[Gouqi Island Shanghai-Suzhou Tour] 10. Walking through the old streets of Qilishantang, the appearance of Suzhou is still there

On the afternoon of October 31, the tour guide took us to listen to Suzhou Pingtan in a garden on Shantang Street.

Line up into the garden, each person receives a disposable paper cup (there is a small tea bag in the paper cup) and a few packets of snacks. After sitting down, they admire the small garden. There are also small bridges and flowing water, pavilions and pavilions, and artificial fairy air-The mist fills the air and surrounds the surroundings. There are several pomegranate trees with fruits hanging in the garden.

After drinking tea and taking photos, the Pingtan actors came on stage. A beautiful girl and a handsome boy. The beautiful girl wore cheongsam, and the handsome boy wore long robes. The pipa played. Wu Nong sang soft words, soft and tender, bringing the clear charm of the water in the Jiangnan water town. The flavor penetrated into the bone marrow of the silk string and rhyme of Tanci and transformed into the soul of Pingtan.

Suzhou Pingtan is the general term for Suzhou Pinghua and Suzhou Tanci. It adopts the Han folk folk art storytelling form of oral speaking and performing in the Wu dialect represented by Suzhou dialect. Suzhou Pingtan was produced and popular in Suzhou and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Pingtan has a long history. The more classic Suzhou Pingtan include: "Du Shiniang","Love of the Ludang","Three Laughs","Legend of the Japanese Pao","Drawing Golden Phoenix","Legend of the White Snake","Jade Dragonfly","Pearl Tower" and so on. Suzhou Pingtan is an elegant program that can be featured in the Vienna Music Hall. In 2006, Suzhou Pingtan was selected into the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage expansion projects.

In my impression, the handsome guy sings one song, the beautiful girl sings one song, and the two of them work together to play and sing one song. The familiar "What a Jasmine Flower" is sung in Wu Nong soft language, bringing you into a white, white and tender world. The performance time is only about 20 minutes, and the charge is 70 yuan, which is a little expensive.

Visiting Qili Mountain Pond by yourself is actually an ancient commercial street with a total length of seven miles, so it is called "Qili Mountain Pond". Among the many streets and alleys in Suzhou, the famous Shantang Street is known as the "No. 1 Street in Suzhou". First, it has a history of more than 1100 years and was built by Bai Juyi when he was an official in Suzhou. Second, its pattern has the characteristics that best represent the streets and alleys of Suzhou. Third, it is related to many celebrities and famous events.

When you come to "Qilishantang", you have to talk about another great poet. Without him, there would be no "No. 1 Street in Suzhou". This person is Bai Juyi, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty. In the middle of Qilishantang, there is still Bai Juyi's former residence for future generations to visit.

(This picture comes from the Internet, so I would like to thank you)

It is said that when Bai Juyi was transferred from Hangzhou to Suzhou to serve as the governor of Suzhou, he dug a Shantang River starting from Huqiu in the west to Changmen in the east to facilitate Suzhou's land and water transportation. Streets and roads were built along the river, called "Shantang Street". Shantang River and Shantang Street are about seven miles long, so they are called "Qilishantang". When Qianlong traveled south of the Yangtze River, he went to Qilishantang and wrote "Searching for Victory in the Mountain Pond". Emperor Qianlong had a special affection for Qilishantang, so after returning to the capital, he built Suzhou Street in the lake behind the Summer Palace to imitate the appearance of Qilishantang.

On this street, Tang Yin and Tang Bohu, the first of the four great talents in Jiangnan, once lived. Tang Yin had a rough life, but he had an open-minded personality.

Some people say that if you want to understand a city, you can go to the old streets of the city. There are traces of the city's years there. It is a fusion of the city's past and present. Walking in the old streets, you can clearly see the local life. Breeze and feel the local humanistic atmosphere.

What is an old street? Famous writer Feng Jicai said: "Cities are alive, so after we get to know a city, we always ask about the origin of the city. Some cities leave no traces of childhood, and their history only exists in empty written records; some remain alive to this day-this is the old street in the city."

Shantang Street is connected to the Grand Canal at Changmen, so it has been a center of commerce and trade since the Tang Dynasty. In the first episode of Cao Xueqin's "Dream of the Red Chamber", he simply called Shantang Street and Changmen areas "the most prosperous and romantic places in the world of mortals."

The beautiful scenery of the mountain ponds attracts heroes to bow down. For example, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty had a special liking for the Qili Mountain Pond. The imperial stele pavilion "Seeking Victory in the Mountain Pond" written in his royal pen is still well preserved.

Shantang Old Street is 360 meters long. Although it is only one-tenth of the size of Qili Mountain Pond, it is the essence of the mountain pond. It is called "the epitome of old Suzhou and the window of Wu Culture." A folk song sings: "There is heaven above, and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. Hangzhou has West Lake and Suzhou has mountain ponds. Two good places, infinitely beautiful scenery."

The buildings next to Shantang Ancient Town are typical Jiangnan style, with white walls and black tiles, and a strong black and white combination, giving people a strong visual impact, just like a strong Chinese ink painting. Of course, it can also remind visitors more that this is a Jiangnan water town. The road is all paved with bluestone and extends into the distance along the river. At the head of the river, the stone steps are deeply engraved with the imprint of time.

The old street recreates the prosperity of mountains and ponds in those days, with shops and clubs gathered together. There are snack bars such as Suzhou time-honored brands such as Caizhizhai, Wufangzhai, and Qianshengyuan; there are also specialty shops such as Wuyun Tea House, Suzhou Taohuawu woodcarving New Year paintings, red sandalwood carvings, stone carvings, and embroidery.

Walking along the road, you will find ancient bridges across the river. These stone bridges are all very old. You see that the stones on the railings on the bridge have been blown a little mottled by the wind and rain, and the stone steps on the bridge deck are also deeply engraved with traces of time, potholes, standing on the bridge and looking into the distance. The winding river stretches into the distance accompanied by winding houses.

The river water is slightly green, and the soaked stone steps on both sides have been covered with moss, revealing the age of the river. The Wupeng cruise ship slowly sailed past, bringing out waves of water that washed the river bank, breaking the tranquility and tranquility of the river.

The Shantang River passes through a bridge, with small bridges and flowing water. This place fully demonstrates the beauty of the Jiangnan water town. Boatmen swing boats in the lake, shops are all forest on both sides of the lake, and the small bridges lie comfortably, and people are close to the water. When you came to Gusu to meet you, people slept on the river.

At a glance, the entire street is filled with ancient wooden houses that have been eroded over the years. The eaves are covered with strings of red lanterns. At the feet are rough stone strips that have been eroded by wind and rain over the past few centuries. Slowly walk into the street and be among the people of people, as if walking in the Tang and Song Dynasties.

This is also the most prosperous part of Gugusu City.

The first impression that Shantang gave me was that it was lively, even more lively than Pingjiang Road, with a lot of food to eat. Walk along Shantang Old Street. Shops on both sides of the street display all kinds of Sugar-style cakes, such as Begonia cake, Gorgon fruit cake, Plum blossom cake... This section of the shop is the most dense, bringing together various craft shops and snack bars, as well as Yuhantang, Antai Fire Fighting Club, Tonggui Bridge, Suzhou Chamber of Commerce Museum, Ancient Stage and other major attractions.

Like many ancient towns and old streets in China, Shantang Street is not immune to customs and has a strong commercial atmosphere. Fortunately, the buildings of the old street are still original and reveal traces of history. It is suitable to feel quietly when there are few people.

（2016 2020/11/20）