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Half moon talk丨Continue to write Jiangnan: traditional peak + trend frontier

author:Xinhua

Continue to write Jiangnan: traditional peak + trend frontier

Half Moon Talks about Reporter Liu Weiwei

Small bridges and flowing water, powdered walls Dewa, historic gardens; Substitute the needle for the pen, replace the ink with the line, outline the Jiangnan... A Gusu city, half of Jiangnan poems. Thousands of years of history immersed, tens of thousands of miles of water veins watering - as one of the important birthplaces of Jiangnan culture in the mainland, the ancient city of Suzhou grew up in the rich culture. Since 2021, Suzhou has launched a three-year action plan for the "Jiangnan Culture" brand to excavate, research, present, disseminate and promote Jiangnan culture, and continuously enhance the radiation of Jiangnan culture.

"Gangnam taste" is vivid and fragrant

Jiangnan culture is the historical wealth of Chinese civilization rich in humanistic charm and aesthetic spirit, and it is also an important carrier of cultural connotation in the Yangtze River Delta region. Powder-walled Dewa stone road, small bridge flowing water. Walking on Pingjiang Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City, the boat passed by in the river, and the sound of bullets in the alley.

As a national historical and cultural city reserve, Suzhou Ancient City is one of the few cities in the world that has not changed on its original site, spanning more than 2,500 years. Compared with the "Pingjiang Map" of Suzhou in the Song Dynasty, the overall framework, backbone water system, road and bridge scenic spots of the ancient city are basically the same, maintaining the double chessboard pattern of "land and water, adjacent river streets", "three vertical, three horizontal and one ring" river channel water system and "small bridges flowing water, powdered walls and tiles, historical sites and famous gardens".

The ingenious Su Zuo intangible cultural heritage is an important stroke to interpret the taste of Jiangnan. At the 2022 Mid-Autumn Festival Gala of the Central Radio and Television Corporation, a picture of fish playing in the water embroidered by Su Xiu is intertwined with the flowing water and koi in reality, which is beautiful. This Su embroidery work was specially embroidered by Yao Jianping, the representative inheritor of Su embroidery of the national intangible cultural heritage, and specially embroidered by a new generation of embroiderers such as Yao Lan and Yao Zhuo.

As the main birthplace of Suzhou embroidery, Suzhou deepens the coordinated development of the whole industrial chain of Suzhou embroidery and promotes intangible cultural heritage such as Suzhou embroidery into modern life. Yao Jianping said: "Use needles for writing, threads for ink, use needles and threads to outline Jiangnan Lingxiu, and engrave Jiangnan symbols."

Ancient Suzhou was one of the cradles of the mainland engraving industry, and it has written a glorious page in the history of woodblock printing. Recently, Chen Zhenghong, professor of the Institute of Ancient Book Collation of Fudan University and member of the National Expert Committee for the Protection of Ancient Books, presided over the compilation of "History of Suzhou Book Engraving" has entered the sprint stage and is expected to be published before the end of 2022. Refreshing the cultural symbols of Jiangnan with the history of engraving is a window to re-examine, taste, and study the context of millennia.

The ancient city of Suzhou is the root vein of Jiangnan culture. The protection concept of "a blueprint to the end" has preserved the physical space for Suzhou to present the Jiangnan style, but Suzhou people have not stopped. The "Digital Twin Ancient City" application platform has stepped up construction, carried out data governance for the whole picture of the ancient city, and realized the "above" display of element resources such as the protection and renewal of the ancient city, industrial development, and cultural and tourism integration.

"Jiangnan rhyme" has thousands of weather

Jiangnan culture is a poetic nostalgia and the spiritual home of old and new Suzhou people.

As the lights dimmed, the musicians of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra held their breath, and Chen Xieyang, the music director and conductor of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, danced his arms and the moving music stirred in the theater. On August 30 this year, the 4th "Jiangnan Culture and Art International Tourism Festival" in Suzhou, China creatively chose a symphony concert as the opening performance. Chen Xieyang said that the use of Western musical instruments to display Chinese music further shows the unique charm of Jiangnan traditional music.

Half moon talk丨Continue to write Jiangnan: traditional peak + trend frontier

Performance at the opening ceremony of the "Jiangnan Culture and Art International Tourism Festival" in Suzhou, China

A song out of the clouds, a dream into the south of the river. On the evening of August 15, the Liang Chenyu Theater of Kunshan Contemporary Kunshan Theater was full, and the Chao opera "Li Shangyin Broken Righteousness", Qi opera "Zhaojun Out of the Stuff", and Lu opera "Reunion of Phoenix Shen Yuan" appeared in turn. Zhou Delin, executive vice president of Suzhou Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce, said: "Being able to relive the hometown in Suzhou is the kindness and beauty that the city's inclusive atmosphere brings to people." Citizen Zhang Zixin said that he looks forward to the collision and integration of different cultural symbols to inspire something different.

Jiangnan culture is not only the peak of tradition, but also the forefront of trends. At the beginning of the lantern, in the depths of the Humble Administrator's Garden, Tiger Hill, and Couple's Garden, light and shadow gradually rose; The Internet celebrity shops on Shiquan Street are crowded, and the flashes of selfies by fashionistas shine together; Literary and artistic young people hide in the "Jiangnan Small Theater" to watch a drama, listen to a Kunqu opera, and taste the world; Deeper at night, hipsters linger in the colorful bars and refuse to disperse, adding to the fun of the quiet ancient city.

Zhang Liang, general manager of Suzhou Culture and Art Center, said that the Jiangnan culture that nourishes generations of Suzhou people highlights new symbols and new charms in diversified integration, and empowers the development of the cultural industry.

In recent years, digital cultural projects such as the Yangtze River Delta Regional Headquarters of Himalayan City Culture, Alida Entertainment Suzhou Center Zhouzhuang Digital Dream Factory, Tencent (Suzhou) Digital Industry Base, and NetEase Suzhou Digital Culture Innovation Center have landed in Suzhou. In 2021, the operating income of Suzhou's digital and Internet cultural industry reached 80.647 billion yuan, accounting for 24.6% of the total revenue of cultural enterprises in the above regulations.

"Jiangnan Soul" is full of flowers

Jiangnan culture is imprinted into the urban fabric, jumping in fireworks, and achieving the beauty of Soviet-style daily life.

In the early morning, a bowl of noodle soup in the midst of fireworks is a favorite of many Suzhou people. "A bowl of good noodles is a symbol of life in Jiangnan." Old Suzhou Zhou Akun said. At noon, walking through the quaint and secluded Yejia Lane, the pocket café is eye-catching. "A sip of coffee, a national song." Citizen Han Li said that this methodical performance was like a subtle performance.

The pier is a strong stroke in Jiangnan culture. The rivers, lakes and seas behind the Grand Canal carry the spirit and freedom of the ink river. In the silkworm block of Hushuguan Grand Wharf of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the architectural charm of the Republican period preserved remains, and the new buildings are unique. Founded in 1926, the original site of Dayou Silkworm Seed Farm was transformed into a silkworm exhibition center, with old objects and old materials, highlighting the glorious history of local sericulture production and silk civilization.

The dark fragrance of Soviet-style life is derived from the infiltration of thousands of years of cultural context, and it is also carefully cultivated today.

"Liu Yi's Legend - The Dragon Woman Shepherd", "Dream of the Red Mansion, Funeral Flowers", "The Legend of the White Snake - Bowl"... In the performance of the "Lianxinqiao Opera Art Troupe" in Xijinqiao Community, Fengqiao Street, Suzhou High-tech Zone, the performers had gentle voices and elegant movements. The relevant person in charge of Fengqiao Street told reporters that the actors are all retired residents, and they use their leisure time to rehearse and perform to spread excellent traditional culture.

Recently, the No. 32 neighborhood in Gusu District, which was built in the early 20th century, has been renewed. Suzhou City Cultural Protection Unit Tao Mansion (Taoyuan), the municipal control and protection building Cao Cangzhou Ancestral Hall and other repairs. Rong Youzhu, an old man with a flower armor, said: "The transformation not only retains historical symbols and cultural precipitation, but also continues the cultural spirit of 'looking down and looking up to see Jiangnan'."

Suzhou strives to promote the precise connection between Jiangnan culture and people's lives. The first batch of 33 Jiangnan small theaters, 59 public welfare small theaters, and 60 Jiangnan small bookstores have been built, and the art trend of "corner meets play" has emerged. There are 151 museums and art galleries and 858 public libraries, achieving full coverage of the standardization of 2,021 village (community) comprehensive cultural service centers in the city.

"Jiangnan culture is a way of life, a collective memory, and a collection of symbols of regional civilization." Jin Jie, member of the Standing Committee of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee and director of the Propaganda Department, said, "Jun to Gusu to see, this place is the most Jiangnan. Suzhou has self-confidence, confidence and ability to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Jiangnan culture. ”

(Published in Half Moon Talk Internal Edition, Issue 11, 2022)

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