水旱码头催生西湾村

The Emergence of Xiwan Village as River-bound Trading Post

黄河在流经内蒙古托克托后便转向南流达700多公里,直到运城之南,才转向东流奔向大海。在这南北走向的700多公里的中部有个著名的水旱码头,它就是——碛口。碛口曾有过二百多年的经济繁荣,带动了周边村落的建设,如'一花多叶',形成了以镇为中心的周边村落的生态关系,西湾村就是晋商生活型的村落,它兼有仓储,出了不少优秀的商人。另有其他村落,有的是生产型村落,为碛口提供商品,有的村专门输出劳动力,即码头扛包工,还有的专事搞运输、养骆驼,以及生产铁货,开旅店的,等等。这些村子因碛口的经济辐射力而形成,西湾是距碛口最近的辐射村落之一。

After turning southward at Togtoh in Inner Mongolia,the Yellow River runs in a straight line for more than 700 kilometers to Yuncheng,where it takes a final eastward turn before flowing towards the sea.Qikou was a famous post for river-bound trade located along the 700-kilometer north-south stretch.The town looks back on a more than 200-year long period of economic growth,during which it stimulated the regional architecture.Similar to"a stem surrounded by leaves",Qikou maintained a(balanced)ecological relationship with its surrounding villages,especially with Xiwan,a typical village of Shanxi(Jin)merchants that was equipped with storehouses and home to many talented businessmen.There were also other types of villages.Some village communities were local production places that manufactured goods for Qikou.The villagers of other communitiesprovided labor and worked as contractors.Or,they were engaged in transportation,iron production,raising camel,or running hostels.These small villages emerged under the influence of Qikou as the dominant economic power radiating from the center.Xiwan was closest in proximity to Qikou.