Wentu/Ying Zhigang

At the junction of Huzhou, Zhejiang and Suzhou, Jiangsu, there is a thousand-year-old town called Zhenze.

A bridge and a tower are the landmarks of the ancient town. More than 300 years ago, when Emperor Qianlong went to Jiangnan, he traveled around the earthquake at night. He suddenly saw the shadows of an arch bridge and a tower under a bright moon, and he suddenly felt that there was nothing else in Jiangnan, and he praised it.

Since then, the tower bridge arches the moon, which has become more and more romantic in the works of literati and literati throughout the ages, creating a landmark landscape of earthquake.

The pagoda is Ciyun Pagoda, a six-sided, five-story brick and wooden eaves pavilions with a height of 38.44 meters. It is located in Ciyun Zen Temple and has a history of more than 1750 years.

The pagoda is composed of a Fu Bo, a Yang Lian, a Five-Phase Wheel, a treasure cover, a pearl, a receiving flower and a treasure vase. Horses with eaves are hung on all six corners. The wind passes and the bell rings, echoing in the air, accompanied by the sounds of Sanskrit in the temple, making people feel cool.

Every time the sun sets in the west, I climb the pagoda, look at Dongting in the north and Mayang in the south. This is the reason why the "Ciyun Sunset" of the eight scenic spots shake the lake.

Locals say that Ciyun Tower is also called Wangfu Tower.

It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Shangxiang, who had been married to Liu Bei, was deceived by her brother Sun Quan and returned to Wu. She missed her husband day and night and became sick, so she could build a pagoda here. Firstly, she wished for Liu Bei to achieve his great cause, and secondly, she climbed high and looked into the distance to express her love.

Later, it was also said that this tower was built after "Ciyun" when Princess Ciyun, the daughter of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, took refuge in the earthquake. In order to pray that Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty could break free from the Jin people's imprisonment as soon as possible.

The bridge is the Yuji Bridge, which was erected in the fifty-fourth year of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. It was built to commemorate the ancient sage Dayu.

In ancient times, the Zhenze area was a shallow lagoon. Since ancient times, there has been a legend that Dayu used to control water here, which gave rise to the name Zhenze.

The Preface to Songling Annals compiled by Dou Deyuan, Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty, said: Yu guided the source of water to this point, so it is said that the earthquake is at the bottom of the lake, and the bottom of his words is at the bottom of it without shaking.

Yuji Bridge is an arched single-hole stone bridge. It is an important channel communicating transportation on both sides of the ancient town. It lies in the middle of the Ditang River and outside the gate of Ciyun Temple. It is in contrast to the ancient temples and pagodas. Through the bridge hole, you can also have a glimpse of the exquisite Jiangnan.

The ancient town is not big. The main street is called Baota Street. The one that spans Ciyun Temple at both ends is Shijiantang, known as the "Jiangnan Grand House Gate".

Shijiantang has a five-room wide and six-entrance hall style with a high-wall and deep house. The central axis layout is neat and precise. Standing at the head of the first entrance, you can see the screen door of the last entrance at a glance. The terrain of each entrance will gradually rise, and the horse-head wall is also slightly higher than the last, implying "rising step by step". The architectural style of officials, businessmen and Confucianism is vividly reflected.

There are also two hollow courtyard walls in the courtyard in the shape of vases, which means "peace and security".

Flashing through this wall, you will see the backyard, a miniature garden covering an area of less than one acre-Hoojing Garden.

The small space accommodates pavilions, corridors and rockery; flowers, plants and vines cling to the corridor on the east wall, undulating; the rockery is built in the west, and a half-pavilion is built on it, with trees and flowers blooming brightly.

Zhenze Ancient Town is not too big. I go in the morning and go around it is noon meal time.

At this time, you might as well order a "four bowls of tea" to quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger. It can also be a lunch.

Among the four bowls of teas, the first dish is water-soaked egg tea, which was used to entertain the furry son-in-law. Choose two farm eggs, which means "pairs". After cooking, add white sugar and serve in a bowl, which means that the young couple will have "sweet honey" in the future. The soft eggs and sugar water are mixed with one bowl. Enjoy it very well.

The second tea is called Fanci Tea, which was used by temple monks to entertain the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. It is also called "Taidi Tea".

It is a thin-skinned crispy slice baked with glutinous rice at the bottom of the pot and made with soft white sugar filled with water. The taste is smooth, glutinous but not rotten. After eating a bowl, you can quench your thirst and endure hunger.

The third dish is called tea-smoked green bean tea, which also "looks like tea but not tea." The main ingredient smoked green beans is slowly smoked and roasted with green beans over charcoal fire.

Coupled with tea leaves, dried carrots, dried tangerine peel, and white sesame seeds, a cup of tea is salty, fragrant and has endless aftertaste;

After drinking three bowls of tea, the stomach will be filled greatly. The next fourth tea will be the real tea. It can be Anji White Tea or Suzhou Dongting Biluochun, depending on the taste and wishes of the guests.

At this time, whether you are sitting on a rattan chair in a teahouse or leaning against a beauty seat set up next to the water, take a sip of tea, take a look at the Jiangnan scenery with white walls and black tiles on both sides of the river, take another sip of tea, and listen carefully to the soft language of the local people Wu Nong. The dialogue, out of thin air, has the artistic conception of "stealing a life and leisure for half a day".