Walking into the White Deer Plain（Bailu Yuan）

Fan Yangcai Gan Li

We enjoy marriage freedom.Loving each other，we stay together.Hating each other，we just separate.

Damn you！ How dare you say that？ You impudent，look at you！

Stone！ You get out！ Get the hell out of my plain.

Grandpa，I wanna go see the Plain.

Grandpa，is this the White Deer Plain？

At the southeast end of the vast Loess Plateau and on the edges of the rich 800-li Qinchuan Plain，there stand a number of plateaus;some sticking out alone，some nearly connected with others.This kind of platform，with a flat top and steep edges，mostly bordering rivers，is called Yuan（i.e.Plain）in geography.

White Deer Plain is one of those numerous Plateaus in Guanzhong Region.

Located in Xi’an City，Shaanxi Province，White Deer Plain covers the vast areas between the two rivers of the Bahe River and the Chanhe River.These areas are administrated respectively by Chang’an District，formerly known as Chang’an County，Baqiao District and Lantian County）.The plateau ranges from southeast to northwest，bordering Zhongnan Mountain southward and with the Weihe River over the horizon northward.

The geographical surface of the White Deer Plain is vastly smooth，the total area of which is about 300 kilometers，and it is the largest of the thirteen plains in Guanzhong areas.The plain is over 30 km long from east to west and about 10 km wide from south to north.The plain is elevated over 200 meters above the rivers around.It is divided into two parts by the Whale Valley---the northern part is called Dizhai Plain and the southern is Paoli Plain.With steep slopes，the White Deer Plain is stately itself.Standing in the southeast，you may have a bird’s eyeview of the beautiful scenery of eastern rivers of Lantian County.Seeing from the northwest，you may feel the revival of the glories of the Han and Tang Dynasties in the metropolitan city.In 771 B.C.，the Western Zhou dynasty（11 B.C.-771 B.C.）came to an end and Zhou Ping Wang（the emperor of Eastern Zhou Dynasty）took the throne with the help of his maternal grandfather who was then the king of Kingdom Shen.When he came to power，he had to move the capital to Luoyang because the former capital city Haojing（today’s Xi’an）was often disturbed by the enemies.On his way to the new capital，Zhou Ping Wang witnessed a white deer roaming on this plain.It is a miracle that wherever the deer went，the crops and trees instantly became thriving and prosperous.Zhou Ping Wang took it for a lucky sign so they name the plain the White Deer Plain.

The legend says that when the white deer appeared，the people on the plain had an abundant harvest every year due to the kindly weathers of their skies and even in bad or drought years they still could have certain harvest.

In Chinese culture，鹿（deer）is祿（luck）for the two words have the same pronunciation Lu and the deer is considered as an auspicious thing.The white deer is a rare thing.The ancient people truly believed that the appearance of the auspicious thing symbolized that the fortune of their kingdom would turn from decline to prosperity.When Zhou Ping Wang saw the deer，he just left the place without settling down，which meant he abandoned the brightness and sought for the darkness.After occupying the Guanzhong area，the head of the Qin kingdom made the most of good opportunities and lucks brought by the auspicious white deer and endured great hardships in the pioneering work to establish a rising empire on the ruins left by Xizhou Dynasty.At the time when his successor came，the Qin Empire expanded violently to the west，destroying twenty countries and occupying thousands of miles of land，which made him dominator of western conquered land.In order to show off his military victories and realize his grand ambitions，the king of Qin kingdom changed the Zishui River at the foot of the White Deer Plain into the Bashui River so the White deer Plain bordering the Bashui River naturally became Bashang.

In the following years，it took 400 years for Qin kingdom to build a world awesome state of Qin Empire.It is the first unified and centralized empire in Chinese history.From that on，the fate of China was determined by various stories of ups and downs under this institution.

In 209 B.C.，because of her tyranny，Qin lost her power to rule，causing feudal lords to chase the deer，i.e.carve up the territory.

Huai Wang，King of Chu kingdom and other combat lords made an agreement that whoever fought into Guanzhong area first would be the king of this region.It was Liubang，one of the lords，who first entered the region and after he made three-point covenant with the local people，he went straight to the White Deer Plain（i.e.stationed his arm on the bank of the Bahe river）and took a geographical vantage point to wait for other troops.He also won a battle of wits against a famous general of Chu kingdom named Xiangyu，and got out unscathed in Hongmen，Xinfeng.Four years later，he united the whole nation and declared himself a king.

All war lords chased the deer to carve up the world and eventually Liubang got it.The White Deer Plain made a great contribution.

From then on，with its unique terrain and superb location，the White Deer Plain was enclosed as Royal Garden when Chang’an served as capital of many kingdoms for hundreds of years.With Qinling Mountains in the south，Weishui River in the north，with Bahe River in the east，Chanhe River in the west，and also a ditch left over by the whales whey they escaped as people talked about it in tales，the White Deer Plain has become a perfect platform for the officials and poets to climb higher places to enjoy the beautiful scenery and press their feelings through poems.

So there is a poem written by Bai Juyi（AD772-AD846）in the Tang Dynasty

A Walk to East Town

Leave aside the honor，shame，happiness and sadness

Regardless of others chasing for fame，money and high position

I myself look for beautiful Fall’s scenery in the east

And ride a horse to wander on the White Deer Plain aimlessly

Due to its high altitude，surrounded by the Chanhe River and the Bahe River，White Deer Plain is also a choice for tombs of late emperors.In 157 B.C.，Han Wen Di，emperor of the Han Empire，died and was buried in the Plain’s Eastern Phoenix Mouth.Since then White Deer Plain got another name，BaLing（Ba Mausoleum）.

It is recorded in the Shih Chi（the Grand Scribe’s Records）：Memoir of Xiao Wen  that to build Ba Ling all the constructing materials to use should be earthen vessels and it should not be decorated by gold，silver，copper，and tin.To save money and not to bother the local people no tumuli would be built.A mountain was used as Emperor Han Wen’s tomb and the main funeral objects in his tomb were crockery.These labor-saving and money-saving acts are maybe one of important reasons for prosperous Rule of Wen and Jing and the good tradition has far reaching influences on the White Deer Plain culture.

According to archaeological statistics，White Deer Plain now has more than 2，000 tombs of all kinds，including over a hundred tombs of Han Dynasty（202 B.C.—220 B.C.），several tombs of Northern Zhou Dynasty（557A.D.—581A.D.），and more than 1，000 tombs of the Sui and Tang Dynasty（581A.D.—907A.D.）.Situated on the Northern Plain，the tomb of Boji---mother of Han Wen Di，and the tomb of Queen Dou---wife of Han Wen Di，enjoyed full geographical advantages.If there were no such superiority，no one was willing to be buried here after death.

Because of its unique topography and geomorphology，White Deer Plain was governed as counties or districts for many times in Chinese history.In the twelfth year i.e.350 B.C when Qin Xiaogong ruled，northwestern part of White Deer Plain（now in Lantian）was incorporated into Zhiyang County.Since then many counties were established one after another such as Bacheng，Baling，Beishan，Bailu，Ningmin，Wannian and other counties were built here.

The isolated position of White Deer Plain gave birth to the folkways and customs of the people on the plain.They stress on both education and bravery.They are sparing and kind-hearted.They have ethical concepts，and more importantly，they have independent spirits.The unique human spirit made a great contribution to the talents and genius of the nearly 300 kilometers’ small plain.To prove it，there are Master ZhiSheng well known to the Western Regions in the North and South Dynasty（420-589A.D.），Painter Han Gan in Tang Dynasty（618—907A.D.），General Liu Zongmin who served for Li Zicheng in Ming Dynasty（1368-1644），Scholar Niu Guanglian in modern times and so on.What is more worth saying is that in April 1927，Hou Depu，Chen Zijing and others established Lantian branch of the Communist Party of China in Xijiahe Village of White Deer Plain，laying a good ideological basis for the establishment and development of the CCP Lantian Party Organization.

Geographically speaking here lays a huge secret.That is，with its unique geographical location，White Deer Plain provides an unparalleled geographical protection for the reproduction and survival of Chinese ancestors.From 1963 to 1966，the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology，Chinese Academy of Sciences，discovered human mandible fossils，skull fossils，stone products and animal fossils near Chen Jiawo and Gongwangling.This is the well known Site of the Lantian Ape-man，which is located in the Bahe River region next to White Deer Plain.

More than a million years ago，Lantian ape-men chose to settle down in this place because there were no such geographical conditions in the seventy-two valleys in the north of the Qinling Mountains.In the southeastern rivers in White Deer Plain，south of Lantian County there is an Alluvial plain made by Bashui River and Wangshui River and White Deer Plain situated on the northwest，hindering the cold weather from the northwest，which made thick and solid hills on the east，higher Qinling Mountains on the south，and the grand White Deer Plain on the west.Also with sufficient water and lush vegetation，it is an ideal place for living and reproduction.

After hundreds of thousands of years’ evolution，the human race quietly appeared in the ancient town of Hua Xu in the middle of the Bahe River today.This is the legendary Hua Xu，and today the Hua Xu Town is located in the east of White Deer Plain.Hua Xu is the ancestor of the Emperor Yan and the Emperor Huang，and mother of Fu Xi and Nv Wa.Hua Xu and their children Fu Xi，Nu Wa and their descendants，created a colorful Huaxu civilization，which is the real source of Chinese culture.

After other thousands of years，the legendary Hua Xu seemed to find a place more worth going.So，they went northward along the river and came to the Banpo，the meeting place of Bahe and Chanhe River.This is where the White Deer Plain ends.

From that on，the civilization started going to the stage of history.

For Banpo tribal people，there was an endless plain in the west and this plain is one of the major sources of Chinese civilization.More importantly，the Huaxia people established world-class ancient civilizations here one after another.Meanwhile，they also built an absolutely world-class super metropolis which is the capital of Han and Tang Empire，Chang’an.

Whiter Deer Plain，with its majesty and grandness，provided a valuable geographical protection for the early ape-men and later Hua Xu，as well as Banpo people.She ensured that the early ape-men was living in a warm and humid environment and the Banpo people and capital Chang’an free from floods of the Bahe River.

White Deer Plain is a lucky place.

Today’s White Deer Plain is still governed by Lantian，Chang’an and Baqiao and the local people still enjoy bumper harvest and live and work in peace and contentment under the influence of modern science and technology.In the northern plain，there are many colleges and universities where students are studying hard，reading aloud.As a representative of the universities in White Deer Plain，Siyuan University is inheriting the educational tradition of White Deer Plain in the form of modern education.In the southern plain，the studios were newly built，attracting many audiences.It uses audios and videos to tell people the past and present stories of White Deer Plain.More tourists pay a visit to the Folk Village on the eastern plain and the Whale Ditch Reservoir in the center of the plain.And in middle plain，10000-mu cherry orchards and watermelon gardens with features is adding to tourism economy of White Deer Plain.

Due to the particularity of geography，history and culture，and moreover，due to the influence of Chen Zhongshi’s novel---White Deer Plain，films and TV series based on White Deer Plain，"White Deer Academy" built in Siyuan University and "Chen Zhongshi Museum of Literature"，a large-scale and new area of tourism based on White Deer Plain Culture has come to an existence，together with the two-river region in the southern Lantian County，the Bahe River region in the middle and lower reaches，Site of the Apeman at Lantian County，six dynasties’ ancient temple，Shui Lu An known as the second Dunhuang of China，Huaxu’s site，Banpo Site，and the ancient Tang Yu Hot Spring with thousands of years’ history，which in fact mean that tourism based on White Deer Plain Culture in concentration of the entire Chinese civilization，has entered the most flourishing new era on record.

Screen dialog

Is he brother Bai？ Brother Bai，you picking up the wheat？

Oh，you haven’t been home for many years.How are you？

I’m fine，fine.

Wild grasses spread over the plain，

With every season come and go，

Heath fire can’t burn them up，again，

They rise when spring winds blow.

References：

Burton Watson.Records of the Grand Historian：Han Dynasty I & II [M].Hongkong & New York：Renditions-Columbia University Press 1993.

注釋

This is the English version of the written script of TV Documentary “Walking into the White Deer Plain”.Special thanks go to Cheng Rang，a freelance TV Documentary producer.

Fan Yangcai，associate professor with Northwest University of Political science and Law;

Gan Li，postgraduate of MTI of Northwest University of Political science and Law

Burton Watson.Records of the Grand Historian：Han Dynasty I & II [M].Hongkong & New York：Renditions-Columbia University Press 1993.

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