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Suzhou: Russian scientists and an unsuccessful attempt to see the Chinese Venice. Zhujiajiao

February 10, 2013, 04:16 PM

Chinese cities on the water, often called the "Venice of the East", are famous for their ancient buildings, bridges, picturesque canals and local residents, whose life has not changed much over the past centuries, despite the economic boom that has swept all of China today. Zhujiajiao
One of the oldest settlements on the water in China - Zhujiajiao, is located just 30 km from the center of Shanghai in the western suburbs on the shores of Dianshan Lake. This is one of the most beautiful historical sites China, has more than 1700 years of history. They say this is Shanghai Venice - a well-preserved ancient village on the banks of the river. Kezhi Garden is located on Big North Street. This is one of the largest backyard gardens in southern China. They say that Zhujiajiao is a city of bohemian Shanghai youth. A kind of outlet and salvation, a monastery where you can hide from the bustling bustling city of many millions. Thanks to them, many old houses here have turned into amazing cafes, pubs, theaters and clubs, decorated and painted in every way. Art and creativity is in the air!

Suzhou
The historical center of Suzhou, around which the modern city has grown, stands on the Great Chinese Canal between Shanghai and Wuxi, not far from Lake Taihu, and for many centuries was the most important transport and commercial center of the Jiangnan region - the richest part of the country.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the city was built up with the estates of capital officials and turned into the garden capital of China. As a World Heritage Site, history Center Suzhou is still famous for its beautiful stone bridges like Baodaiqiao, pagodas and artfully laid out gardens. With the rise of Shanghai in the late 19th century, Suzhou lost its importance as the region's central city, but its architecture and the large number of businesses around the city make it a mecca for tourists and business alike.

chibao

The ancient year of Chibao is located in the Minhang District of Shanghai (18 km from the city center), with a population of about 14 million people, with a total area of 21.3 km2. The ancient city of Chibao was built during the Song Dynasty (960-1126). The word "Chibao" is translated as "seven treasures". The city of Chibao has attracted tourists since ancient times. This is one of the oldest and most famous districts in Shanghai. it is cut by the channels of the Tong River Po, which flows directly through the city. Numerous and picturesque bridges and canals - all this creates a unique atmosphere of the ancient city of Qibao. Here you can see old wells, and the embankment and picturesque bridges, as well as ancient buildings and buildings, narrow streets, huge shady trees. On the territory of the ancient city is the Temple of the Seven Treasures (“Qibao Temple,”), built in 907–960, is a Buddhist pagoda located in the center of the area. Among the residents of Shanghai there lives an old legend about the real seven treasures that exist and are securely hidden on the territory of the temple and monastery: the iron Buddha of the Ming dynasty, a bronze bell, also from the Ming dynasty, a golden manuscript in the form of a lotus, written by the emperor's concubine in the 10th century, a thousand-year-old Chinese tree A catalpa, a jade axe, a golden cockerel and a pair of jade chopsticks. Interestingly, only the first four treasures have been documented, and only one treasure has been found. This is an ancient bell, which is now located on the territory of the Temple of the Seven Treasures.

Zhouzhuang Zhouzhuang is one of the most picturesque and famous Chinese cities on the water, located in Kunshan County, just 30 km southeast of Suzhou. ancient town stands on the Jinghan Canal connecting Suzhou with Shanghai. The city is widely known for its romantic atmosphere, charming views and well-preserved old houses, elegant bridges and rich cultural heritage. Zhouzhuang City is known as China's first settlement on the water, with a history of just over 900 years. It is called the "Venice of the East". It attracts tourists with its labyrinthine canals, Qing and Ming buildings and local customs. The city is located on an area of about 0.4 km2. However, despite the seemingly insignificant territory, here you can see about 100 ancient classical courtyards, more than 60 arches of brick carving and 14 ancient bridges. It is important to note that the bridges here are very diverse, but the most typical are the twin bridges of Shuangqiao. These strong, stone, simple bridges were built during the Ming Dynasty. They consist of one arched stone span and one beamed stone span. Also interesting and in its own way unique place in Zhouzhuang is the “double-pass bridge”, thrown over two channels. The streets are rivers, the passages are connected by bridges, and the houses are built along the rivers.

Xitan ancient city
Xitang is a famous city on the water with a thousand-year history, located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and is listed world heritage UNESCO. The city is divided into two parts: old and new. Well-preserved ensembles of buildings of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties remained in the Old Part. Narrow, winding streets, which are called "lun" in the local dialect, are an integral part of Xitan. Quiet waters, beautiful old bridges, of which there are more than 100, fishing boats, pale pink sunsets and sunrises reflected in the water, which shimmers with sparkling lights in the evening, create an absolutely idyllic fairy-tale picture filled with ancient poetry. The ancient city of Xitang is located in Jiashan County, Jiaxing City (Zhejiang Province) at the junction of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, Shanghai City. It is located 90 km east of Shanghai and 110 km west of Hangzhou. In Xitan, nine fairways intersect, which actually divided the city into 8 parts. Numerous bridges connect them into one. Among the ancient cities, Xitan is distinguished by its bright originality and is famous for its large number of bridges, canals and canopy galleries. The total length of the latter, stretched along the canals, is more than a thousand meters. This is the biggest difference between Xitan and similar places in China.

fenghuang
Fenghuang is ancient city China in the province of Hunan, getting into which, the traveler seems to be transported to another time. This city captivates with its untouched ancient beauty and mystery. Here, beautiful nature is combined with ancient architecture and color. Unique houses built on stilts, winding streets converging to the center, bridges over the river - all this embodies the harmony and mysterious beauty that is so often depicted in traditional Chinese painting. No wonder this city is rightly called one of the most beautiful in China.
The history of this city is 1300 years old, but it seems to travelers that, despite the past centuries, this city has managed to maintain its originality. In many ways, life here has not changed over the years. Everything is the same as centuries ago, women wash vegetables in the river and wash clothes there. This region is surprisingly warm and hospitable. local life is distinguished by a special originality and color. A particularly wonderful city comes alive at noon. Here you can see women carrying bamboo baskets, men pulling buffaloes. And in the evening, the sound of mallets is heard from the river, with the help of which women wash their clothes.
The streets of the city are full of shops with souvenirs for every taste. The whole city is permeated with canals, the river Tojiang flowing through it. Fenghuang is sometimes called China's Venice. The traveler will forever remember this beautiful place, which attracts with its originality, unique beauty and history.

Chinese bamboo flute

Often referred to as the "Venice of the East", China's waterfront cities are famous for their ancient buildings, bridges, picturesque canals and local residents whose way of life has hardly changed over the past centuries, despite the economic boom that has swept all over China today.

Zhujiajiao

One of the oldest settlements on the water in China - Zhujiajiao, is located just 30 km from the center of Shanghai in the western suburbs on the shores of Dianshan Lake. This is one of the most beautiful historical sites in China, with over 1700 years of history. They say this is Shanghai Venice - a well-preserved ancient village on the banks of the river. Kezhi Garden is located on Big North Street. This is one of the largest backyard gardens in southern China.
They say that Zhujiajiao is a city of bohemian Shanghai youth. A kind of outlet and salvation, a monastery where you can hide from the bustling bustling city of many millions. Thanks to them, many old houses here have turned into amazing cafes, pubs, theaters and clubs, decorated and painted in every way. Art and creativity is in the air!

Suzhou

The historical center of Suzhou, around which the modern city has grown, stands on the Great Chinese Canal between Shanghai and Wuxi, not far from Lake Taihu, and for many centuries was the most important transport and commercial center of the Jiangnan region - the richest part of the country.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the city was built up with the estates of capital officials and turned into the garden capital of China.
As a World Heritage Site, Suzhou's historic center is still famous for its beautiful stone bridges like Baodaiqiao, pagodas, and elaborate gardens. With the rise of Shanghai in the late 19th century, Suzhou lost its importance as the region's central city, but its architecture and the large number of businesses around the city make it a mecca for tourists and business alike.

chibao

The ancient year of Chibao is located in the Minhang District of Shanghai (18 km orh of the city center), with a population of about 14 million people, with a total area of 21.3 km2. The ancient city of Chibao was built during the Song Dynasty (960-1126). The word "Chibao" is translated as "seven treasures".

The city of Chibao has attracted tourists since ancient times. This is one of the oldest and most famous districts in Shanghai. it is cut by the channels of the Tong River Po, which flows directly through the city. Numerous and picturesque bridges and canals - all this creates a unique atmosphere of the ancient city of Qibao. Here you can see old wells, and the embankment and picturesque bridges, as well as ancient buildings and buildings, narrow streets, huge shady trees.
On the territory of the ancient city is the Temple of the Seven Treasures (“Qibao Temple,”), built in 907–960, is a Buddhist pagoda located in the center of the area. Among the residents of Shanghai there lives an old legend about the real seven treasures that exist and are securely hidden on the territory of the temple and monastery: the iron Buddha of the Ming dynasty, a bronze bell, also from the Ming dynasty, a golden manuscript in the form of a lotus, written by the emperor's concubine in the 10th century, a thousand-year-old Chinese tree A catalpa, a jade axe, a golden cockerel and a pair of jade chopsticks. Interestingly, only the first four treasures have been documented, and only one treasure has been found. This is an ancient bell, which is now located on the territory of the Temple of the Seven Treasures.

Zhouzhuang - Venice of the East

Zhouzhuang is one of the most picturesque and famous Chinese cities on the water, located in Kunshan County, just 30 km southeast of Suzhou. The ancient city stands on the Jinghan Canal, which connects Suzhou with Shanghai. The city is widely known for its romantic atmosphere, charming views and well-preserved old houses, elegant bridges and rich cultural heritage.
Zhouzhuang City is known as China's first settlement on the water, with a history of just over 900 years. It is called the "Venice of the East".
It attracts tourists with its labyrinthine canals, Qing and Ming buildings and local customs. The city is located on an area of about 0.4 km2. However, despite the seemingly insignificant territory, here you can see about 100 ancient classical courtyards, more than 60 arches of brick carving and 14 ancient bridges. It is important to note that the bridges here are very diverse, but the most typical are the twin bridges of Shuangqiao. These strong, stone, simple bridges were built during the Ming Dynasty. They consist of one arched stone span and one beamed stone span. Also interesting and in its own way unique place in Zhouzhuang is the “double-pass bridge”, thrown over two channels. The streets are rivers, the passages are connected by bridges, and the houses are built along the rivers.

Xitan ancient city

Xitang is a famous city on the water with a thousand-year history, located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is divided into two parts: old and new. Well-preserved ensembles of buildings of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties remained in the Old Part. Narrow, winding streets, which are called "lun" in the local dialect, are an integral part of Xitan. Quiet waters, beautiful old bridges, of which there are more than 100, fishing boats, pale pink sunsets and sunrises reflected in the water, which shimmers with sparkling lights in the evening, create an absolutely idyllic fairy-tale picture filled with ancient poetry.

The ancient city of Xitang is located in Jiashan County, Jiaxing City (Zhejiang Province) at the junction of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, Shanghai City. It is located 90 km east of Shanghai and 110 km west of Hangzhou. In Xitan, nine fairways intersect, which actually divided the city into 8 parts. Numerous bridges connect them into one.

Among the ancient cities, Xitan is distinguished by its bright originality and is famous for its large number of bridges, canals and canopy galleries. The total length of the latter, stretched along the canals, is more than a thousand meters. This is the biggest difference between Xitan and similar places in China.

fenghuang

Fenghuang is an ancient city of China in the Hunan province, getting into which, the traveler seems to be transported to another time. This city captivates with its untouched ancient beauty and mystery. Here, beautiful nature is combined with ancient architecture and color.

Unique houses built on stilts, winding streets converging to the center, bridges over the river - all this embodies the harmony and mysterious beauty that is so often depicted in traditional Chinese painting. No wonder this city is rightly called one of the most beautiful in China.

The history of this city is 1300 years old, but it seems to travelers that, despite the past centuries, this city has managed to maintain its originality. In many ways, life here has not changed over the years. Everything is the same as centuries ago, women wash vegetables in the river and wash clothes there. This region is surprisingly warm and hospitable. Local life is distinguished by a special originality and color. A particularly wonderful city comes alive at noon. Here you can see women carrying bamboo baskets, men pulling buffaloes. And in the evening, the sound of mallets is heard from the river, with the help of which women wash their clothes.

April 08, 2016

Another place that certainly deserves close attention and a mandatory visit. This is the city of Suzhou, located in the Yangtze River Delta. On the sleeves, as well as the channels drawn between them, a real city has grown here, but what a city - a whole district! After all, in addition to Suzhou itself, you can also go to neighboring towns, for example, to Tongli.

Suzhou is located just an hour from Shanghai. In principle, it would even be possible to get out here in one day. If Suzhou itself were not so interesting, then 2-3 days would not be so much for itself with its surroundings.

Immediately after leaving the station, we run into a canal and a fortress wall. Already cool!

Suzhou city is huge. You probably didn’t really know about this one, but there is even a subway here! It was here that I came up with a joke about "what is overpopulation in Chinese? This is when you go to an indistinguishable point on the map, and there are not only 40-story residential skyscrapers, but also a subway line!

And we, in fact, are going to the center!

Here he is Old city. It is a rectangle of about 2 by 3 km with canals and old buildings along them, delighting both foreigners and the Chinese themselves.

It really is Venice!

No, cooler than Venice!

It seems to be a tourist place, but ordinary Chinese live in the houses. They cook, wash, etc. right there.

Would you like to live here? Every morning, look out the window, drinking green tea, looking at the flowing water.

Gondola rides along the waterways are popular.

On the outskirts of the historical center, you can find a fake fortress wall. Everything shows that she is a remake, but the Chinese hawala.

Actually, it's romantic...

So, Suzhou is a large industrial city. Fans of smelly industrial zones will be interested here. Although I am an amateur, I did not go to see them - there is not enough time, alas ..

Well, the industrial architecture of the early 20th century also deserves attention.

I went to the suburbs of Suzhou - the town of Tong Li.

It's still more lamp-like here than in Suzhou itself.

More authentic, untouched. This is becoming more and more rare in China.

Here are such narrow cobbled streets, where, just like hundreds of years ago, simple peasant people live.

Old city. All pedestrian.

You can wander through these labyrinths all day long.

This is generally a class!

Here everything is simple, without frills. The question is, how long will this town last without a global reconstruction?

It's a pity that I mediocrely organized my time, I came here for only a couple of hours (it got dark very early, and I was here about a year ago).

In those same canals, ordinary Tunlin people wash their clothes.

The next morning, I decided to leave Suzhou on to Qingdao, but I was hard pressed. Suzhou didn't let me go.

Well, think for yourself, can such a spiritual place be so easy to let go? Despite the fact that we have not even seen industrial zones yet?

In Suzhou itself, the canals are also actively used by the locals as natural reservoirs.

Here they do laundry and wash dishes. And it's been that way for hundreds of years.

The purity of the water does not bother the Suzhou people, it seems.

They are still here and catching something .. Really fish?

Wash all kinds of things. For example, parrot cages

Perhaps this is more interesting than all the palaces and monasteries that could be here :)

If I had known, of course, that I would not be able to leave, I would have walked here yesterday, and today I would have gone to Tunli in the morning. But what's done is done.

Here are the richer areas.

And there are narrow narrow streets.

As I said, Suzhou was the capital of China in the Middle Ages. The emperors of the Ming Dynasty lived here, and many of them planted stunningly beautiful gardens!

The Imperial Gardens are one of the key features of Suzhou. There are about 7 of them, it is desirable to see as many as possible. I was able to get into the main and largest garden.

In general, as we know, the Chinese, in principle, are prone to a sense of beauty. Therefore, places such as gardens have always worked out well for them.

Copies of small trees.

A ticket to the garden costs 70 yuan. 700 rubles for our money. It is unlikely that I would voluntarily go for such a sum to this garden. But we managed to get through the exit behind the back of the watchmen :)

But the garden is great!

landscape decorations.

Still not a group of tourists .. However, since I got here for free, then why should I complain.

Arbors. Chinese kings once rested here.

Where are the flowers.

And we will return to the city, to ordinary Chinese areas.

How often do you see forests sticking out of canals?

Paper shop. We can immediately see that Xijinping is never Stalin. Is such a combination conceivable?

Here are also areas of leisure clubs with mahjong.

Moreover, there are canals with old buildings not only in the center. An ordinary street is somewhere 2-3 km south of it, and here you are

The picture here is spoiled in places by "I don't care about everyone." Alas, the rise in the general standard of living in China has brought such an uneducated village to the top, which shows its rural habits in the city, having bought expensive cars. A problem familiar to us, we have already begun to slowly move away from it, while the Chinese are still lagging behind.

Well, these are standard Khrushchev quarters on the outskirts of Suzhou. Through them, I tried to get on the autobahn to hitchhike to Qingdao. But I got lost, got lost, as a result, the autobahn ended up at the level of the 5th floor in this place. So I didn’t leave Qingdao that day, I just walked around with a backpack. But I looked into such a nice place.

Life is in full swing!

In general, Suzhou Cheryomushki.

Well, this blacksmith, as they say, made my day!

On the western outskirts of Shanghai, there is a town called Zhujiajiao, which has a history of 1,700 years. This is one of the four well-preserved ancient cities of Shanghai. However, this is not the reason why tourists come here. Zhujiajiao is often referred to as the "Venice of the East". It really resembles an Italian city on the water. The streets here replace canals, through which stone bridges are thrown. Boats with tourists scurry back and forth along the canals. There are also many tourists here, as in real Venice.

Once Zhujiajiao was a separate town. But rapidly growing in all directions, Shanghai swallowed it up and today Zhujiajiao is considered a suburb largest city China. You can get here from the city center by bus. True, finding this bus is not so easy. And the road, taking into account traffic jams, will take almost two hours. You can take a taxi, but you will have to pay more than 100 yuan one way. But eat in comfort.

Walking along the canals and enjoying the views in Zhujiajiao is absolutely free. If you want to see more local attractions, then you need to buy a special ticket for 60 yuan. It gives the right to visit various museums, temples, gardens.

But before exploring the local museums and temples, I recommend just wandering through the streets of this amazing city for a start. Moreover, there is something to see here. And spend money at the same time.

The old part of the city is a continuous series of shops, antique and art salons, cafes and restaurants.

Lots of shops selling pearls. How good it is, I can't judge. I still don't understand any of this. And the prices here are clearly too high for everything, as is always the case in popular tourist places.

Zhujiajiao is also a gastronomic paradise. Indeed, it is very specific. In appearance, you will not immediately understand what is being sold here and what it is made of. And in general, is it possible to eat it? Well, we had a Russian-speaking guide with us. who enlightened us in gastronomic matters. But still, I did not dare to try some exotic dish.

For those who are squeamish about buying food on the street, there are dozens if not hundreds of cafes and restaurants of both Chinese and European cuisine. You can buy freshly caught crabs or fish, which will be prepared for you at a nearby restaurant. In general, you definitely won’t stay hungry in Zhujiajiao.

But, of course, people go to Zhujiajiao not for souvenirs and shopping, and not to sit in restaurants or cafes. Although the town of Zhujiajiao is small, there is something to see here. There are several old gardens. The largest among them is Ke Zhi Garden. The garden is also called "Ma Family Garden" after its former owner Ma Wenqin. In general, this is such a family estate. It is pleasant to walk along the paths winding among the trees, wander in stone labyrinths, sit in gazebos and pavilions and enjoy peace and tranquility. You can feed the fish in the pond. All in all, a very pretty and photogenic place.

On one of the hills of the garden there is a five-story building, the top of which is crowned with a diametrical “Lunar Pavilion”. This building is considered the tallest in the city.

I also looked into the old post office, built 300 years ago! This is the oldest post office in Shanghai. Now there is a small historical Museum. In general, in the old part of Zhujiajiao, many historical buildings built back in the era of the Ming and Qing dynasties have been preserved. And this is the period from the 14th to the 17th centuries! You will not find such ancient monuments of architecture in Shanghai itself.

The town of Zhujiajiao is also famous for its bridges. In total, there are 36 of them in the old city - each of them is made in a different architectural style using different materials: wood, stone and marble. The most famous, the longest, the highest and probably the most ancient is the Fangsheng qiao stone bridge, built in the Ming era (1571). Fengshen Bridge is always as crowded as in real Italian Venice on the Rialto Bridge. By the way, the name Fanshen can be translated as "bridge of liberation". The name comes from the old tradition of releasing all living creatures from the bridge into the water - crabs, crayfish, fish and so on.

The most beautiful is the only one wooden bridge Lan (Lang qiao), which means "veranda" in translation. It really looks like a veranda with a carved roof and timber sides.

And of course, in Venice of China, you must definitely ride through the canals on a local gondola. This pleasure costs from 60 to 120 yuan, depending on the length of the route. This is a fee for the entire boat, not per passenger. So if you are traveling alone or as a couple, look for fellow travelers. Then you can save a lot.

For my subjective taste, a walk through the canals is a so-so pleasure. I personally liked walking along the canals more, periodically turning into various gateways or looking into one of the many cafes. And sitting by the window at a small table with a cup of fragrant Chinese tea, admire the views and enjoy the atmosphere of calm and tranquility.

If you are traveling to Shanghai, I highly recommend going to Zhujiajiao. At least in order to escape from the noisy and bustling metropolis for a day.

Quote from Kandy_sweet "Chinese Venice" - cities on the water