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I have always believed that the most fundamental cultural temperament of a place is rooted in its pastoral culture. The vast and fertile black soil in Northeast China is filled with sorghum and wheat. After the autumn harvest, the sorghum turns into a knife like liquor, irrigating the rugged and romantic culture of the three provinces. The dark red sandy soil of Xinjiang holds baskets of honey like grapes and fruits. The tall and beautiful girl in Xinjiang grows up eating these fruits, and her gaze is even sweeter than honey.

The Jiangnan countryside has a natural poetic flavor, and mentioning it reminds people of the misty rain, the snow-white rice flowers, and the green willow branches in front of the farmers. Unfortunately, in recent years, with the rapid development of the economy in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, it has become increasingly difficult to find places that retain the rural charm of Jiangnan while maintaining its beauty Ahau Encounter me unexpectedly.

Wucun and Wuzhen Neighboring, it preserves the most typical way of life in Jiangnan villages. On this basis, Wucun has made clever improvements and optimizations, adding facilities such as dessert shops, tree houses, archery fields, auditoriums, coffee bars, etc. to the original farmland old houses. This time we chose the one price all inclusive package for three days and two nights in Wucun. The package includes all expenses for accommodation, dining, activities, travel, and transportation within three days and two nights, saving me the trouble of making guides and booking separately, which made me a little lazy.

Check in to the mill

The accommodation area in Wucun has a very interesting concept - "clustering". The name "group" comes from the life of traditional production teams, which divide the members of the production team into different groups based on various agricultural production tasks. We have chosen the Mill themed cluster, which is a renovated old residential building with winding green ivy on the walls and green tiles. There is a small balcony on the second floor, and millstones can be seen everywhere. One of the important reasons for choosing the mill cluster is the food here. There is also a mill in use near here, where you can eat hand ground fresh tofu pudding soybean milk.

There is a pond next to the house, and it is already late summer. The lotus flowers have bloomed and withered, but the lotus leaves are still very energetic. As I walked here, I suddenly remembered a poem I learned when I was very young - "You can pick lotus in Jiangnan, where are the lotus leaves?"

The room is retro and elegant, suitable for sitting on the sofa when it rains, turning on the desk lamp, and reading a book carefully under the dim yellow light.

There is a big rest bar on the first floor, where you can sit on the sofa, drink tea, and chat with strangers you meet.

village committee

The village committee here is equivalent to the front desk of a hotel.

On the first floor, there are many origami works displayed, and before that, I had never thought that a piece of paper could change so many patterns. The receptionist noticed that I was interested and smiled, saying that if I wanted to give it a try, I could invite the creators of these small animals to become my teachers.

Village Head Convenience Store

The convenience store is divided into two parts. The left side is for daily necessities, while the right side sells some vintage items. The most common one is a movie poster. Anita Mui's sorrowful and beautiful profile in "Rouge Button", 1900 facing the lonely back of the sea, and Princess Anne sitting in the back seat of the bicycle in "Roman Holiday", holding Joe and laughing naively and brilliantly.

Small Animal Park

If you are bringing children to Wucun, then you must go to a small animal park. Here live goats, scalpers, donkeys, and piglets. Grab a handful of grass and they will come over to beg for food gently. At this point, you can observe their gentle dark brown eyes, the small horns of scalpers, and the wet nose of piglets up close.

Wucun Entertainment

The outdoor entertainment projects in Wucun are very diverse. Autumn is a cool and refreshing season, perfect for going out indoors to bask in the sun. Archery, kayaking, hoops, laughing and making fun, sweating profusely, the sun had already set before fully enjoying themselves.

If you are not a sports enthusiast, you can also take a swing for a while. Above me were layers of leaves, and the sunlight seemed to have been filtered green. The cool breeze blows slowly, and the swing sways leisurely. Close your eyes and take a nap, dreaming of the best autumn in Jiangnan.

The most distinctive activity in the village is various agricultural activities. There are many seasonal fruits and vegetables planted in the village, such as corn, okra, pumpkin, ginger, watermelon, grapefruit, etc There are vegetables and fruits to pick all year round. The enthusiastic staff of Wucun will explain the types of vegetables and the correct picking methods. The harvested fruits and vegetables can be directly delivered to the kitchen and then served on your dining table.
In addition to picking, there are also activities such as transplanting seedlings, cutting rice, and harvesting rapeseed in the village in different seasons.

Children's Playground

Not to mention children, as an adult who has already reached adulthood, every time I see the ocean ball, I still have the urge to dive in. Slide, rock climbing, building blocks, here I am once again a carefree child.

Tree House

I have always dreamed of living in a treehouse and being a neighbor to birds since I was young. When I woke up in the morning, I opened the curtains. In spring, there were flowers outside the window, and in summer, the leaves were lush green. In autumn, I could pick a fruit with my hand, and in winter, the white snow bent the branches. I never expected that this dream would come true in Wucun after many years.

The entire treehouse is built entirely of branches and trunks, standing on a small observation deck as if a bird is about to fall on its shoulder and beg for food from you.

The interior of the room is much larger than I imagined, with books, tea, and a soft carpet. I can stay alone inside for a whole day.

Educated youth restaurant

The dinner is held in the Educated Youth Restaurant, which is also transformed from the old house. With nostalgic style as the theme, it focuses on all kinds of Little pan rice/Congee. Of course, there are also various western desserts, with a wide range of choices.

The daily meals are different, and the ingredients are mainly seasonal vegetables produced in the village, with no more than an hour from picking to serving. The enamel tableware here is very interesting. The blue and white color scheme, combined with familiar posters and slogans, is sure to evoke many childhood memories.

If you want to change the flavor, the Western cuisine here is also done well, and the most recommended dishes are meal bags and thick soup. The meal bags are freshly baked on the same day, with a crispy outer skin and a soft inner core. The seasoning of the soup is just right, and the fragrance of basil highlights the freshness and sweetness of the clams perfectly.

Cruise Breakfast

I woke up in the morning and asked the staff where the breakfast restaurant was. Unexpectedly, she took us to a small pier. There is a small boat waiting outside the dock early in the morning. The boat is a common canopied boat in the Wuzhen area. The old man who paddles at the bow of the boat is wearing moonlight white and ink blue cloth pants, with a cut, looking very energetic.

Breakfast is very rich. From Chinese soup Congee to western food, there are four or five dishes with Congee, seven or eight kinds of cereals, five or six kinds of food bags

Opening the window, the cool morning breeze brushed against my cheeks, and the small boat leisurely walked on the water. On the shore, there were golden rice paddies, clusters of reeds, and water birds combing their feathers.

Wuzhen Xizha

After finishing breakfast on the cruise ship and strolling around the village for a while, we set off towards the Xizha Scenic Area in Wuzhen.
There is a small road between Wucun and Xizha Scenic Area in Wuzhen. Guests who have stayed in Wucun will be arranged for transportation by the hotel.

Check in to Zhaoming Academy

Today I decided to stay at the Zhaoming Academy, which was named after Prince Xiao Tong of the Southern Liang Dynasty. Xiao Tong edited and compiled "Selected Works", which is the first collection of poetry and prose in China. Prince Zhaoming once came to Wuzhen with his teacher Shen Yue to study and built a library. Later, the library collapsed and the ruins remained.
Later generations rebuilt the academy on the original site. The academy today is a typical flush gable roof style ancient building complex, with exquisite carving and ingenious design.

The design of the lobby roof is quite ingenious, with hundreds of sections engraved with bamboo slips from "Selected Works" hanging down one after another, interspersed with bright yellow lights.

The furnishings in the guest rooms are mainly made of natural wood furniture, which is simple and elegant. When the windows are opened, there is a wall of green and green.

Wuzhen in the afternoon

Pack your luggage and take advantage of the sunny afternoon to go out for a walk. At the entrance to the main entrance of the academy is a stone memorial archway built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, which is inscribed with "Six Dynasties' Relics". On the Longfeng board, there is a criminal punishment event, and Shen Shimao, a scholar, wrote the words "Prince Liang Zhaoming and Shen Shangshu's Reading Office".

The mottled pillars support layers of Dai tiles, and the winding stone bridge stands in a pool of clear water.

The buildings in the alley have been around for many years, with mottled walls and old wooden windows. The crowds of tourists traveling back and forth on the road, I wonder what kind of magnificent scenery these old blue stone houses witnessed a hundred years ago?

Blue brick small tile horse head wall, corridor hung with lattice windows.

When passing through the main river, looking out from the bridge, the river is green, and the willow branches are soft. The houses facing the water seem to be dyed with ink layers, elegant and lovely.

Wuzhen is the most bustling ancient town I have ever seen, and to this day, it has rarely preserved a large number of residential buildings for commercial use. It is the indigenous people of this water town who have preserved the most authentic charm of Wuzhen. Sitting on a small boat, one can still see clothes hanging under the eaves on both sides, and a lovely pot of rouge flowers blooming on the windowsill.

It was near the Mid Autumn Festival with a strong festival atmosphere. I saw many rabbit related gadgets on the street.

And there are also lantern guessing enthusiasts
Can you guess the answer to the riddle below?

If you're tired from strolling, you can still sit down by the river and taste tea.

Mid Autumn Festival Banquet

In Wuzhen, during festivals, neighbors will set up tables and chairs along the street, connect wooden tables, and hold banquets widely. This is called the Changjie Banquet, also known as the "Fang Banquet" by the locals.
Coincidentally during the Mid Autumn Festival, a Mid Autumn Festival banquet was held in the alleyway of Zhaoming Academy.

Opening the menu, there is a dazzling array of dishes, each with its own clever ideas and perfect combinations.

The white jade like fish balls are like two small bright moons in a bowl.

Sprinkle a handful of newly picked osmanthus flowers on the chestnut soup this year. The fragrance of osmanthus is dense and the soup is smooth.

This banquet lasted until nightfall, with lights lit and cups raised in the night breeze, gazing at the bright moon with strangers from all over the world. When everyone is slightly tipsy, the carnival begins. The smile and the mellow wine will melt away the bitterness. There are no travelers tonight, and everyone is reunited after a long separation.

Golden Autumn Wonderful Night

After dinner, choose a lamp to go sightseeing in the garden. I have never seen so many lamps, paper, bamboo, or glass; Round, flat and plump, adorned with tassels I was dazzled by the sight.

Passing by a small shop specializing in making lanterns, I couldn't help but stop for a long time. The landlady's dexterity is astonishing. She weaves the skeleton of the lantern with delicate bamboo thread, and meticulously covers it with paper and paints its colors. Just a lotus lamp requires handmade bamboo threads to weave dozens of petal frames, and then connect them together, not to mention the complex process of a dragon lamp.

Put a water lamp and watch them drift away, like fireflies flowing down the dark water surface in summer.

A group of jellyfish float in the air, stretching their slender and soft tentacles in the night breeze.

The sky is full of twinkling stars, and the earth is a flowing river of lights.

Wuzhen Morning Tea Guest

Last night, I had a lot of fun visiting the park and returned. The next day, I wanted to sleep in, but I still woke up early because I didn't want to miss the early morning in Wuzhen.
At night, the city of Wuzhen is filled with lights reflecting on the water, shining brilliantly, just like the scenic spot recorded by Xin Qiji - "The east wind blooms flowers and trees at night. It blows down and stars rain like rain."
When Wuzhen woke up again, she was like a gentle and pure Wu Yue girl.

There were not many pedestrians on the road, and the morning was still a bit chilly. At this moment, I was able to calm down and carefully appreciate this ancient city. I looked at its bricks, stones, plants, and trees, and let my thoughts wander. I wondered if there was also a traveler who walked along the road I had walked, crossing the small town of Jiangnan in the early morning.

After about two quarters of an hour, the residents of Wuzhen gradually got up, and laughter began to come from the streets.

It's probably about ten years since I washed my hair in such a barber shop last time.

The bridges and caves in Wuzhen are like the moon gates of Suzhou gardens, with each half arc framing a small landscape unique to the water town.

Friends living in Wuzhen have two options for breakfast: one is to enjoy a buffet at the hotel, and the other is to become a morning tea customer and find their favorite snacks in the scenic area. All are free, but remember to make an appointment one day in advance.

I chose a basket of shaomai, paired with noodles with shrimp skin and pickled vegetables, a small plate of marinated tofu jerky, and a few crispy fried dumplings. The barbecue skin is as thin as paper, and the filling with bamboo shoots is so fresh that it can be swallowed by the tongue.

After breakfast, we strolled around the market where an old man set up a stall selling his own vegetables and fruits, and the green onions carried a refreshing dew.

Some people also take on the responsibility of selling newly broken shells of little ducks and pigeons, which are fluffy and small, and when placed in the palm of their hand, they will emit a tender chirping sound.

I saw a vegetable and fruit cart with a stunning appearance, all four seasons in the world, but today's tea and rice business~

There is also a water market filled with vegetables, fruits, and miscellaneous items on board, selling along the river.

Sightseeing Boat

How can you come to Wuzhen without taking a boat? Riding on a canopied boat leisurely on the river, encountering a boatman with great enthusiasm, perhaps I can even sing you a boat ballad from the past.

The reeds by the water are blooming perfectly, a snow-white and soft bundle, reflecting the green river water like frost covering the glass.

Conclusion

Looking back at Wuzhen, the most beautiful scenery is the water scenery of Jiangnan, with a light boat and two oars in awe. Clear water and clear sky, clear shadows and flat waves.