Sheng Da Wharf was built in 1907, which is mainly used for the freight transportation of raw materials and products of Sheng Da cotton mill. At that time, waterway transportation was relatively developed. 1895, Zhang Jian organized Sheng Da cotton mill and chose Tangjiazha in the northwest of Nantong, which not only considered the urban planning of "one city and three towns", but also needed convenient water transportation. The factory gate is built by the canal, so it is very convenient to get in and out of the traffic. Building a memorial archway beside the canal is also an important symbol of the cotton mill.
The inscription on the pier archway was written by Zhang Jian himself. On the riverside side, it says "Sheng Da Horsehead", and on the side near the factory gate, it says "Use Housheng". Outside, "Sheng Da Matou" mainly identifies landmarks for passing ships, while inside, "Make good use of life" shows that he is committed to setting up factories, making the best use of things and enriching the people. The pier archway was demolished in the 1970s and rebuilt after the new century. I don't know whether this is a mistake or a deliberate act. The figures on both sides of the archway became "Sheng Da Horseheads".
Note that it's "Sheng Da Horsehead", not "Sheng Da Wharf", and the word Ma has only three points, which tells a story.
Let's say "horse head" first. Why is there no word "stone" next to it? In ancient times, the "yard" of the dock was not a "stone" but a "horse" that could be ridden. This is because people used to travel by horse. When you get to the river, you need to dismount and take a boat, so people call the place where you stop the boat "the horse's head". In the Ming Dynasty, because the pier was made of stone, it gradually evolved into a "pier". Later, in the Qing dynasty, it was written back as a "horse" riding a horse. It is said that this is because the Qing dynasty rode horses all over the world, and the pier with stones would be considered as a stumbling block in front of the horse, so in order to avoid taboo, the "horse head" was used. So it's not a typo.
Besides, it is a three-point horse, not a four-point horse. Here are three allusions to illustrate.
First, in ancient times, there were three points in writing Chinese steles and horse characters. Because calligraphy is convenient, it was not Zhang Jian's own creation.
Second, when Zhang Jian wrote three-point horse characters, many people asked him if he was missing a point. Zhang Jian explained: "Only by building a dock, gathering ships to dock, and stopping the ship to unload can it be stable." Since then, Nantong has added another two-part allegorical saying-the pier is three feet, so it can be stable!
Third, there is a legendary story. ? Sheng Da Yarn Factory was established in 1895 and started production in May 1899. After several years of operation, it has begun to take shape. After the archway was completed, Weng Tonghe's nephew came to Nantong from Changshu and was entrusted by his uncle to congratulate Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian took him to the canal to visit Sheng Da Wharf. Weng saw only three points and asked why. Zhang Jian sighed and said, "Although the machines in the factory have turned, there are still difficulties in capital turnover. For example, this horse has only three feet, and it is really difficult to expect it to ride the dust! " After listening to this, my nephew Weng sighed, and then said, "When I go back and tell my uncle to ask him for help and support, I will make this horse run fast and far." Soon after, Zhang Jian received financial support from Weng Tonghe, and his turnover was relatively plentiful.
Later, it was said that with Weng Tonghe's knowledge and research on Han steles, it was impossible to know that the three points of the ancient horse character were the convenience of calligraphy, and how could a student like Zhang Jian use this as an excuse to pin his feelings? It is precisely because of the deep affection between teachers and students that Weng Lao fully supports Zhang Jian's career, which is also his heartfelt wish. This allusion later became Dai Sheng's beautiful talk, which has been passed down to this day.
On both sides of the archway, Weng Tonghe congratulated Sheng Da on starting production and gave it to Zhang Jian: Cardinal introduced almost heaven and earth, and clothes were everywhere in the southeast.
The water transportation of Toarey Yang Canal is not as busy as before, and the Sheng Da Wharf has lost its former excitement. However, when you walk past the archway of the pier, you will think of the excitement and the story worth telling.
202 1 August 1 1 day
Zhou Jie is in Shanghai.