走西口在那個年代是再普通不過的了，我們可以從余秋雨寫晉商歷史的那篇文章里深深體會到那揪人心弦的夫妻別離、母子分手的感人情景。

Walking in Xikou was very common at that time. We can deeply understand the touching scene of the heartstrings torn couple's separation and the separation of mother and son from Yu Qiuyu's article on the history of Shanxi merchants.

古道口，四月天，不見艷陽，只見沙。風絲毫不遜于臘月正月里的瘋狂。渡口凌洪洶涌，冰塊一堆擠著一堆，像去趕集，又像是走西口的精壯男人們，一伙一伙相跟著，去外面尋找錢，尋找生活?？捎钟卸嗌僭偬ど线@塊故土，見見娘親和嬌妻？

Ancient road mouth, April day, no sunshine, only sand. The wind is no less crazy than the first month of December. The ferry is full of ice. It's like going to the fair, or the strong men walking West. They follow each other, looking for money and life. But how many of them set foot on this homeland to see their mother and their lovely wife?

喬老三上船了，頭也不回，妻子扶著老娘抖在風沙里，她們一句話也不說，甚至抬不起那長滿老繭的手。但妻子知道，老三不會忘了他發(fā)過的誓：“你放心，我一有了錢，就會回來接你的，變心，就讓黃河吞了我！”

Joe got on the boat and didn't look back. His wife was shaking her mother in the sand. They didn't say a word. They couldn't even lift the calloused hand. But his wife knew that the third brother would never forget his oath: "don't worry, as soon as I have the money, I will come back to pick you up. If I change my mind, I will be swallowed by the Yellow River!"

船逆著風，逆著流，艱難地消失在大拐彎處。但愿這婆媳倆不會像船一樣行得艱辛，等得焦急。妻子始終相信：黃河會見證一切。

Against the wind, against the current, the ship disappeared in the big corner. I hope this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law will not go as hard as a boat and wait anxiously. My wife always believes that the Yellow River will witness everything.

春去春來，風行風止，水漲水落，總能看見她挎著籃子徘徊在黃河渡口。采一會兒苦菜，她就站直了腰向遠處瞧瞧，紅圍巾隨風招展，散發(fā)著信號。讓老遠的船夫看見了，叫個不停：“大妹子，還等哪？”

Spring to spring, wind stop, water up and down, can always see her carrying basket wandering in the Yellow River Ferry. Picking bitter vegetables for a while, she stood up straight and looked at the distance. The red scarf fluttered in the wind, sending out a signal. Let the boatman of a long distance see it and call out: "elder sister, where are you waiting?"

她默默地站在沙旁河口，注視著古道口，祈禱著河神，不知不覺低吟起那《走西口》：“哥哥你走西口，妹妹我淚長流。哥哥你別變心，妹妹我守在村頭……”

She stood silently at the mouth of the sand river, looked at the ancient road, prayed to the God of the river, and unconsciously chanted "go to the West Port": "my brother, you go to the West Port, my sister, I have long tears. Elder brother, don't change your mind, younger sister, I will stay at the head of the village...... "

聽別人說過，喬老三在那邊修了店，成了家。她不信，也不哭，倒是老娘受不住這流言和折磨早日歸西了。她堅信，老三不會騙自己，不會背叛黃河——他們心中的神。

I've heard that Joe has built a shop there and become a family. She didn't believe it or cry, but the old lady couldn't stand the rumors and torture and went back to the West as soon as possible. She firmly believed that the third brother would not cheat himself or betray the Yellow River, the God in their hearts.

20年來，她經(jīng)常到渡口詢問，向別人打聽，一有消息就把人家請到門上，好酒好肉，每次都聽到同樣的話語：“別等了，他不會回來了?！?/p>

In the past 20 years, she often went to the ferry to ask for information. Whenever there was any news, she invited people to the door. It was good wine and meat. Every time she heard the same words: "don't wait, he won't come back."

撲到路口，踢打著沙上泛黃的矮草，今年春風來得遲，小草綠不起來，她想著，自己還不是一株苦苦等待的小草嗎？

Jump to the intersection and kick the yellow grass on the sand. This spring is late, and the grass can't be green. She thought, isn't she a grass waiting for you?

凌洪又來了，出乎意料的是，她看著轟隆而來的冰的巨峰，恨死了黃河。為什么老三一去不回，你不能把他帶回來嗎？來啦，上游下來一只船，像老三正在船頭招手呢，她心潮澎湃，迎了上去。但一顆失望的心冷卻了，她趟進黃河，去尋找她的老三了，到很遠很遠的地方……

LingHong comes again. Unexpectedly, she hates the Yellow River when she looks at the huge ice peak. Why can't you bring the old three back? Here comes a boat coming down the river. It looks like the third is waving at the bow of the boat. She is so excited that she goes up. But a disappointed heart cooled down. She waded into the Yellow River to look for her third child. She went far and far

又過了幾年，村里來人了，可是不一會兒就沖向了渡口，人們只聽見模糊的吶喊：“黃河爺，我來認罪了！”

A few years later, people came to the village, but soon they rushed to the ferry. People only heard a vague cry: "Lord Yellow River, I'll plead guilty!"

聽了這則故事，走西口的小伙子們再也沒有失信過家妻，再也沒有失信過黃河。一代一代，再也沒聽說過這么凄慘的故事，只有遠去的囑咐和歸來的歡笑——晉商文化的根。

After listening to this story, the boys in Xikou never broke faith with their wives or the Yellow River. Generation after generation, never heard of such a sad story, only the distant charge and the laughter of returning -- the root of Shanxi business culture.