When it comes to water towns, we immediately see a picture of intertwined water networks, vertical and horizontal rivers, and quiet and beautiful villages.
In particular, the Jiangnan region is rich in products and abundant precipitation. Under the blue sky, the waterway is hidden between the blue bricks and black tiles in an irregular net, and it contrasts with it, which is quite meaningful.
Most of the water towns are ancient towns, and we are familiar with Tongli, Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen... All of them are small bridges and flowing water, pink walls and tiles, cornices and corners, and long streets and alleys. In the quiet time, the atmosphere of the ancient town has a long charm, and people can't get enough of it.
Today, let's take a look at Wuzhen - if you can only go to one Jiangnan water town in this life, many people should choose Wuzhen first.
Wuzhen is located at the northern end of Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, in the center of the rich Hangjiahu Plain.
Historically, Wuzhen was a place where two provinces (Zhejiang, Jiangsu), three prefectures (Jiaxing, Huzhou, Suzhou), and seven counties (Tongxiang, Shimen, Xiushui, Wucheng, Gui'an, Wujiang, Zhenze) were staggered, and the transportation was very convenient.
About 7,000 years ago, the ancestors of Wuzhen Town lived in this area.
With a history of more than 7,000 years of civilization and 1,300 years of town building, Wuzhen has become an extremely typical ancient water town in the south of the Yangtze River in China, and is also a famous historical and cultural town in China, known as "the land of fish and rice and the house of silk".
However, at the beginning, compared with other ancient towns, Wuzhen's innate advantages were not obvious. In the early years, Wuzhen only had the card of Mao Dun's hometown, and its rise was later than that of Zhouzhuang and Tongli, so there was no first-mover advantage.
So, among the countless water towns and ancient towns in China, why can Wuzhen stand out and rank firmly in the C position of Jiangnan towns?
Some people say that Wuzhen is a miracle. Because it is a real town, it has well preserved its own charm.
As a typical water town in the south of the Yangtze River, Wuzhen is divided by many rivers, forming a unique pattern surrounded by water. And it is precisely because of the water in Wuzhen that the town has developed a unique "water-friendly architecture".
When you walk in Wuzhen, you can see the waterside dwellings, all of which are mainly two-story water pavilions, with green tiles and white walls, wooden planks as walls, and a stone step leading directly to the river. Some sailors can also dock small boats as a means of transportation.
Locals are on the water's side, washing clothes and vegetables, or holding boats on the water, bringing a strong atmosphere of life to Wuzhen.
In addition to the river, there are also long and narrow alleys between the houses, which connect the main streets of the town.
Due to the strong commercial atmosphere since ancient times, there are large and small shops on both sides of Wuzhen Street, forming a lively street market. The shops in the market often open shops on the first floor and live on the second floor, forming a special pattern of shops and houses.
Imagine this scene, where the shops are next to each other, and you can't even go shopping.
With the warmth of the water town in the south of the Yangtze River and the prosperity of a commercial town, this is Wuzhen from history. There are so many corners that are worth stopping and perusing.
Coupled with the development of Wuzhen in recent years, the idea is particularly clear.
The cross-shaped inland river system divides the whole town of Wuzhen into four blocks, southeast, northwest and northwest, which the locals call "East Gate, South Gate, West Gate, and North Gate" respectively. Since 1998, Wuzhen has commissioned the Urban Planning and Design Institute of Tongji University in Shanghai to compile the "Wuzhen Ancient Town Protection Plan".
At that time, it was really not easy to have the idea of scientific development and planning.
In 2001, Dongzha Scenic Area was officially opened to the public, and with its original water town style and profound cultural heritage, it has become a famous ancient town tourist attraction in China.
In 2003, Xizha Scenic Area was launched... There are also new elements such as the Wuzhen Theater Festival and the World Internet Conference.
Today, Wuzhen's fame has long surpassed its two parent units, Tongxiang and Jiaxing, and has become "China's Wuzhen" and even "the world's Wuzhen".
In fact, the Wuzhen in people's mouths now usually refers not to the town of Wuzhen, but to the Wuzhen Xizha Scenic Area created by Chen Xianghong.
As I said above, the whole town of Wuzhen is divided into four blocks: southeast, northwest, and northwest.
The Dongzha Water Town has a complete style and a rich atmosphere of life, while the Xizha has learned from the experience of the East Zha is even more beautiful to the extreme, and it is the absolute essence of Wuzhen.
After four years of tempering, with an investment of more than 1 billion yuan, the Xizha Scenic Area covers an area of 4.92 square kilometers and is composed of 12 islands surrounded by clear water, which is three times the size of the Dongzha Scenic Area.
More than 70 small bridges connect these small islands, truly presenting the style of an ancient water town in the south of the Yangtze River in China.
In terms of architecture, Xizha retains a large number of ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the long alleys of the old streets, repairing the old as the old makes the appearance of the ancient buildings retain the antique charm, and in the interior is selectively into the modern supporting facilities, which greatly improves the living conditions.
Let's just say it, walk around the west at will, the gentle wind caresses your cheeks, and the air seems to smell of old dust.
The water flows slowly, projecting the surrounding scenery perfectly, creating another composite world. You can take a small boat and let the boatman slowly rock, and see the old in the sky south of the Yangtze River.
Or change into Hanfu and take a few photos in the long alley, full of atmosphere.
The water's edge is also a great place to get out of the film.
Or don't want to do anything, do nothing, and look at the sky in a daze in a corner of your favorite, this kind of relaxation is incomparably precious.
Wait until it's getting late, don't rush to leave. Because of the huge and heavy Xizha, it is best to live in the scenic spot and visit it for two or three days, so that you can also see a rare night view.
In the daytime, I already feel that Xizha is very beautiful, and at night, the lights of the ancient town are lit up one by one, dotted on the small bridge, the buildings, and the riverside, the elegance is so intriguing, and there is a kind of graceful bearing.
The pink walls and tiles are no longer monotonous, but have become a large canvas for the coexistence of modern and simple and elegant, and every stroke is a reinterpretation of the historical flavor.
After enjoying the night view, you can go to the bar for a drink or two, or watch an open-air movie or listen to a flower drum show.
When I came to Wuzhen Xizha, I recommended a few places that I thought I must check in.
The first is the White Lotus Pagoda, the tallest building in Wuzhen.
White Lotus Pagoda, formerly known as Golden Lotus Pagoda Courtyard, later known as White Lotus Pagoda Temple, take the meaning of white lotus, built in the Northern Song Dynasty Chongning period (1102-1106). The building of the pavilion tower is fusiform in appearance, with seven levels high, and the tower is 51.75 meters high.
The White Lotus Pagoda was originally located in the north of Wuzhen Shijingtang and the west of Tianjing Lane, and the local people like to call it the West Pagoda, which is because it echoes with the Shousheng Pagoda of the East Gate, so there is a saying that there are East and West Pagodas in Wuzhen.
In 2005, the White Lotus Pagoda was rebuilt on the Huanhe Island on the bank of the Xizha Grand Canal.
Closer to take a closer look, the entire tower body of the White Lotus Pagoda gradually closes inward from the first layer to the sky, which is particularly solemn.
The second is the Temple of General Wu.
There are many theories about the origin of the name "Wuzhen", but the locals of Wuzhen are more likely to agree that "Wuzhen" was named in honor of a general of Wuzan in the Tang Dynasty. The Wu General Temple is said to have been built to commemorate the Wu General.
The quaint General Temple is atmospheric and elegant. There is a pier near the Wu General Temple where you can take a boat, because there is basically no queue here, and you can get on the boat after waiting for a while.
When you come to Xizha, it will be a pity not to take a boat tour.
The Temple of Marshal of the Plague Capital is also to commemorate a hero.
Legend has it that in ancient times, a literati passed through this place and found that the local people were plagued by the plague. Fortunately, this man was well-versed in medicine and found that it was the pollution of the well water that caused the plague, which saved many people.
After being commemorated and enshrined, many people come here to pray for the exorcism of plague and evil spirits, and the peace of the people.
There is also Lingshui Residence, covering an area of 20,000 square meters, which is the largest garden building attraction in Xizha.
It is rare to see such a large-scale garden in the ancient water town. It is said that in the early years of Chongzhen, Jinshi Tang Long built a private garden here, named "Lingshui Narcissus", which was later destroyed due to war. The gardens we see now have been restored as they are.
The whole Lingshui dwelling is bright and beautiful, elegant and simple, with deep twists and turns.
What's more special is that in fact, Wuzhen is not only feeding Mao Dun, but also Wang Huiwu, Kong Lingjing, Shen Zemin, etc., their memorial hall is also located in the Lingshui Residence, and the four celebrity memorial halls gather in the Lingshui Residence, you can enter to pay respects.
Zhaoming Academy is the place where Prince Ming of the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasty studied in Wuzhen when he was a child, and it is a relatively niche attraction in Xizha.
Nowadays, not only can you see the quaint fish pond and plaques, but there is also a small reading room in the academy, so it is also a good experience to read a book if you have enough time.
Yichang Yefang is a folk workshop in Wuzhen, with a front shop and a back shop. Its special feature lies in the architectural structure, and all the columns are carved out of stone, which is called "stone foot house" by the locals.
Isn't it clever to design this to prevent sparks flying everywhere from igniting the wood during smelting?
Walking to the interior of Yichang Metallurgical Workshop, there is a large pot placed in the patio, known as "the first pot in the world".
This pot was cast by the descendants of the Shen family in the fifth year of Tongzhi, when the Shen family carefully smelted this "first pot in the world" in order to show their superb smelting skills and also to show their economic strength, which is very interesting. The Shen family's exquisite smelting technology has been retained to this day.
China is the country with the earliest origin of soy sauce production, which has a history of more than 2,000 years, and is naturally fermented and brewed.
In the ninth year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty (1859), Tao Xuchang, a native of Wuzhen Town, founded the Xuchang Sauce Garden with his own name, which is the earliest sauce garden in Wuzhen since the history of the record. You can still see the neatly arranged sauce vats.
If you want to have morning tea, the morning tea drinkers at the floating market should not be missed.
The water market was originally a morning market in all four towns and eight neighborhoods.
Early in the morning, a slow boat carrying fresh vegetables and domestic livestock arrives at the well-connected river hub to sell and have a morning tea by the way. As long as the residents near the river shout, the boat will rock to the water pavilion, and they can buy fresh vegetables without going out, which is very popular with the residents, so it has flourished to this day.
From 7 a.m., the restaurants along the river in the floating market can enjoy morning tea. Each shop has a different variety, and there are many traditional Jiangnan snacks such as wontons, siu mai, fried dough stickers, pot stickers, tea eggs, rice cakes, etc., and you can choose your favorite food from different stores. Then find a seat near the water and enjoy the food while listening to the play.
The floating market is also lively in the evening, and if you want to buy souvenirs, this is the perfect place to buy souvenirs.
If you want to DIY, you can go to the grass and wood color dyeing workshop. Here, you can see the demonstration of traditional Chinese folk crafts and the traditional printing and dyeing process of fine blue calico.
The dyeing workshop itself has a very Jiangnan flavor, from pattern design, flower carving, painting plates, flower copying, dyeing, and drying, all of which still follow the craftsmanship left by their ancestors.
There are blue and white flower cloths hanging on the high shelves in the drying field, which has the feeling of a costume drama.
If you are interested, try to make a piece of your favorite blue calico and experience the fun of picking cloth. If you don't want to do it, you can also buy some bags and clothes made of floral cloth at the shop in front of you.
There are still too many stores to write one by one, so I'll leave it to you to discover for yourself.
Travel guide
Address: No. 18, Shifo South Road, Wuzhen, Tongxiang City, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province
Tickets: 150 RMB
Opening hours: 9:00-22:00
I'm Yan Ling
With an interesting soul
I've been on the road
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