Your current location:HOME >entertainment >Experiencing New Charm of Ancient City 正文
TIME:2024-05-21 09:59:23 Source: Internet compilationEdit:entertainment
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom
Yangzhou is located in the central region of East China's Jiangsu Province, where the Yangtze River meets the Grand Canal. It is known as "the first canal city in China." Yangzhou, with a history of more than 2,500 years, was one of the first cities to be designated a national historical and cultural city by the State Council.
Built by Water
Yangzhou's development has remained inextricably intertwined with the Grand Canal since the canal was built more than 2,500 years ago. Yangzhou has shared provenance with the canal, which stretches from Beijing to Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province.
The Grand Canal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. The office for the canal's World Heritage site application was established in Yangzhou in 2006. Gu Feng, then-head of Yangzhou's cultural heritage bureau, and the office's director, says one of the greatest values of Yangzhou's section of the canal is that it has an accurate historical record.
According to China's first detailed historical compendium, Zuo Zhuan, King Fuchai of the Wu Kingdom constructed a city, known as Hancheng, and a canal, called Han Gou, which connected the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers in 486 BC. Hancheng eventually became Yangzhou, and the construction of canals in other eras, including the Sui (581-618) and Yuan (1206-1368) dynasties, eventually completed the Grand Canal.
The Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal hosts rich cultural heritage. Since the Grand Canal was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2014, six channels and 10 heritage sites from Yangzhou have received UNESCO world-heritage status.
Slender West Lake, one of Yangzhou's most-renowned scenic spots, is linked with the Grand Canal, and the lake is one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites along the canal.
The canal brought economic prosperity and cultural progress to Yangzhou. Historical records from the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties describe Yangzhou as one of the country's most affluent cities.
Although the canal was constructed for military purposes, it later facilitated the national food supply, including grain and salt. Yangzhou was, therefore, home to many salt merchants, who built elaborate Chinese gardens, which remain to this day.
Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum, which opened in 2021, is designed to be an "encyclopedia" of the canal, showcasing relevant culture, economics and ecology by using immersive technology and an interactive design.
Yangzhou has hosted various canal-related events, including the World Canal Cities Forum and the World Canals Conference, both of which focus on international exchanges related to the preservation of canals, and the Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Expo, which features parades on the waterway.
Historical, Cultural Blocks
Yangzhou was called Guangling during ancient times. Guangling District, in the central area of Yangzhou, is known for ancient blocks built during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911) dynasties.
There are four well-preserved historical and cultural blocks — Dongguan Street, Renfengli, Wanzi Street and Nanhexia — in Guangling, and combined they are home to more than 500 historical buildings, and 148 cultural-relic-protection units.
Dongguan Street, which is 1,122 meters long, has been a historical witness to the development and evolution of Yangzhou, and it has been a window that has displayed the city's canal and salt-merchant cultures. It used to be a gateway of water transportation, and a center of business, religion and culture. It boasted a bustling market and various stores.
Dongguan Street has a fish-bone-styled street layout, which maintains the traditional style and features of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Scattered throughout the block are former residences of historic figures, mansions of former salt merchants, and temples and gardens. With rich historical relics and cultural remains, Dongguan Street is among the best-preserved ancient commercial streets of the cities along the Grand Canal.
Dongguan Street, home to catering and entertainment venues, gardens, museums, time-honored stores, and ancient residential buildings, is one of the best places for Chinese and foreigners to appreciate the history, culture and lifestyle of Yangzhou.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China on March 1 issued an announcement that Dongguan Street was officially approved as one of the second group of national tourism and leisure blocks.
New Vitality
The authorities in Yangzhou have renovated historical and cultural communities while at the same time they have maintained traditions and the city's cultural charm. Nowadays, the ancient streets and alleys glow with new vitality, as they have become great options for locals and tourists alike to enjoy their leisure time.
Many domestic and international brands have established their first stores or flagship stores in Yangzhou's historic and cultural communities, and those businesses have injected new impetus into retail sales within the city. The thriving, first-store economy and nighttime economy have become new drivers of local consumption and cultural-tourism development.
Various cultural and tourism festivals have been held, and such events have enriched people's experiences on the city's ancient streets. Such events have included the coffee culture festival, on Pishi Street, and the folk culture festival, in Renfengli community (to mark Dragon Boat Festival).
Renfengli is the only well-preserved ancient community in Yangzhou that retains the pattern of streets and alleys of the Tang Dynasty. While wandering in Renfengli, tourists will experience the charm of Yangzhou's rich intangible cultural heritage, including Yangzhou paper-cuts, woodblock printing, Yangzhou pinghua (a kind of storytelling in the Yangzhou dialect), and Yangzhou puppet show.
Joseph Simlinck, a Brazilian in his 60s, has a passion for the ancient city of Yangzhou. He and one of his Chinese friends, Gao Hailin, run a Western-style restaurant in Renfengli. Yuan Li, a neighbor of Simlinck, shares that passion for Renfengli. "I am a native of Yangzhou, and I used to work in Shanghai. I moved back to the alley, where I used to live, after I retired. I am impressed by the new look of Renfengli, with both cultural heritage and modern vitality," Yuan says.
Photos by Yuan Yuhua
(Source: Women of China English Monthly April 2023 issue)
32.3KPlease understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: [email protected]. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn.
Investigators return to Long Island home of Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect2024-05-21 09:50
Supreme Court torn over Oregon's homeless: Kavanaugh says they shouldn't be 'micromanaging' cities2024-05-21 09:21
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to inaugurate Sri Lankan hydropower and irrigation project2024-05-21 09:16
Taylor Swift's new track imgonnagetyouback sparks comparisons to Olivia Rodrigo song2024-05-21 08:24
Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car2024-05-21 07:56
Kaley Cuoco poses up with her steamy Based On A True Story leading man Tom Bateman at star2024-05-21 07:47
New Jersey is motivating telecommuters to appeal their New York tax bills2024-05-21 07:40
Five Rohingya found dead after Arakan Army arrest — Radio Free Asia2024-05-21 07:32
Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands2024-05-21 07:26
Naomie Harris turns heads in an eye2024-05-21 07:15
Burglar hurled stolen mobile phones at police from the top of 60ft high roof during nine2024-05-21 09:23
Sydney church stabbing: Seven teenagers accused of violent extremist ideology arrested2024-05-21 09:15
Tauchman homers twice as Cubs win 72024-05-21 08:54
Brian Tobin, former president of the International Tennis Federation, dies at age 932024-05-21 08:24
Jon Wysocki dead at 53: Staind drummer passes away2024-05-21 08:19
Slovakia's government approves controversial overhaul of public broadcasting2024-05-21 08:11
Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Streets rally, led by a 2.4% jump in Tokyo2024-05-21 08:04
Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Streets rally, led by a 2.4% jump in Tokyo2024-05-21 07:38
College baseball notebook: Conference tournaments to decide NCAA automatic bids and many at2024-05-21 07:29
Pavin Smith hits grand slam and drives in 6 runs as Diamondbacks rout Cardinals 142024-05-21 07:17