After playing around in Dulongjiang for a while, I heard the sound of a motorcycle and a man shouted: "Come back for dinner!"

When I returned to the village committee, I saw several young men busy putting hot vegetables into baskets and putting them on the motorcycle. Martin also carried a basket and got on the motorcycle.

He Huan pulled him curiously, "What are you going to do?"

"Send meals to the border guard detachment."

"Ah! I want to go too!" Liang Ange first expressed his feelings.

It was inconvenient to have a large crowd, so a few young people followed them.

After walking for about half an hour, we arrived at the border station.

The border guards include some from the mainland and some from the local Dulong ethnic group. They cannot go home during the Chinese New Year. But the fellow villagers have not forgotten them.

The officers and soldiers were not surprised to see fellow villagers coming to deliver food. They were used to the joint defense between the military and civilians here, and the military and civilians living together as one family.

But when they saw a few celebrities, the officers and soldiers were wide-eyed and overjoyed. Liang Ange smiled and waved, "Hello!"

"Ah!" A group of officers and soldiers looked at them excitedly, still unable to believe it.

Several people quickly brought out the dishes brought to them, but the officers and soldiers were not interested in the dishes and continued to look at the several celebrities.

A young man said shyly: "Kekeke...can I take a photo with you?"

Liang Ange ran over quickly, and Qin Kong and He Huan also went over. The officers and soldiers rushed over and surrounded them, standing happily at the door of the border guard station. Behind them was the vast primeval forest separated by barbed wire, and the national flag was flying on the door.

Chen Ying took photos in person. After taking the photos, He Huan ran over and got what he wanted, taking control of Teacher Chen's camera and asking Teacher Chen to go over and take a photo with them. Chen Ying was probably squeezed in the middle by them, and they hugged each other and did not move away.

It’s rare for a guide to be so kind!

After taking photos, the officers and soldiers gathered around them to chat again. They heard that the China-Myanmar boundary monument was on the mountain, and a few of them wanted to take a look.

The officers and soldiers said: "Cars cannot go there. We patrol the border on foot every day, and it takes several hours to go back and forth. We want to come tomorrow morning and take you there."

"We have to go back tomorrow."

"Ah?" The officers and soldiers looked disappointed. But in such a far place, on the eve of the Spring Festival, they quickly became happy again after seeing several big stars who were famous all over the country.

Although the few people did not see the boundary marker, they still realized that they had reached the last inch of the country when they saw the barbed wire fence winding in the forest.

There are only trees with lush branches and leaves, which do not know the boundaries of the country. The branches and leaves are connected together, and the pavilions are like a canopy.

"There are also many Dulong people living there." said an officer and soldier.

"There is someone in our village who used to live in Myanmar. He came back after liberation and now lives in a new house. Now he is very proud that he brought his family back!" said a villager.

Several people were amazed and didn’t know what to say. Sometimes it’s time and destiny!

He Huan said: "This situation at the Yunzhou border is very common. If the same ethnic group lives across the border, they become people of different nationalities."

"It's really luck!"

"How should I put it? Our side has good policies, but their side is relatively free. It doesn't matter whether it's good or bad. Illegal activities are rampant." An officer and soldier said, "So we have to guard this national border."

He Huan nodded, "The Yunzhou border is too long, and many areas are in deep mountains and old forests. It used to be very chaotic, but now it is much better. Otherwise, the people on the border will not only be good at drinking, but it will also spread to the inland. This hole cannot be opened.

.Yunzhou’s defense is under great pressure, and the border defense detachment is working very hard.”

Several people nodded, understanding.

Facing this group of officers and soldiers guarding the border in the deep mountains and old forests, seeing them was like seeing relatives, Liang Ange couldn't help but sing a song to comfort the officers and soldiers.

The officers and soldiers were so excited that they clapped their hands to make the beat and instantly became fans. He Huan also sang two songs. A live Spring Festival Gala was held for them in advance.

After the applause ended, He Huan said: "I won't delay your meal. If you continue to sing, your meal will get cold. Hurry up and eat!"

The officers and soldiers had no intention of eating, but they were too embarrassed to keep them. They had to go back to eat. In the canyon between Gaoligong Mountain and Dandanlika Mountain, the sun had already set, especially in the forest, which was already dark.

The officers and soldiers could only reluctantly watch them disappear into the forest.

Several people did not dare to look back, feeling that they would not be able to leave. Those who guard the border really need dedication! Otherwise, how can they endure such loneliness?

Sing them a few songs and they will be as happy as children! Now the Chinese New Year is coming, and people all over the country are reunited with their families, but they have to continue to guard the national borders in the mountains.

Several people felt a little guilty. Liang Ange said: "I feel that I brought too few gifts and gave them nothing."

"They won't accept it," said a villager. "On a New Year's Day like Kaquewa, they are embarrassed to refuse the cooked food. You come to see them and sing to them, which will make them happier than giving them food."

Got it!"

Several people also became happy.

Returning to the village committee, a running-water banquet has been set up in the courtyard. The banquet started with Dulong drinking and singing.

When experts eat beef, they forget about the cruelty of slaughtered cattle. Because it is so delicious!

In addition to Dulong cattle, there are also Dulong pigs, Dulong chickens, Dulong fish, fried bee pupae, slate cakes, mushrooms... The treasures of Dulong River Gorge are all on the table.

The first wave of people started singing and dancing after eating, and the second wave of people started eating again.

The village committee compound was brightly lit and submerged in singing and dancing.

They sang many hymns of the new era and popular songs, all in Chinese. The Dulong song that the experts wanted to hear was not heard.

Liang Ange ran to the village chief and asked, "Why don't they sing Dulong songs?"

"There are very few people who can sing Dulong songs now. Young people think they are unsophisticated and prefer to sing pop songs. No one can sing the old tunes anymore." The township head said a little apologetically, "We all speak Chinese, and many of us don't speak Dulong.

I can speak."

Everyone looked at the young people who sang pop songs at the top of their lungs and caroused. They received Chinese education and it was difficult for them to enter modern society. It is understandable for young people to pursue popularity.

"There is a grandma who is almost ninety years old and can sing many folk songs. But she has some inconvenience in her legs and feet," the village chief said.

Everyone understood and immediately said: "Please take us to visit."

A girl next to her said, "That's my grandma, I'll take you there."

"please."

He Huan used to bring something with him in the car just in case of emergencies. Now it came in handy again. He asked Martin to take him to the trunk of the car to get a box of milk and other snacks. A group of people carried it and followed.

The girl went to her house.

Walking into the beautiful courtyard, there is still a firepit in the house. Dulong people still cannot live without the firepit.

A grandma is sitting by the fire pit. The firelight reflects the blue and black mesh pattern on her face, like a veil, bringing everyone back to the mysterious ancient times.

"Grandma, have you eaten?" Liang Ange asked.

The granddaughter was translating next to her, and grandma smiled and nodded, holding their hands and letting them get closer to warm themselves by the fire.

"After the meat is cooked, the village will first serve it to the elderly who are inconvenient to go out," said the granddaughter.

The experts nodded, it is really a very simple village.

The granddaughter told her grandma again about the reason for their visit. The experts were overjoyed. It’s great that this girl can translate!

Grandma sang generously.

"This is a complaint about Chief Tsavalong," said the granddaughter.

He Huan explained: "Until the liberation, the Dulong people were deeply oppressed. The people who exploited them the most were the Tsavalong chieftains. Tributes were collected from them every year, including taxes on their mouth, ears, nose, and hair.

"

"ah!"

“Every time they come, they have to build another clean house for them to live in and find someone to serve them. The young and beautiful Dulong girl suffers greatly from this.

They often used insufficient tribute as an excuse to make Dulong people into slaves, and young girls were often abducted as slaves.

In order to avoid being kidnapped, Dulong girls had to have their faces tattooed when they were twelve or thirteen years old, and it gradually became a custom."

Everyone looked at grandma and felt heartbroken.

Grandma sang the tune of proposing marriage again. Even her granddaughter could only say this in a careless way.

He Huan explained: "They used to be a fixed marriage group. They were free to fall in love, and they could have children, and the children could be brought into the husband's family. But marriage must follow the family system, which is not based on love, but on family relations and the reproduction of the ethnic group.

, completely two sets of rules.

You can fall in love freely, but marriage is a fixed marriage with a certain family. As long as you belong to this family, regardless of age or appearance, you must get married. You have no right to choose.

This kind of fixed marriage group is also derived from the survival and reproduction of the family. It has nothing to do with personal feelings. People are just tools for family reproduction. Girls' facial tattoos are actually to ensure the reproduction of the ethnic group.

This kind of marriage system has resulted in many sister marriages and transfer marriages. For example, if a sister dies, the younger sister takes over, which is called sister marriage. When an elder brother dies, the sister-in-law transfers it to the younger brother, this is called transfer marriage. In short, women are like private property, only in a certain place.

Inherited within the family.”

"ah!"

"In this way, not only do the two people have no feelings, but sometimes there is a big age difference. It will be very painful for both men and women if they fall in love with the person.

This fixed marriage system has broken up many lovers, so their love songs are also very sad, just like the complaints."

Grandma sang a song. Everyone didn't understand it, but they felt very sad.

"What did grandma sing?"

"Find a spruce tree on the top of a high mountain

Make three deep carvings
To be continued...