NathanaelDwightPelton,alsoknownbyhisChinesenameSuPing,isanAmericanwhohaslivedinChinafor19years.AteacheratSuzhouForeignLanguageSchool,hebelievesthat/"knowledgeisfoundnotonlyinbooksbutalsointhevastworld,andoneofthebestwaystolearnisthroughfirsthandexperience/".Eachyear,hetakeshisstudentsontripstodifferentcountriestoimmersethemselvesinlocalcultures.

Alsoahikingenthusiast,hejoinedthePathSeekerstoexploretheancientShuRoadinthetransitionfromspringtosummer.Beforesettingoff,hetoldhisfamilythatthistripwasanopportunitytoventureontothemostauthenticancienttrail,learnaboutthemostauthenticChineseculture,andenjoythemostauthenticcuisine—hotpot.

TheancientShuRoadisoneoftheearliestlarge-scaletransportationrelicspreservedbyhumanityandhaslongbeenadestinationSuPingyearnedtoexploreonfoot.WhatkindoftransportationnetworkwastheancientShuRoad?WhydidthepeopleofancientChinachoosetocrosstheformidableQinbaMountainstoconstructit?UnliketheRomanroadsbuiltonplains,theShuRoadwindsthroughthesteep,ruggedterrainoftheQinbaMountains.Howdidtheyovercomecountlessobstaclestocarvecliffs,buildplankroads,constructbridges,andpavestonepaths?

Withthesequestionsinmind,SuPingtookatrainfromJiangsutoSichuan.Uponarriving,thequestionmarksgraduallyturnedintoperiodsandexclamationpointsashewitnessedthesightsandengagedinin-depthexchangesduringhishike.

Duringthehike,Xinyue,anativeofSichuan,explainedthattheancientShuRoadwasoncelamentedasdifficultasclimbingtothesky.Forthousandsofyears,thepeopleofSichuanreshapedthelandscapewiththeirwisdomandperseverance.TheancientShuRoadbecameathingofthepastaftertheopeningoftheSichuan-ShaanxiRoadin1936.Since1949,Sichuanhasdevelopedacomprehensive,moderntransportnetworkthatintegrateshighways,railways,waterways,andairroutes.

Passingthroughcountlesstunnels,SuPingexperiencedfirsthandtheperilousnatureoftheShuRoad.AttheJian’gesection,hefoundhimselfsurroundedbysomeofthelargestandbest-preservedancientcypresstreesintheworld,realizingtheeffortstoconnectwiththeoutsideworldwhilelivinginharmonywithnature.

Asaphotographyenthusiast,SuPingusedhisprofessionalcameratocapturethemagnificentsceneryalongtheancientpath.Hislensdocumentedthelush,ancientcypresstreesofCuiyunCorridor,theBaoji-ChengduRailwaythreadingthroughsteepmountains,thehistoricMingyue(BrightMoon)Gorgethathaswitnessedsixancientandmoderntransportationroutes,andthesteadyflowofwaterbeneathstonebridgesfromtheMingandQingdynasties,stillasrobustasever.

Today,ittakesonlyafewhourstotravelfromGuangyuantoChengdu.Withinternationalflightroutesandfreighttrains,theregionalBa-Shuculture,representedbyShubrocade,continuestoflourishandshinesevenbrighterontheglobalstage.“TheShuRoadisnowincrediblyaccessible!”SuPingremarked.ThisimpressionreflectsnotonlyhispersonalexperiencebutalsoChina’sdevelopmentachievements,recognizedaroundtheworld.

在中国生活了19年的美国人苏平（NathanaelDwightPelton），现在是苏州外国语学校的老师。因为相信“知识不仅在书本更在广阔的世界中，亲身去体验是极其重要的学习方式。”每年他都会带着学生们去不同国家，深入当地交流。

今年春夏之交，热爱徒步的他，跟随“PathSeekers问道中国”徒步小组，走进古蜀道。“走最地道的古道，了解最地道的中国文化”，临行前他对家人说，“当然，还有最地道的美食——火锅！”

古蜀道是保存至今人类最早的大型交通遗迹之一，也是苏平心仪已久的徒步目的地。古蜀道是怎样的交通网络？中国古人为何要跨越秦巴山脉修建蜀道？不同于古罗马人在平原上修筑的罗马大道，蜀道分布在秦巴山脉的崇山峻岭中，当年要克服重重障碍凿崖修栈、架桥铺石，是怎样实现的？带着这些疑问，苏平搭乘火车从江苏抵达四川，进川后，这些问号随着徒步中的见闻与深入交流，逐步变为句号与惊叹号。

一路行走，四川当地人郭谢歆悦告诉他，自古“蜀道难，难于上青天”，千百年来，四川先民用智慧与坚韧重塑时空。1936年川陕公路开通以后，古蜀道成为历史。1949年以来，四川又沿着古蜀道线路设计建设了现代公路、铁路、水运和航空等“新蜀道”。

当火车经过一个个隧道，苏平意识到，曾经的蜀道真的“难于上青天”。徒步在剑阁蜀道，置身迄今规模最大、保存最完好的古代人工栽植驿道古柏群，又能体会到先民在想尽办法与外界联通的同时，坚持顺应自然、保护自然。

热爱摄影的苏平，一路用专业相机记录珍贵瞬间。在他的镜头里，有翠云廊千年苍柏枝繁叶茂、有穿过陡峭山洞的宝成铁路、有见证古今六道于此通行的明月峡，还有潺潺流水淌过坚实如初的明清石板桥。

天堑通途，畅达未来。如今，从广元到成都非常方便，几个小时就能到达天府之国感受“巴适”的都市生活。一条条国际航线开通，一趟趟国际班列飞驰，以蜀锦为代表的巴蜀文化在世界舞台更加闪亮。“如今蜀道很通畅！”这是苏平的感受，也是全世界有目共睹的中国经验。

未经允许不得转载：头条资讯网_今日热点_娱乐才是你关心的时事 » Path Seekers问道中国③｜古蜀道：天堑通途 畅达未来