The origin of Zhang Gedang in Qiaogou Village, Yanzhuang Town
As early as more than 140 years ago during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 400 people in Gedang Zhang Village. Wheat, sesame, and sweet potatoes are grown for a living, and an oil production workshop is built to sell small sesame oil. The village is surrounded by a 25-meter-high earthen village with lush locust and willow trees. There are evergreen wildflowers and grasses beside the village. The foot of the village is surrounded by the Haihe River that protects the village. The water in the Haihe River is crystal clear and fish are swimming. At that time, the ancient village had four gates, east, west, north and south. When night fell, the gates were closed and locked to prevent bandits from invading and disturbing the people. There was a well on the right side of each gate. The groundwater in the village was bitter and could not be drunk, so villagers had to go outside the village. You can live a normal life only by getting and storing drinking water. Fortunately, in the 1960s, geophysical exploration and testing showed that the bitter water can irrigate fertile fields. To this end, the government invested specifically in the development of Kushui. It drilled three motorized wells in the village and buried 2,000 meters of cement pipes 1.5 meters underground to divert water to irrigate the fields.
There is a majestic and tall nine-story ancient pagoda with unique architecture in the Zhangcun Village of Gedang. Fifty meters above the tower is the magnificent temple and Dongyue Temple. The ancient pagodas, temples and Dongyue Temple are famous for hundreds of miles. I can still fully describe the architectural layout of Dongyue Temple in the past:
In the center of the back of the temple is a brick and wooden building. The two sides of the building are symmetrical, with a large brick room with wooden columns inside. It is a tile-roofed house. In front of the building is a rolling shed hall. The top of the main hall is covered with red, blue and yellow glazed barrel tiles, and there are various animal-shaped glazed sculptures around the ridge and edge of the top of the hall. The main hall room and the corridor are separated by red wooden lattice windows. In the middle are two doors that can be opened and closed. On the left and right front of the hall are two symmetrical stone turtles. On both sides of the front of the main hall are symmetrical brick and wooden houses, called Donglai Fang and Xilai Fang. There is a well about 25 centimeters in diameter about 30 meters inside the temple gate. To the west of the temple gate is a house with two large rooms called Tongmen.
Six villages near Gedangzhang Village jointly established a large-scale Dongyue Temple Fair. The 25th day of the third lunar month every year. After three days of singing, pilgrims and businessmen from hundreds of miles away gathered at the Dongyue Temple Fair. This custom of burning incense, worshiping Buddha and exchanging supplies continues to this day.
Gedangzhang Village has a scene of "Jinja Tree Smoking Dragon" among the eight scenic spots in Yancheng. Near the village is a scene of "Zhoupo Xiaoshi" among the eight scenic spots. Legend has it that villagers will gather here every summer. People can enjoy the coolness and chat under the juniper tree with a three-meter crown. People often enjoy the dancing dragons on the juniper tree crown in the morning mist and night. People can enjoy the city view of Laowangpo Xiancheng in the "Zhoupo Xiaoshi" when climbing up to the ancient village. .
Due to changes in the times and many social reasons, although the original appearance of the ancient pagodas, temples, Dongyue Temple and Gedangzhang Village no longer exist and have become relics and beautiful legends, under the leadership of the party and the government, The village holds high the banner of the rural revitalization strategy and vigorously carries out the work of rural economic revitalization. Today, Gedanzhang Village has a bumper grain harvest, tall buildings, every household drinks tap water, and every household uses natural gas. It can be said that the village is beautiful and the villagers are happy. rural.