孙瑞
五龍河,是一条在中国版图上清晰可见的河流,在胶东半岛上也是最大的河流。千百年来,她默默地流淌着,灌溉和滋润着沿河两岸的土地,涵养水源,造福人类,因此她被胶东人亲切地称为母亲河。
五龙河源自栖霞市牙山北麓,流经莱阳市境内。它的上游有白龙河、蚬河、清水河、墨水河和富水河五大支流,一般以清水河为正源,与其它4条支流交汇于莱阳市五龙村附近的五龙峡口,成为一条大河,即五龙河。南下又纳入嵯阳河、玉岱河、金水河,注入黄海丁字湾。
我家住在五龙河下游的丁字湾畔,这里植被茂盛,广袤无垠的绿色植物,绵延起伏。居住在这里的人,世代与五龙河结为好邻居、好朋友,因为她从不吝啬,从不图回报,无私地馈赠给世代儿女数不完的“礼物”。
小时候,村里的孩子一年四季都在河上玩耍。春天在河边的滩涂地上割草挖野菜拿回家喂猪喂鹅;夏天在河里洗澡学凫水,有时也能摸到点河鲜,或是捡到个鸭蛋拿回家解解馋;秋天在河边捉鱼虾;冬天在河床的冰面上滑冰嬉戏。五龙河是孩子们最大的乐园。
春天潺潺的细流在太阳光的映射下闪闪发亮,河里的小鱼成群结队,时而逆流而上,时而顺水而下,欢快畅游,活泼可爱。随着气温的回升,河床上渐渐生出扇形绿皮的贝类,胶东人称蚬子,大的大拇指头那么大。蹲在脚脖深的水边,用手一个一个从泥沙里抠出来,半天工夫,我们姊妹几个就能抠半脸盆。淘净泥沙拿回家交给母亲,母亲点燃麦秸秆,大锅煮沸,蚬子个个张开壳露出白嫩的鲜肉,用笊篱边抄边淘,蚬子肉脱壳而出被收在笊篱上,剩下的汤白白的像乳汁,非常鲜嫩,一顿鲜美的河鲜卤子面,成了孩子们记忆当中最淌口水的美餐。
白天鹅来了,在五龙河水面上悠然自得,成群的白色鸥鸟在天空与水面之间翩然飞翔,像快乐的音符。河水、沙滩、树林、野生鸟群和谐地勾勒出一幅大自然生机勃勃的画面。
早年间,五龙河里有鱼、河蚌、河虾,但轻易吃不到的,小孩子干着急也捞不上来。成年人起早贪黑下地挣工分,一天下来,累得身体像散架似的,没有精力抓鱼摸虾。久而久之,河里的鱼越来越多,个头越长越大,大的有十多斤。
村里几个上了年纪的老头儿,提着网偶尔去河里撒上几把,弄上几条鱼改善生活。一次,看到二大爷出来撒网,我见机行事,一口一个二大爷地喊着并一直跟着他,帮他捡鱼、提篓。二大爷开心地从篓里拿出几条鲫鱼给我,我兴高采烈跑回家,让母亲熬了半锅汤。
五龙河边绿树成荫,还有上百年的杨树,两三个人都搂不过来。
村子离入海口不到二十里地,村后有座像窝窝头的石山,高有百米,河两岸因河水冲积形成的小平原,土质松软,当地人叫沙沃地,有上千亩,老祖宗在上面栽的大片树木早已成材,远远望去蔚为壮观。
果园里的老梨树饱经沧桑,仿佛记录着前辈们艰辛而又顽强的生活痕迹。梨的产区之所以集中在这里,与当地特殊的土质有很大的关系。这里地处五龙河畔,河水常年冲积形成了沙质土壤,利于莱阳梨的生长。莱阳梨宛如一支乳白色的雪糕,其肉质细嫩,汁水丰富,甘甜如饴,口感清脆香甜,有独特的风味,是梨中上品。
树林中每到夏天蝉特别多,我会用面和成面筋,带着竹竿去树林里粘蝉。中午越是炎热,蝉越发呆,有时候一中午会粘上百只。回家后,母亲用大锅一炒,又是一家人的美味。
五龙河不仅是一幅美丽的风景画,还是沿岸灌溉庄稼的唯一水源。千百年来,她以宽阔的胸怀,拥抱着两岸淳朴的人民,用清澈甘醇的河水,浇灌着丰厚的土地,滋润着她的儿女。
每当夕阳西下,美丽的余光洒落在河面上,波光粼粼,五龙河上座座跨河大桥如彩虹卧波,恰似一幅美丽的油画。
我爱家乡,更爱五龙河。
The Wulong River, a clearly visible on the map of China, is the largest river on Jiaodong Peninsula that has been flowing silently for thousands of years. Irrigating and nourishing the land along both sides, conserving water sources, and bringing benefits to humanity, she is affectionately referred to as the Mother River by the Jiaodong people.
With its source on the northern foot of Yashan Mountain in Qixia, the Wulong River flows through the city of Laiyang. At her upstream are five tributaries, including Bailong River, Xianhe River, Qingshui River, Mohe River, and Fushui River. Qingshui River is generally considered as the main source and intersects with other four tributaries at the mouth of Wulong Gorge near Wulong Village in Laiyang to become a big river, namely the Wulong River, which incorporates Cuoyang River, Yudai River, and Jinshui River in the south and injects into the Dingzi Bay of the Yellow Sea.
My family lives on the shore of the Dingzi Bay in the lower reaches of the Wulong River, where there is vast expanse of green plants. People here have been living in harmony with the Wulong River for generations. To us, she is a good neighbor and friend because she is never stingy and never seeks for a return but selflessly gives countless “gifts” to generations of people living along her.