Wentu/Ying Zhigang

Suzhou is made of water, Xiangcheng is flowing.

In this fertile land where Wu Zixu once "tasted the soil and water, like heaven and earth", water has been the life code of Xiangcheng since ancient times. It not only has the famous Yangcheng Lake at home and abroad, but also has the beauty of North Taihu Lake and the charm of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.

The waterway transportation connecting Suzhou City and Changshu and the "Yuanhe Tang" passing through the main city are the living coordinates of Xiangcheng's thousand-year culture.

Yuanhetang starts from the Qimen Bridge on the Huancheng River in Suzhou City in the south and ends at the Changshu Moat in the north. It has a total length of 39.1 kilometers and extends for 20.2 kilometers in Xiangcheng District, infiltrating and nourishing the thousand-year scenery of Yuanhe, High-Speed Railway New City, Weitang and Beiqiao.

It is commonly said that the dredging of Yuanhetang was presided over by Li Su, the governor of Suzhou, in the third and fourth years of Yuanhe in the Tang Dynasty. After its success, it was named after the year.

But in fact, the history of this river predates that of the Tang Dynasty. It was only once silted up and turned into mud before Li Su redredged it, giving it a completely new look.

Yuanhetang is surrounded by dense water networks and frequent cargo flows. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has been an important trading town in Suzhou.

In the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, moved his capital to Beijing. A large number of gold bricks needed for the construction of the palace were produced by the imperial kiln on the bank of Yuanhe Tang and transported to the capital through Yuanhe Tang.

Therefore, Yuanhetang was also known as the "Royal Waterway".

Yuan is the head, the beginning, and the foundation of Qi. The beginning of the Spring and Autumn Annals talks about "cultivating Yuan to establish righteousness."

Harmony means correspondence and coordination. The Qian hexagram of the Book of Changes and the Zhuan (tuàn) Biography states that "maintaining harmony and harmony is righteousness."

"Yuan" is the original foundation, and "harmony" means harmony and harmony. The word "Yuanhe" includes the historical context of Xiangcheng and the yin and yang of Feng Shui.

Yuanhetang, which has flowed through thousands of years, is once again in a prosperous era.

In 2010, Xiangcheng District launched a landscape renovation project for Yuanhetang. Through the S-shaped rainbow bridge, water curtain movies, and riverside trails, a "romantic ecological corridor" that complements British and Russian customs is created. There are 20 sightseeing docks and water curtain movies on both sides of the way, making it the "Suzhou Little Bund."

The core area is today's vitality island.

Vitality Island, which covers an area of 100 acres and has a building area of approximately 35,000 square meters, is the largest open-air theater in Suzhou City.

The most dazzling background of the main stage is the "finishing touch" of the entire Vitality Island. The sector-shaped steel structure stage is 100 meters long and 20 meters high. Nearly 10,000 LED lights change into various color images under computer control. From a distance, it looks like a giant sailboat in the lake, like a dream.

The main stage is a three-story stage that can be lifted and lowered. In addition to the ground, which can accommodate nearly a thousand spectators, the underground is a double-decker parking lot, which can park more than a thousand vehicles at the same time; the underground is specially arranged with central air conditioning for actors 'makeup area, resting area, and rehearsal area. The function is very complete.

The east-west islands on both sides of Vigorous Island are like two carp flying over a dragon gate.

The Oriental Style Island covers an area of 123 acres. The overall building is dominated by oriental customs. The improved modern Jiangnan style is added to integrate the old Suzhou style into the changes of the new era.

The Western Style Island covers an area of 119 acres and has a total of 38 single buildings with glass and steel structures as the main bodies, becoming a modern urban landscape with a modern and simple style.

In the northern business district of Vitality Island, a series of city signs are connected in series on the grand central axis.

"Xiangzhimen" uses the image of the "moon door" commonly found in Suzhou gardens to show the connotation of its door.

The "Mountain Tower", which is more than 300 meters long, reflects the modern and upward spirit in a straight and towering form. Several 100-meter tall buildings stand on both sides, forming the peak of Xiangcheng's skyline.

The Second Workers 'Cultural Palace in Suzhou City, the Second Library of Suzhou, and the Golden Brick Museum shine around the Vitality Island.

Suzhou Imperial Kiln Golden Brick Museum has a construction area of 20,000 square meters. It has a simple design and unique details. It is a national AAAA scenic spot.

Suzhou Second Library is located north of Huayuan Road and west of Guangji North Road in Xiangcheng District. The entire project has 7 floors above and below ground, which is nearly twice the size of the old library on Renmin Road. It is not only a super library with document storage and distribution as its main function, but also has three major functions: public library services, document storage and distribution, and cultural facility supporting services.

The Second Workers 'Cultural Palace in Suzhou City has various venues such as cinemas, theaters, badminton halls, basketball halls, table tennis halls, swimming halls, and gymnasiums. It was officially opened on May 1 this year.

Vigorous Island has beautiful scenery, and the light show that blooms brightly at night is praised by many citizens as the "most beautiful night scene".

In addition, there are large and small office buildings and various commercial complexes standing around, which have become a "online celebrity check-in place" for people's daily fitness, leisure and entertainment.

The water and soup of the Yuantang River flows, and today's Vitality Island has long been a pearl of Suzhou that never sleeps."8:30 in Suzhou" lights up the "Vitality Summer Night" here and ignites the ancient charm of thousands of years.

The ancient wind blows through Xiangcheng, Yuanhe Pond, and Vitality Island. The prosperity of the world bears fruit, and it is over from scratch to see the present.