Not far from the Western Gate of the Chinese capital Beijing flows the transparent Changhe River. A stone bridge is thrown across it, connecting two large roads - Northern and Southern. Old people call this bridge Gao Liang Qiao - Gao Liang Bridge. This is what the ancient legend tells.
This happened in ancient times, in the year when the commander Liu Bo-wen was just beginning to build Beijing. It was not an easy job: thousands of masons prepared stone, tens of thousands of carters, masons, carpenters transported logs and stone blocks, laid walls, covered roofs - built a new city. Once upon a time there was a large reservoir in this place, which was called Kuhai - the Bitter Sea. Hundreds of thousands of diggers worked many days and nights to fill it up and level the bottom. But then a misfortune happened. The Lord of all seas, rivers and lakes, Longwang, demanded a gift from the people - one hundred of the most beautiful girls in Beijing! The ruler of the city, the wise and fair Liu Bo-wen, got angry and refused Longwang, and he harbored a grudge.
Longwan thought for a long time about how to take revenge on people, but he couldn’t come up with anything. And he asked his grandmother for advice.
“We need to drain all the wells in the city,” said the old woman. — People cannot live without water: women will not be able to cook rice, men will not be able to knead clay; they will have nothing to drink. They will either die of thirst or leave these places.
Longwan was delighted and set to work: he poured all the water from the Beijing wells into two large wooden tubs, loaded the tubs onto a cart and drove him and his grandmother away from the city.
And then terrible news spread across Beijing: the water had left the wells! How to live now, how to build? The city was in danger of destruction.
Having learned about the misfortune, Liu Bo-wen plunged into heavy thoughts. And at this time, the creaking of a cart was heard at the Western Gate. Liu Bo-wen understood everything. A plan to save the city instantly matured in his head. It was not for nothing that people said that Liu Bo-wen knew about all the affairs of heaven and earth.
The ruler ordered to call all the men and when they arrived, he said:
“This is a matter of life and death for Beijingers.” To save the city, only one person is needed, the bravest of the brave, the most honest of the honest, for whom the life of the people is more valuable than his own. If he fulfills his duty with honor, his feat will be truly great, but if he fails, tens of thousands of people will die cursing his name! Which of you agrees to take on this matter?
After listening to Liu Bo-wen, the famous military leaders and important officials frowned, the warriors became thoughtful, and the merchants became silent. The ruler of the city grinned and was about to repeat his question, but then a young man in the dress of a simple worker emerged from the crowd.
- I will do this! - he said decisively. - Who are you? - asked Liu Bo-wen. “I am the mason Gao Liang,” he answered. “Yes, he is suitable for this business,” thought Liu Bo-wen, “he is honest, cold-blooded and courageous.”
The ruler dismissed everyone gathered and took Gao Liang to his place.
“Only the two of us will know what I’m going to tell you now,” the young man heard. - Let the mystery hide the truth until success is achieved!
Gao Liang nodded silently. Then Liu Bo-wen continued:
“Now, without wasting any time, take a long and sharp spear and go through the Western Gate along the high road.” Run quickly and you will soon catch up with two old men with a cart. In the cart you will see two buckets of water. Don't drink the water, but use a spear to knock over the buckets! This is the water that the damned Longwang deprived us of. The old man with the cart is himself, the old woman is his evil grandmother, and in the tubs there is water from our wells. Don't listen to the screams of these old men, break the buckets. and as soon as the water pours out of them, drive it towards the city. When the water starts flowing, run back as fast as you can, don’t listen to the screams and roars, don’t turn around to hear the pleas. Only after running a hundred steps can you turn around and look. Remember firmly everything I said. Now go save your city!
Without saying goodbye to his family, taking with him only a long spear, Gao Liang rushed to the Western Gate. He ran for a long time to the north-west and in the evening overtook Lunwan. The old man was pushing a small cart from behind, and the old woman was harnessed to it from the front. There were two tubs of clear water on the cart.
Tired and sweaty, Gao Liang saw the water, and a terrible thirst began to overcome him. He had never been so thirsty before! But Gao Liang remembered his fellow countrymen who were waiting for water, and overcame his thirst. He ran to the cart and hit the tubs with his spear. The spear pierced one tub and knocked over another.
- Pu-pu! Hua-hua! — the water splashed and poured onto the ground.
The old man began to cry, the old woman began to wail pitifully, begging Gao Liang to lift the tub. But he, remembering Liu Bo-wen’s order, poured out all the water and drove it with a spear towards Beijing. At first the water flowed in a stream. Gao Liang jumped over him and ran forward. Now a stormy stream rushed after him.
And suddenly cries for help were heard from behind, then a terrible animal roar was heard. But Gao Liang, without turning around, ran forward and forward, and he himself counted the steps: ten, twenty, fifty. Behind him, rocks crumbled, waves roared, water roared. But Gao Liang, not noticing anything, rushed forward and forward! Sixty, seventy, eighty steps.
There was a crowd of people on the city wall. Everyone was watching this amazing competition. The Beijingers shouted encouragement to their fellow countryman. Eighty-five, ninety, ninety-five steps. And suddenly everything became quiet behind, no noise or splashing of water could be heard. Has she turned back? Does this mean Beijing will die? Thousands and tens of thousands of people will die of thirst?!
Horror gripped Gao Liang. No! He must return the water! And at the ninety-ninth step, Gao Liang turned around. Ay-ya! A huge wave of water fell on him and knocked him off his feet. A moment - and the hero disappeared into the waves, only his spear floated through the stormy water...
This is how the brave Gao Liang died. But he completed his task: the water came to the city and filled the wells! The brave Gao Liang drowned, but his fame did not die - it lives on in legends and songs. And the residents of Beijing built a bridge on the bridge of the death of the hero, which everyone knows as the Gao Liang Bridge.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru