Reims Cathedral, where Joan of Arc crowned Charles VII

🌆 If you search online for Reims, a city on the eastern outskirts of Paris, or look at descriptions by travel bloggers, you might only find information about it being "France's Champagne region." However, in reality, Reims holds a position in France somewhat similar to that of Chang'an in China – prominent and full of historical stories. 🌟 Here, Clovis, the first King of the Franks, was baptized. 🌟 Here, the intertwining of royal and religious power legitimized the divine right of kings. 🌟 Here, the renowned Joan of Arc escorted Charles VII for his coronation during the Hundred Years' War. 🌟 Here lies the birthplace of Moët & Chandon Champagne, in an Empire-style estate visited and loved by Napoleon. 🌟 Here, 31 monarchs throughout French history were crowned in Reims Cathedral to demonstrate their legitimacy. 🎙️ The so-called grand deception is that the "divine right of kings," this divine certification, was itself a deception, or rather, a technique of fooling the people of that era. The Sainte Ampoule (Holy Ampulla) used for the baptism of the first king, Clovis, was said to have been given to him by an angel. However, it was later proven to be a 9th-century crystal bottle, destroyed in 1793, with fragments now on display at the Palais du Tau museum in Reims. 🎙️ There's another story, not officially confirmed but recorded in numerous novels and writings, somewhat similar to our Chinese unofficial histories. It's the widely circulated tale that the 'divinely certified holy oil,' confirming Clovis's divine right, was actually a chemical trick by medieval priests! It was supposedly pig fat mixed with cinnabar and Persian resin. Upon contact with body heat, it would "reveal writing," artificially creating the appearance of a miracle. 🎙️ The story of Joan of Arc, however, is confirmed to be true. As we learned in our middle school textbooks, during the Hundred Years' War, Joan miraculously lifted the siege of Orléans, defeated the English army, and led the French to ultimate victory, driving the English back to the British Isles, becoming a hero in the hearts of the French people. During the war, Joan broke through enemy lines and escorted Charles VII to Reims for his coronation, thus maintaining the legitimacy of the French monarchy. 🎙️ However, Joan's ending wasn't so fortunate. The year after crowning the king, she was captured by Burgundian troops in a battle and eventually handed over to the English, who burned her alive. It wasn't until 18 years later, in 1449, when the French army successfully recaptured Rouen, that Charles VII held a grand ceremony to exonerate Joan, declaring her innocence and solidifying her indispensable place in the hearts of the French people. ⛪️ Today, Reims Cathedral is over 800 years old. The existing main structure, begun in 1211, replaced an earlier building destroyed by fire and is a typical example of Gothic architecture. In the small garden northeast of the cathedral, you can sit quietly and contemplate the turbulent history of millennia, as if transported back to the era of royal and religious power. 🌲 "Carved railings and jade-like steps still remain, but the rosy faces have changed." Li Yu's poem seems particularly apt here. The magnificent pages of history have now become words in dusty archives, stories and traces. 🌲 How many people still remember? How many people come here to truly experience a trace of humanity, a touch of warmth, in the cracks of history? 🚗 We chose to drive from Paris to Reims, taking the smooth A4 highway. In about two hours, you can drive from Place Vendôme in the Paris CBD straight to the entrance of Reims Cathedral. For those who prefer not to drive, there's also the train option, a one-hour direct trip from Paris to Reims. 🚗 Just a note: the speed limit on French highways is 130 km/h. 🍜 Another note: the Chinese restaurant opposite Reims Cathedral is quite good, serving authentic Sichuan cuisine.