Live Your Best Lives
The gentle water towns of the south of the Yangtze River have always been a dream that people yearn for. The flowers on the river are redder than fire at sunrise, and the river water is as green as blue in spring. The most distinctive beauty of the water towns of the south of the Yangtze River is actually the ancient towns with a long history. The six most famous ancient towns: Zhouzhuang, Tongli, Luzhi, Xitang, Wuzhen, and Nanxun are all unique in the world and well-known both at home and abroad for their profound historical and cultural heritage, elegant water town style, and quaint Wu dialect and folk customs. What is there to do in these ancient towns of the south of the Yangtze River? How to have fun there? Please listen to the editor~ to tell you.
Zhouzhuang, known as the world's number one water town, is known as "Heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below, and Zhouzhuang in between." Located on Quanfu Road in Zhouzhuang Town, Kunshan District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, Zhouzhuang borders Wujiang, Wu County, and Qingpu County, Shanghai.
Ticket prices:
100 yuan; night tour: 80 yuan
Opening Hours:
08:00-21:00
①Depart from Shanghai
There are direct buses to Zhouzhuang Ancient Town from Shanghai Passenger Transport Terminal, North District Passenger Transport Terminal and Qingpu Bus Station.
②Depart from Suzhou
There are direct buses from Suzhou North Bus Station to Zhouzhuang, which take one hour and cost 17 yuan. There are also direct buses from Suzhou South Bus Station to Wujiang Jiangze, which cost 13 yuan and take one hour and 20 minutes. You can walk to Zhouzhuang after getting off the bus.
③Depart from Kunshan
There are direct buses to the North Bus Station, such as "Kunshan-Zhouzhuang/Route 130" departing from the New Passenger Station or Routes 161 and 133 departing from Tinglin Park or Hongfeng Village 2 in the city.
"There are many alleys in the water town, and every house is on the riverside"; "The bridge enters from the front door, and the boat passes by the house", all of these describe the fate of Zhouzhuang with water.
▶ Shen Hall
Located on Nanshi Street, south of the east end of Fu'an Bridge in Zhouzhuang, it faces west and has seven courtyards and five gatehouses. There are more than a hundred houses of various sizes distributed on both sides of the 100-meter-long central axis, covering an area of more than 2,000 square meters. Shen Hall was originally named Jingye Hall, and was renamed Songmao Hall in the late Qing Dynasty. It was built by Shen Benren, a descendant of Shen Wansan, in the seventh year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1742 AD).
Among the nearly 1,000 residential buildings in Zhouzhuang, more than 60% of them are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China. Among them are nearly 100 ancient houses and more than 60 brick-carved gatehouses, as well as some street-crossing arcades and water-wall gates, which are representative of the Jiangnan water town. The most representative of these buildings is Shen Ting.
▶ Twin Bridges
It is famous for appearing in the oil painting "Memories of Hometown" by American painter Chen Yifei. The double bridge has one horizontal and one vertical bridge deck, and one square and one round bridge hole. It looks like the keys used by people in ancient times, so the locals call it "Key Bridge". It consists of a stone arch bridge and a stone beam bridge. The stone arch bridge is called Shide Bridge, which spans the North and South City Rivers.
There is a stone staircase approach bridge at the east end of the bridge, extending into the street. The stone beam bridge is called Yong'an Bridge, which is built flat at the mouth of Yinziba. The bridge hole can only accommodate small boats. The bridge railings are built of hemp stone.
▶ Fuan Bridge
Located at the east end of Zhongshi Street in Zhouzhuang, it is a unique building with a perfect structure of bridge and building in the ancient town. It is also the only three-dimensional bridge-building building in the Jiangnan water town. Fu'an Bridge was first built in the 15th year of Zhizheng in the Yuan Dynasty (1355). Later, Shen Wansi, the younger brother of Shen Wansan, funded the reconstruction into a stone arch bridge and renamed Fu'an Bridge. His hope was to bring both wealth and peace. His sincerity is evident and will never be forgotten by future generations. Fu'an Bridge spans the Nanbeishi River and connects the Nanbeishi Street. According to legend, there is a Zongguan Temple next to the bridge, so it was originally named Zongguan Bridge. There is a building on each of the four corners of the bridge, and there is no staircase between the first and second floors. You have to walk up the steps outside. There are five Wukang stones on the bridge, which are rare in the Jiangnan area. The bridge towers on the four sides of the bridge rise up from the waves, facing each other from a distance, and are extraordinary. It is the only remaining three-dimensional bridge-tower complex in the Jiangnan water town. In addition, Zhouzhuang also has the maze tower, Zhang Ting, Quanfu Temple, Chengxu Taoist Temple, Zhouzhuang Boat, Nanhu Autumn Moon Garden, Shen Wansan's former residence and other attractions worth visiting.
Tips:
Night tour tickets are only valid for entry after 16:00 on the day of ticket collection. Only Zhang Hall and Shen Hall are open for night tours, and other attractions close at 4:30 pm. If you want to stay overnight in Zhouzhuang, please go to the photo spot next to the ticket office on the day of ticket collection to take free photos. The ticket validity period will be extended by 3 days and you can enter and exit the ticket gate freely.
▶ Wansan hoof
It is a must-have dish for the wealthy family of Shen Wansan in Jiangnan to entertain distinguished guests. The saying "When there is a banquet at home, there must be crispy pig's trotters" has been passed down for hundreds of years and has become the main dish for Zhouzhuang people to celebrate the New Year, festivals and wedding banquets. It means "reunion" and is also a superior dish for entertaining guests.
▶ Wansan Cake
The ancestors of the Zou family opened the Gongmao Tea Snack Workshop as early as the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. During festivals, their neighbor, the wealthy family of Shen Wansan, often ordered large quantities of cakes to give as gifts and entertain relatives and friends. Later, it was passed down as "Wansan Cake". The Zou family Tea Snack Workshop not only produces traditional Wansan Cake and Quanfu Gongsu, but also produces more than 20 series of cakes such as sesame cake, peanut cake, walnut cake, jade belt cake, mint cake, pepper salt cake, pine nut cake, fragrant baking cake, thousand-layer cake, and step-by-step cake to meet the tastes of different customers according to seasonal changes.
▶ Grandma's Tea
Elderly people keep an ancient and unique way of drinking tea - stewing tea. They place a big dragon water jar at home to store rainwater. When drinking tea, they scoop the water into a clay pot, put it on a stove, and boil it with branches. They use a sealed covered bowl or purple clay teapot to brew tea, put tea leaves in it, and use a small amount of boiling water to make the "tea brew". Then they cover the lid and wait for a while before pouring in a large amount of boiling water.
"A pure water town, a time-honored Jiangnan"—this beautiful and quaint town is perfectly suited to Tongli, a place where every home faces the water and is accessible by boat. Its landscape is characterized by numerous small bridges, houses nestled along the river, willow bridges connecting to the water market, and river ports connecting to lakeside fields. It is known as the "Little Venice of the East." Tongli is said to have three affinities: abundant water, numerous bridges, and a rich roster of scholars and intellectuals. Located in Tongli Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, Tongli boasts three affinities: abundant water, numerous bridges, and numerous intellectuals and scholars.
Ticket prices:
100 yuan (valid for two days); Night tour: 50 yuan (only for Retreat and Reflection Garden)
Opening Hours:
Day tours are from 07:30 to 17:30; night tours are from 18:30 to 21:30
Suzhou Railway Station, Suzhou South Bus Station and Suzhou Wuxian Bus Station
There are direct buses to Tongli. In addition, there are direct buses to Tongli (including tickets) at Suzhou Tourist Distribution Center.
※Although there is a direct bus from Shanghai to Tongli, the bus schedule is not frequent.
If departing from Shanghai
It is recommended to take the Shanghai-Suzhou high-speed rail route and then purchase a bus ticket to Tongli directly at the tourist distribution center at Suzhou Railway Station.
"One Garden" - Tuisi Garden
Built between the 11th and 13th years of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1885-1887 AD), Tuisi Garden has a unique layout. The inner courtyard has two buildings in the north and south with ten floors and ten basements. It is fully equipped with pavilions, terraces, towers, pavilions, corridors, archways, bridges, terraces, halls, rooms, and pavilions. With a pond as the center, the buildings seem to float on the water. It is named Wanxiang Tower after the owner's name and is where the owner and his family live.
"Second Hall" - Jiayin Hall and Chongben Hall
Jiayin Hall is located at the entrance of Youjia Lane, Zhuxing Street. It was built in the early years of the Republic of China and has four courtyards. The doors, windows, beams and columns are all exquisitely carved. The main building of Jiayin Hall imitates the structure of the Ming Dynasty and is commonly known as the "Shamao Hall" because the beam heads look like the wings of Ming Dynasty official hats. Chongben Hall is located at the north end of Changqing Bridge, Fuguan Street, facing south and facing the water. It is across the river from Jiayin Hall to the east and is connected to three bridges including Changqing Bridge to the west. The entire building complex develops in depth along the central axis, with a total of five courtyards, consisting of a foyer, main hall, front building, back building, kitchen, etc. Although the hall is less than one acre and the building volume is not large, it is very compact and exquisite.
"Three Bridges" - Taiping Bridge, Jili Bridge and Changqing Bridge
Taiping Bridge spans Dongliu and Qiziwei, and is a beam-type bridge; Jili Bridge spans Qizi and Liangwei, and is located between Taiping Bridge and Changqing Bridge. It is an arch bridge with bridge couplers on both the north and south sides; Changqing Bridge, commonly known as Xiejia Bridge, spans Dongliu and Liangwei, and was formerly known as Fujian Bridge, also known as Guangli Bridge.
Tips:
① The ticket includes 10 scenic spots: Tuisi Garden, Ancient Style Garden, Chongben Hall (Jiangnan Wedding Customs Museum), Jiayin Hall, Former Residence of Wang Shaoao (Liugeng Hall), Pearl Tower, Songshi Park, Gengle Hall, Former Residence of Chen Qubing, and Luoxingzhou.
②One ticket can be used for a maximum of 2 days. You must go to the ticketing center to get a stamp by presenting your ID card after 15:00 on the day of purchase.
▶ Minbing
Min Bing is made by kneading "Min Bing Grass" into rice flour as the skin and steaming it with red bean paste and walnut meat as the filling. It is a kind of Qingtuan, with a dark green color, shiny and fine texture, oily but not greasy, fragrant and smooth, with a unique Jiangnan farm flavor. Qing Min Bing was listed as a tribute to the court in the Qing Dynasty and was selected for Empress Dowager Cixi to taste. In the early years of the Republic of China, the Min family founded the "Da Fugui Min Bing Company" in Shanghai, and its products were sold at home and abroad.
▶ Socks
The main ingredients are flour and lard, with auxiliary ingredients such as sugar, salt, sesame and green onions. It is shaped like the bottom of a sock, with layers of pastry as thin as cicada wings. It tastes fragrant and crispy when bitten, and has a sweet and salty taste in the mouth. In the Jiangnan area, it has always been a traditional tea snack that people have been vying to try.
▶ Champion Pig's Hoof
Although this dish is not unique to Tongli, the preparation method of Tongli is very different. As for the preparation method, it is a secret that is not passed on. When people from Tongli entertain guests, this dish will definitely be on the table.
▶ Green dumplings
According to legend, green dumplings are made by mixing brome grass juice with glutinous rice, which is pounded together so that the glutinous rice is soaked in the juice and becomes mud, turning it into a emerald green color. This is then used to wrap bean paste or jujube paste, and then reed leaves are placed at the bottom of the steamer and steamed until cooked.
▶ Gorgon fruit
It is the best local delicacy of Tongli. It is produced from the water chestnut (commonly known as "chicken head rice") in the northwest of Tongli and is known as the "ginseng in water".
Luzhi, located at Xiaoshi Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, was praised by the famous sociologist Fei Xiaotong as "the first water town in China". Moreover, it is also known as the "bridge capital". It is said that the density of Luzhi bridges is the "highest in the world". The river in the town is clear and the environment is elegant. The scenic spots, ancient bridges, ancient streets and ancient houses are all here.
As for the ancient ginkgo trees, which are more than 1,300 years old, they are very desirable and everyone who sees them is amazed.
Luzhi
Ticket price: 78 yuan/ticket
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00 (May-October); 8:00-16:30 (mid-October to April)
① From the train station
You can take the train to Suzhou North Station or Kunshan South Station, and then take the bus to Luzhi. There are air-conditioned tourist minibuses in front of Suzhou Railway Station that go directly to Luzhi.
②Departing from the airport
There are buses from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Pudong Airport to Suzhou, passing through Luzhi.
③Depart from Suzhou
From downtown Suzhou, you can take bus No. 518, 52, or 18 to Luzhi.
④Depart from Hangzhou
Take the bus from Hangzhou East Station to Suzhou South Station, and then transfer to bus No. 52.
⑤Depart from Shanghai
Take a shuttle bus or air-conditioned tourist bus from Shanghai Zhongshan Bus Station.
▶ Baosheng Temple
The temple is a thousand-year-old temple in the south of the Yangtze River. Originally named Baoshengjiao Temple, it was built in the second year of Liang Tianjian (503 AD) and has a history of more than 1,500 years. The wall-sculptured Arhats in the temple's antique museum are said to be the work of Yang Huizhi, a sculptor in the Tang Dynasty. The existing buildings in the temple include the second mountain gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the antique museum, etc. In 1961, the Arhat statues of Baosheng Temple were listed as one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in the country.
▶ Shen's House
It is a well-preserved luxurious mansion in Luzhi Ancient Town. It is the former residence of Mr. Shen Baihan, a member of the Tongmenghui and Luzhi educator. It is located between the "Xihui Xiaoshi", one of the eight scenic spots in Fuli. The architectural layout has the characteristics of both official and commercial, with a store in front, a house in the back, a square on the left, and a shop on the right. The original construction area of Shen's house was more than 3,500 square meters, and the western part of about 1,000 square meters is now restored and open to the public.
▶ Ye Shengtao Memorial Hall
It is the former site of the "Wuxian No. 5 High School" where Ye Shengtao taught. It is now listed as a school moral education base in Jiangsu Province and a patriotism education base in Jiangsu Province. The exhibition hall mainly uses precious objects, photos and text materials to introduce Ye's glorious life from different aspects, as well as his outstanding achievements and major contributions in education, literature, and social activities, especially the educational reform practices and literary creations during his time in Luzhi. In addition, you can also visit Wansheng Rice Shop, Jiangnan Cultural Park, Dongda Bridge and other attractions.
▶ (Spring) There are tightly fermented steamed buns, spring rolls, fermented glutinous rice cakes, fermented glutinous rice dumplings, siomai, green rice dumplings, and various lard cakes.
▶ In summer, there are fried pastries, double-stuffed dumplings, various kinds of rice dumplings, cold noodles, fried noodles, fried wontons, mint and mung bean cakes, etc.
▶ In autumn, there are snacks such as glutinous rice cakes, square cakes, honey cakes, rose lard cakes, moon cakes, meat moon dumplings, and Chongyang cakes.
▶ (Winter) There are soup dumplings, five-color glutinous rice balls, soup dumplings, pumpkin cakes, various rice cakes, etc.
Xitang, No. 258, Nanyuan Road, Xitang Town, Jiashan County, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, is one of the six ancient towns with a relatively short construction time, but it is the largest ancient town among them. Tom Cruise jumped and shuttled between the white walls and black tiles, and presented this place to the world along with "Mission Impossible 3". To this day, Xitang still preserves complete ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, especially the corridors and ancient alleys, which can be called "double wonders". They are rare among the many ancient water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, so it is called "a living thousand-year-old town". The ancient town is shrouded in mist like gauze, with white walls and black roofs on both sides, reflections of tiled houses, and boat shadows on the waves. Occasionally, the aroma of wine wafts from the door of a courtyard, making people envy the ordinary people in these ordinary alleys.
Xitang
Ticket price: 100 yuan (including 11 small attractions in the ancient town)
Opening hours:
Peak season: March 1st - October 31st: 8:00-17:00
Off-season: November 1st - February 28th: 8:00-16:30
① From the train station
There is no railway station in Xitang. The nearest railway station is in Jiashan. There are two railway stations in Jiashan, Jiashan Station and Jiashan South Station. You can take K215 and K152 from Jiashan Station to Xitang directly, and take K222 from Jiashan South Station to Xitang directly.
②Go by car
Take a bus to Xitang Bus Station, also known as Jiashan North Station or Xitang Station. It is best to buy the return ticket after the bus arrives in Xitang.
③Flight to
Pudong Airport is closer, and then transfer to Xitang.
▶ Shipi Lane
Shipi Lane is located in Xiaxi Street, Xitang Town, west of Zhongfu Hall. It is an open-air lane sandwiched between two residential buildings. It was built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It is a lane formed between the two houses of the descendants of the Wang family. Among the 122 lanes of varying lengths in Xitang Town, Shipi Lane is the longest, with a width of only 1 meter and a narrowest point of only 0.8 meters. It is 68 meters long and paved with 216 stones.
The lane is flat with a sewer underneath. The stepped gables on both sides of Shipi Lane are 6-10 meters high and have completely preserved its ancient and unique charm. This long Shipi Lane is the longest lane in Xitang. It is deep and narrow, and the stones are as thin as skin, hence the name Shipi Lane.
▶ Wufu Bridge
Wufu Bridge is located in Shao Hong Kong, east of the Ni Tianzeng Ancestral Residence Exhibition Hall. It is a single-hole stone slab bridge and one of the oldest existing bridges in Xitang. It connects the north and south banks of the eastern end of Shao Hong Kong. Continuing along the river, you will reach Wangxian Bridge. The so-called five blessings are happiness, prosperity, longevity, wealth and a good end. These are the five major pursuits and wishes of the people in life. Using them on the bridge is the blessing of the bridge builders to the people crossing the bridge. They hope that this bridge can bring people not only convenience, but also all the auspiciousness that everyone hopes for.
▶ Misty Corridor
The so-called rain corridor is actually a street with a roof. It is a unique building in the Jiangnan water town and a distinctive landscape in the ancient town. It is mostly concentrated in commercial areas such as Beizha Street, Nanzha Street, and Chaonan Dai. Some of them are equipped with benches with backrests along the river. Most of them are brick and wood structures, generally 2-2.5 meters wide, and most of them are covered with corridors, so that merchants can trade and pedestrians can pass by without worrying about the sun and rain. Some of the corridors along the river side are equipped with benches with backrests for pedestrians to rest. In addition, Xitang’s Wolong Bridge, Songzi Laifeng Bridge, Lufen Ginkgo and other attractions are also worth visiting.
▶ Malt pancake
Malt pancakes are made from glutinous rice flour, black sesame seeds, red beans, walnut kernels, white sugar, and the Chinese herbal medicine foersterolemicus and malt, and are made using traditional craftsmanship.
▶ Lotus Leaf Steamed Pork
Lotus leaf steamed pork is a traditional famous dish of the ancient town. It is made with appropriate pork belly, five-spice fried rice noodles, tofu skin and fresh lotus leaves, and is seasoned with cloves, star anise, soy sauce, sweet bean sauce and other seasonings.
▶ Gorgon fruit cake
Gorgon fruit cake is a soft traditional specialty pastry. The main ingredients are fresh gorgon fruit, rice flour (glutinous rice flour), etc., and the auxiliary ingredients are white sugar.
Wuzhen is located at No. 18, Shifo South Road, Tongxiang City, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. When you walk into Wuzhen, you will find white walls, black tiles, small bridges and flowing water. Everything in front of you carries the strong atmosphere of Chinese ink painting. The carved beams and painted buildings, the stone alleys and old houses, this place known as the "land of fish and rice, the home of silk", has been a favorite of literati and poets since ancient times to chant about love and romance and talk freely. It is also the hometown of the great writer Mao Dun. The ancient town has water pavilions that are rare in the water towns of Jiangnan, and is therefore known as "China's last waterside home". "Once you come, you never leave", this is Rene Liu's feelings about Wuzhen. Some people say that the Wuzhen, which has undergone unified transformation, seems to be too exquisite and lacks the vicissitudes of history. However, it cannot be denied that the local culture belonging to the ancient town of Wu Yue has been completely preserved and shines brightly.
Wuzhen Ticket Price
East Gate: 100 yuan/person; West Gate: 120 yuan/person
Combined ticket (including East Gate and West Gate) 150 yuan
※From August 1, 2017, the ticket price for the East Scenic Area will be increased to 120 yuan per person, and the ticket price for the West Scenic Area will be increased to 150 yuan per person.
※ Wuzhen has cancelled the night tour ticket and changed to a full-day ticket system, which includes all attractions and performances in the scenic area
Opening Hours:
① Wucun Pure Play Package: 9:00~18:00;
② Xizha Scenic Area: 9:00~22:00;
Xizha Scenic Spot: Summer 8:00~17:30, Winter 8:00~17:00;
③ Dongzha Scenic Area: Summer 7:00~18:00, Winter 7:00~17:30
①From the airport
Currently, only Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport has direct shuttle buses to Wuzhen. Arrivals at other airports need to transfer to a bus or train after getting off the plane to reach Wuzhen (a taxi directly from Xiaoshan Airport to Wuzhen costs around 300 yuan).
②Go by car
This is the most convenient way to get to Wuzhen. At present, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wenzhou, Shaoxing and Suzhou have opened tourist routes directly to Wuzhen. Tourists can take them at various tourist distribution centers. In addition, taking a train to Tongxiang or Jiaxing and then transferring to Wuzhen is also a method adopted by many tourists.
③Train to
There is no train station in Wuzhen, so you need to take a train to the area around Wuzhen and then transfer to a nearby bus station. If you choose Tongxiang Railway Station, you can take bus K282 directly to Wuzhen.
▶ Dongzha Scenic Area
In 2001, the Dongzha Scenic Area of Wuzhen's Dongzha Protection and Development Project was officially opened to the public. The first phase of the scenic area covers an area of about 0.46 square kilometers, and the protected building area is nearly 60,000 square meters. It is a famous ancient town tourist destination in China. The scenic area has a tour length of 2 kilometers and consists of Dongzha Old Street, Guanqian Street, riverside water pavilions, and corridors. After the completion of the project, the Dongzha Scenic Area covers an area of about 1.98 square kilometers and has more than ten scenic spots.
▶ Xizha Scenic Area
Xizha is located on West Street in Wuzhen, adjacent to the ancient Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and has direct roads to Jiangsu, Suzhou and Tongxiang city. The transportation is very convenient. Unlike Dongzha, which focuses on tourism, Xizha is mainly designed for business tourism and leisure vacations. The Xizha scenic area covers an area of 4.92 square kilometers, with more than 9,000 meters of crisscrossing rivers and 72 ancient bridges. The river density and the number of stone bridges are the highest in ancient towns across the country. There are 250,000 square meters of exquisite Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings preserved in the scenic area. The Xizha Old Street that runs across the east and west of the scenic area is 1.8 kilometers long, and the riverside pavilions on both sides stretch for more than 1.8 kilometers. The northern area of the scenic area is a natural wetland of more than 50,000 square meters.
▶ Mao Dun's Former Residence
It is the only national key cultural relic protection unit in Jiaxing City so far. It is located at No. 17 Guanqian Street on the east side of the river in Wuzhen City. It is a four-bay, two-entry, multi-story wooden structure building facing north and south with a total area of about 450 square meters. The former residence is divided into two units, east and west. It was purchased twice by Mao Dun's great-grandfather. The former residence includes bedrooms, study, dining room and other buildings. Its furniture and layout are still the same as when Mao Dun first lived there.
▶ Ancient stage
It is an annex building of the Taoist temple. It was built in the 14th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1749). Like the Xiuzhen Temple, it has been repeatedly damaged. However, after the renovation in 1919, it has been preserved to this day. The stage is a hip-and-gable roof stage with two floors. The bottom floor is surrounded by bricks and stones. There are side doors and front doors for entry and exit. The side doors lead to the river pier. There is a small staircase at the back of the bottom floor leading to the platform. You can also go down from the river pier to the boat through the flap door.
▶ Whitewater fish
The wild fish in Wuzhen waters grow in unpolluted rivers. Their meat is tender and delicious, and they are rare freshwater treasures.
▶ Handmade sauce
China is the country with the earliest origin of soy sauce production, with a history of more than 2,000 years. It is all made by natural fermentation and brewing. In the ninth year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1859), Tao Xuchang, a town resident, founded the Xuchang Soy Sauce Garden with his own name. This is the earliest soy sauce garden in Wuzhen's historical records.
▶ Three White Wines
Sanbaijiu (Three White Liquor) is a delicacy of the Wuzhen people, brewed entirely by hand from natural ingredients. What is Sanbaijiu? The "Wuqing Town Chronicle" states that it is "made from white rice, white flour, and white water, hence its name." In addition to the 55°C Sanbaijiu, the company also produces white glutinous rice wine at 12°C and sweet baijiu at 4°C.
▶ Sister-in-law Cake
Wuzhen Sister-in-law Cake is a traditional delicacy of Wuzhen, Tongxiang. According to the "Wuqing Town Chronicles", it has a history of more than 100 years. According to folklore, it was made due to a quarrel between an aunt and a sister-in-law, hence the name Sister-in-law Cake. Its shape resembles a chess piece cake, but is slightly larger than a chess piece cake.
▶ Smoked bean tea
Also known as roasted bean tea, the main raw material is smoked beans, and the auxiliary ingredients include osmanthus, fried sesame seeds, orange peel, shredded radish, perilla seeds, fried cypress seeds, etc., so the people of Wuzhen have the saying of "eating tea".
▶ Wuzhen Dingsheng Cake
Dingsheng cake is shaped like a lotus flower. The outer layer is made of refined fragrant rice and glutinous rice flour. The rice flour is fine and uniform, and the inside is filled with red bean paste, mixed with a small amount of white sugar and osmanthus.
Nanxun, located to the east of the urban area of Nanxun District, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and bordering Wujiang City, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, was once the most prosperous ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River. Unlike other ancient towns, there are few old houses with long corridors and stone bridges in deep alleys, but there are many famous gardens and historical sites. Most of these gardens have a combination of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The Hundred Rooms in the Ming Dynasty have a unique style, and the former residences of Zhang Shiming and Zhang Jingjiang in the Qing Dynasty are unique. Every frown and smile is full of rich cultural atmosphere. In addition, this small town in the south of the Yangtze River with a thousand-year cultural heritage and historical heritage also has a variety of delicious traditional foods. The popular food variety show "12 Tastes of Feng Wei" also made a special episode about "Xun Pig's Hoof". Come to Nanxun Ancient Town to experience authentic Jiangnan snacks.
The ticket price for Nanxun is: 100 yuan/person
Opening hours: 08:30-17:00
①Train to
The most convenient way to transfer is from Huzhou Railway Station. There are two ways. One is to take bus No. 40 or No. 101B to Zhejiang North Passenger Transport Center, and then take the express bus from Huzhou to Nanxun. The bus costs 2 yuan and the express bus costs 8 yuan. The second is to take bus No. 101B directly to Nanxun, buy tickets in sections, and the whole journey costs 8 yuan.
② There are frequent buses and minibuses running between Nanxun and other places in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
The most convenient route to Nanxun from Beijing, Guangzhou and other places is to transfer in Huzhou or Jiaxing.
※There are no direct buses from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to Nanxun. Transfers are required in the city.
▶ Xiaolianzhuang
Located west of Wangu Bridge in the southwest of Nanxun Town, it is a private garden built by Liu Yong, the richest man in Nanxun commonly known as "Four Elephants" in the late Qing Dynasty. It was built in the 11th year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1885). It was called Xiaolianzhuang because he admired the name of Lianhuazhuang built by Zhao Mengfu, a great calligrapher and painter from Huzhou in the late Yuan Dynasty. Xiaolianzhuang is adjacent to Jiaye Library, and outside the garden is Partridge Creek.
▶ Jiayetang Library
Located on the bank of the Quail Creek in Nanxun Town, and adjacent to the Liu family's private garden Xiaolianzhuang in the east, the Jiayetang Library features a garden-style layout that combines Chinese and Western styles. It is a hall building with a U-shaped corridor. All wooden windows are hollowed out and engraved with the seal characters "Jiayetang Library". Outside the building are large gardens, ponds, and rockery. After 1949, the Jiayetang Library has become a part of the Zhejiang Library.
▶ Hundred Houses
Located on both sides of the Dongbaijianlou River in the ancient town of Nanxun, the Baijianlou River starts from the East Diaoqiao Bridge in the east and ends at the Zhazhuang Bridge in the north. Baijianlou is built along the river and is about 400 meters long. It was built by Dong Fen, a native of Nanxun and the Minister of Rites during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620). Baijianlou is called "Baijianlou" because there are hundreds of buildings built on both sides of the river and a long stone bridge connecting the two sides.
▶ Seeking forgiveness
It is a villa built in 1930 by Liu Chenggan, the owner of Jiayetang Library. In 1920, Liu Chenggan built Jiayetang Library. In order to meet the needs of library management, he expanded Qiushuli as a place for him and his family to stay when they returned to Xun and to manage the library. Qiushuli is a typical building that combines Chinese and Western styles. The whole structure consists of a gatehouse, corridor, Western-style gatehouse, rolling door, courtyard and independent hall.
▶ Nanxun Wenyuan
It is located in Nanxun Scenic Area, surrounded by rivers and with a lake in the middle. It is close to Jiangnan Water Town Street in the north and is close to places of interest such as Xiaolianzhuang and Jiayetang Library. The South Garden is mainly a Jiangnan garden, and the North Garden is centered on Wenchang Pavilion in the center of the lake. Surrounding it are celebrity poetry galleries, the Red Army Long March Memorial Hall, the Wu Shougu Art Museum, the Xu Chi Memorial Hall, Ming Dynasty stone lions and other attractions.
▶ Guanghui Palace
It was first built during the Zhiping period of the Northern Song Dynasty and is a Taoist sacred place with a long history. Legend has it that Zhang Shicheng, the leader of the peasant uprising army in the late Yuan Dynasty, once occupied Guanghui Palace as his palace, so it is also called Zhangwang Temple. It combines Buddhism and Taoism, and worships both Wong Tai Sin and Guanyin Bodhisattva.
▶ Orange Cake
A Nanxun specialty, made from glutinous rice from the south of the Yangtze River, it is a traditional winter seasonal product characterized by uniform grains and a sweet, soft and glutinous taste.
▶ Nanxun Tibetan Valley Wine
Zanggu Bridge in Jili Village on the outskirts of Nanxun Ancient Town has preserved the traditional wine-making technique for thousands of years. Many families still continue the custom of making their own wine using traditional techniques. Zanggu Bridge in Jili Village, Nanxun produces a series of fruit wines including mulberry wine, bayberry wine, and green plum wine.
▶ Nanxun kohlrabi
It is made by processing and pickling fresh cabbage. Its main production area is in the four townships of Nanxun Town. There are two varieties. One is bred from the fine varieties produced in Jiuliwan, Jiaxing, commonly known as the local variety, and the other is introduced from Yunnan in the 1960s, commonly known as the foreign variety.
In the inky Jiangnan, holding an oil-paper umbrella, walking quietly and slowly between the ancient alleys with gray walls and black tiles, on the bluestone road after the rain, you can see that despite thousands of years of vicissitudes, the six ancient towns in Jiangnan still preserve the original Jiangnan characteristics of "small bridges, flowing water, and houses". When you are among them, every frame seems like a dream, so beautiful that people can't help but sigh that the years are quiet and good!
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