Travel Notes to the South of the Yangtze River: Wuxi Chapter: The Out-of-Principle Place of the Canal, the Water Lanes of the South of the Yangtze River

Preface: Impression of Wuxi

Wuxi is also called Liangxi because the famous hermit Liang Hong of the Eastern Han Dynasty lived here in seclusion. Liang Hong and his wife Meng Guang treated each other with respect and treated each other as if they were guests. They were a model couple at that time. The origin of this place name gives the city a romantic atmosphere.

Wuxi is adjacent to Taihu Lake and is known as the "Pearl of Taihu Lake". There are Huishan and Xishan within the territory, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through it. Mountains, lakes and rivers are intertwined into one, with an excellent geographical location and one of the best economic development levels in the country.

In this golden autumn of October, I came to Wuxi from Nanjing to take in the scenery of Wuxi. Although Wuxi is not as famous as Nanjing and Suzhou, it left a good impression on me. It is very livable, gentle and elegant, and it is also a beautiful city in the south of the Yangtze River.

Here, I use words to record my time in Wuxi and my memories with Wuxi.

Travel Notes to the South of the Yangtze River: Wuxi Chapter: The Out-of-Principle Place of the Canal, the Water Lanes of the South of the Yangtze River

The city of Wuxi has produced many historical celebrities in the long history. The Donglin Party members who were worried about the world in the late Ming Dynasty are still located in the Donglin Academy in the urban area, which is the city's memorial to those patriots. The Rong family, a modern industrial and commercial tycoon, Qian Weichang, a scientific giant, and Qian Zhongshu, who has learned both Chinese and Western knowledge, are all outstanding figures nurtured in Wuxi.

However, while walking in Wuxi, the second spring in the world, I thought of the moon reflected in the second spring, and of the blind man A Bing.

A Bing was originally a Taoist priest in Wuxi. He was born in poverty and loved music since he was a child. However, he suffered from an eye disease and became blind. He lived on the streets and made a living by performing arts. Living at the bottom of society made him experience hardships and suffer the bitter humiliation of the world. . However, he remained infatuated and used music to express his love and hatred, curse the darkness and long for the light. The famous erhu piece "Two Springs Reflect the Moon" is as heart-wrenching as listening to it.

A city has its own historical temperament. Coming to a city and savoring its historical temperament is one of the meanings of tourism.

Wuxi, in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China when the nation was in danger, became the cradle of modern national industry and commerce. A group of elites in Wuxi, at a time when the nation was in danger, embraced the dream of serving the country through industry and developed national industry and commerce, giving the city a pivotal position in the economic landscape of modern China.

In the early years of reform and opening up, Wuxi rose again and became the engine of the township economy, creating the southern Jiangsu model that has attracted worldwide attention in economic development.

Wuxi's economic rise may be closely related to the city's historical temperament. Abing's inner spirit of not surrendering to fate may be the core strength of this city's development!

First stop: Huishan Ancient Town

Arriving at Wuxi Railway Station on the morning of the 5th, I took the bus directly to Huishan Ancient Town. The quaint Huishan Ancient Town is impressive. The most striking feature of Huishan Ancient Town is that there are many ancestral halls for famous people.

In the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Xun stood firm in Suiyang to resist the Anshi rebels; in the Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan worried about the world; and in the Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi, a Neo-Confucian scholar who influenced Chinese thought for thousands of years, there are also many ancestral halls for historical celebrities. Memorial ancestral halls like this are located along the Longtou River. There are dozens of them on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Walking from one ancestral hall to another, you can feel the historical atmosphere of the ancient town.

That afternoon in Huishan Ancient Town, a drizzle fell. On the Longtou River, the hand-cranked boat is still driving slowly, the Dragon Light Tower on the top of the mountain is looming, and the ancient streets of Huishan are still full of tourists.

I walked to Huishan Bookstore and felt that the environment was very good. I ordered a cup of peach tea there for 25 yuan. The taste was indeed fragrant. Drinking tea slowly and quietly admiring the scenery of the ancient town, time seems to have stopped. After coming back, I became busy, and occasionally recalled the slow time of that day.

Second stop: Xihui Park

The gentle and elegant Jichang Garden was the place Emperor Qianlong would visit during his six trips to the south of the Yangtze River. Huishan Ancient Temple, a thousand-year-old ancient temple in the south of the Yangtze River, has gone through vicissitudes of life and still lies in the embrace of Huishan.

Huishan Spring was called "the second most famous spring in the world" by Lu Yu, a tea sage from Tianmen, Hubei. Standing on the bank of the spring, I was thinking about how the Huishan Spring in Wuxi had nourished the hearts of many Jiangnan literati. The soil and water support the people, and only in such beautiful landscapes can the unique and charming Jiangnan culture be nurtured.

I bought a ticket for 10 yuan at the ticket office and entered Xihui Park. There is Yingshan Lake in front, at the low-lying intersection of Xishan River and Huishan Mountain. There are cruise ships on the lake and an amusement park nearby. Continuing to walk forward, I encountered the Nine Dragon Wall. I met the Nine Dragon Wall in Beihai Park during the National Day last year, and again in Wuxi. I couldn’t help but sigh that the years have passed by so quickly.

Follow the stone steps up the Xishan Mountain and climb up to the red Dragon Light Tower. From the top of the Xishan Mountain, you can overlook the modern city of Wuxi. There are rows of high-rise buildings and huge crowds of people. Although the city’s economic level is well-known in Jiangsu, Ranked third, but looking across the country, the intuitive feeling of prosperity far exceeds that of many provincial capitals in the central and western provinces.

Third stop: Taihu Star Ferris Wheel

Approaching the beautiful Taihu Star Ferris Wheel, the lights are flashing. The Ferris wheel is above the water of Taihu Lake. There are benches by the lake. Sitting on the chairs, watching the Ferris wheel rotate quietly, the lights gradually change from green to red and then back again. In various colors; the light scatters from the center of the Ferris wheel to all sides.

Looking from afar, there are many tall buildings and bright lights on the shore of Taihu Lake. The Lihu Bridge looks like a swimming dragon lying on the lake. At that moment, I felt that this city known as the "Pearl of Taihu Lake" really deserves its reputation.

I was thinking about why Li Lake is called Li Lake. I found out that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Fan Li, the Minister of Yue State, assisted Gou Jian in restoring the country. He was successful, but he retired, took Xi Shi with him, and lived in seclusion here on a boat. Therefore, later generations It's called Li Lake.

The fourth stop: Qingming Bridge, Ancient Canal, Nanchang Street

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal flows through the urban area of Wuxi. On both sides of the Grand Canal, the quaint Jiangnan folk houses are well preserved, the snacks at Nanchan Temple exude the smell of human fireworks, and the night of Nanchang Street is gentle to travelers walking.

Walking on Nanchang Street , " Tonight Liangxiao " the neon flashing signs attracted my attention. In this city that was called Liangxi in ancient times, that night really made me experience the beautiful night in the land of Liangxi.

Nanchan Temple is located in the downtown area of Wuxi. It is crowded with people at night. What is impressive is the row upon row of various snack bars. Walking on the street, the smell of various delicacies wafts up.

When I asked for directions, I met an aunt in Wuxi. During the chat, I learned that the most famous snack in Wuxi is Wuxi Xiao Long Bao. So I ordered a Wuxi Xiao Long Bao at a food court in Nanchan Temple. It cost 35 yuan a portion. It was a little expensive, but it tasted good.

Wuxi Xiaolongbao is a soup dumpling. The essence lies in the fresh and tender soup of crab roe in the steamed bun. Gently bite a small opening in the skin of the steamed bun and suck the soup inside. It will really make your teeth and cheeks fragrant.

The night view of Qingmingqiao Ancient Canal is very beautiful. The tourism slogan is "The canal is an out-of-print place, the water alleys in the south of the Yangtze River". A canal flows slowly. The river bank looks like two green ribbons. Painted boats are cruising in the canal. On both sides of the canal are ancient folk houses in the south of the Yangtze River. Red lanterns are hung high and various lights are flashing.

Walking on both sides of the ancient canal that night was like walking in the middle of a painting. Qingming Bridge is the most lively place on the ancient canal. There is a light show here. The lights flash with the rhythm of the music, and various lights shine on the river, like a colorful cloud brocade.

The fifth stop: Water Margin of the Three Kingdoms, Taihu Lake scenery

Water Margin City of the Three Kingdoms is located on the shore of Taihu Lake. From downtown Wuxi, there are buses that can go directly to the gate of the scenic spot. The combined ticket for the Three Kingdoms City and Water Margin scenic spots is 135 yuan. The weather was great that day, and the scenic spot was very large, so we could spend a whole day there.

When I walked into the Three Kingdoms City, I encountered the performance of the Three Heroes fighting against Lu Bu. In a large venue, classic plays from the Three Kingdoms were performed. The eighteen princes attacked Dong Zhuo, and Liu Guan and Zhang Sanying fought against Lu Bu at Hulao Pass. The atmosphere at the scene was very lively. War horses were galloping, killing sounds were everywhere, the sound of weapons being handed over was squeaking, and the anger was like a tiger swallowing thousands of miles. It made people feel like they were back in the Three Kingdoms era.

Arrive at Caoying Pier, which is on the shore of Taihu Lake. Standing on the boat in Cao Cao Water Village, looking at Taihu Lake in the distance, the lake is open, there is a long water plank road on the lake, there are watchtowers on the lake used for filming, and there are many girls in Hanfu taking pictures here.

The high-speed speedboat swims like lightning on the lake, the big flag on the boat is fluttering in the wind, the white clouds in the sky are fluttering, the green mountains in the distance are standing quietly, the palaces in the scenic spots are waiting silently, and the dynamic landscape Integrate with the static landscape. At that moment, people felt that the world was so beautiful, which not only made people calm down, but also made people feel elegant.

Looking at the open lake, walking on the Red Cliff Plank Road on the lake, and getting close to Taihu Lake, with the wind blowing on your face, you feel relaxed and refreshed, and you forget all your worries. This may be the meaning of travel.

The highlight of the tour in the Water Margin Scenic Area is the Song Dynasty Palace. Walking on the streets, you will see the majestic replicas of ancient buildings built for filming. Song Huangcheng, Taiwei Mansion, Daxiangguo Temple, Happy Forest, Lion Tower, Prison Camp and other buildings are densely arranged.

There are many acrobatic performances here. When I walked to the Lion Tower that day, I happened to encounter the classic drama "The Fight to Kill Ximen Qing" from Water Margin. This performance used techniques such as hanging wires, burning people, and artillery blasts, allowing the audience to watch It's a fierce battle scene with flying over the walls and roaring artillery fire.