One person's great harmony, the softness 👣 inside the headphones

Datong, Shanxi, formerly known as Pingcheng, was a fortress during the Han dynasties, a capital of Northern Wei, a secondary capital of Liao and Jin, and a major town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is one of China's first national historical and cultural cities. This place has a profound historical heritage, home to the World Cultural Heritage site Yungang Grottoes, whose Buddha statues were carved over 1,500 years ago and are grand and imposing; There are also hanging temples built atop cliffs, as well as Huayan Temple and Shanhua Temple, which possess grand structures from the Liao and Jin dynasties. The city wall of Datong Ancient City has a circumference of 7.24 kilometers, with many historic sites inside and a modern new city outside, creating a unique blend of old and modern. Today, Datong is evolving from a "coal capital" into a cultural and tourism destination. When you come here, don't forget to try authentic knife-cut noodles and other specialty foods to experience the unique charm of this ancient capital.

Datong

#来场旅行回回血 Back in 2013, I was just starting middle school. I happened to hear Tang Yuanfei's "My Datong," and its gentle melody instantly overshadowed the label of "coal mine." For the first time, I realized that Datong is actually "soft."
Later, when he went to college, he liked a girl who happened to be from Datong. The words "Datong" were gently shaken out of memory once again, then sank down, just like the trajectory where we met and parted.
When I was studying for graduate school, I watched a documentary about the mayor of Datong. In the film, Datong's tracks pause and move forward in the yellow sands; people want to break free from the constraints of the times, yet must face history. I only remember the image of the city wall, probably because it was right next to the noise—it was so silent. It just watched the crowd pass by in groups, connecting the past and looking toward the future.
So, when I decided to go to Datong alone, it felt like meeting an old friend I hadn't seen in a long time, who also reflected my past and present.
During the four days I stayed there, the song kept playing in my headphones. Familiar lyrics always bring me a strange feeling during my journey. "Endless yellow sand" refers to the dust stirred up in the earthen forest. I finally understood what "blurry" meant—time keeps passing over my body, leaving indelible marks. I repeatedly asked this city: "After all this time, do you remember?" "I long to be seen, but in fact, standing here alone is the answer in itself.
"Birds fly / leaves drift down" refers to the cliff swallows circling beside the grottoes and wooden pagoda, and the ancient trees in Shanhua Temple. In summer, I was in Datong, imagining how the birds migrated, how the leaves withered, and what rhythms they followed. Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin—history repeats itself, with people coming and going, which naturally gives a sense of liberation. "How many years have passed?" I try to observe a kind of "constancy."
"The Wuzhou River has flowed with twists and turns for thousands of years," and now stands beside the Shilihe Bridge, surrounded by a wide riverbed surrounded by power plants and residential complexes. According to Teacher Ma, sometimes villagers herd sheep here. You can still see a kind of slow "primitiveness" constantly pulling at each other, and what I see in those grottoes and ancient buildings is precisely this "tension." A certain 'tolerance' toward foreign art in the past probably won't swallow up local culture, just as you can't erase the flock of sheep beside the Leng Ning Tower.
In the departure lounge for returning to Chengdu, I watched the land ripple with golden light in the afterglow, and my mind was also on the last line of the song: "Is the river in my heart still there?" Staying, and taking away what else. Are you okay? I let out a long sigh of relief, closed my eyes, and considered it a farewell.