Stork Tower: Climb the tower and gaze across a thousand years, a poem captivating the mountains and rivers.
After a brisk National Day, the bumper cars downstairs are a welcome sight.
Standing on the blue-brick corridors of Stork Tower, your fingertips touch not only the texture of the reconstructed wood but also the millennia-old cultural heritage of Wang Zhihuan's poem, "The sun sets behind the mountains, the Yellow River flows into the sea." While not rebuilt on the original site, this famous tower in Yongji, Shanxi, recreates the grandeur of "the world's most magnificent scenery" at a height of 108 meters, allowing every visitor to experience the majestic atmosphere of the poem firsthand.
Take the elevator to the top observation deck for an instantly expanded view. Looking west, the Yellow River winds like a golden ribbon across the southern Shanxi plain, the setting sun casting its afterglow across the water, embodying the realistic image of "the sun sets behind the mountains." Looking east, the houses of Yongji City overlap with the distant Zhongtiao Mountains, and the drifting clouds in the sky seem to echo the Yellow River below, evoking the philosophical saying, "To see a thousand miles, one must ascend to a higher tower." Here, poetry is no longer just words, but a tangible visual experience that resonates with the heart.
The cultural exhibits within the building are also worth a closer look. The vigorous inscription on the first floor, "Stork Tower Record," recounts the building's history. The poetry exhibition area on the second floor brings together masterpieces of literati's poems about the building from the heyday of the Tang Dynasty to the Ming and Qing dynasties, each depicting its own distinct style and expressing why it has become a spiritual landmark in the hearts of literati. However, one regret is that some of the modern decorations feel a bit redundant. If they were more in line with the simple and elegant style of the ancient building, perhaps the charm of "poetry and tower as one" would be better highlighted.
Before leaving, I looked back to see the Stork Tower, ablaze with warm yellow lights in the twilight, interweaving with the sunset glow in the horizon and the shimmering waters of the river to create a tranquil and beautiful painting. This is more than just a viewing tower; it's a place where one can converse with poets who lived thousands of years ago. Only when you truly stand atop the tower will you understand how a single line of poetry can make a building immortal across millennia.