Beautiful Shandong: ancient town of Guangrao on bank of Yellow River

 黄河之水天上来，奔流到海不复回……在九曲黄河尾闾的冲积平原上，有一座千年古县——广饶。

“The water of the Yellow River seems to pour from the heaven until it reaches the seas eventually”......On the alluvial plain at the tail of the nine-bend Yellow River, a Millennium ancient county , Guangrao County is located.

这里是兵圣孙武、汉相倪宽的故里，

It is the hometown of Sun Tzu , the ultimate master of the war, and Ni Kuan,the famous official of Han Dynasty.

这里是古齐文化、兵家文化的发祥地，吕剧在这里诞生，It is the origin of ancient Qi Culture & Military Culture, and the cradle of LV opera.

革命圣火在这里点燃，世界轮胎之都在这里崛起……

The revolutionary fire was lit here,and the Tyre Capital has been rising here......

古今文明的激扬多元文化的交融并蓄，成就了一座绚烂多姿、古韵新风的现代小城。

A Gorgeous and modern city full of ancient culture was created by the cross of multi-culture and past -present culture.

闲暇时刻，徜徉在县城的大街小巷，感受这里的一砖一瓦、一草一木，穿越千年时光隧道，品味人间烟火、历史厚重……

At the leisure time, walking through the streets of Guangrao County, watching every brick and tile,grass and trees,you will feel the glamour of the millennium city with  miracle and history...... 

关帝庙街，位于县城西北部，是县城最古老的街巷。

The Street of Guandi Temple, the most ancient street here, sits at the North-west of Guangrao County.

盛夏时节，道路两侧树木葱茏，绿荫匝地，让人倍感阴凉。

At the mid-summer, you can still feel cool in this street, for the giant and thriving trees along the two sides.

这条街之所以叫做关帝庙街，就是因为这条街历史上有一座关帝庙，现遗关帝大殿一座。

The street was named Guandi Temple Street because there was a temple built for Guandi in history,where a audience hall of Guandi is reserved now .

这座关帝大殿建于南宋建炎二年，即公元1128年，距今天已有将近900年了。 

The Guandi audience hall was built in NanSong Dynasty, the 2^nd year of Jianyan, which is 1128 AD, and has been 900 years since then.

这座古建筑的独特之处在于其全部由木料建成，

The ancient temple was built all by wood, which is the unique.

斗拱结构，檐牙高啄，红墙碧瓦，气势庄严，体现了当时建筑工匠的高超技艺，

It was a Bucket Arch structure, with four corners of the eaves being raised high, red wall and green tile, full of magnificence, which embodied the outstanding skill of the architectural craftsman at that time.

是山东地区最早也是现存唯一的宋代木质结构建筑，能够保存完好至今，殊为不易，

And it is also the earliest and the only resist Song-dynasty wooden structure in Shandong Province, which was too hard to prevent such an architecture as well as it now.

为研究中国早期建筑工艺提供了珍贵的实物资料，被列为全国重点文物保护单位。

It became the rare Physical data for researching Chinese ancient architecture technique, and has been listed as  the state-level key cultural relics protection units .

上世纪80年代以来，为传承和弘扬孙子兵家文化，当地政府在南宋关帝大殿的基础上，扩建了孙武祠。

Since the 1980s, Guangrao Government enlarged Sun Tzu Temple at the basis of Guandi Temple, to inherit and carry forward the Military Culture of Sun Tzu.

孙武祠占地面积7000多平方米， 内含4个融古代与现代建筑风格为一体的仿宋式四合院。

Covering an area of more than 7,000 square meters, Sunwu Temple contains four song-style quadrangles that combine ancient and modern architectural styles.

内部展陈详细讲述了兵圣孙武一族在广饶的活动轨迹，展示了国内外大量关于孙子文化的研究成果。

The internal exhibition details the activities of sun Wu, the military sage, in Guangrao, which shows a large number of research results about Sun Tzu's culture at home and abroad.

当地政府建成了规模宏大的孙子文化园，

The local government built the grand Sun Tzu Cultural Park,

每年都会举办孙子文化旅游节，

Sun Tzu Cultural Tourism Festival is held every year,

并深入开展《孙子兵法》研究，

And carried out in-depth research on Sun Tzu's Art of War.

形成了大量应用成果，

Formed a large number of application achievements,

目前广饶县已经成为国内外《孙子兵法》及孙子文化研究传承的重镇。

At present, Guangrao County has become an important place for the research and inheritance of Sun Tzu's Art of War and Sun Tzu's culture at home and abroad.

 “老西关人”在广饶县内，曾经代表着富足和安逸。

"Old Xiguan" in Guangrao County, used to represent abundance and comfort.

从清末民初一直到改革开放初期，

From the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China to the beginning of reform and opening up,

西关大街一直都是广饶县最繁华的商业地带。

Xiguan Street has always been the most prosperous commercial area in Guangrao County.

广饶古称乐安，借小清河航运之利，广兴贸易，成为小清河中下游流域一个重要的交易节点。

Guanggrao was called Le 'an in ancient times. It became an important trading node in the middle and lower reaches of xiaoqing River for the benefit of shipping and trade.

西关大街作为当时广饶唯一一条大市街，成为各地商人游玩、贸易的宝地，也为古乐安人带来了富裕和繁盛。

Xiguan Street, as the only major street in Guangrao at that time, which became a treasure place for merchants to play and trade, and also brought wealth and prosperity to the ancient Le 'an people.

久负盛名的广饶名吃肴驴肉当年就属西关一绝。

Guanggrao is famous for its donkey meat,which  was a special dish in Xiguan.

据说正宗的广饶肴驴肉出自县城十一村崔家肉铺，

It is said that the authentic Guanggrao donkey meat comes from cui Jia Butcher shop in the Eleventh Village of the county seat,

始创于清同治初期，

Founded in the early Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty,

制作工艺独特，

The production process is unique,

肉质硬实耐嚼，

The meat is tough and chewy,

味道香而不腻，

It tastes sweet but not greasy,

因汤中配搭中药，

Because the soup is mixed with traditional Chinese medicine,

故夏天蝇不叮虫不咬，

Flies don’t sting and insects don’t bite in summer,

且不易变质，

And not easily spoiled,

是佐餐下酒不可多得的美味佳肴。

It is a rare delicacy with wine.

据史料记载，

According to historical records,

广饶肴驴肉于清同治十二年由十一村的武举人崔万庆推荐到了北京兵部差务府供武士食用，

Guanggrao donkey meat in the Qing Dynasty tongzhi twelve years by the eleventh village wujuren Cui Wanqing recommended to Beijing military affairs house for warriors to eat,

后来还被送进了御膳房，供当时的皇族享用。

And it was sent to the royal pantry later for the royal family.

清光绪年间，

At Qing Guangxu period,

康有为途经广饶，

Kang Youwei passed through Guangrao,

在品尝过肴驴肉后挥笔赋诗：

Write a poem after tasting donkey meat:

旅居京华骑驴郎，残羹冷炙豪门光。当年不知驴肉美，何事叩门却芳香。

  Sojourn in Beijing the man who riding donkey, leftovers cold sunburn haomen light. When I do not know donkey beauty, .

  近年来，

  In recent years,

  关于恢复老西关商贸、民俗文化的的呼吁不绝于耳，

  Calls for the restoration of trade and folk culture in old Xiguan have been heard without end,

 当地政府因势利导，

The local government took advantage of the situation,

于2021年重新规划建设了西关小镇，

In 2021, xiguan Town was replanned and constructed,

以明清风格建筑为主体，

Mainly built in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties,

融入现代审美元素，

Which incorporating modern aesthetic elements,

将传统文化与时代需求紧密地结合在一起,

The traditional culture is closely combined with the needs of The Times,

广饶人记忆里的“老西关”获得新生

The "Old Xiguan" in guangrao people's memory was renewed,

虽从现代走来，

Though from modern times,

却尽显老街柔情……

  all show old street tender feelings...

 广饶，一座历史积淀丰厚却又充满青春活力的城市，

 Guangrao, is a city,which has rich in history but full of youthful vitality,

璀璨厚重的文化底蕴和活力奔放的现代文明在这里交相辉映。

The splendid and profound cultural deposits and the vigorous and unrestrained modern civilization complement each other here.

如今，

Today,

这座承载千年芬芳的城市，正以她独有的安定从容，向世界张开臂膀。

This city, which bears the fragrance of thousands of years, is opening its arms to the world with its unique stability and calmness.

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