The Origin of Hongqiqiao Trademark
The Legendary of Hongqiqiao Bridge:
A Thousand-Year-Old Love Story More than eighteen hundred years ago (208 AD), a tragic battle that has affected the course of Chinese history was happened in Chibi, which is known in history as the Battle of Chibi. It is the only one of the seven famous battles in Chinese history, in which a numerically weak army defeated its stronger foe, that still has the relics of original ancient battlefield well reserved. Chibi is immortalized by this battle, and the two Chinese characters "赤壁" is still standing on the edge of the cliff in the Yangtze River Mountain.
The particular circumstances of the battle are as follows: It was in eighteen hundred years ago when China was in a turbulent period of history and the country was torn apart. Cao Cao, one of the most powerful warlords in China, unified the northern areas of Yangtze river after defeating a lot of foes for a few years, while Sun Quan and Liu Bei, to the south of the Yangtze River, were confronting with him in Chibi by virtue of the Yangtze River. In September of 208 AD, the alliance of Sun Quan and Liu Bei consisting of approximately 50,000 marines confronted Cao Cao who had boasted command of 800,000 men. In this battle, the alliance set fire to Cao Cao's chained ships in the Yangtze River and defeated Cao Cao's force. During that battle, the eight-li-wide river was burned bright, illuminating the south bank of red cliffs, hence the name Red Cliff (a.k.a. Chibi). Since then, people who pass by the Yangtze River and know this battle have wanted to come here for a visit.
According to local people, there is also a beautiful love story correlating with this battle. There is a river called Lushuihe River in Chibi. According to legend, a man named Chen Wenhe, who was a marine attache (the General) of Sun Quan and Liu Bei alliance, was leading soldiers training hard in this river before the battle. A girl named Li Lian, who was a daughter of a noble family living near Lushuihe River, was standing on the stone bridge wearing beautiful Hongqi (a gorgeous red dress with local features similar to that of silk skirt now) watching them training. She was a beautiful and talented woman, so they had a crush on each other and soon fell in love. On the eve of the Battle of Chibi, the two had a tearful farewell on the stone bridge. Chen Wenhe promised that he would come back and marry her after the battle ended in two months. Li Lian watched Chen Wenhe and his marines sailing down the river and travelling to the Yangtze River battlefield. Unfortunately, Chen Wenhe sacrificed his life in this battle while Li Lian came to the stone bridge looking into the Yangtze River river everyday, expecting Chen Wenhe to come back fulfilling his promise. Chen Wenhe's subordinates knew Li Lian was waiting for Chen Wenhe every day, so they wrote to her in the name of Chen Wenhe, saying that he was sent to the distance guarding the frontier (border) with the troops and he would definitely go back, in order to prevent her from grief and let her live in the hope. After that, Lian Li stood on the bridge lonely wearing Hongqi and waited for Chen Wenhe every day. She waited twenty years just like that. Holding to the faithful love, Lian Li rejected numerous proposals of wealthy son and talented youth and remained unmarried for life. In the end, she died from depression and grief on the stone bridge. After her death, the faithful love story was widely spread. To extol the virtues of dedication and loyalty of Li Lian who waited for the return of her lover wearing Hongqi on stone bridge, local people renamed the stone bridge Hongqiqiao Bridge. They never lived together in their living years, but people were moved by her spirit. To permanently memorize this woman and realize her dream, their descendants built a stone tower named Tower of General in the mountain next to the stone bridge, implying the General's return, so that they can be reunited in Lushuihe River and spending thousands of years together.
When the sun sets, the bridge and the tower echo each other in the afterglow, casting beautiful reflections in the water, which has become an interesting local scene. There are ancient poem goes:
Watching You Sailing down the River,
The Girl Once Again Waited Until the Nightfall.
Everything Have Changed but the Scenes are Still There,
The Bridge and the Tower Will For Forever Stay Together.
Although the stone bridge and stone tower have no life, this woman's spirit will always be kept in mind by people, and their story will come down the ages.
Postscript: Chen Wenhe was buried in Jinluanshan Mountain near Chibi battlefield. On April 9, 1987, the tomb of Chen Wenhe, a millitary officer of Eastern Wu, was excavated. An intact copper crossbow with range scale and inscriptions was unearthed, together were 37 cultural relics, including a two-edged sword, a mirror engraved with grass pattern, an ancient coin named "Daquan Dangqian", and several blue glazed porcelains, etc.
The reasons why Zhongliang Roller Manufacturing Co., Ltd. chooses “Hongqiqiao” as its trademark are: firstly, be touched by this story; secondly, to commemorate this beautiful and talented woman; thirdly, to inherite her virtues of loyalty and persistence. For 30 years, Zhongliang Roller has been dedicated to providing the best rollers for clients and has never set foot in other industries, which is consistent with this woman's spirit.