Three hundred li west of Liang City, deep within the mountains of Shan Yuan County, there stood a small barren hill.
As the sun dipped toward the western horizon, its pale golden rays shot like swords, slanting across a half-collapsed little temple nestled there.
The light then folded into a winding stream that trickled down the mountainside.
On that winding mountain path bathed entirely in golden light, human figures were woven densely together, stretching in a line for seven or eight li.
White-haired elders wore faces full of yearning.
Babies just learning to speak had eyes sparkling with wonder.
Each pair of eyes was wide open, pupils fixed firmly on a shabby little wooden table set in front of the temple gate.
On that table sat a battered wooden bucket with chipped lacquer, worn with age and weather.
Beside it piled a mountain of white steamed buns.
The curling aroma of fragrance floated in the wind.
Waves of swallowed saliva rose and fell like ripples.
Steaming hot fine rice porridge.
Fragrant white steamed buns!