Live Your Best Lives
When it comes to the most beautiful water town, I really can’t say for now.
When it comes to the most nostalgic water town, my answer is: Yangzhou.
Thousands of years ago, Li Bai said "Go to Yangzhou in the month of fireworks", a farewell message to Meng Haoran on his long journey. Yangzhou was even just mentioned as the end of the journey, but it was enough to arouse the desire of many people to visit in this lifetime.
Little did people know that Zhang Ruoxu, the man who penned "Spring River Moonlit Night," a poem that surpassed all Tang poetry, was a talented scholar from Yangzhou. Comparing the beauty depicted in this poem with reality, the most likely location for the poem's composition is the ancient Guazhou Ferry in Yangzhou.
"The spring river tide reaches the sea level, and the bright moon rises with the tide."
"The river meanders around the fragrant meadows, and the moonlight shines on the flower forest like snow."
This poem, so beautiful that even its title is breathtaking, was inspired by the waters of Yangzhou. And the very thing that makes Yangzhou so nostalgic is also its waters.
The Slender West Lake passes through the city like a slender jade belt. The pavilions and terraces in the gardens are nestled against the mountains and beside the water. Even the daily life of Yangzhou people is full of water. "Skin is covered with water in the morning and water is covered with skin in the evening." They drink morning tea and bath in the evening, listen to music by the water, and feel leisurely and contented.
This gentle city is also covered with willows. "Liu", "Liu", the spring breeze blows on your face, and the willows sway and entwine, blocking your view. Waving them aside, you will come across painted bridges, cruise ships, dancing pavilions and singing stages.
A prosperous place with willows and smoke, a land of wealth and gentleness.
Suddenly I understood why Emperor Yang of Sui had to come to Yangzhou.
Water is the soul of Yangzhou. Yangzhou was born from water and prospered because of water.
This city has more than 1,000 major rivers, large and small. The Yangtze River flows into the sea from the south of Yangzhou, making it a natural place for transporting fish and salt.
In 486 BC, in order to dominate the world, King Fuchai of Wu dug my country's first artificial canal - the Han Canal, which started from the Huai River in the north and ended at the Yangtze River in the south. He also built a city on Shugang, which was the beginning of Yangzhou City.
Later, Emperor Yang of Sui promoted water conservancy projects and dug the Grand Canal, building on the foundations of previous dynasties. Yangzhou, situated at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal, enjoyed a constant flow of merchants and travelers from all directions, making it a major economic hub. By the Tang Dynasty, it had already gained the reputation of "Yangzhou is one, and Yizhou is two."
If you think that the people of Yangzhou lived a happy life from then on, you are totally wrong. In fact, because Yangzhou was a major transportation route between the north and the south, every time dynasties changed or the north and the south faced off, Yangzhou was the first to be hit and turned into a sea of fire and scorched earth.
Jiang Kui of the Southern Song Dynasty once described the desolation of Yangzhou after the Jin army attacked: "Since the Hu horses peeked at the river and left, the ponds and trees have been abandoned, and I still hate to talk about war. As dusk gradually approaches, the clear horn blows in the cold, and the city is empty."
Yet, the people of this gentle water town have always had the courage to rebuild countless times. This is also due to Yangzhou's advantageous geographical location, where government transport, trade, salt drying and iron smelting are carried out... As long as there is life and the belief to start over, there is a way out.
Therefore, with the joint efforts of the government and the people of all dynasties, blocked rivers were cleared, destroyed houses were rebuilt, and Yangzhou was rebuilt many times and became more and more prosperous.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the salt industry, commerce, and handicrafts developed further in this lush water town, attracting merchants from all over the country, including those from Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Huizhou...
When a business grows big, it always needs a place to stay. The houses of the rich are also extraordinary. In addition, the emperors of the Qing Dynasty visited the south of the Yangtze River many times, and the merchants built large-scale buildings and gardens in Yangzhou City to compete with each other for wealth.
Liu Daguan of the Qing Dynasty said: "Hangzhou is famous for its lakes and mountains, Suzhou for its markets, and Yangzhou for its gardens and pavilions. These three are in a perfect balance and cannot be overestimated."
Compared with the simple and elegant Suzhou gardens, Yangzhou gardens combine the majesty of the north and the beauty of the south. In terms of style, it can be said that a hundred flowers bloom and a variety of styles are absorbed, which has a long historical tradition.
First of all, Yangzhou is very close to Nanjing, and naturally it was influenced by Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties. Emperor Yang of Sui also built a large palace in Yangzhou, and the gardens here naturally absorbed the luxurious and gorgeous characteristics of royal gardens.
Secondly, there were many businessmen coming to Yangzhou, and there were also many famous garden designers who would incorporate architectural features from different regions into their garden construction.
During the Qing Dynasty, most of the people who came to Yangzhou were salt merchants from Huizhou. Some of the Yangzhou gardens you see today have black bricks, thick tiles, and horse-head walls, which are a fusion of the characteristics of Huizhou architecture and are different from the traditional white walls and black tiles of Jiangnan gardens.
Some Yangzhou gardens have also boldly adopted materials and decorations from foreign architecture. For example, the Yuxiu Building in He Garden has French shutters and windows, Japanese sliding doors, and wrought iron beds.
Furthermore, Yangzhou garden design also uses traditional Jiangnan gardening techniques, which is quite poetic and picturesque.
For example, Huang Zhiyun, the owner of Ge Garden, planted green bamboos throughout the garden, confirming the elegance of Su Dongpo's "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo"; Pianshi Mountain House is based on the landscape paintings of painter Shitao, "peaks and peaks are combined, and wrinkles are born from peaks", and uses painting theory to stack stones and arrange mountains. Although it is made by man, it seems to be created by nature.
In short, the garden owners and craftsmen of Yangzhou, based on the principle of putting themselves first and making use of it, jointly created unique gardens, including those from the palace, from the neighboring provinces, from the West, and from literati, making them famous throughout the world.
Of course, a good reputation is not enough. No matter how beautiful a garden is, it is for living. The most important thing is to know how to enjoy life.
I really like the phrase "Yangzhou Man." It's the name of a tune, and it's also very appropriate when describing a visit to Yangzhou. The scenery here is perfect for a leisurely stroll, savoring it slowly.
"Skin wrapped in water in the morning", Yangzhou people start their day with a morning tea.
Hold the crab soup dumpling in your left hand and let the delicious juice activate every taste bud; pick up some hot dried bean curd with shredded ginger in your right hand, dip it in the sauce and slowly savor the flavor; then have a pleasing piece of emerald steamed bun, which is light and refreshing.
After dinner, you can hold a cup of "Green Willow Spring" in your hand, lean back in your chair, and listen to music.
Yangzhou Qingqu (intangible cultural heritage), commonly known as "singing little songs", is sung in Yangzhou dialect and accompanied by pipa, yueqin and other instruments. The program is also quite rich, including "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Water Margin", "Romance of the West Chamber", "Dream of Red Mansions" and so on.
"If you haven't been to the gardens, how can you know how beautiful spring is?" After listening to the song, I went to the gardens to relax. The quiet room is filled with fragrance, and the window frames are like picture frames. There is no more beautiful natural picture than this.
When you step outside, you will see winding stone paths, which will lead you to see exotic flowers and plants, and rugged rockery. When you are tired, you can sit under the porch and listen to the sound of waterfalls.
I can't help but recall the lifestyle of the wealthy merchants in Yangzhou back then: leaving behind the ever-changing world of fame and fortune, they stayed at home without rushing around, strolling slowly along the winding paths in the garden, enjoying their retirement in a soothing rhythm.
Yangzhou has been one of the most bustling and prosperous places in the world since ancient times, with the streets and alleys filled with the smell of human life.
In Dongguan Street, which has a history of thousands of years, you can visit many time-honored brands, such as Xie Fuchun Powder Shop, Yangzhou Three Knives, etc.
Pi Shi Street, once famous for its furs, now has many literary shops, cafes, bookstores, cultural and creative stores... There are always endless new things waiting for you to discover.
The shopkeepers here are good at building fences and planting flowers in the downtown area. If you put on Hanfu and take a photo, you will feel like you are walking in the streets of Yangzhou a thousand years ago.
For those who love reading, don't miss Border Town Bookstore. The inscriptions, embroidered pictures, and cultural creations are all antique, and the yellowed pages have a sense of age and are even more charming.
After a day of fun, it's time to relax at night. The Yangzhou locals call it "water foreskin at night," meaning a relaxing bath to wash away the day's fatigue. Soaking slowly in the water, chatting with friends, and unwinding, you can unwind both physically and mentally.
After soaking for a while, you can ask the master to rub and tap your back, letting the mist linger and soothe any discomfort. You can also experience a facial, shave, haircut, and foot bath, leaving you refreshed and refreshed.
"On a moonlit night under the Twenty-Four Bridges, where does the beautiful woman teach me how to play the flute?"
"One third of the world is bright on moonlit nights, and two thirds of the scoundrels are in Yangzhou."
The nights in Yangzhou are filled with endless music and singing, and the moonlight seems to favor this place, being exceptionally bright. It has been a favorite subject for scholars and poets to chant since ancient times.
Go to the Twenty-Four Bridges to enjoy the moon in the breeze, or go to see a play or listen to music, or go out for a midnight snack, and feel as happy as a god.
In 2019, Yangzhou was named the "World Gastronomy Capital" by UNESCO. The Huaiyang cuisine here is one of the four major cuisines in my country.
In my opinion, Yangzhou’s famous dishes do not have too many delicacies from land and sea. Many dishes are very homely, but they are very exquisite, colorful, fragrant and delicious. As the saying goes, "The best thing in the world is simple joy", Yangzhou’s dishes are the kind that you will never get tired of eating.
Recommended stores: Yiyuan, Quyuan, Xiangyuan
The chef uses Yangzhou's special dried soybeans, sliced into 24 thin slices using the "floating-cut" technique, and then shredded into hair-like strips. The slices are then blanched three times to remove the beany smell, served with shrimp, shredded ginger, and bamboo shoots, and drizzled with a secret shrimp roe soy sauce, showcasing the essence of Huaiyang cuisine's "light yet savory" flavor.
The "Top Grade in the World," commissioned by Emperor Qianlong during his visit to the south of the Yangtze River, features three diced chicken, pork, and bamboo shoots. Steamed, the three diced pieces blend perfectly, creating a rich, layered flavor: "fresh chicken, rich pork, crisp bamboo shoots."
The skin is thin and the filling is tender, and the soup is delicious. Be sure to remember to "lift it gently, move it slowly, open the window first, and then drink the soup" to avoid the juice splashing and dirtying your clothes. Be careful not to burn your mouth when drinking soup with the straw provided by the merchant.
The small cakes are made of sugar and lard. They are soft, sweet but not greasy. They should be eaten while hot in the store. They will become a bit hard when they are cold.
It's said that an expert can slice a 3cm square of tofu 138 times horizontally and 170 times vertically, creating shreds so fine they can fit through the eye of a needle. To find out, come to Yangzhou and see for yourself! Shredded tofu, paired with shredded ham and mushrooms in a chicken broth, is both delicious and visually appealing.
It is made from the tenderest part of the eel's back. The moment you put it in your mouth, you can experience "three seconds crispy, five seconds tender, and seven seconds smooth". It has a strong aroma of black pepper and garlic.
The old goose soaked in old broth and stewed is so delicious that you will be hungry as soon as you smell its aroma. The meat is firm and chewy. Don’t waste the broth, it is just right to mix it with rice.
Having eaten and seen Yangzhou fried rice countless times elsewhere, it's crucial to try the real thing! A bowl of authentic Yangzhou fried rice is packed with mushrooms, ham, fresh shrimp, sea cucumber, green beans, and more, each grain distinct and bursting with flavor.
The dumplings are covered with lotus root powder and filled with black sesame and five-nut filling. The soup is the highlight, with the sugared osmanthus being just the right amount of sweet and very smooth to drink.
Yangzhou always has countless heart-warming moments.
The willows all over the city, the mandarin ducks bathing in the water of Slender West Lake, the gardens shaded by flowers and trees, and the curling smoke from cooking in the early morning...
It takes about 2 hours to get to Yangzhou by high-speed rail from Shanghai, and about 3 hours from Hangzhou. In your free time, come to this city and spend a few days in paradise.
