茅洞桥印象
Impressions of Maodong Bridge
原创：斧子 中译英：斧子的二当家
在我的心目中，茅洞桥就是一方福地，人杰地灵，有灵气有仙气有骨气，还有浓郁的人文气息，扑面而来。
茅市镇，我们本地人都喊茅洞桥。小时候，家里并不宽裕，我最喜欢吃的东西，就是茅洞桥的烧饼。
Mao town, we locals call it Maodong Bridge. When I was a child, my family was not rich. My favorite food was sesame seed cake of Maodong Bridge.
我们家乡的特色小吃，茅洞桥的烧饼，可以排在数一数二的位置。不仅仅是名气大，的确是真的很好吃。口感香甜，酥脆好吃。
When talking about our hometown's special snack, sesame seed cake of Maodong Bridge, can be ranked among the best. Except for its fame, it tastes really delicious, sweet and crisp.
在民俗方面，不管是生了小孩满月，或者满百天，或者满周岁，或者老人七十大寿、八十大寿，甚至于九十大寿，要办喜酒招待亲朋好友的话，吃饱喝足，最后绝对是每个宾客都 要拎几个烧饼、红鸡蛋、印巴等土特产，醉熏熏地转回家去。
In folk customs, whether it's the full moon after giving birth, or the 100th day, or the first year of life, or the 70th, or the 80th, or even the 90th, or a wedding banquet for friends and relatives, after eating and drinking enough, it is absolutely necessary for every guest to carry a few sesame seed cakes, red eggs, glutinous rice cakes and other local products, and turn home drunk.
离开家乡几十年了，一想起少年时代的事情，首先想到的就是那让人流口水的烧饼。
I have been away from hometown for decades, whenever I think of the youth, the first thing comes to my mind is the sesame seed cake that makes people drool.
衡阳的大才子甘建华先生，就是茅洞桥的人。他著作等身，是中国作家协会会员，荣誉很多，还是衡阳市首届十大藏书家。他的爷爷甘玉林老先生，年轻时曾在衡阳城里开精武馆 ，算是武林中的大侠。
It’s Maodong Bridge where Gan Jianhua, a great genius of Hengyang, comes from. As a prolific writer, a member of the China Writers' Association, and also one of the top ten book collectors in Hengyang, he has won many honors. His grandfather, Mr. Gan Yulin, who could be accounted as a Warrior in Wulin, used to run a martial arts school in Hengyang city when he was young.
最让我感动的是，在我人生的最低谷，他没有因人因事废言，他在湘潭大学出版社出版的《衡岳作家群研究》（下）的《根柢衡阳与当代文学史人物镜像》中，客观真实地评价了 我的文学创作活动。
What touched me most is that, at the lowest point of my life when a worse incident occurred to me, he did not change his evaluation to me. In his book, "A study of the writers of Heng Yue" (II) , published by the Publishing House of Xiangtan University, there is a chapter called, “The reflection of the characters in the history of contemporary literature and the root of Hengyang", where my literary creation was evaluated objectively and truly.
这种高风亮节的品德，公正待人的修养，让我敬佩！
His noble character and sterling integrity definitely deserve my admiration.
2018年11月17日，茅洞桥的周斌先生，盛情邀请甘先生，还有湖南省作家协会会员谢冬梅、彭誉泉，加上我，一起去茅洞桥看风景。
On November 17, 2018, Mr. Zhou Bin from Maodong Bridge extended a warm invitation to Mr. Gan, as well as Xie Dongmei, a member of Hunan Writers’ Association, Peng Yuquan and I to go to Maodong Bridge to enjoy the scenery.
谢冬梅是茅洞桥本土出身的真材实料的美女作家，出版有散文集《此时刚好》，以欢喜之心对待生活，记录生活。写作风格细腻温婉，清新优雅。
Xie Dongmei is a genuine pretty woman writer born in Maodong Bridge, and she has published a collection of essays named " Right now, just in time", which treats and records life with joy. Her writing style is delicate and gentle, fresh and elegant.
彭誉泉是我多年的老朋友，也是毛*东泽**文学院的同学。
Peng Yuquan is an old friend of mine and a classmate of Mao Zedong Literature College.
八点半从衡阳城出发，赶到茅洞桥吃早餐，吃的是当地特色小吃：猪血煮米豆腐。豆腐和烧饼是茅洞桥的两样特产，口感没的说。甘先生一口气吃了两碗，才满意地放下筷子。
Starting from Hengyang city at 8:30, we rushed to the Maodong Bridge for breakfast, and we had a local special snack: Pig's Blood boiled with Rice Tofu. Tofu and sesame seed cake are two special products of Maodong Bridge. Only after having ate two bowls at once Mr. Gan put down his chopsticks with satisfaction.
在街上逛了一圈，才出发去看望77岁的全先勋老人。普普通通的一层三间红砖房，坐落在青山绿水之中。单瘦的老人貌不惊人，却是三代将军的后代。其太公全彰蒿是李鸿章时 代的振威将军，正一品，名载《清史稿》。其祖父清末总兵。其父亲是民国少将。
After a stroll in the street, we set out to visit the 77-year-old man---Quan Xianxun. A common three-story red brick house is located in the green mountains among the water. The lean old man is not striking in appearance, but he is the offspring of generals for three successive generations. His great-grandfather, Quan Zhanghao, is Zhenwei General in Li Hongzhang’s era, one goods, who has been recorded in the "Qing history draft". His grandfather is a general in the late Qing Dynasty，and his father is a major general in the Republic of China.
临走时，老人从门前的柚子树上，摘了三个蛇皮袋柚子，作为礼品赠送给我们。
Before we left, the old man picked many grapefruits, which later filled tree snakeskin bags, from the tree in front of the door, and gave them to us as a gift.
我们是来探寻茅洞桥的历史文化的，是来欣赏茅洞桥秋天的风景的，不是来刮地皮收土特产的，甘先生慷慨解囊，掏了几百块钱，霸蛮塞到老人的手里。
We were there to explore the history and culture of Maodong Bridge, to appreciate the autumn scenery, not to seek gratuitous local products. So Mr. Gan had generously offered several hundred yuan to squeeze into the hands of the old man.
第二站是去茅市镇清逸村观音组，看望抗日老兵陈诗祥。他是1924年8月21日出生，已经95岁。他与段云中将是姻亲，1940年加入国民*党**民政情报指导处第二科，参 加过全州黄沙河抗日战役，曾被日军*弹子**打中大腿，至今腿上伤疤凹痕十分明显。他讲起当年抗日的事来，亲手杀了一个日本人，还抓了一个活口逼问情报，参加袭击*火军**库，炸 毁黄沙河大桥......滔滔不绝，还大声唱起了当年的军歌，声音洪亮，中气十足。
The second stop is to visit Chen shixiang, a veteran of the Anti-Japan war, he lives in Guanyin group, Qingyi village, Mao town. Born on August 21, 1924, Mr. Chen has already been aged 95, and related by marriage to Lieutenant General Duan Yun. He has joined the Section II of Kuomintang's Civil Affairs Information Guidance Service in 1940. When taking part in the Yellow Sand River Anti-Japan campaign, he was shot in the leg, where the scars are still obvious, by the Japanese army. He talked about the war against the Japan, where he himself killed a Japanese, captured a living man to ask for information, participated in the attack on the arsenal and blew up the Huangsha River bridge...... While he was too excited to stop the talking, he also couldn’t help but to sing an old army song , with a loud and strong voce.
更让人意外的是，老人的长孙*金龙陈**，一个衡阳地区娱乐经理人，现在常宁微信公众号原《常宁话》自媒体平台中短短半年时间内就成了当地一个很有才华的网络红人。
What’s even more surprising is that, the old man's eldest grandson, Chen Jinlong, an entertainment manager in Hengyang, has operated a WeChat Official Account called "Changning language" and quickly became a very talented local Internet star in half a year.
不管是哪一个地方，能够让人流连忘返，总会有一点理由。而茅洞桥，有了名声在外的烧饼，有了货真价实的豆腐，有了三代将军的后裔，有了抗日老兵陈诗祥，有了网红*金龙陈** ，有了温婉静雅的美女作家谢冬梅，有了让人崇敬的大家甘先生，在我的心目中，那就是一方福地，人杰地灵，有灵气有仙气有骨气，还有浓郁的人文气息，扑面而来。
The place, where people enjoy themselves too much to leave, must have something special. As for the Maodong Bridge, there are famous sesame cake, real tofu, descendants of generals for three successive generations, the Anti-Japan veteran Chen shixiang, the tennis star Chen Jinlong, the gentle and quiet beauty writer Xie Dongmei, and the venerable Mr. gan. In my mind, this is a blessed place, outstanding with spirits and backbone, and I can feel a strong cultural air coming to my face…
作者简介(Author's introduction)：
斧子，中国人民公安大学研究生，湖南省作家协会会员，红网小说版特约评论员，出版著作有：
Axe, graduate student from Chinese People's Public Security University, member of the Hunan Writers'Association and a special commentator of the Red Net fiction section, published:
散文诗集《等你归来》，湖南文艺出版社；
Prose poetry collection "Waiting for you" , Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House;
散文诗集《欠债校长》，香港商务印书馆；
Prose poetry collection "Principal in debt", The Hong Kong commercial press (HKPC);
中短篇小说集《月下天鹅和祝塘的绝版爱情》，团结出版社；
A short and medium story collection, "The last edition of love between the swan under the month and Zhu Tang", United publishing house;
中短篇小说集《隐身保镖》，团结出版社；
A short and medium story collection, "Invisible bodyguard", United publishing house;
中短篇小说集《财哥的第一次婚姻》，中国文联出版社......
A short and medium story collection, "The first marriage of brother Qian," and published by the China Federation of Literary Unions ...