黃河之都

黃河是中華文明的主要發(fā)源地，又被稱為“中華民族的母親河”。它發(fā)源于青藏高原，自西向東流經(jīng)九個省份，最終匯入渤海。黃河給流經(jīng)地區(qū)的農(nóng)耕和民俗帶來深遠的影響，并逐漸形成以農(nóng)耕文化為中心、強調(diào)順應(yīng)自然、注重家族傳承的黃河地域特色文化。蘭州，是黃河唯一穿城而過的城市，這里的生產(chǎn)與生活都深深地打上了黃河的烙印。

The Yellow River， often referred to asthe Mother River of the Chinese people， iswidely recognized as the cradle of Chinesecivilization. Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau， it winds its way eastwardthrough nine provinces before emptying intothe Bohai Sea. Its impact on agriculture andlocal customs along its course has fostered aculture deeply rooted in agricultural practices，harmony with nature， and familial traditions.Lanzhou， the only city directly traversed bythe Yellow River， stands as a testament to theriver’s enduring influence on both its economyand daily life.

蘭州水車

蘭州地處黃河流域上游，這里干旱少雨、溝壑縱橫，當?shù)剞r(nóng)業(yè)的發(fā)展受到了諸多限制。在這種獨特的自然氣候和地理環(huán)境之下，當?shù)厝嗣褚虻刂埔?，充分發(fā)展旱作農(nóng)業(yè)與水利設(shè)施，取得了令人矚目的農(nóng)業(yè)成就。蘭州水車作為蘭州市黃河沿岸最古老的提灌工具，為當?shù)剞r(nóng)業(yè)的發(fā)展作出了杰出的貢獻。蘭州水車由明代蘭州人段續(xù)發(fā)明，他在南方水車提灌技術(shù)的基礎(chǔ)上加以改進，經(jīng)多次試驗后得以成功。蘭州水車的直徑由10米到30米不等。一輛大型蘭州水車每年可灌溉六七百畝田地，被稱為古代的“自來水工程”。巨大的水車將黃河水源源不斷地引入農(nóng)田，曾經(jīng)的百畝荒地化為一方方良田。河水的滋潤，加上當?shù)爻渥愕娜照眨沟霉麡渲Ψ比~茂、瓜果甘甜鮮美，為蘭州贏得了“瓜果城”的美譽。

Lanzhou is situated in the upper reaches of the YellowRiver basin， characterized by a dry climate， minimalrainfall， and rugged terrain， which pose significantchallenges to local agriculture. Despite these natural andgeographical obstacles， the residents have adapted andachieved remarkable success in agriculture by employingdryland farming techniques and innovativewater management systems. At the heart of thissuccess story lies the waterwheel， the oldest liftingand irrigation apparatus along the Yellow River.Invented by Duan Xu， a local during the MingDynasty， the waterwheel was inspired by southernwaterwheel technology and refined through a seriesof improvements. Ranging from 10 to 30 metersin diameter， each waterwheel can annually irrigatehundreds of acres of land， earning the nickname“ancient waterworks.” Their continuous operationdiverts water from the Yellow River， transformingonce-barren terrain into fertile fields. The river’snourishment， combined with ample sunlight， fostersthe growth of lush fruit trees and delectable produce，making Lanzhou the “City of Melon and Fruit.”

作為見證者，一輛輛蘭州水車矗立于蘭州市區(qū)黃河岸邊的水車博覽園內(nèi)，訴說著黃河兩岸興盛的農(nóng)耕往事。

Today， these historic waterwheels proudly standin Waterwheel Park in downtown Lanzhou， servingas reminders of the region’s flourishing farminglegacy.

羊皮筏子

羊皮筏子是黃河流域人民智慧的結(jié)晶，因其制作簡易、成本低廉，成為黃河沿岸重要的水運工具，彌補了當時陸路交通的不足。羊皮筏子由數(shù)量不等的羊皮氣囊組成，大的有600多個，小的有十幾個。在深沉、悠揚的花兒曲調(diào)中，筏客子（劃羊皮筏子的人）手握船槳，在波濤起伏的河面上自由穿行，或是載著新鮮采摘的瓜果蔬菜進城販賣，或是渡送岸邊的行人。此外，牛皮筏子也在此地留下了獨特的印記。俗語“吹牛皮”就源于筏客子往牛皮筏子的氣囊中吹氣的趣事。若是在當?shù)厝嗣媲翱浜？?、說大話，他們可能會說“請你到黃河邊‘吹牛皮’”。

The sheepskin raft is another testament to the ingenuity of the people livingin the Yellow River Basin. Easily constructed and affordable， it served as a vitalmeans of water transport， overcoming the limitations of land travel in ancienttimes. Consisting of varying numbers of sheepskin airbags — some boastingover 600， while others only a dozen or so — these rafts gracefully glide acrossthe undulating river， propelled by the rhythmic strokes of the oarsmen.Accompanied by deep， upbeat folk melodies， these raftsmen ferry freshlyharvested fruits， vegetables， and melons to city markets or offer passage topedestrians along the riverbanks. Furthermore， the oxhide raft has also leftits distinctive imprint on the region. The term chui niupi derives from thepractice of inflating the airbags of oxhide rafts. Should someone engage inexaggerated talk in front of the locals， they might jestingly suggest， “Whydon’t you go chui niupi by the Yellow River？”

蘭州黃河鐵橋

隨著時代的發(fā)展，水車、羊（牛）皮筏子這類工具已退出歷史的舞臺，取而代之的是現(xiàn)代高效、便捷的水利設(shè)備和交通設(shè)施。蘭州黃河鐵橋（也稱“中山橋”）建于1908年，是黃河上第一座真正意義上的橋梁，極大地方便了兩岸居民的往來，被稱為“天下黃河第一橋”。經(jīng)歷了100多年的滄桑巨變，如今蘭州黃河鐵橋依然屹立在黃河之上，見證著蘭州日新月異的發(fā)展，也成為外地游客體驗黃河文化的必游景點。

As time has progressed， waterwheels and sheep （ox） skin rafts have becomeobsolete， making way for modern and efficient water management equipment andtransportation systems. The construction of the Lanzhou Iron Bridge （also knownas Zhongshan Bridge） in 1908 marked a significant milestone as the first substantialbridge over the Yellow River. This bridge greatly enhanced transportation betweenresidents on both banks， earning the title of being “the world’s first Yellow Riverbridge.” Despite enduring over a century of changes， the bridge still spans the river，serving as a symbol of the city’s rapid development and attracting tourists eager toexplore the culture of the Yellow River.

黃河母親雕塑

黃河深刻地影響了世世代代蘭州人民的生產(chǎn)與生活，黃河文化也成為蘭州城市文化的靈魂。為表達對黃河母親的崇敬與感恩，20世紀80年代，蘭州市政府在黃河之濱建造了一座具有象征意義的雕塑，這便是著名的“黃河母親”雕塑。

The Yellow River has had a profound impact onthe livelihoods and lives of generations in Lanzhou，becoming the city’s soul. In tribute to this vitalconnection， in the 1980s， the Lanzhou municipalgovernment commissioned the construction of asymbolic sculpture by the river in the 1980s， famouslyknown as the “Yellow River Mother Sculpture.”

黃河母親雕塑由著名雕塑家何鄂女士創(chuàng)作。雕塑主體由一對母子組成：慈祥端莊的母親象征孕育中華民族的黃河，憨態(tài)可掬的嬰兒則代表備受母親呵護的華夏兒女。整個構(gòu)圖自然和諧，充滿了生命的力量和母愛的溫暖。為了凸顯黃河的顏色以及炎黃子孫的膚色，雕塑的材質(zhì)采用的是普通的花崗巖。雕塑通過母親這一形象，隱喻了人們對黃河的深厚情感，傳達出中華兒女重視孝悌之義、家庭傳承的內(nèi)涵；母親的形象與黃河相結(jié)合，呈現(xiàn)出浩渺恢宏的自然景觀，強調(diào)了自然界的力量及其對人類的貢獻。同時，母親繁衍生命，象征著黃河孕育了華夏文明，傳遞出中華民族源遠流長的文化底蘊和生生不息、不屈不撓的民族精神。

Designed by renowned sculptor Ms. He E，this sculpture features a mother and child as itscentral figures： the dignified and nurturing mothersymbolizes the Yellow River’s role in nurturing theChinese people， while the cherubic infant representsthe offspring tenderly cared for by their mother.The sculpture radiates with the vitality of life andthe warmth of maternal love. To complement thehues of the Yellow River and the skin tones of thedescendants of the Yan and Huang Emperors，ordinary granite was chosen as the sculpture’smaterial. The sculpture expresses a deep reverencefor the Yellow River and reflects the importance offilial piety and legacy in Chinese culture. The fusionof the mother’s image with the Yellow River evokes amajestic natural panorama， emphasizing the mightof nature and its integral role in humanity’s existence.Furthermore， the depiction of the mother givingbirth symbolizes the Yellow River’s contribution tothe nurturing of Chinese civilization， imparting arich cultural legacy and the resilient spirit of a nationthat perseveres and thrives.

漫步于蘭州黃河風(fēng)情線，從水車博覽園逛到蘭州黃河鐵橋，再沿著南濱河路一直走到黃河母親雕塑，若有興致再體驗一番羊皮筏子，沿路的一景一物，無不體現(xiàn)著黃河在這座城市留下的印跡。這條中華文明的母親河，對蘭州乃至整個中國都有著深遠的影響。它不僅僅是一條河流，更是一種文化、一種精神、一種情感的象征。

Walking along the Yellow River Scenic Belt，from Waterwheel Park to Iron Bridge， and thentracing South Binhe Road until reaching the YellowRiver Mother Sculpture， visitors can even opt forthe unique experience of riding a sheepskin raft.Every sight along this journey bears witness to theprofound influence the Yellow River has on this city.As the mother river of Chinese civilization， it has leftan indelible mark on Lanzhou and the entire country，representing not only a body of water but also apowerful symbol of culture， spirit， and emotion.