I walked through Wuzhen and went to Xitang.
In the minds of many people, Nanxun, known as the "back garden" of Shanghai, is a rare pure land in the ancient town.
There is no "name" like Xitang and Wuzhen, and there is no "noisy" like Zhouzhuang and Tongli. But it is China’s first Jiangnan ancient town to be included in the World Cultural Heritage List.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Some people say that Xitang is like the jasper of a small family, soothing and gentle; Wuzhen is like a lady, delicate and elegant.
Nanxun is more like the Thirteenth Aunt who returned from studying abroad, a combination of Chinese and Western styles, majestic, elegant, and a little rebellious.
Chengcheng was more truly attracted to Nanxun than the pictures and words of small-town tourists;
Not in the debate on Zhihu, # Which Jiangnan Town is More Fun#;
It's the song Li Ronghao sang, Mok Wenwei's "Cloudy Day": On a cloudy day, in a room with no lights on, when all thoughts settle bit by bit...
Unexpectedly, Li Ronghao, who once sang "Li Bai" uninhibitedly, would one day sit on the streets of the ancient town and play and sing "Mok Wenwei" to himself.
At this moment, the lingering melancholy of the rainy day in Nanxun was gradually dissolved with the pattering rain and the melodious and low-pitched singing tunes.
The drops fell on the bumpy stone street and fell into the lake water where the cruise ship passed slowly, causing slight ripples.
The misty drizzle in Nanxun and Li Ronghao created this intriguing version of "Cloudy Sky".
Before the variety show "Good Times" came to Nanxun Station, Li Ronghao said that he had already thought about it.
I want to sing a song I have never sung here to the bricks and tiles of the ancient town and the water of the river.
Picture/Poetry and Painting Zhejiang Cultural Tourism Information
I savored it carefully for a long time before I understood what was so different about Nanxun, which ranked first among everyone's "The Most Worth Visiting Ancient Town in Jiangnan".
Just as Nanxun singer Jiang Yiqiao sang in the song "Nanxun" written to his hometown: The old streets of Nanxun, lying here for thousands of years, watching every joy and sorrow...
There are no noisy streets here, but more white-haired old people walking in the alleys;
There are no commercial Internet celebrity shops and overly packaged and beautified "scenery". There is only a sense of ordinary life no matter where you go.
Picture/Xiaohongshu@ahhephoto
Standing on the century-old bridge in Nanxun.
There are boats on the water, music is playing, and poetry is picturesque;The residents on the riverside here are washing clothes and washing dishes, sitting quietly and stationed;
Nanxun, is not hard to find
"It's better to visit Nanxun than to travel all over Jiangnan."
I am familiar with this sentence, but there are still many people who don’t know, Where is Nanxun?
Picture/Xiaohongshu @carbon dioxide
Nanxun is located in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, on the south bank of Taihu Lake. It is one of the municipal districts of Huzhou and is a close neighbor of Wujiang District in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.
The 33-kilometer-long tributary of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passes through the ancient town.
To the east, it connects to the Suzhou Pingwang Canal section and ends at the Huangpu River in Shanghai. To the north, it reaches Huzhou City.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
As one of the six ancient towns in Jiangnan, it was once the richest place in Jiangnan.
The wealthy Jiangnan people 200 years ago were born here, and half of China's modern history was written here.
Although it has a reputation handed down from generation to generation as "a city in Huzhou is not as good as half a town in Nanxun", in the "Group Chat of Ancient Towns", its reputation has never been as good as others, and it is also the most low-key and calm.
Today's Nanxun is a small town in the south of the Yangtze River that has been treated tenderly by time.
Wandering around the ancient town for a day. The only thing is the dewy moss on the stone road, the faint fragrance of flowers in the alley, and the chatter of neighbors under the eaves. Often, the afterglow of the setting sun on the western hills, It's enough to make people intoxicated.
The water town in the dream is like this.
Without being constantly disturbed by the world, you have your own set of laws of life.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Here, the tranquility of Yanyu Township is preserved, which has remained the same for hundreds of years.
Here, every inch of the 340,000 square kilometers of land is filled with monuments.
Picture/Little Red Book @Nanxun Ancient Town
Unlike other ancient towns, Nanxun is built with rivers as its streets, old houses facing the streets, and Chinese and Western-style garden buildings shining brightly.
It has small bridges, flowing water, light boats and boats, as well as tall "enclosure walls". These ancient buildings have made Nanxun the "Chinese and Western Architectural Museum" .
Picture/Little Red Book @Nanxun Ancient Town
The history of ancient buildings goes back hundreds of years.
At that time, Shanghai was an important trading port. Nanxun, connected to it by a canal, is rich in Jilihu silk.
Silk merchants in Nanxun used the river at their doorstep to sell silk all the way east to Shanghai.
Relying on its world-famous silk, it quickly occupied "half of Shanghai's silk exports" and became the largest silk merchant in modern China - Hu Merchants.
Since then, everything from the imperial robes woven in the Kangxi era to the award-winning raw silk at the first World Expo held in London came from Nanxun.
As a result, this small town in the south of the Yangtze River became famous, and wealth continued to pour in, making it a country with unparalleled wealth.
A silver thread changed the appearance of the entire Nanxun, leaving behind the wealth legend of "four elephants and eight cows".
As a result, wealthy businessmen began to put their efforts into building houses. Many mansions, gardens, and guild halls were built one after another.
Many of them have been preserved to this day and have become Nanxun's treasures.
Zhang Shiming’s former residence Photo/@Vi
Zhang Shiming's former residence has the reputation of "the first private residence in Jiangnan".
It was built by the Zhang family, one of the richest "four elephants" in Nanxun at that time, and is also a representative of the architectural complex of Nanxun Ancient Town today.
Standing in front of the wall whose top can only be seen when looking up, it is suddenly difficult to imagine what kind of legend the wealth at that time created.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Every door, every window, every brick and every tile has exquisite Chinese carvings.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
The 18th-century French Baroque-style red brick building has more complex carvings and workmanship.
Sunlight shines on the stained glass, vinyl records and phonographs squeak, ballroom dance steps from a hundred years ago swirl on the mosaic floor tiles ...
These elements that combine Chinese and Western elements are vividly reflected in the old house.
In comparison, the private garden in Xiaolianzhuang is even more luxurious.
It is the largest private garden in Nanxun.
It took Liu Yong, the leader of the "Four Elephants" of Nanxun in the late Qing Dynasty, and three generations of the Liu family to build it over 40 years, with a total area of 27 acres.
Every building here not only has the spirit of Chinese classical gardens, but also incorporates elements of Western European gardens. Nanxun singer-songwriter Jiang Yiqiao said: "Xiaolianzhuang is the back garden of Nanxun people. When I was a child, after eating, I would go for a walk."
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Across the river from Xiaolianzhuang, Liu Yong's grandson built a library in 1920. Hidden in the garden, it is a two-story cloister-style building.
Picture/Poetry and Painting Zhejiang Cultural Tourism Information
It is not heroic, but it is the most historically valuable place in Nanxun.
There are 52 library rooms with a collection of about 110,000 books. It is also one of the three largest private libraries in China.
Among the Shenzhai compound in Nanxun Ancient Town, there is also this one, Liu's Ladder.
Picture/Little Red Book @Nanxun Ancient Town
Both built by descendants of the Liu family, it has a more obvious collision of Roman architecture and Chinese courtyards.
Just looking at this majestic courtyard wall quietly, the story seems to come to life on the page.
Whether it's wealth or high-walled courtyards, it's not Nanxun's background.
When we walked into Nanxun as tourists, we marveled at the glory of the past...
After that, it’s time to take a slow walk and carefully enjoy the life style of this ancient town, which is like a landscape painting.
Picture/Poetry and Painting Zhejiang Cultural Tourism Information
When coming to Nanxun, you must take a boat
Feel the tranquility and heat of Jiangnan
Normally at eight o'clock in the morning in Nanxun, a number of awning boats leisurely sailed through the river, leaving behind waves of water ripples that swayed leisurely among the skylight, clouds and shadows.
The swaying weeping willows on the bank wake up the river streets on both sides.
When you come to Nanxun, you must take a boat ride.
Because it is the first time to appreciate the entire Nanxun. A few plates of snacks are prepared on the boat, which sways slightly to the rhythm of the boatman's hand.
Only when you get on the boat can you see the solemn and simple black tiles and whitewashed walls on both sides of the strait, as well as the casual pace of life of the residents.
In an episode of the variety show "Good Times", there was this scene: A band composed of Li Ronghao and Wang Sulong came to Nanxun, and their first stop was a lake tour.
Sitting on the cruise ship, the guests couldn't help but sigh that compared with the previous stop, Chongqing, one was hotter and the other colder.
Chongqing is "hot" with the steam of hot pot, while Nanxun is "cold" with quiet time.
When Ouyang Nana said she wanted to buy a house here, the young people in Nanxun responded enthusiastically: "Welcome, very welcome."
"You are all agents," Li Ronghao's cold humor ignited the audience.
The people here are not only enthusiastic, but also very humorous, with a cold sense of humor.
During the cruise, the residents on the shore expressed their love to Li Ronghao: Li Ronghao, you are more handsome than Andy Lau.
This compliment made Li Ronghao very happy. However, the next second made people laugh and cry:
"Anyway, I have never met Andy Lau."
That’s it for the enthusiasm of Jiangnan people and the simple happiness of Nanxun people.
Compared with other ancient towns, Nanxun is basically full of aborigines.
They have lived here for generations, living in green tiles and white walls by the river, without any rush or noise.
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
These houses have a unified name, Baijian Building.
The Baijianlou, which is just across the street from the luxury building complex, has a history of more than 400 years. It is also the most completely preserved residential complex so far and still has a traditional style.
It is said that the "Baijian Building" was built in the Ming Dynasty by Dong Fen, the Minister of the Ming Dynasty, to accommodate his maids.
He must not have imagined that hundreds of years later, these rows of houses would become a distinctive tourist card of his hometown.
Picture/@Nanxun Ancient Town
Walking on the streets of Nanxun, you will find that it is more like a "living" ancient town.
The residents of Baijianlou live a leisurely and leisurely life.
I got up early at 6 o'clock in the morning. Before the tourists' boats came over, the women washing clothes and vegetables by the river and the old people sunbathing freely made this town come alive.
There is also a reinforced concrete bridge on the river in Baijianlou.
It's called "Changfa Bridge".
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
It is the first cement bridge in the history of Nanxun Ancient Town and has a history of nearly a century.
This old bridge is still a convenient bridge for residents on both sides of Baijianlou to travel.
Qing Dynasty poet Zhang Zhen once wrote a poem praising:
There are hundreds of buildings leaning against the beauty of Chanjuan, and there are hundreds of buildings downstairs with clear water. Every time we arrive at Xieyang Village, it’s dark, and flower boats are sold on the east side of Banqiao.
The Baijian Building, which combines the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties, is intertwined with the river, forming a natural ink painting.
When you swim up the lake, the scenery of Nanxun is right in front of you without searching for it.
After walking past Baijian Tower, there is another old street called "East Street" between Baijian Tower and the ancient town scenic area.
East Street is built along the river, with a total length of less than a kilometer, but it is home to Nanxun's century-old shops and the former residences of some celebrities. Some of the former residences of celebrities are temporarily closed, but the old stores are definitely worth visiting.
It is not a hodgepodge of Yiwu small commodities, nor is it a collection of Internet celebrity products. For the real features of the ancient town you want, you might as well go to an old store to find them.
Follow the wealthy people a hundred years ago and eat all over Nanxun
What makes Nanxun mouth-watering is not only the beautiful scenery, but also the delicious food.
Five years ago, Nicholas Tse came to Nanxun with his "Twelve Flavors of Sharpness" and staged "Xun Hoof".
Speaking of "Xun Ti" , it is related to the famous richest man Liu Yong.
It is said that at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, on every first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, Liu Yong would bring pig trotters made with ancient secret methods back to the Liu family temple to offer sacrifices.
After the ceremony is completed, the offerings are distributed to family members.
Therefore, there is another saying for Xun Ti: Liu’s Big Hoof. Gradually, this Liu family’s Big Hoof spread among the people, and eating Xun Hoof on festivals became a fixed custom in Nanxun.
Ruddy in color, fat but not greasy, crispy but not rotten, Xun Hoo made with traditional ancient methods will make people unable to hold on to it at just one glance.
The production of Xun Ho is very particular about the materials used. It requires five years of aging rice wine as cooking wine, and four times of soy sauce - too oily.
In Nanxun, if you want to eat Xun pig's trotters, you should call "Xun Ti".
Yes, it's that direct. Don't underestimate this store, it is already a century old store, with certificates of all sizes filling the windows.
In addition to being recommended by "Twelve Tao Feng Wei", it has also been reported by CCTV's "Around China" and Dragon TV.
Picture/Little Red Book @Nanxun Ancient Town
It is a habit of many Nanxun people to have a bowl of noodles in the morning.
Nanxun people's love for eating noodles has a long history.
In "Nanxun Town Chronicles", the grand scene of noodle restaurants in the ancient town at that time was described: In 1883, Longfeng Noodles opened with a store area of 188 square meters, 10 Eight Immortals tables, and the tables were full; in 1907, Liufu Noodle House opened with two stores. There are 10 Eight Immortals tables on the first floor, and the tables are full.
Picture/released by Nanxun Ancient Town
But what they ate was double-topped noodles.
The so-called double toppings are two kinds of "toppings". The concept is like the code in Hunan cuisine.
When asked about toppings, many master chefs can list more than 40 kinds at once. Among them, the most popular ones are crispy meat and fried fish.
Picture/Nanxun Ancient Town
Braised mutton is a delicacy that wealthy people in Nanxun eat at the beginning of winter.
I specially asked the housekeeper to go to the next town to buy the strongest Hu sheep from the local farmers, and then go to Zangguqiao Village to bring old rice wine and cook the mutton.
The housekeeper leaves early in the morning and returns at night. Bring the ingredients back, cook them freshly that night, cook them the next morning, and then deliver them to the tables of wealthy businessmen, a bowl of noodles and a mouthful of the richest mutton.
There is even a saying in Nanxun saying: "mutton" plus a "fish" is delicious.
There are many other delicacies and snacks in Nanxun.
For example, crab noodle soup was a childhood delicacy that Zhang Jingjiang, a wealthy businessman who funded Sun Yat-sen, once requested; "smoked bean tea" that can be found throughout Nanxun Ancient Town has become a staple on the streets of Nanxun business card;
There are also Linghu Snow Dumplings which have a history of three hundred years; salty bean rice which Nanxun people eat every Beginning of Summer.
Picture/Article on Nanxun Ancient Town
From "scenery" to "food", is Nanxun still hard to find?
In other words, Why do we yearn for ancient towns so much?
Nothing more than wanting to escape,to escape the crowds and exhaustion of the city.
Gao Xiaosong once said in "Qi Pa Shuo": "Why did I move from a big city with a population of more than 2,000 to a small city with a population of only 43,000?
The main reason is not the smog and noise in Beijing, but that I don’t want to become like others.
There are so many unknowns in big cities, but one thing is known, that is, you will definitely get further and further away from yourself! You will become someone you hate more and more. "
And when we look for Nanxun and Jiangnan, don’t we also want to live the simplest and purest way of life?
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
Nanxun poet Lin Yanru wrote a poem about Nanxun, which touched me very much.
The name is "I Have Lived Like a Small Town". In the poem she wrote:
After living in a small town for a long time, I have become like her. The partridge stream in my body flows gently, and the stone bridges between my joints are arched. I open my palm and the name of each finger is Nanxi Street, Yongan Road, Xiamen Road. Housekeeping...
Picture/Weibo@Nanxun Ancient Town
The night in Nanxun is quiet.
It is a wisp of setting sun, the village is dark at night, is a flower-selling boat, slowly going away...
Everything blends into the landscape so naturally and becomes the landscape itself.
As Wang Sulong said: "This city is very clean and quiet."
Therefore, there are so many people who are used to the city. Busy People will fall in love with such a small town at first sight.
