Elder Meng, formerly known as Meng Yue, whose specific date of birth and death is to be tested, was born in Kaifeng Prefecture, Tokyo (now Kaifeng City, Henan Province) in the Northern Song Dynasty, and was a writer in the Song Dynasty. He used to be Yi Cao in Kaifeng, and lived in Tokyo (now Kaifeng) for more than 20 years at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. After the Jin Dynasty destroyed the Northern Song Dynasty and experienced the "difficulty of Jingkang", Mr. Meng traveled south and often recalled the prosperity of Tokyo. In the seventeenth year of Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty, a.d. 1 147, he wrote the Dream of Tokyo, with his own preface. "Tokyo Dream of China" also left a strong impression in the history of China literature.

At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Jin Jun went south in a big way, and Kaifeng was besieged several times. In A.D. 1 127, 3,000 people of Emperor Huizong, Emperor Qinzong, the imperial concubine, the prince and the imperial clan were taken to the north by the Jin army, and the prosperous and magnificent Song Dynasty vanished in an instant, the ancestral temple was destroyed, and the Northern Song Dynasty perished, which is called "the difficulty of Jingkang" in history. After the change of Jingkang, most people in the Central Plains went south with the imperial court. Under this background, Mr. Meng left Tokyo (now Kaifeng) and went south to Jiangnan to avoid Zhejiang. With the passage of time, the thoughts of Mr. Meng's hometown are always lingering in my heart. With the pain of national subjugation and homesickness, Mr. Meng began to recall that he traveled north and south with his father's official when he was young, came to the capital, lived in the south of Jinliang Bridge in the west of the city, and felt the customs of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo. And "Tokyo Dream of China" is exactly the note-taking prose recalled by Mr. Meng.

"Dream of Tokyo" traces the urban customs and human feelings of Kaifengfu, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, mainly from the Chongning period in Song Huizong to Xuanhe period, about AD 1 102-1/25. During this historical period, Kaifengfu, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, lived in Tokyo, up to princes and nobles. The book covers almost everything from the scope of the capital to the palace buildings, from the government offices to the neighborhoods in the city, from eating and drinking to the seasons of the year, from singing and dancing to the customs of weddings and funerals. It can not only deeply understand the folk customs and fashions of that historical era, but also feel the developed economy and prosperous urban life in the Song Dynasty. It is an important historical document for studying the social life, economy and culture of the northern song dynasty, and can be said to be a text version of "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival".

In view of the long time and limited historical documents, when we mention the Song Dynasty, most people first think of using "poverty and weakness" to describe the Song Dynasty. Indeed, according to some historical data, the financial and economic deficit in the Song Dynasty, the military was in a mess, and the ruling territory was far less than that in the Han and Tang dynasties. However, this does not fully represent the Song Dynasty, and it can even be said that it is a one-sided error in our understanding. The financial deficit in Song Dynasty does not mean economic recession; Military weakness does not mean that the country is weak. In fact, an important reason for the financial pressure in the Song Dynasty was that the way the government mobilized folk materials was no longer free collection, but purchase; Although the military record is not strong, it is more than defensive, and it can even be said that its military defensive ability is better than that of the Tang Dynasty.

In recent years, western academic circles generally believe that China has become the most populous political entity in the world since the Song Dynasty. From the Song Dynasty to the18th century, China's production and consumption have been actively influencing the Indian Ocean region and the Islamic world, and even the business model and trade balance in Europe. In the Song Dynasty, China not only made up for the collapsed market system left by the Tang Dynasty, but also formed a new urban-rural market, commodity economy and contractual relationship, no matter from science and technology, urban economy, agriculture, industry and commerce and other fields. In the Song Dynasty, the world's earliest paper money issued by the government-"Jiaozi" was even born. In Song Huizong's period, the national population even increased to 1 100 million people. With the development of economy and the growth of population, the level of urbanization in the Song Dynasty reached an unprecedented level in the feudal dynasty. In addition, the Song Dynasty was also the economic history of China. For the first time, the tax revenue of industry and commerce and urban economy exceeded that of agriculture.

Based on living in such a Song Dynasty, the author kept reminiscing about the beautiful things in the past in Kaifengfu, Tokyo. The Dream of Tokyo is not only limited to the author's knowledge, but also includes local chronicles and miscellaneous books at that time, which can be said to be a comprehensive historical material. The book "Dream of China in Tokyo" generally includes the outer city, inner city and river bridges of Beijing, the distribution and location of government offices inside and outside the imperial palace, the streets, shops and restaurants in the city, the court meeting, the ceremony of suburban sacrifices, the Han folk customs in Tokyo at that time, seasonal festivals, eating and drinking, singing and dancing, and many other chapters.

In the first volume of the book, the author focuses on depicting Kaifeng Prefecture, the largest and most prosperous capital of the Song Dynasty in the world at that time. In the author's pen, we know that Kaifeng is divided into three walls: the palace, the inner wall and the outer wall. There are three or four gates on each wall, and there are three layers of urn outside each gate. The three walls turn this city into several areas. Miyagi is the imperial city, with a circumference of five miles, three gates in the south, only one gate in the east, west and north, and a horizontal street between the east and west gates, with the central government agency in the south and the emperor's living quarters in the north. Because of the small scale of Miyagi, Song Huizong built a new Yanfu Palace in the northern part of Miyagi, which was an extension and expansion of Miyagi. Licheng, also known as the old city, is the old city of Bianzhou in the Tang Dynasty, with a circumference of 20 miles. Except for the two doors in the east, there are three doors on the other three sides. The outer city, after being rebuilt, has a circumference of 50 miles, a city height of four feet, and a magnificent tower building. There is a city-protecting city outside the city, named Hulong River, which is three times wider than Bianhe River. The outer city has three gates in the south, two gates in the east, four gates in the north and three gates in the west, and there are many water gates.

Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo, where the author lived, was the largest and most prosperous capital in the world at that time. At the same time, it also trained many craftsmen and opened many shops. From the second volume, Mr. Meng introduced such things as Jiang Hang, Sha Hang, Niu Hang, Ma Hang, Guo Hang, Yu Hang, Mi Hang, rou Hang, Nan Zhu Hang, Bei Zhu Hang, big goods hang, small goods hang, cloth hang, food shop, tea house, hotel, inn, steamed bread shop, noodle shop, pancake shop, tile shop, brothel, etc. In addition, the famous restaurants and shops mentioned by the author in the book, such as Baifan Building, Panjialou, Xinle Building, Yuxian Zhengdian, Zhongshan Zhengdian, Levin Zhengdian, Qingfeng Building, Changqing Building, Baxian Building, Banlou, Zhangbajiayuanzhai Zhengdian, etc. Mr. Meng's works, whether craftsmen or well-known shops, are actually just the tip of the iceberg on the bustling surface of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo.

Such a grand and prosperous capital has benefited the people in Tokyo. Wandering in the shops woven by various craftsmen, the grand occasion of "the four fields are like the city, often under the fragrant trees or between the gardens, listing cups and plates, persuading each other to pay, and the singers and dancers of the capital are all over the pavilions and returning at dusk" is formed. Similarly, in order to enrich the nightlife of citizens, Mr. Meng introduced that more and more businesses began to pursue more commercial interests, so that the "night ban" that had been implemented for a long time under the original square market system was naturally cancelled, and "night market", "morning market" and "ghost market" gradually appeared in Kaifeng City. When the bustling people are immersed in the "night market", "morning market" and "ghost market" constructed by the merchants, the night markets of various shops will not be exhausted until the third watch, and they will reopen at the fifth watch, and the transactions of the citizens will show the wonders of "magnificent houses, broad facades, looming prospects, and every transaction will move by tens of millions, which is shocking to hear".

In the book, Mr. Meng not only introduces the bustling capital and the bustling market to readers, but also shows readers the unknown entertainment activities and festival meals in the Song Dynasty. The author gives a detailed description of the famous drama venue "Goulan Washe", the palace teaching workshops, military records, male and female musicians, riders, teams, etc. These descriptions have played an important role in studying the history of China's operas, novels and acrobatics in the future. In addition, starting from Volume 8, the author introduces some daily customs and diets of festivals one after another, such as Dragon Boat Festival, etc., which gives readers an immersive feeling.

The short-lived Dream of China in Tokyo can be said to be a detailed record and detailed exposition of the social, economic and cultural life of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo during Song Huizong's years, leaving a lot of valuable information for future generations to explore the life of residents of all walks of life in that era.

The Dream of China in Tokyo, written by Mr. Meng Yuan, has created a new genre of describing the city's customs and anecdotes with notes, which, like the painting Riverside Garden on Qingming Festival, is of great significance to the study of the history of urban economic development in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, when Ji Xiaolan compiled Sikuquanshu, he even included it, saying that it could be "mutually evaluated" with the related contents of History of Song Dynasty, which was not beneficial to historiography. Since its publication, Dream of China in Tokyo has produced several editions, such as Chunxi edition, Yuan block edition, Minghong radical edition and Mingjiajing edition, among which Yuan block edition and Minghong radical edition are the most valuable and respected. By chance, I was given a brand-new Tokyo Dream Record published by Sanqin Publishing House. As a brand-new version of Tokyo Dream Record, it is a combination of Yuan engraving and Minghong radical treatment, showing readers the most essence and complete cultural history of the Song Dynasty.

Dream of China in Tokyo is a reminiscence of old Meng Yuan after he fled the war in the north and fled to the south. The word "dream of China" in the title of the book can be directly understood as "only in dreams can we see the prosperity of the old country again" After the baptism of the "Jingkang Rebellion" at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Mr. Meng had to stay away from Kaifeng, Tokyo, where he had lived for many years, and come to a strange south. As Yan Shu, a famous poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, once said, "There are mountains and rivers everywhere, and the falling flowers and storms hurt spring even more." Although the prosperity has fallen for 20 years, Meng Yuanzhe still remembers the old elegance in his dreams. Motivated by the idea of "the old capital is full of splendor, but it is always far away", Mr. Meng created a 10-volume Dream of Tokyo, which described in detail the urban layout, court ceremony, citizens' life and other aspects of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo, and presented the dream situation by jumping among magical symbols, giving the world a feeling of "dreaming back to the Great Song Dynasty".

As a classic of China's note literature, Dream of China in Tokyo is like a prosperous and prosperous text version of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, which brings people a picture of amorous feelings with temperature, and also allows readers to experience the cultural characteristics of the Song Dynasty and feel the life attitude of the Song people. I got this Tokyo Dream Record by chance. When I first started reading it, I was frightened by the alternate presentation of every article in the book in classical Chinese and vernacular Chinese. I doubted my boring cultural accomplishment and found it difficult to understand this heavy book. However, when I calmed down and let myself try to read slowly, my initial fear and doubt instantly turned into shock and surprise.

It has been nearly a thousand years since the Song Dynasty. Due to the lack of historical documents, most people's impression of the Song Dynasty is still "poor and weak", and so am I. When I calmed down, opened the page and just read the preface, I was shocked. As the most prosperous country in the world at that time, the Song Dynasty can even be said to be the period when capitalism began to sprout in the true sense of China. "Tokyo Dream of China" is the author who leads readers to "dream back to the Great Song Dynasty" and re-experience the prosperity of the Song Dynasty. When the author's statement in the preface unfolds slowly, it seems that the exquisite scroll of The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival is slowly opened, and it is like being there. I came to the old man Meng in Kaifeng, Tokyo, and listened to him, telling his life, his residence, his capital and his customs. . .

The book * * * has ten volumes. With the gradual reading of the book, it is like accompanying Mr. Meng to pace in Tokyo and listening to him tell about the vicissitudes of those unknown years. The unique urban pattern has effectively integrated the business district and residential district. The "separation system of square and city", which was once proud of all previous dynasties, was destroyed or demolished in the Song Dynasty, which also made Tokyo the first open city in ancient China. The change of urban pattern directly affects the opening of commercial shops everywhere along the street, and mobile vendors such as streets, lanes and bridges are bustling. Standing on the bridge and looking at the ships in the river, it can be said that "there are countless big ships, and I have seen three or four heavy ships in two days." The prosperity of business has even turned the secluded Buddhist land into a bustling market.

When I came to the strange and mysterious Song Dynasty, I was glad to have an excellent guide around me-Senator Meng. Witnessed the prosperity of the day, and at dusk, Mr. Meng took me out of Zhuquemen and came to Longjinqiao, and then came to the famous night market in Tokyo. Mr. Meng introduced that "the night market didn't reopen until midnight. If you want to go anywhere, you know everything. Although there is heavy snow and rain in winter, there is also a night market. The prosperity of the night market also confirms the stability and peace of the capital. There are countless foods in the night market, which makes me feel happy on the tip of my tongue. On the occasion of tasting, Mr. Meng introduced me to the famous restaurants and restaurants in Kaifengfu, Tokyo. The capital city has gathered the essence of the national diet, including frying, frying, cooking, frying, steaming, boiling, marinating and stewing. It can be said that "the peculiar smell in Huihuan District is noted in the kitchen". Well-known restaurants in the capital are "seventy-two stores, and the rest are called foot shops". There are all kinds of delicious food, which is really a picture of happiness on the tip of the tongue.

After the tasting, the guide, Mr. Meng, took me to feel the nightlife in Kaifengfu, Tokyo, and came to a large-scale entertainment and leisure complex-"Wazi". Nearly 100 tiles, together with dozens of tables, let the public enjoy performances such as singing and dancing, zaju, sumo wrestling, puppet show and storytelling. Senator Meng told me that "people are not judged by the wind, rain, cold and heat, but every day". It can be said that Goulan Wazi is the source of modern literary and artistic activities, and it also marks that art has moved from the palace to the folk. In Wazi, watching Goulan performance, Mr. Meng once again introduced me to other entertainment activities in Kaifeng, Tokyo. Mr. Meng introduced that solar terms are a timetable for farming and harvesting for rural people; For Kaifeng people, it is a spectrum of exquisite life. In different seasons and festivals, there are different customs, different makeup and different diets, which make the capital full of enthusiasm and vitality all the year round.

1000 years ago, China was the most powerful country in the world. The population of Kaifengfu, the capital of Tokyo, was as high as one million, and it was the most advanced, prosperous and huge city in the world at that time. When I first read Dream of China in Tokyo, under the guidance of the guide, Mr. Meng, I dreamed of returning to the Great Song Dynasty, but the lonely sail was far away and the blue sky was exhausted, leaving endless desolation and sadness behind the prosperity. At the end of the book, with the last touch of the setting sun and the last ray of sunshine introduced by Mr. Meng, I woke up from my dream, but it was still empty in the end. As Mr. Meng himself introduced in the preface, "peace lasts for a long time, and people are numerous and rich." Looking down on children, playing and inspiring, old people with white heads, I don't know how to fight. Throughout the year, watch the lights and enjoy the moon, have a snow show, beg for luck on Tanabata, and climb the mountain on Chongyang. Looking up, there are brothels and pavilions, and beaded curtains are embroidered. "

"The old man with a white head doesn't know how to fight", I seem to feel that the author is standing on the edge of half of the Southern Dynasties, looking far away, but it is difficult to hide the feeling of loneliness. Under the shadow, I seem to see the amazing glimpse of that era and the vicissitudes of life. In the prosperous times, many people are unwilling to face up to reality until they die. When you sit idle, you will talk about the scenery of the capital. When you talk about it, you will be very happy, your face will be lit up, and the fruit will smell slightly on your mouth. In front of you, you will see the scenery when the lights are shining and the snow is blooming. Always indulge in the long past of that day, the false and empty dream, but unwilling to bear the arrival of reality. These people are talking and laughing, feeling and sad, but thinking about how wonderful it would be if the dream was always immersed in it. As everyone knows, the dream will wake up after all, and the dream can only be truly successful if it is put into practice, otherwise the dream can only become a nightmare.

After reading the whole article, I changed from initial fear and doubt to shock and surprise, and finally to desolation and sadness. Between words and symbols, I deeply feel that the author has transformed himself endlessly into a silent text. Every piece of reminiscence is the nostalgia of Meng Yuanlao's lonely and tearful homeland, silently listening to the cry from his own heart.

I think about it every day, but I dream at night. However, I still have to wake up after all. When I am disappointed, I hope for the future and put my dreams into practice. Dreams are no longer nightmares, but really a magnificent "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival".

Picture scroll: Zhang Zeduan's Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival.

Books: Qingping Music, Song Huizong and History of Song Dynasty.