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Daqingshan is full of lush forests and grass, with crisscrossed ravines. Three clear springs gush out from the foot of the mountain, named: Qinglong, Jade Dragon, and Golden Dragon. The three springs have clear water all year round and converge into a bay of clear water.
The mountains are high in the east and low in the west. The spring water flows westward and is led into the center of Qingshui Village through a stone canal that looks like a dragon. There is a square pond of about five acres in the center. This clear water in Fangtang has nourished the fertile land of Qingshui Village for hundreds of years and raised the children and grandchildren of this land.
The stone canal looks like a horned dragon and is said to be called Dragon Canal. There is a small temple called Baima Temple in the west of Longqu where the water flows rapidly. At the foot of the temple mountain, the wise ancestors built a water mill according to the situation.
The design of this water mill is exquisite. I wonder how much wisdom of skilled craftsmen went into it when it was originally built.
The Dragon Canal flows through the foot of Baima Temple Mountain. Facing the west, there is a overhanging wall more than ten meters high. The water flowing through the canal forms a huge gap.
Under the overhanging wall, there is a water wheel with a diameter of five meters. There are eight thick wooden pillars surrounding the waterwheel. On the top of the wooden pillar slightly higher than the mouth of the canal, thick wooden boards were laid. A huge stone mill was placed on the wooden board, and a mill room with a suitable width was built according to the size of the mill.
The water from the Long Canal pours down along the overhanging wall, and the water flows against the water wheel to rotate. The water wheel then passes through the wheel axle and drives the stone mill upward.
At that time, I was just in the second grade of elementary school. When I was about ten years old, I came to the water mill with my father and grinded noodles two or three times. Every time I heard that my family was going to grind noodles, I was very excited and insisted on following.
I remember one time, my father hitched the donkey cart and carried five or six long strip-shaped bags filled with wheat onto the frame cart.
My father held a whip in his hand and shouted at the front to drive the car. I was pushing and supporting him from behind to go to the water mill. The mill is east of home, less than ten miles away. After walking along the hard gravel road on the Qinghe River bed for less than two hours, we arrived at the water mill.
When we arrived at the water mill, the uncle in charge of the mill helped unload the truck and carry the wheat into the mill. My father pointed to a long bench in the room and held me down to sit down. He also told him to sit still and not run around causing trouble.
My father put the wheat in his pocket, poured out half a large dustpan, stepped on the grinding edge, carefully filled the funnel above the grinding eye, and then jumped down.
In the meantime, the uncle in charge of the mill went to the gate about two miles upstream of Longqu to release water. After a while, the water in the canal was seen rising, and the water flow at the mouth of the canal was getting faster and faster.
While my father was grinding, I quickly left the bench and secretly leaned over the floor of the mill. Looking down through the gap, I could see the huge wheels of the waterwheel slowly spinning against the water, just like a train starting up. The rumbling in my ears became louder and faster.
looked up and saw that the stone mill was already spinning. The stone mill is linked to the grinding rod and hits the funnel, and wheat is continuously fed into the grinding eye from the funnel.
After a while, the cereal flakes were slowly squeezed out from the texture in the middle of the millstone. Then fill the funnel with wheat flour. After a few rounds, you can see the wheat flour overflowing from the edge of the millstone. The snow-white color is really beautiful.
I heard from my father that grinding noodles is a very careful and careful job and cannot be careless at all.
I am worried because there are textures on both sides of the stone mill. The force of the grinding surface relies on the friction between the textures. Idling is the most taboo. Once the material is not fed during rotation, the texture will be worn away. Chiseling and grinding is very labor-intensive and requires a skilled stonemason, and it takes a long time to repair it.
Speaking of being careful, firstly, be careful when adding ingredients, and do not let the rotating millstone rub against your feet; secondly, when pouring the ingredients, you must concentrate, otherwise the millstone will twist your hands if you are distracted.
There used to be a child in the village who accidentally twisted his hand into his eye and lost one of his hands. Now everyone in the village calls him "No Hands Hand", and no one remembers his real name.
Yes, isn’t this principle of grinding noodles also the principle of doing things? ! This kind of worry means being serious and responsible; this kind of carefulness means being bold and careful, and not being careless.
The water mill has made life easier for people in eight villages. The principle of grinding noodles also gives people profound inspiration. Although the water mill ceased to exist decades ago, the lingering sound lingers in the hearts of generations of hometown residents and tourists.
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is taken from the Toutiao free gallery
The picture is taken from the Toutiao free gallery
The picture is taken from the Toutiao free gallery
