Share to: Welcome to post comments I want to comment Radio is the only tool to dispel loneliness Reward yourself with a piece of cured meat Growing vegetables Loneliness vigil ■ Chief reporter Chengping Cao / photo After 14 years, the old man has been guarding the customs alone. The things that accompany him are only the lake wind, steam whistles, nights and storms, and the rise and fall history of Gutan Customs in 300 years... In 1723, the Qing government established Gutan Customs; in 1907, the tax revenue rights of customs were occupied by foreigners; in 1938, the battle of Wuhan broke out, Gutan town as a strategic stronghold suffered from fierce bombardment of Japanese army, but the customs was still preserved; after the founding of New China, Gutan Customs was listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit. Since 1999, Cao Chuande began to guard the customs alone, his salary increased from 150 yuan per month at the beginning to 400 yuan now. Historically, there were many merchants gathered here, but now everything has returned to its original state: there is no well, the old man has to go to the Niangniang Temple which is 500 meters away for water every day; without gas, he has to collect firewood on the mountain for cooking and heating; there is no market, so the old man opened up a vegetable plot; he pickled several pieces of cured meat, cut a small piece every few days to improve his diet... Listening to the radio, accompanied by steam whistle to sleep. On January 31st, the long-awaited sunshine shone on the ruins of Gutan Customs by Poyang Lake in Lushan District. The 65-year-old old man Cao Chuande pushed open the tightly closed wooden window, letting the lake wind and sunshine into the dim room, he stood in front of the window gazing at Poyang Lake... For 14 years, the old man has been guarding this 300-year-old customs lonely. Weibo recommendation | Today's Weibo hotspot