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与大多数长江边上沿江平行而建的古镇不同，石柱的西沱古镇显得有点“另类”——唯一与长江形成垂直布局。西沱原名“西界沱”，这个占据着水路交通先天优势的地方，似乎一出世就已决定了它将是一个商业重镇。

早在秦汉时期，西沱就已经因盐而成为川东地区重要的商业重镇。上世纪七八十年代，每逢赶场天，西沱总是摩肩接踵。

穿越千年，西沱古镇由盛转衰，又于当下涅槃。古镇游的兴起，正吸引着越来越多的游客，再度向古镇聚拢。

Unlike most of ancient towns parallel to the Yangtze River, Xituo Town seems a bit "alternative"being vertically built along the river. Xituo was originally called "Xijietuo". The place occupying the natural advantage of waterway transportation was predestined to be an important commercial town.

As early as in Qin and Han Dynasties, Xituo Town has been dominant in commerce in the east of Sichuan Province depending on its salt resources. In the 1970s and 1980s, the town was always in hustle and bustle when it came to the market day.

After thousands of years, Xituo Town experienced both prosperity and decline. It is prosperous again today. With the rise of tourism wave of ancient towns, more and more tourists are being attracted to come to Xituo Town.

因盐而生的货物周转中心

Turnover Center of Salt

上午的太阳已明晃晃地眷顾了西沱古镇。我们沿着西沱古镇的云梯街拾级而上，两旁的老旧建筑静静地立着。在幽深的云梯街某个拐角处，一队“背脚子”迎面而来。

谭碧祥就走在队伍中间。

这自然不是当年真实场景，却真实还原了历史深处的某一段风云。盐运背景下诞生的特殊角色“背脚子”，当下成为西沱古镇向游客展示的一个项目。

现在的云梯街，曾是“背脚子”们背着盐前往湖北湖南的必经之路。云梯街上，历经千年岁月打磨的青石板，棱角已经被打磨得格外圆润，依山而建的当地民居，层层叠叠向上延伸。想象一下雨天，当淅沥沥的小雨打在青石板上，远处青山如黛，近处水滴落到石板上的凹痕里，传来啪啪声响，那是一种典型的中式水墨意境。

提到这些凹痕，就不得不提西沱商业繁荣的另一个重要因素，盐。忠县、巫山、巫溪一带，自古便是井盐的生产重地。……