After Li Zhongxin and Ma Xiao sat in the car in Feng Banshan, they began to talk about their respective experiences after separation and the recent situation.

Although they probably know some things through phone calls, they are not clear about many things.

Through chatting with Ma Xiao in the car, Li Zhongxin learned about Ma Xiao's situation in the capital, and also learned about the situation of their classmates in the capital when they were in the same class in junior high school.

Ma Xiao studied medicine directly after graduating from high school. He is now in his third year of college. Normally, Ma Xiao is not in the hospital. However, his instructor values ​​Ma Xiao very much and thinks that Ma Xiao is a good candidate for surgery.

Let Ma Xiao learn to perform surgeries with him at this stage.

In Li Zhongxin's impression, Ma Xiao should join politics. After all, his father and several elders in the family are all officials and have a certain status in the district in Harbin. His current position may be higher.

, if he enters officialdom, Ma Xiao should have smooth sailing.

However, Ma Xiao has his own ideas. He feels that he does not like the kind of food and drink that is brought to the city. He wants to become a doctor and relieve the pain of the Chinese people. He believes that such a life is important.

meaningful.

Everyone has his own thoughts, and everyone has his own life. After his mother died of illness, Ma Xiao felt that his life should be such a busy life, and he should be a doctor who saves lives and heals the wounded.

I don’t want to see the people around me suffer from illness anymore.

Because Ma Xiao is the squad leader, he has always had some connections with his classmates, such as Wang Shanshan, Li Mengmeng and several other middle school classmates in Beijing. They get together once a year and know their classmates relatively well.

At that time, they were all doing well in school in the capital. They no longer had the youthfulness they once had and had become mature.

For example, Li Mengmeng and several other classmates had already been in love with each other at this time. Wang Shanshan had no partner and was determined to take the postgraduate entrance examination, the Ph.D. examination, and pursue a study route, etc.

Although the two had not seen each other for many years, once they met, they seemed like old friends and had endless things to talk about.

After about twenty minutes, Li Zhongxin and Feng Banshan Ma Xiao arrived at their destination - Marco Polo Bridge.

Lugou Bridge, also called Lugou Bridge a long time ago, is located about 15 kilometers southwest of Beijing, on the Yongding River in Fengtai District.

Named after it crosses the Lugou River (i.e. Yongding River), it is the oldest existing stone arch bridge in Beijing.

The bridge has a solid structure and beautiful appearance. It has a very high level of bridge engineering technology and art. It fully reflects the ingenuity of the ancient Han working people and the brilliant achievements of bridge construction, although it is not a big deal here in the capital.

It is a particularly famous place of interest, but it is also quite good.

The Marco Polo Bridge is an eleven-hole arch bridge. The arch openings gradually increase from both sides to the center of the bridge. The span of the arches ranges from 12.35 meters to 13.42 meters. The center of the bridge body slightly protrudes 93.5 centimeters, and the slope is gentle. The bridge on the river is 213.15 meters long.

The approach bridges at the upper two ends have a total length of 266.5 meters. The total width of the bridge body is 9.3 meters. The bridge deck width is 7.5 meters.

The Yanchi bridge deck on both sides of the bridge is in the shape of a trumpet, and the entrance is 32 meters wide. Stone railings are set up on both sides of the bridge deck. There are 140 observation columns on the north side and 141 on the south side. The distance between the observation columns is about 1.8 to 2 meters.

It is 1.4 meters high. There are stone railings inlaid between the columns, and the railing height is about 0.85 meters.

The entire bridge body is a stone structure, with key parts connected by silver ingots and iron tenons. It is the longest ancient stone bridge in North China.

Li Zhongxin saw the Marco Polo Bridge and listened to Ma Xiao's explanation. Li Zhongxin also had a certain understanding of the Marco Polo Bridge.

As early as the 13th century, the Marco Polo Bridge was world-famous. At that time, Marco Polo, an Italian, visited Xuanye China. In his travel notes, he highly praised the bridge, saying that it was unique in the world. He also particularly admired the bridge railings.

The lions carved on the pillars say that together they form a beautiful spectacle!

Li Zhongxin still remembers the description of the lions on Marco Polo Bridge in the textbook. There were countless lions on Marco Polo Bridge.

This arched stone bridge with countless lions has a total length of about 266 meters and 281 pillars. Each pillar is carved with a lion. Unless you count carefully, you will lose count.

They are big and small. The big ones are tens of centimeters high, and the small ones are only a few centimeters. You can't even see their noses and eyes. They have different shapes. Some are squatting on stone pillars, as if they are roaring into the distance.

; Some lowered their heads, as if they were concentrating on listening to the bridge.

The sound of running water; some little lions are nestling in the arms of the lioness, as if they are sleeping soundly; some little lions are hiding behind the big lions, seeming to be playing interesting games; and some little lions are probably too naughty and are being beaten.

The big lion pressed its paws to the ground.

Some of these lions hold their heads high and look up to the sky; some are focused on the bridge; some turn their heads sideways, facing each other as if they are talking; some are nurturing the lions, as if calling softly; on the south side of the bridge

There is a stone lion in the east, one ear raised high, as if listening to the gurgling water under the bridge and the conversations of passers-by...

Li Zhongxin's knowledge of Marco Polo Bridge has always been from the articles he read in textbooks. Now that he has seen the real thing, he is deeply moved.

China's civilization has always been the most powerful in the world. There is no doubt about this. However, it has gradually declined after experiencing the isolation of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

"Zhongxin! Did you see that these are the bullet marks left by the Japanese invasion of China? Look, they are all over the place." Ma Xiao and Li Zhongxin were counting the lions, and suddenly they saw the bullet marks on the Marco Polo Bridge.

Then he greeted Li Zhongxin very naturally and took a look.

When Li Zhongxin arrived at Marco Polo Bridge, he remembered the July 7th Incident, but Li Zhongxin did not mention it to Ma Xiao at this time.

On July 7, 1937, Japanese imperialism launched an all-out war of aggression against China at Marco Polo Bridge. The Chinese garrison in Wanping City rose up to resist, which was known as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in history. The Chinese anti-Japanese army fired the first shot of the all-out war of resistance at Marco Polo Bridge.

In human history, there are always some major events that directly affect the process of historical development, and even contribute to the turning point of historical trajectory. Because of this, the time and space coordinates related to major historical events often become the triggers for people to commemorate, reflect, and look back.

Li Zhongxin feels that the Marco Polo Bridge is one of the important symbols of the future.

The Dawn Moon at Marco Polo Bridge, as one of the eight famous sights of ancient Yanjing, has lingered in the dreams of countless literati, painters and poets. But at the same time, the numerous bullet marks on the Marco Polo Bridge and the blood of the defenders and civilians of Wanping City have also been reflected in the Chinese nation.
Chapter completed!