Qiantang River丨Four Seasons Strolling in an Ancient City

Someone once said that the ancient city of Shaoxing is like a ship, with Tashan as the head, Jishan as the tail, and Dashan Pagoda as the mast. Thousands of years of wind and rain, vicissitudes of life, wandering among the four seasons, each with its own beauty.

Spring is charming and moving

The soft spring breeze blows on the face, like tender fingers stroking it, which is extremely comfortable. Beside the moat, weeping willows sway in the wind, just like a girl tossing her shawl hair, teasing people's emotions; the goose-yellow buds exude a unique fragrance.

Fushan has changed into new clothes. The morning exercise team was in small groups, boxing, sword dancing, stretching, or dancing, and they were very focused. From time to time, high-pitched and passionate Shao opera sounds can be heard among the trees; occasionally, there are also euphemistic Yue opera singing. Only the Feiyi Tower on the top of the mountain quietly overlooks the wind and smoke of the city, starting a busy day.

It is said that spring rain is as precious as oil. Strolling along Cangqiao Zhi Street in the south of Fushan, the pattering spring rain is as poetic as a dream, fluttering like a belated wanderer throwing himself into his mother's arms. The raindrops falling from the eaves of the old street beat the bluestone slabs rhythmically and gentlemanly, slowly, as if to wake up the sleeping old street.

The old street is less than two meters wide. Surrounded by mist and rain, it looks like poetry, picturesqueness, and dreams. The apricot-yellow shop banners fluttering in the wind; the shops along the street lowered their doors and opened on the spot; although the area is small, each has its own characteristics: food, entertainment, clothing, and drink are all available. Walking in the drizzle, you will feel like traveling through time and space, telling you the ancient and mysterious past; wandering in the old streets, you will be separated from reality and can't help but slow down.

Turn a corner and find a small fragrant garden to stay. On the small stone table in the patio, have a pot of old Shaoxing wine, order some authentic Shaoxing dishes, and sit around the table with close friends. The world is full of music, chess, calligraphy and painting; food, gossip, poetry, wine and tea can relieve the fatigue of the day.

Summer is full of enthusiasm

Summer in the ancient city is a bit sultry. Fortunately, the summer breeze comes from time to time, bringing coolness.

The ancient city is most interesting in the evening. From the Xi Xiao River to the stone threshold; from the Eight-Character Bridge to the hometown of the calligrapher; the white walls are mottled and the black tiles are covered with moss, giving people a sense of ancient vicissitudes.

In the old houses along the river, the wooden doors creaked. The "Old Shaoxing" people would move out a small wooden table and place it next to the river. They would sit around the table wearing slippers and vests and underpants. Most of the dishes on the table are duck in sauce, dried fish, snails, braised vegetable stems, etc. The old man was sipping old wine while doing his homework; the aunt beside him was holding a cattail leaf fan in her hand, shaking it to enjoy the cool air and driving away the mosquitoes that came to eat. The water plants in the river swayed with the waves; the sunset shone on the river surface, casting golden light; from time to time, small fish and plants chased and played; the snails in the cracks in the rocks along the river clung quietly; and the small river shrimps on the stone ridge stretched out unsteadily from time to time. Head, looking toward the shore.

When you see this scene on the way, you can’t help but pick up your camera. Yes, no matter how gorgeous life is, it will return to normality and dullness. This is the most authentic and authentic taste. However, it takes a lot of courage and confidence for a person to have a pure heart and achieve such "ordinaryness".

Autumn, graceful and graceful

The beauty of autumn in the ancient city lies in its clarity, brightness and cleanliness. The sky is blue, the water is green, the wind is refreshing, the moon is round, and the scenery is beautiful.

Golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, red osmanthus, and four-season osmanthus compete to emit their fragrance, filling the city with fragrance. In the ancient city, there are crisscrossing rivers and dense water networks; streets follow the rivers, and the rivers follow the streets; houses are built along the rivers and people live on the water. Water is the "lifeblood" and "soul" of this ancient city.

There are many rivers and many bridges. "Hundreds of boats are swaying, and there are bridges on both sides of the river." In the ancient city, bridges are the extension of the road, and the road is the continuation of the bridge. Fengyi Bridge, Rihui Bridge, Baozhu Bridge, Zangpo Bridge, Xiegong Bridge... Every ancient bridge is a scenery; every bridge name is a cultural imprint of that era, and has a beautiful and moving story.

The most famous one is the "Bazi Bridge". It was built in 1256 AD and got its name because it is shaped like the character "eight". The bridge is made of stone and has a unique structural shape. It connects three roads on land, crosses three rivers, and slopes in three directions and four sides. It solves the problem of water and land transportation in a complex environment without demolishing residential buildings. It should be the earliest water "overpass" in China! It was listed as a "national treasure" as early as 2001, and in 2014 it was listed as an important section of the "Grand Canal" world heritage.

Leaning on the railing and looking into the distance, you can see the awnings in the distance rowing leisurely amidst the sound of the wind. Tourists on the boat stared at the dried fish, bacon, sauced duck, and sausages under the eaves on both sides of the strait. They kept pressing the shutter, muttering words and live streaming Douyin.

Occasionally, the enthusiastic boat boss will treat you to a bowl of homemade old wine and chew a few fennel beans. While enthusiastically introducing the scenery along the river and the former residences of celebrities in "Shaopu dialect", he used his hands and feet to carry the tourists forward. The elegance and beauty of the Jiangnan water town are vividly reflected here. No matter where the tourists are on board, they will never forget this feeling of freedom and comfort!

Not far away is the hometown of Lu Xun. This is one of the first free 5A-level scenic spots in the country. Smart Shaoxing people use "free tickets" to attract more tourists. Let tourists wander in the ancient city, visit the old streets, taste delicious food; drink old wine, listen to Yue opera; watch the beautiful scenery and practice calligraphy.

Check in and queue up at internet celebrity places; take photos and tweet at your favorite places. Before I knew it, it was getting late, so I found a small inn nearby to stay. The people of the ancient city, in their low-key and modest manner, have realized that "there are so many people coming, it is better to keep them here".

Winter is subtle and calm

After the busyness of spring, the hustle and bustle of summer has settled down, and the glitz of autumn has been washed away. In the ancient city in winter, everything returns to its roots and calmness returns.

From the Three Mountain Park (Fushan, Tashan, and Jishan) to the Three Hometowns (Lu Xun, Shusheng, and Yangming), no matter from which angle you look at it, the ancient city of Shaoxing is a fresh and elegant ink painting. .

Although the old streets, alleys, stone bridges and Laotaimen at night are not as noisy in summer, they are as elegant as autumn. But wherever the lights are dim and people are scattered, the alluring aroma of old wine will waft out, reminding people of the taste of "Chinese New Year" and stimulating the desire to eat "mother's food" in the old house.

The four seasons reincarnate and love changes with events. "One pot can make three armies drunk." Strolling by the Touji River, the heroism and heroism of "three thousand Vietnamese troops can swallow Wu" still make people's blood rise.

The ancient city is not only a scenery, but also a "home". No matter how long or far away we are from the ancient city, longing and nostalgia will always linger in our hearts. The great man said "I am from Shaoxing"; the wanderer lamented that "when I was young, I left home and my boss came back"; the poet looked forward to "knocking on the door all the time and night with a stick"; the prefect wished from afar "flying here to be with me as drunk as mud". "Home" is a feeling that is always attached to and difficult to let go of; "missing home" travels through time and space, lingering in dreams; "missing home" means caring about the heart, lingering tenaciously with "leaving people"...

The ancient city of Shaoxing is a book that can’t be read to the end; it’s an “ink painting” with “simple clothes and ancient customs” and different scenes throughout the four seasons; it’s a place where the streets and alleys are filled with the atmosphere of books and the aroma of old wine. "Punch-in place"; it is a "land of ancient exploration" where you encounter "National Security" and step on the footprints of famous people; it is a "land of longing" for leisure and spiritual nourishment that makes people slow down and calm down...

< p> Culture is the root of this ancient city; water is the soul of this ancient city. The people of the ancient city stick to their "roots" and "soul", are chivalrous and tender, and walk alone.

Today, it has been activated again, releasing new charm, waiting for you silently...