The charm of ancient style is better than that of Jiangnan.

Dreams left behind in Jiangnan are no better than water towns.

Half asleep, half awake, half floating, the wobbly canopies, and the misty past buried in the white walled Jiangnan water town.

How many joys and sorrows are hidden in the flickering lights of countless families in the old streets and alleys paved with blue stones, as bright as light and dark as flowing light?

These stories are all in the misty rain of Zhouzhuang.

Chunsi Zhisi Resort Hotel

As the autumn wind rises, I think of Wu Zhong's wild vegetables, water shield soup, and sea bass cutlet, which is called the thought of water shield and sea bass.

"People come and go on the river, but they love the beauty of sea bass." Fan Wenzheng's poem has aroused many people's homesickness. Here, water shield vegetables and sea bass are not only delicious food, but also a place for wanderers to miss their hometown.

The ancient Jiangnan houses with white walls and Dai Wa reflect the flavor of time and the unique cultural heritage of Zhouzhuang.

The interior design of the hotel is full of sense, with a simple and elegant appearance and a fashionable decoration style, one inside and one outside, one static and one dynamic, creating a natural atmosphere.

The space in the guest rooms is very spacious, and the wooden decoration style is permeated with a touch of antique atmosphere.

The variety of breakfast is very abundant, and the layout of the pure Chinese style restaurant is eye-catching.

Strolling in the misty rain of Jiangnan, you can feel the poetic atmosphere that has lingered on this land for thousands of years.

Zhouzhuang, known as the "number one water town in Jiangnan", was once a fiefdom of Prince Wu Shaozi Yao during the Spring and Autumn Period. It was named Zhenfengli and was also known as the "City of Yao". In the later years, Zhang Han, a literary scholar from the Eastern and Western Jin dynasties, as well as Tang dynasty poets Liu Yuxi and Lu Guimeng, all lived here.

Amidst the misty rain, standing on the Fu'an Bridge and gazing at Zhouzhuang, it feels like the ancient Jiangnan in ink painting.

I took out a ticket from last year from my pocket.

The clear wind is blowing, and the fine rain wets the clothes.

Bamboo hat and mango shoes, in the old alley of bluestone.

Zhouzhuang remains unchanged, and personnel are no longer involved.

The scenery seen from standing on Shuangqiao is the most beautiful appearance of Zhouzhuang.

The name "Zhouzhuang" was originally coined during the Northern Song Dynasty when a Di Gonglang surnamed Zhou believed in Buddhism and donated 200 acres of farmland to Quanfu Temple as temple property. The people felt grateful for his kindness, and this piece of land gave him his name - Zhouzhuang.

As Emperor Gaozong of Song migrated south, the population of Zhouzhuang gradually became dense.

The development of Zhouzhuang from a small market to a commercial hub is inseparable from the contributions of Shen Wansan and his son.

I don't need to introduce Shen Wansan's name too much. Throughout history, among the wealthy merchants, the first few must have their place. The legend of the treasure trove is widely circulated among the people, and the story of Shen Wansan's game with Zhu Yuanzhang is also talked about by the world.

The "Shen Hall" on Nanshi Street on the south side of the east pier of Fu'an Bridge in Zhouzhuang is the representative building of Zhouzhuang. Originally named Jingye Hall, it was renamed Songmao Hall in the late Qing Dynasty and was built by Shen Benren, a descendant of Shen Wansan, in the seventh year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty.

In front of me is the famous painting that Hammer gifted to Deng Xiaoping - "Memories of Hometown - Shuangqiao".

Shen Wansan took advantage of the advantage of connecting the Jiangxi region with the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Liuhe River to the east, and vigorously developed sea trade, turning Zhouzhuang into a hub and trading center for grain, silk, and various handicrafts, promoting the rapid development of Zhouzhuang's handicrafts and commerce.

In the fifth entrance of the Shen Hall, there is a seated statue of Shen Wansan, and in front of him is a glittering treasure pot. People always like to use coins to smash Shen Wanshan's gold ingots for good luck. It is said that hitting it can attract wealth and treasure.

Among the many popular stories in Jiangnan, there has always been a legend about "Ten Thousand Three Hooves".

In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, so the whole country avoided talking about pigs (Zhu). Once Zhu Yuanzhang visited Shen Wansan's house and had a pig's hoof at a banquet. Upon seeing it, Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately made things difficult for Shen Wansan and asked him how to eat it. If Shen Wansan used a knife to cut open, Zhu Yuanzhang could convict him rightfully. However, Shen Wansan had a clever idea and pulled out a bone from his hoof arm, using it to cut meat and solve Zhu Yuanzhang's problem. He also developed the traditional way of eating his hoof arm.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought it was delicious and asked Shen Wansan what the name of this dish was. Shen Wansan thought it couldn't be called pig's hoof, so he patted his thigh and said, "This is Wan San's hoof." That's why Wan San hoof was named.

"When there is a banquet at home, there must be crispy hooves." For thousands of years, "Wansanti" has become a symbol of prosperity and good luck, and has become the main dish for festivals and weddings in Zhouzhuang. It is also a delicacy for entertaining distinguished guests. And the "Wansan Family Banquet" at that time also became the first choice for Zhou Zhuang people to entertain guests.

In Shen Ting, the inheritance site of Shen family culture, you can taste the most authentic banquet of the former richest family in Jiangnan.

For thousands of years, most of the historical relics from that time have been lost in the depths of time. There are still a small number of Ming Dynasty buildings remaining in the town today, and "Zhang Hall" is one of them.

The original name of Zhangting was "Yishuntang", which is said to have been built by the descendants of Xu Kui, the younger brother of the Ming Dynasty King of Zhongshan Xu Da, during the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, he was sold to a gentry surnamed Zhang and changed his name to Yuyantang, commonly known as Zhangting.

Zhang Hall has seven entrances in front of and behind it, and more than 70 houses, covering an area of more than 18000 square meters. It has cornices, arch of wooden architecture and carved balustrades. The Ruojing River passes through the house next to the hall, as the saying goes, "The sedan enters through the front door, and the boat passes through the house," creating a scene of wealth and prosperity.

There is also an ancient Kunqu opera stage in the town, with opera texts and flower carvings under the eaves, and a phoenix coiled on the roof. The ancient stage, horse walking tower style performance building, and exhibition hall are the main components of a seven acre ancient architectural complex.

It is said to be an ancient stage, but in reality, the stage is not ancient. The oldest one is Kunqu Opera, which is listed as a representative work of the United Nations oral intangible heritage of mankind and the earliest form of Chinese opera.

Kunqu and Guzhen, two things that have emerged from numerous histories, meet here and surpass countless others on earth.

"Ze said that Nanhu Lake has been renowned for shaking the city for two thousand years, and the tune claims that water mills have swept Kunshan for six hundred springs." In the delicate and soft Kunqu opera like water mills, the love, hatred, and joys and sorrows of the world for thousands of years unfold in the night.

The graceful melody, flipping over the high walls, bypassing the lightly dancing willows, lingers on the water of Zhouzhuang, flowing endlessly.

The text on the wall describes the past and present of Kunqu opera.

In the cold winter, there may not be any warmer food than hotpot, right?

A small hot pot filled with hot air and a few authentic Jiangnan scenery plates can dispel the chill that infects the heart.

In addition to Kunqu, over thousands of years, Zhouzhuang has also inherited many intangible cultural heritages. Here, you can appreciate the ancient style of Chinese civilization.

Grass weaving craftsmen use their nimble hands to weave rough plants into exquisite artworks.

Traditional spinning and weaving techniques, you can also buy various types of clothing made of various colored finished fabrics and adobe here.

Year after year, generation after generation, these ancient crafts have not disappeared into the long river of history due to the persistence of these inheritors.

Now, they have regained their new charm.

A museum is a good choice for understanding the past of a region.

The Zhouzhuang Museum is located on Hougang West Street in the ancient town, in a simple and elegant mansion. The river flows in front of the door, surrounded by green trees, and the long stone slab old street witnesses the changes of time.

Crossing the threshold and entering the back hall, the two side rooms are sandwiched, the central courtyard is connected, and the courtyard is covered with bamboo, creating a secluded and interesting path.

Climbing upstairs, pushing the window to overlook the scenery of Zhouzhuang.

The museum houses Liangzhu culture and imprinted pottery cultural relics unearthed from the bottom of the Taishidian Lake in Zhenbei.

Over the past five thousand years, the dazzling array of cultural relics seems to have condensed time and space, as if telling an ancient story: as early as primitive society, there were traces of human life here, and farming and hunting continued to thrive.

The museum also houses treasures such as paintings, photography, and craftsmanship created by famous modern and contemporary artists. The text on the wall will contribute to the life stories of historical figures in Zhouzhuang and narrate them in detail.

A romantic small town, preferably with a literary bookstore.

There is a very nice bookstore brand in Suzhou called Cat's Sky City, abbreviated as "Maokong". I believe the owner used to be a frequent visitor to "Longkong".

A bookstore that heals a city is different from the old Suzhou store I've been to before. The Maokong concept store on Zhouzhuang Cultural Street has a wide variety of books, which makes me dazzled.

In winter, Zhouzhuang is less noisy and crowded than usual, more quiet and peaceful, and also more chilly.

When you're tired from shopping, you can sneak in and slack off in Maokong. A study room, a cup of coffee, a piece of music, and a few postcards make up a holiday story.

The style in the store is very artistic, and many girls are busy taking selfies, little did they know that they have also become scenery in other people's cameras.

Of course, since it is called "Cat's Sky City", there will certainly be warm and healing cats.

In addition to books, there are also many postcards and cultural creations designed by Maokong in the store to decorate your journey.

In the ancient town of Zhouzhuang, there is a place that blends the distant charm of China, interesting cartoon stories, and romantic exotic charm into thin sheets of paper, allowing creativity to fill the vision and mind of every tourist.

This is Carton King, a creative park from Taiwan that uses paper to create the Paris Tower, Leaning Tower of Bis é, and various cartoon images. Not only is it beautiful and not wet, but it can also merge into a colorful ocean at night.

Riding on a small train made of paper, the sound of a long whistle seems to come from the ear, driving all the way to an unknown foreign land.

There are also daily necessities made of paper and handbags here, which are sturdy and durable. You can also DIY yourself and unleash your imagination.

In addition, the park also provides accommodation and dining, allowing you to savor, design, and enjoy life with paper, and spend a wonderful day without realizing it.

The most famous story about Shen Wansan and Zhu Yuanzhang should be the "Wansan Family Banquet" mentioned earlier.

In both prosperous and chaotic times, when it comes to the distribution of interests or power in the upper class society, there are often swords and knives, and deadly opportunities lurking everywhere.

Whether it's the Mianchi Meeting in the Warring States period, the Hongmen Banquet in the late Qin dynasty, or the Qingmei Cooking Wine in the Three Kingdoms period, the cup wine of Song Taizu's release of military power is slightly more moderate.

Born in a chaotic era, the two protagonists of this dinner party, one went from being a cattle herder in a landlord's family to reaching the peak of Chinese power, and the other, a farmer who started his own business, became the richest man in Jiangnan.

One is the empty national treasury just now, and the other is relying on sea trade to enrich the world, so this meal, like a ten sided ambush, can be said to be a killing intent.

The traditional Shen Wansan family feast is mainly led by the "eight bowls", including Wansanchi, Sanweiyuan, Xianjiang fresh water, braised eel tube, snail stuffed meat, braised mandarin fish, oil soaked stuffed meat, farm eel and carp dishes, and Dim sum such as Wansanyue Baijiu, Wansangao, sugar taro, etc.

Among them, the thick red sauce and crispy meat of "Wan San Ti" were the "C" of that historical dinner.

Suzhou's famous dish is hand peeled shrimp. In my impression, people from Shanghai and Suzhou love to eat river shrimp very much. Although it is not big, it is even more delicious. The taste of aged vinegar in a small bowl is excellent.

The "snail stuffed meat" wrapped in pig meat filling does not have the earthy smell of ordinary snails, and the taste is very rich.

"San Wei Yuan" made of tofu and meat filling, and a pot of chicken soup stewed with local chicken, with a clear and mellow taste.

My favorite Stinky tofu is crispy outside and tender inside. It's very soft and delicious. It's my favorite flavor.

Take a pot of traditional Jiangnan yellow wine and immerse yourself in the charming night breeze of Zhouzhuang.

Unlike the bustling city nights, the nights in Zhouzhuang are not as bright, and the semi dim lights have a serene and tranquil charm. Looking across the river, the ancient and simple buildings in the daytime are covered in a layer of illusion by dim lights, as if half of them are in history and half in reality.

The scenery in front of me suddenly stretched out, from clear to dreamy, from dreamy to condensed, and in a daze, it transformed into a new world.

From Spring and Autumn to Han, from Jin to Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, Liu Yuxi, Lu Guimeng, and Shen Wansan have all left their marks on the land and water in the reflection of the rippling waves of Zhouzhuang. On the night when the lanterns are lit, the lights in the ancient town light up one by one, row by row, gradually. On both sides of the river, the lanterns on the boats are strung one after another, reaching an invisible end.

The ship is next to the ship, and the lights are holding the lights, far and near, lingering back and forth. In the clear glow of a full moon, the blurred lights reflect the warmth of the water town.

The long street is long, and the sound of fireworks reminisces about the old years.

The short pavilion is short, and the world of mortals is full of twists and turns. Don't miss each other.

If you are like fireworks, the fireworks will disperse, the Yan dance and Sheng song will stop.

Only, year after year.

The most regrettable thing is that during this trip to Zhouzhuang, there was a misty rain, but the moon disappeared.

The bright moon shines on the world for thousands of miles. On this enchanting night, I am alone without the companionship of the moon. Moonlight soaking in water soaking in the sky, from ancient times to the present, water and the moon have always been the most compatible scenery.

Zhouzhuang is surrounded by water on all sides, with the town's waterways crisscrossing and providing transportation. Apart from boats, it is also a bridge. The charm of the water town lies in this.

The gentle light sprinkled on the water surface, clearly extinguished in layers of ripples.

When you come to Gusu, they all pillow the river.

There is little idle land in the ancient palace, and many small bridges in the water harbor.

The night market sells lotus roots, and the spring boat carries Qiluo.

To know the sleepless moon from afar, homesickness lies in fishing songs.

In autumn and winter, the bright moon hangs high and you stroll through the South Lake in Zhennan. The scenery before you is one of the ancient eight scenic spots of Zhouzhuang, the "South Lake Autumn Moon".

Silent all night, the next day I found that the sky had cleared up.

Passing through winding and winding alleys, hitching a canopies by the river, and being in the first water town in Jiangnan, one naturally wants to savor Zhouzhuang among the rivers.

The boatman tightened his black felt hat and, amidst the creaking sound of oars, we sailed through the crisscrossing waterways.

The scenery on both sides is like an ancient ink painting.

The small building listens to the rain at night, and the sky is clear all night.

Stopping the boat and getting ashore, climbing up the second floor by the river, looking down, the water town shimmered with warm light in the faint dawn.

In the ancient and natural water town of Zhouzhuang, there is also a hidden kingdom of joy for children.

There is no hustle and bustle of the city or amusement park here, only blue sky and white clouds, and colorful unpowered amusement facilities, creating a poetic picture in the water town of Jiangnan.

In the pristine environment, one can come into close contact with many adorable small animals, these elves favored by nature.

Two peacocks with open screens, like blooming fireworks, amazed the misty Jiangnan in the misty rain.

Parent child ranch, agricultural vegetable garden, amusement park, handicraft classroom, wooden house town, adventure world, themed parent-child homestay, nature school, and rich entertainment facilities bring a game space that combines education and entertainment.

This is China's first nature education parent-child theme park, known as the rural version of Disney. The rural scenery is filled with innocent and innocent smiles, allowing children to freely grow and fly in nature.

Outside of Zhouzhuang, it was already noon when I strolled around, and I had dinner at the Mom's Restaurant in Shuizhiyun Hotel... Oh no, dining.

This is a restaurant aimed at the general public, operated by the hotel, with a wide variety of dishes, and the key is good quality and affordable price.

The taste does carry the warmth from childhood memories, and the ingredients are very solid.

Aba Cai fried egg.

A braised vegetable with thick oil and red sauce, very appetizing.

Stir fry another plate of tea tree mushrooms. His tea tree mushrooms have a strong and rich aroma, which is perfect for removing oil and greasiness.

A bottle of wine on the distant lake can recall people from thousands of miles away. In the cold winter of Jiangnan, boiling wine in a furnace is probably the most enjoyable thing I can imagine.

Among the many stories about Shen Wansan, the "Wansan Family Banquet" is probably the most popular among foodies, and the wine used at the banquet is naturally traditional yellow wine from Jiangnan.

Listening to the sound, in the process of making wine, the rhythm of the wine and the collision with the vessels seem like a mysterious and graceful sound.

For those who love wine, the aroma of wine contains a lot of information. If you can taste it again, a professional wine taster can even tell you the place of origin.

Bringing clean rice and wind, as well as mountain springs for fish and shrimp to drink together, brewing a pot of the richest man's cellar, the slightly tipsy air, from the Ming Dynasty to the present.

In the winery, one can still DIY by themselves and spent half a day making a bell.

Unfortunately, it doesn't make much noise. They have bells ringing, but I have bells ringing, just use them as clocks.

In the "Wansan Winery" around Jianxin Village, traditional Jiangnan wine culture and fashionable leisure elements are integrated. You can gradually learn about Shen Wansan and the wine, which has been brewing for nine hundred years, from sight to smell and hearing.

You can visit the process of brewing, and seeing with your own eyes often brings a lot of fun similar to "I see it".

Of course, you can also buy a few bottles to take with you. The winery sells many fruit wines made from Zhong Huang wine as the base wine, which is also very cost-effective.

After visiting Zhouzhuang, if you want to go to a quieter water town than Zhouzhuang, why not go another 5 kilometers and come to Xiangcun Qizhuang to experience the original rural scenery.

Mount Huangshan is the beauty of China's mountains and rivers, and Zhouzhuang is the beauty of China's water town.

This is what the late contemporary Chinese painting master Wu Guanzhong said.

Qingchuan is long and thin, with horses and carriages wandering leisurely.

Flowing water is like intention, and the evening birds return to each other.

A peaceful pastoral painting of time slowly unfolds before my eyes.

Xiangcun was originally Sanzhubang Village in Zhouzhuang Town, bordered by Tianhua Dang to the east, Xiaodian Lake to the west, Taishi Lake to the south, and Chenghu Lake to the north.

Generations of cultivation, born in the abyss, is a typical Jiangnan village.

Compared to the Maokong in front, the style of the bookstore here lies in the boundless scenery outside the window.

The boundless scenery in the aroma of coffee and the rhythm of music.

The mountains are green and the rivers are white, and the sound of the rules is like smoke in the rain.

If you are also a hotel manager like me, then coming here would be fortunate.

There are many beautiful homestays or extremely fashionable modern styles in the village.

The hotel space is filled with highly designed corners, and this living room exudes a touch of classical Chinese style.

Or a faint retro style.

The boss should be passionate about motorcycles and also has a collection of old items from many years.

It is quite reminiscent of the Feel from the Republican era, which was once popular in the American pastoral retro style.

The room below is where I live, elegant, retro, and with a hint of depth, like the imposing Republic of China mansion in a movie.

We need a larger yard. There are trees, preferably fruit or flower trees, or flowering and fruiting trees. No matter how unattractive their own fruits are, they are sweet. Even if the flowering period is short and the daily maintenance is troublesome, it is worth setting up a table under the tree during the few days when the flowers and trees bloom, setting up simple wine and vegetables, and opening smooth drinks to see the flowers moving in the wind, dusk, and moonlight.

What Feng Tang described in "My Ideal House" happens to be my ideal.

The last dinner of this trip was at the Hefengli Restaurant in Qizhuang.

This is a good name, "The bright moon does not startle magpies, the clear breeze chirps cicadas in the middle of the night. The fragrance of rice flowers speaks of a bountiful year. Listen to the sound of frogs."

Still an authentic Jiangnan scenery, the color of Wansanti is very tempting, fat but not greasy, it melts in the mouth, and the richest person back then will indeed enjoy it.

Fresh shrimp and river fish, as the saying goes, "near the water, the tower catches the moon first." Moonlight may not always be present, but fresh river fish is definitely not a problem.

The chicken soup in the pot is still emitting a rich aroma, and fresh seasonal vegetables are absorbing the sweet taste. This sense of satisfaction can probably last until spring when flowers bloom.

A hazy water vapor separated from reality, outside the window is Zhouzhuang, and inside the window is happiness, simple yet warm.