairs, and Shanxi folk paintings on the walls, all exuding a strong local cultural atmosphere. (End of this chapter)