What is the traditional Three Gorges culture?

As far as geographical relations are concerned, what does the traditional Three Gorges culture represent?

Is it Ba culture? Chu culture? Shu culture? Bachu culture? Or Bashu culture?

Objectively speaking, both are, and neither is.

China has a history of thousands of years, feuds between the vassal regimes are constant, and the population has migrated frequently in past dynasties. The integration of all ethnic groups, due to cultural differences, will inevitably lead to mutual changes in living habits and customs. This change is a gradual and slow process. For a long time, due to the local separatist regime, or to put it bluntly, due to the barrier of mountains and inconvenient transportation and information, cultural exchanges between the Three Gorges area have been objectively hindered. In addition, scholars and experts in Hubei and Chongqing have always held a portal view, thinking that their own regional culture is worthy of the Three Gorges culture, and only their own cultural traditions are the essence of the Three Gorges culture.

I have been walking in the Three Gorges area for decades, looking around and exploring everywhere, but I have not found the authentic Three Gorges indigenous culture. But in the traditional cultural classics-Tang and Song poetry, I was somewhat surprised to find that Jin Er dared to infer that the traditional Three Gorges culture in the true sense was not created by Ba people, Chu people and Shu people.

Are you talking nonsense?

-Not many years ago, Bucai compiled a desk calendar of Three Gorges Ancient Poems. Can the 360 poems written by scholars in past dynasties be regarded as the traditional Three Gorges culture?

-You will definitely say: Yes!

Wanzhou? Huangtingjian Xishan Monument in Song Dynasty

But wait. I checked dozens of cultural celebrities such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Liu Yuxi, Su Dongpo, Ouyang Xiu, Fan Chengda, Wang, etc. All of them were "demoted officials" without exception. They are first "officials" and then "literati". Official institutions did not achieve their career, but literary creation made them immortal.

The famous "Farewell to Bai Di Cai Yun" is an ecstasy of Li Bai's return to Kyoto on his way back to Yelang by the new emperor. Question: Is Li Bai's poem the Three Gorges culture?

With the help of friends, poet Du Fu lived in Kuizhou (now Fengjie) for two or three years. At the most difficult time, people who couldn't even drink a glass of turbid wine actually wrote more than 200 poems, accounting for a quarter of Du Fu's poems. Is his Three Gorges Poetry a representative of Three Gorges Culture or Central Plains Culture?

Ouyang Xiu, a great poet, was demoted to Yiling county magistrate, which was pitiful enough. But it was in the small county magistrate's appointment that Ouyang Xiu, who was drinking the Three Gorges water, sang the best songs.

Liu Yuxi, the famous author of Zhuzhici, was demoted to the secretariat of Kuizhou. He was lucky enough to get in touch with local folk songs and reveled in the vulgar songs in rural conditions. He accidentally made a name for himself, which led to continuous learning. Zhuzhi Ci has been sung ever since. ...

From the archaeological point of view, Wuxi area in Wushan is the birthplace of witch culture, and the famous wizard is the first of the ten witches, and he is a great wizard who helped the Yellow Emperor defeat Yan Di. The traditional Three Gorges culture should be witch culture, "Longgupo culture" or "Daxi culture". However, such a cultural inheritance chain has long been broken, and we have no way to pursue it, let alone inherit it.

Qu Yuan's culture, even Song Yu's goddess culture, actually has a strong witch culture connotation, but it seems to be the beginning of Chu culture. The Three Gorges Hubei Province is also the birthplace of Ba culture. After it collided with Chu culture, Bachu culture was formed. Ba people flowed into Shu and collided with Shu culture, forming Bashu culture.

As the saying goes: you have me, and I have you. Bashu culture or Bachu culture, as long as you admit that it is the traditional Three Gorges culture, won't it be over? After decades of debate, what about combing inheritance?

Fengjie Bai Di Temple

To tell the truth, what is the traditional Three Gorges culture? We can't figure it out by this short article. This paper only boldly puts forward a new proposition: the essence of traditional Three Gorges culture is "the culture of demoting officials".

In other words, many talented officials who were relegated created a new culture different from the local culture after absorbing the nutrients of the regional national culture during their relegation! This new culture, which originated from the cultural background of the author's birthplace, also integrates the folk culture and customs of the author's workplace, and is a pan-culture that is thoroughly remoulded and easy to inherit!

Can it be said that there are many Three Gorges cultures that relegate officials in our national culture?

If so, then it is not empty talk for us to say "inheriting traditional culture". Because in fact, we enjoy the culture of our ancestors, consciously or unconsciously, we are all descendants.

-Do you agree? !

Zigui Quyuan Temple