The trend is still new
The grottoes of the Taiping Temple in the narrow valley of Henan Province hide an ordinary but touching story. The protagonist of this story is an old man who has been silently guarding the mountain for 33 years. His name doesn't matter, what matters is his persistence and commitment.
This old man, who lives in Ziling Village at the foot of Shennong Mountain, is 76 years old this year. His body is no longer young, his legs and feet are inconvenient, and the problem of herniated disc in his lumbar spine is getting worse. However, this did not stop him from limping back and forth between his residence and the grotto every day on crutches, sticking to his duty.
The grottoes of Taiping Temple in the narrow valley are located in the Shennong Mountain Scenic Area of the Taihang Mountain Range, and are known as the "Little Dragon Gate" in northern Henan. There were once three caves and 8 shrines excavated here, the most valuable of which is the Thousand Buddha Cave. There are a total of 1,251 Buddha statues in the cave, and each Buddha statue is engraved with the Buddha's name. These Buddha statues are the companionship and protection of the elderly throughout their lives.
The old man said, "When I first came, I was young and strong, and I could lift a tablet with one hand, and I carried more than 100 pounds of stones on the ground from under the mountain one by one." When he was young, he could watch and turn at any time, and the work of moving rocks and pulling weeds could also be completed in a round-trip patrol.
Nowadays, however, none of this is easier. Despite the difficulties, the old man never gave up. He said: "This 100-meter road is the beginning and end of my duties, and it is also where I find my own value." "His story shows us the greatness and tenacity of an ordinary person.
This is the old man who guards the grotto, and his story moves us and makes us think. In order to protect the national treasure, he chose to be alone and watchful, and chose to keep his promise. His story tells us that no matter how difficult it is, as long as we have strong faith and determination, we will be able to persevere.