Don't try to fill a sandbag with holes all over the place.

- Jewish proverb

1911 was an earth-shattering year in Chinese history.

Holding high the banner of "expelling the Tartars and restoring China", the revolutionaries overthrew the Qing Dynasty's nearly 270-year foreign rule and ended the feudal society that lasted for more than 2,000 years.

After the Xinhai Revolution, in the struggle to explore what kind of nation-state to establish, Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the revolutionary party, gradually realized that simply expelling the Manchurians and excluding the Manchurians was not conducive to building a unified Great China.

The idea of a republic of five ethnic groups originated from the idea of the great harmony of the five ethnic groups in the constitutional movement in the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, the ministers of the imperial court, Zai Ze and Duan Fang, were ordered by Cixi and Emperor Guangxu to inspect the constitutionalism in Western countries, and after returning, they advocated: "The foundation of constitutionalism is to eliminate hidden dangers, and the boundary between Manchu and Han should be returned to Datong...... Abandon the Manchurian roots, eliminate the Manchu and Han domains, and all the ethnic groups forget each other and become one." At the same time, a group of Manchurian students studying in Japan, such as Hengjun and Yuduan, founded the "Datong Daily" and the "Beijing Datong Daily" in Tokyo and Beijing respectively, specifically propagating the idea that the Han and Manchus were equal and that the Manchus, Hans, Mongolians, Hui, and Tibetans were united as one great nation.

After the success of the Xinhai Revolution, Sun Yat-sen changed from an opposition party to a ruling party, and his national consciousness also kept pace with the times, no longer excluding the Manchu and Mongolian nationalities from China, but rising to the level that all ethnic groups were politically equal. He paid a special visit to Zaifeng, the regent of the former Qing Dynasty, and expressed his appreciation for his peaceful handing over of power and obedience to the republic on behalf of the imperial court.

Sun Yat-sen pointed out that the Xinhai Revolution was "both a racial revolution and a political revolution." …… Racial inequality and natural politics are not equal, there is a revolution. …… The result of political inequality among aliens is revolution; Political inequality among the same ethnic groups leads to revolution. The function of revolution is to bring inequality to equality. ”

On January 1, 1912, Sun Yat-sen was inaugurated as the provisional president of the Republic of China, and formally put forward the viewpoint of national unity in the "Declaration of the Provisional President": "The foundation of the country lies in the people. The Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetan lands are one country, that is, the Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetan ethnic groups are one person, which is the unity of the nation. ”

The subsequent Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China also stipulates: "All the people of the Republic of China are equal, and there is no distinction of race, class or religion. …… All compatriots belonging to Mongolia, Tibet, Qinghai, and Huijiang, who were suppressed in the past, can now be the main body of the state and the masters of the republic, that is, they can all obtain state participation in political power. ”

The Republic of China advocates the harmonious coexistence of the five major ethnic groups of Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetan, with the five-color flag as the national flag, with red representing the Han nationality, yellow representing the Manchu nationality, blue representing the Mongolian nationality, white representing the many ethnic groups that believe in Islam, and black representing the Tibetan nationality. For the first time, the "Foreign Declaration" used the title of "Chinese nation", declaring that Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and Tibetan people were treated equally, and that they shared human freedom regardless of Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and Tibetan.

On April 22, the "Order of President Yuan Shikai" emphasized: "Where Mongolia, Tibet, and Huijiang are all within the territory of the Republic of China, then the Mongolian, Tibetan, and Huijiang ethnic groups are all nationals of the Republic of China, and they cannot have vassal names as in the imperial era." ”

Before the Xinhai Revolution, the common people had a very vague national consciousness and claimed to be the people of the Qing Dynasty. After the Xinhai Revolution, the concept of "Chinese" appeared in the national consciousness of the common people. Since then, the ancient name of China has become the abbreviation of the Republic of China, a large country with a vast territory and many ethnic groups in the East.

From the initial intention of launching the democratic revolution in the early days of "expelling the Tartars and restoring China" to the "republic of the five nationalities" after the establishment of the Republic of China, it was a great progress made by the revolutionary party led by Sun Yat-sen in the unity and unification of the Chinese nation, and laid a solid foundation for the future multi-ethnic state.

These major changes in the world outside the mountains have had little impact on the remote, remote, and isolated Togo. It is still an old ox pulling a broken cart, a thin donkey carrying a sick man, showing a desolate and sluggish rural scene, like a pool of dull and calm, microwave stagnant water, more like a simple, poor paradise.

According to the religious customs of the Sarta people, boys are required to perform the rite of circumcision before they reach the age of 12. Sun Nai is an indispensable ritual in the journey of the Salta man's life. After the Sun Nai ceremony is held, it means that the recipient has entered the ranks of adults, and must take on more social and family responsibilities, and it also means that he will soon be qualified to marry.

In the summer of that year, 'Isa held a simple and enthusiastic ceremony for his eldest son, Ibrahim, to announce to his neighbors that he and his wife had a third adult in the family.

One evening, a dark cloud drifted from the western sky. The dark clouds quickly spread out in all directions like a net, instantly covering the sky of the entire Dongxiang.

Before the Sartars in the mountains could come to their senses, the sky suddenly seemed to tear a gap, and the rain of broad beans fell cracklingly. Dongxiang, which has been in drought for nine years in ten years, was violently hit by a storm that has not been seen in a century. The rain poured down and fell mercilessly on the bare mountain beams, and then, like a wild beast roaring wildly, rolled the loess muddy water and rushed to the bottom of the ditch, causing shocking flash floods and massive landslides that resembled landslides and ground cracks.

Niujiazhuang turned into a mess of ruins in a dream.

Some families are lucky, but their houses are filled with muddy water. Some people's homes were miserable, and their houses were in ruins. Some people slid to the bottom of the ditch with the mudslide and fell into a pile of mud.

The soil from the collapse buried palm-sized fields of crops.

The Sarta people in the palanquin ditch had no houses, no fields, and no clothes. They have lost their homes, albeit rudimentary, but on which they depend.

The house of 'Isa was split in half by a storm. Half of the grumble stood lonely on the cliff, and the other half was carried by the mudslide into a ravine a mile away.

Isa stood on the cliff, holding the third son in his right hand and the second son in his left hand. Mai Liyan held the young fourth son in her right hand and a cloth bag in her left hand. Ibrahim carried half a sack of wheat on his small shoulders and an iron pot for cooking.

The mosque on the hillside opposite them was gone. Scattered under the ditch are rubble and blue bricks in the shape of stars and moons, telling people that this is a once solemn and sacred mosque.

The six members of the Isa family stood in the mud on the cliff in a daze, not knowing how to live their lives in the future.

Ibrahim resolutely raised his head and said to 'Isa who was frowning: "Ada (father), this palanquin ditch can no longer be done. Shall we just move somewhere else? ”

Mai Liyan wiped the tears of the fourth child with the burden, and said sadly: "Except for the sedan chair ditch, where else can we go!" There is no place under heaven for us Salta to live. ”

Ibrahim hurriedly said, "Last time, didn't Mahasan Dad say that Saigo is better than our Dongxiang? ”

As if he remembered something, 'Isa immediately said, "Yes." Let's just move to Saigo and live. ”

Ibrahim reminded: "Ada, if we move away, don't forget the little stone in Samarkand. ”

'Isa said, "Good. I'll take it off now. ”

'Isa put down the child in his arms, went into the half-walled house, untied a small bag of red cloth from the beam, and stuffed it into his pocket.

After that, he went to every house on the mountain beam to inspect the situation of the disaster, went door to door to do ideological work for the villagers, and mobilized everyone to emigrate to other places. Eventually, 'Isa gathered nine families who were willing to move to the West Township.

The next morning, as soon as the sky was light, the family and the nine Salta people of Isa said goodbye to the sedan chair ditch where their ancestors had lived with tears in their eyes, and said goodbye to the large ruins and broken walls.

They walked for an hour to regain the strength of the frail elderly and children.

In the evening, they finally walked out of the mountainous Dongxiang. In front of them was a wide and clear Daxia River, and a large piece of land with green crops. If you look into the distance, you can see the city of Hezhou, which is densely populated with houses and minarets.

As if they saw the hope of victory, they immediately lifted their spirits and walked towards Hezhou, which was like a holy city in their eyes.

They found a house of worship on the edge of the east gate of Hezhou City. 'Isa approached the head of the temple and asked for the 10 families to rest in the temple for two days.

The person in charge looked at them in rags, haggard faces, and a member of the sect, so he readily agreed.

The people in the city already knew that Togo had suffered a natural disaster. Many people cast concerned and sympathetic glances at them. Some kind old people scattered a few steamed buns and old clothes to them.

Some people rolled their arrogant eyes and said: "These Mongols have all run back to the city, and the evil obstacle is dead!" ”

Some people even scolded indifferently: "Hey, Dongfang locals, don't you have long eyes?" Get out of the way! ”

Ibrahim glared angrily at the screaming gangsters, eager to rush up and knock them to the ground.

Knowing that he could not stay in the city of Hezhou for long, Isa quickly inquired about the way to Saigo, and then led men and women, old and young, to set out again.

They walked out of the west gate of Hezhou City, and along the flat avenue passed the villages of Blacksmith Village, Tongjiang Village, Jiangjiatan Village, and Duanjiawan. Along the way, there are flat fields full of crops and vegetables, and fruit trees dotting the fields. The houses in the village are magnificent, and the people are wealthy.

'Isa, Mairiyan, Ibrahim, and others couldn't believe their eyes as they looked at the rich and fertile countryside in front of them. Mai Liyan couldn't help but sigh: "It turns out that there is such a good place in the world!" If we had known earlier, we would have lived here early, so why hide in the poor ravine of Dongxiang! ”

'Isa said, "This is the land of the Lord for a long time. ”

One of the old men who accompanied him said, "We Sartars used to live here. Later, when there was a war, our ancestors fled to the mountains. The people who just came took up the place. ”

Ibrahim was very unconvinced, why didn't the ancestors stick to their homeland and give up such a good place to others?

When Jesus saw that the men working in the fields did not wear white hats on their heads, and the women did not have their heads covered, they immediately understood that this was the place where the Han people lived. He mustered up the courage to take two steps forward and asked a working man, "Big brother, I would like to ask about the road, how far is it from here to Gayindai (wa, Xiaoyinpo)?" ”

The Han people who were working stopped what they were doing and replied, "There are dozens of Yin Dai here. What is the hidden treasure you are going to? ”

'Isa hesitated for a moment, then replied, "The well of the ditch, the Gayin of the well and the ditch." ”

The Han man dragged in a long tone and said, "Oh, the Gayin Dai of Jinggou." Walk two steps ahead, turn north after reaching Hejiazui, and then walk to Loess Mountain. There is a fork in the road halfway up the mountain, take the path on the right, and go up to the top of the hill. There are some Mongolian Hui who migrated from Dongxiang. It seems that you are also a Mongolian return from Dongxiang, right? ”

Jesus smiled heartily and replied truthfully, "Yes." Thank you so much. ”

The Han man said, "Bo (you're welcome)." ”

Isa led the group west for several miles before they came to the village of Hejiazui at the foot of the loess high slope.

It is also a village inhabited by Han Chinese. Although the village is not large and the population is not large, the people are honest and honest, and the folk customs are simple.

Isa confirmed the path to Gayindai to the villagers, and then led the group out of Hejiazui and began to climb the steep and winding loess path towards the towering mountain beams that plunged into the clouds.

They walked for about two hours, and finally reached the top of the Loess Mountain, which the northwestern people called the ridge.

There is a small village called Benkang on the plateau. There are more than a dozen families living in the village. The people are dressed like Sartas. They have a few small flat plots of land in front of and behind their house.

Everyone was so happy that they forgot about the fatigue and fatigue along the way. They hurried forward to talk to the people of Benkang, and begged for a bowl of tea and two sips to quench their thirst.

When the villagers of Benkang heard that they were going to go to Gayindai, they pointed to the rolling hills to the northwest and said, "That's the Gayindai you are going to." ”

'Isa looked at the layers of hillsides and asked, "What is it?" ”

Pointing to the nearest flat-topped hillside, the villagers of Benkang said, "It's this little hill right under your nose." ”

Isa looked at Gayindai, which was close at hand but separated by a chasm in the middle, and felt that although the conditions there were much worse than those of the Han villages under the mountain, the environment was much better than that of the palanquin ditch, and there was at least a small piece of flat land, and the field of vision was also very broad.

However, the 9 people from Jiaozigou may be tired, or they may be satisfied with everything in front of them, and they are not willing to take another step forward. They decided that Benkang was the best place in their minds.

As he looked around, he saw that Benkang was a small place, but it had a large population, and there was very little land to cultivate, and if he tried to live here, it might lead to a dispute over land. He discussed a few words with Mai Liyan in a low voice, then said goodbye to the nine families, and walked in the direction of Gayin Dai with his wife and children.