"My old friend leaves the Yellow Crane Tower in the west, and the fireworks fall in Yangzhou in March." The poem of Li Bai, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, has made many people yearning for Yangzhou. No wonder, some netizens joked that Li Bai is the person whom the Yangzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau is most grateful to. Li Bai also did not expect that his farewell poem would make Yangzhou's spring a household name and become a tourist city for Internet celebrities. In my hometown of Hezhou, there is also a poem written by Xie Jin, a genius of the Ming Dynasty and a grand scholar,"Long trees and Qin smoke thousands of miles in autumn, and I miss my relatives alone in the town." I haven't seen geese coming from the south for a few years, and the whole sky of Hezhou ends." But he described my beautiful hometown Hezhou as a distant "end of the sky". No wonder there are so few tourists, hehe.

As a travel enthusiast, Yangzhou is a city that I have been longing to visit for many years, but I have never had the opportunity. In April 2024, I stayed in Nanjing for a short time, and finally allowed me to realize my dreams in Yangzhou during the best time to play. I came to this thousand-year-old city that was soaked by poetry, nourished by canals, lingering by literati and literati of all ages, and favored by modern China.

April 12, 2024 Nanjing-Yangzhou-China Grand Canal Museum-Dongquanmen

Get up at 6:30 in the morning, take the subway to Nanjing Station, take the train at 8:23, arrive at Yangzhou Station at 9:30, take the bus at the exit, check into the reserved Junyi Chain Lotus Pond Store at 10:30, put down your luggage, take a short rest, take the Didi Express, and arrive at the China Grand Canal Museum at 11:20. The overall shape of the museum is like a giant ship sailing, with the 100-meter-high Universiade Tower next to it, which is closely connected to the main museum and is very spectacular.

According to the ranking of Chinese museums popularity index in the first quarter of 2024, Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum has successfully reached the top of Jiangsu Dingliu Museum. Its popularity is very popular, which is really unbelievable. Originally, I was not optimistic about the Grand Canal Museum. I felt that it was a special museum that displayed the culture of the Grand Canal in a variety of forms, and there were no valuable collections in it. My understanding of museums is measured by their rich collections and valuable historical treasures. But in the end, the Grand Canal Museum subverted my understanding. Her success lies in the feast of modern art and vision.

Today, there are not as many people as imagined, but there are not many. Each exhibition hall is very distinctive, with 13 exhibition halls. Hall 1 is the overall picture and historical process of the Grand Canal, and there is an entire wall of the Sui and Tang Dynasties Grand Canal. Section. Hall 2 is a canal boat. You can see all kinds of ancient ships, large and small, especially the real-life experience. It is like being on a real ship and experiencing the beautiful scenery of each section of the Grand Canal. You can see the prosperity of the markets on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and feel the transformation of the four seasons of the Canal. The vision is bursting, very beautiful!

Hall 3 is a canal street, which seems to be in an ancient street in the Song Dynasty, recreating the prosperous market on both sides of the Grand Canal. The sky is led, and the weather, seasons, flowers, etc. will constantly change, making people feel like they are traveling through a real town, which is very interesting.

Hall 4 is the canal capital of the world, showing the customs of famous canal cities such as Venice. Hall 5 is for Canal and Art, which was closed for maintenance when we went. Hall 6 is a canal wetland with many animal specimens. Hall 7 is an intangible cultural heritage of the Grand Canal and mainly introduces the traditional culture along the canal. The Love of the River in Hall 8, with a 720-degree wall surrounded by a curtain, immersive experience of the beauty of the canal, dynamically displaying the beauty of the canal through four chapters: water, transportation, poetry and painting. The ground and walls are all covered with light beams. When you enter, you feel like you enter a world of light and shadow. It was very shocking. Many people sat on the ground and quietly appreciated the changes in the four seasons of the Grand Canal. They could really imagine how prosperous both sides of the Grand Canal were at that time. Hall 9 introduces the story of the Forbidden City and the Grand Canal. Hall 10 is about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty and the Grand Canal, introducing the excavation of the Grand Canal in the Sui Dynasty. What remains is the Potala Palace cultural heritage series exhibitions. There is also a museum located on the first floor, Canal Misunderstanding Hall No. 13. There was no reservation at that time.

There is also a roof garden on the top floor, which is very spacious. Different flowers and plants are planted in each area, with different colors. Walking roads pass through it, and the Universiade Tower is close at hand. Here, you can blow cool breeze, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surrounding area.

At around 16:00, we ended our visit and took the bus to the Halal Hongxing Hotel near Dongguan Street. After eating pot stickers, beef soup buns, and shrimp dumplings, we went to the Dongquanmen Historical District for a tour.

This is an ancient street, about 700 meters long. The ancient street is paved with stone slabs. There are many old houses of salt merchants with blue bricks and black tiles on both sides of the street. Most of the buildings have closed doors and can only be seen. There are many shops on both sides of the street, including snack bars and souvenir shops. There are many alleys that fork out on both sides. The authentic people of Yangzhou's old city live in these alleys. Let's take a look here and where, and take the bus back to the hotel to rest at around 18:00.

April 13, 2024 He Yuan-Pishi Street-Geyuan-Dongguan Street-Grand Canal-Puharin Garden

I got up at around 7:00 in the morning, took the Didi Express, and arrived at He Garden at around 8:30, also known as "Jixiao Villa". It was built after He Zhi of Daotai resigned from office and returned to seclusion during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. It is the largest private garden in Yangzhou, known as the "First Garden in the Late Qing Dynasty."

He Garden is divided into four parts: East Garden, West Garden, Garden Residential Courtyard, and Pianshishan House. The main attractions are Nanmu Hall, Peony Hall, wall-mounted rockery, boat hall, reading building, and Fudao Corridor. Plants and flowers are everywhere in the garden, and the configuration is also unique. There are not only the layout of the four seasons of the year, but also the changes in the morning and evening during the day. The biggest shock that He Yuan gave me was the 1500-meter complex corridor building, the combination of Chinese and Western styles, the illustrious legendary story of the He family, and the achievements of future generations in various fields.

The visit ends around 11:00. Not far away is Pishi Street, a relatively literary and fresh old street in Yangzhou City. It is a check-in place for Internet celebrities. The street is not long, decorated with flowers and cultural creations. The small shops on both sides have their own characteristics. It is fun and interesting, with strong fireworks atmosphere, suitable for leisure and taking photos.

At the intersection of a small alley, there is a sign for Zhu Ziqing's former residence. Walking through the alley with seven turns and eight turns, I see Zhu Ziqing's former residence. I swiped my ID card and entered. I wanted to have a literati's former residence. There were not many tourists deep in the alley. Unexpectedly, the courtyard of the former residence was filled with people."Moonlight on the Lotus Pond" and "Back" are both Chinese models in primary and secondary schools. It seems that the charm of Chinese textbooks is still very powerful. This is a single-story building with blue bricks and black tiles. The small courtyard is clean and tidy. There is a small tree and green bamboo planted in the courtyard, which exudes a sense of leisure and tranquility. Zhu Ziqing's study, bedroom and family's living room have tables, chairs and beds. Although it is old, it is well preserved. The other two houses in the courtyard contain a large number of photos, materials and objects, displaying Zhu Ziqing's life. Standing in the small courtyard of Zhu Ziqing's former residence, the prose "Moonlight on the Lotus Pond" suddenly floated in my mind: "I was the only one walking on the road, hands behind my back. This world seems to be mine; I also seem to have gone beyond my ordinary self and entered another world. I love being lively and calm; I love living together and being alone..."

Around 12:00, we passed through Mafang Lane and arrived at Geyuan,"one of the four famous gardens in China". Geyuan was built during the Jiajing period of the Qing Dynasty and was the home of Huang Zhiyun, the chief merchant of Yanghuai Salt Affairs. Geyuan is famous for its rockery and bamboo, creating a scenery of "spring, summer, autumn and winter". The building is simple, the furniture is low-key and luxurious, the paths are long, and the carved windows are unique. Everything is exquisite and meticulous. Mountains, water and forests constitute a paradise. The main attractions are Baoshan Tower, Qingyi Pavilion, Shuizuan Building, Yiyuxuan, etc.

At around 14:00, we left the garden and entered Dongguan Street, a narrow and long main street divided into many alleys. The street was bustling with people. The authentic Yangzhou cuisine was sweet-scented osmanthus lotus root flour round, tofu pudding, saltwater geese, sweet-scented osmanthus rice cakes... there were countless handicrafts, costumes, Yangzhou's three unique treasures, the stories of the old house of "Xie Fuchun", the residences of large families, and the performances of traditional craftsmen... it was dizzying. Yangzhou's unique cultural heritage seemed to be concentrated in this thousand-year old street. Walking along the main street is the Gate of Dongguan. This is the starting point of Dongguan Street. Opposite it is the ancient canal that has lasted for thousands of years. There is an archway on the side. At that time, the Dongguan Ancient Ferry was once a prosperous terminal for Yangzhou's land and water transportation.

Not far from here, after crossing the canal, is Puhaddin Garden. There is a beef noodle restaurant opened by Hualong people in Qinghai Province at the entrance. We ate here, and the enthusiastic boss presented us cold dishes and steamed buns brought from our hometown. After bidding farewell to the boss, we went to pay homage to the relics of sages. According to reports, Puhaddin (also known as Bu Haodin) was said to be the 16th grandson of Mohammed. During the Xianchun period of the Song Dynasty (1265-1274), he came to China to preach and built Xianhe Temple in Yangzhou. In the first year of Deyou of the Southern Song Dynasty (1275) When Puhaddin returned to Yangzhou from missionary work in Jining, Shandong Province, he died on a boat and was buried on Gaogang on the east bank of the Guan River in Yangzhou.

Puharin Garden consists of three parts, separated by flower walls and connected by doorways. The first is the tomb area, which contains the tomb of Puhardin and other Arab tombstones, and an introduction to Puhardin's life. The second is a mosque. The third is the park. The layout of the courtyard is rigorous, with buildings, pavilions, and tomb pavilions distributed according to the undulating terrain. There are hills, ponds, pavilions, and flower trees in the courtyard. It's just that there are few visitors and the ancillary facilities of the mosque are average, which makes people feel filled with emotion!

At around 17:30, we returned to Dongguan Street, walked around the streets and alleys, and looked at other branches and alleys of Dongguan Street. At around 18:30, we took the bus and returned to the hotel.

April 14, 2024 Xianhe Temple-Daming Temple-Lotus Pond Park-Grand Canal

Starting from the hotel at 8:00, it takes about 10 minutes to walk to the famous Islamic mosque in China, Xianhe Temple. Also known as the "Qingpi Liufang Mosque", it is the first four famous mosques built after Islam was introduced to China, together with Huaisheng Temple in Guangzhou, Qingyi Temple in Quanzhou, and Fenghuang Temple in Hangzhou. It was founded during the Xianchun period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1265-1274). It is said that it was founded by Sun Puharin, a descendant of the 16th Mohammed. According to reports, when Puharin built a mosque in Yangzhou, he followed the customs and respected local people's sentiments. The architectural design of the mosque followed traditional Chinese culture and was laid out according to the shape of the crane: the wall opposite the gate was the crane's beak, the gate hall was the crane's head, and the open-air passage to the north was the crane's neck, the prayer hall was the crane's body, the north and south halls were the crane's wings, the north and south ancient wells were the crane's eyes, the north and south cypress trees were crane legs, and the bamboo forest behind the hall was the crane's tail. Xianhe Temple was named.

The temple master warmly received us, led us to visit the temple, and gave a detailed introduction. Inside is a small courtyard with a Southern Song Dynasty ginkgo tree, tall and luxuriant. There are 3 Ming Dynasty fir halls in the southwest of the courtyard. Go west through a long corridor to the Hall of worship. On the south side of the main hall is the Wangyue Pavilion built in the Ming Dynasty, on the south side of the main hall is the new hall for the imam's residence, and in the southeast corner of the main hall is the bathing room, reception room, kitchen, etc. There was once a Jingtang School in the temple. Most of the existing buildings are from the middle of the Qing Dynasty. Some details of the building, such as the drum stone, the arch sitting bucket, and the bird's seat, etc., still retain the old appearance of the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, the prosperity at that time and the depression today have become a sharp contrast, which makes people sigh!

At around 10:00, we took the bus to Daming Temple. We were facing a solemn and elegant archway with the words "Qiling Ruins" written on it. Two stone tablets were embedded on the east and west walls in front of the temple,"The First View of Huaidong", the big characters of "The Fifth Spring in the World", and the three characters "Daming Temple" at the main entrance. The main temple building of the entire Daming Temple has three parts, with the archway, Tianwang Hall and Daxiong Hall in the middle. The west road is mainly Pingshantang, Gulintang and Ouyang Temple. The east road is Pingyuan Tower, Jianzhen Memorial Hall, and Sutra Tower. There are also squares, sleeping towers, and back garden-West Garden.

Pingshan Hall, also known as the "Immortal Old Hall", was built by Ouyang Xiu, a litterateur of the Northern Song Dynasty, when he was the prefect of Yangzhou. It is a place dedicated to literati and literati reciting poems and composing poems. Gulintang was built during the Yuanyou period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1086 - 1094). It was built by Su Dongpo in memory of his teacher Ouyang Xiu. Ouyang Temple is also known as Ouyang Wenzhong Temple and June 1 Temple. It was built by Yangzhou people to commemorate Ouyang Xiu's benevolent government. In his later years, Ouyang Xiu called himself the "June 1 Scholar" and said: My family has 10,000 volumes of books, collecting a thousand volumes of relics from three generations. There is a piano, a game of chess, and a pot of wine. Wouldn't it be six?

Jianzhen Memorial Hall is an important building in Daming Temple. In the stele pavilion in front of the memorial hall stands a white marble stele engraved with Guo Moruo's inscription "Monument to the Great Monk Jianzhen of Tang Dynasty". There is a stone lantern in the middle of the courtyard, which was given by the elders of Tang Zhaoti Temple in Japan. It is paired with another stone lantern in Tang Zhaoti Temple. The memorial hall houses a sitting statue of Jianzhen made of nanmu. The Qiling Tower was originally built by Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty to celebrate his birthday. The tower we see now is restored and rebuilt according to the tower of the Sui Dynasty. The tower is 9 stories high. Climb to the top of the tower and you can overlook the entire Daming Temple and overlook Slender West Lake.

Daming Temple West Garden is a classical garden full of wild mountains and forests. It has towering ancient trees, rugged rocks, sparkling pools and water, elegant pavilions and pavilions, a lake in the mountains, green water, surrounded by green trees, and beautiful scenery. There are a large number of koi carp raised in the lake, which are colorful and huge black swans. There is also an "Imperial Stele Pavilion" in the park, with the Imperial Monument of Emperor Qianlong. There is also the fifth spring in the world. It is said that Lu Yu, a tea saint who lived in seclusion in Huzhou during the Tang Dynasty, selected the best tea-making spring water in the world and considered the Daming Temple spring water to be the "fifth spring in the world." Ouyang Xiu believes that Lu Yu lives in a corner of the southeast and has never traveled around the world. How can he name the word "world"? As a result, there was the "low-key" title of "the fifth spring". The temple has lush vegetation and many buildings, including vegetarian restaurants.

We left Daming Temple around 13:30 and took the bus to Lotus Pond Park. There was a restaurant opened by Xunhua, Qinghai at the door. We ate beef noodles, stir-fried meat and garlic tables, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and fried eggs. The enthusiastic boss gave us white cakes again. I am very grateful to the two Muslim bosses in Qinghai. May the good people have a good reward and wish them a prosperous business. After dinner, we went to the park. Lotus Pond Park is an urban park in Yangzhou and one of Yangzhou's famous attractions. Emperor Qianlong visited this place during his southern tour, and praised it greatly and named Jiufeng Garden.

The moment I walked into the park, the first thing that came to my eyes was the white jade flowers. The flowers were like white jade plates, slender and graceful. The hydrangea viburnum pod next to it is as white as a ball, with huge flowers hanging one by one on the branches, making people look here and there and can't help but be immersed in it. With the breeze, a clear and faint breath came over. It makes people unconsciously take a deep breath, as if the freshness is integrated into their blood and flowing throughout their bodies.

There are small lake stone rockery, drip springs, classical brick and wood halls, hexagonal wind pavilions, small bridges, plank roads, health trails,"South Garden Relics", shadow garden ruins, etc. Walking along the winding path, I found that everything here seemed so natural and harmonious. By the pond, a few mandarin ducks are playing in the water, leisurely; on the bank, weeping willows are swaying gently on the water surface, causing circles of ripples. The catkins drift away with the breeze like fireworks. Children are chasing and playing on the grass not far away, and adults are exercising. The laughter and laughter are intertwined with the harmony of nature to form a music of life. Sit on a bench near the water's edge, close your eyes, and let your heart float with the sounds around you. It feels like all the worries and pressures have disappeared.

Standing on the plank road and looking at the lotus pond, my heart was full of emotion. The withered branches filled the pond, under the breeze, drew countless geometric shapes on the water surface. There is no clue to the newborn lotus leaf. Yes! The newborn lotus leaf still has a way to go before it reveals its "sharp corners". Here, I found inner tranquility and gained a deeper understanding and understanding of life.

At around 17:30, we arrived at the South Gate Ruins Pier of the Grand Canal. It had lost its former prosperity. There were no tourists. The canal flowed quietly, and willows on both sides swayed with the wind. We walked slowly along the canal. Not far ahead There is a bridge with a pavilion. Climb on the bridge, look at the canal, and sigh with the wisdom and courage of mankind. Return to the hotel around 19:00.

April 15, 2024 Slender West Lake

Get up at 7:00, have breakfast, take the bus, and arrive at the south gate of Slender West Lake Scenic Area at 8:00. Slender West Lake is a tributary of the Yangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, forming a belt-like landscape dominated by gardens on both sides of the river. The Slender West Lake Scenic Area is dotted with Wuting Bridge, White Pagoda, Twenty-Four Bridge, Xiaojinshan, Xichun Terrace, Diaoyutai, etc. Dozens of landscapes, the emperors of the Kangxi and Qianlong dynasties visited the south six times, which shows how charming the scenery is.

When we entered from the South Gate, the first thing that caught our eyes was the rippling blue waves of the lake. The lake water is clear and transparent, as if it can wash away the dust in people's hearts. The lake is winding and winding, with blue waves rippling in the wide area and rapid water in the narrow area, forming a variety of lake scenery. The islands in the lake are dotted with weeping willows on the lake, peach blossoms are in full bloom and dance with the wind, creating an interesting contrast with the surrounding pavilions and pavilions. The pleasure boats and cruises in the lake are intertwined into a beautiful picture.

Stroll along the lake, every step seems to be in the rhythm of poetry. The beauty of the gardens of Slender West Lake is even more amazing. Classical gardens are scattered along the lake, and each garden has its own unique charm. Xuyuan is famous for its exquisite layout and exquisite carvings, which seems to condense the beauty of Jiangnan here; Xiaojinshan is known for its mountains and rocks and winding water, showing the natural beauty of mountains and rivers. The Wuting Bridge is a landmark building in Slender West Lake. The five pavilions each have their own characteristics, unique shapes and majestic momentum. Ancient architectural sites such as Fahai Temple and White Pagoda have witnessed the prosperity and glory of Yangzhou's history, allowing people to feel the atmosphere of ancient culture. The inscriptions and inscriptions that can be seen everywhere enrich the cultural connotation of the scenic spot and provide a place to taste poetry and songs. "The bright moon night on the twenty-four bridges, where does the jade man teach him to blow the whistle?" makes people have infinite imagination. The Wanyuan Garden, Bonsai Garden and rich vegetation and flowers make people feel like a fairyland. Small bridges and flowing water, pavilions and rockery, exotic flowers and grasses, black swans everywhere... make people forget to leave. Walking along the Slender West Lake, every step is really a scenery.

We visited Changdi Chunliu-Bonsai Exhibition Area-Xuyuan-Xiaojinshan-Diaoyutai-Meiyuan-Wuting Bridge-Fuzhuang-White Pagoda-Fahai Temple-Linglong Flower World-Xichun Terrace-Twenty-Four Bridge-Art Center-1757 Food Street Square-Wan Garden-Shibi Liucong-Bonsai Museum-Shuttled Forest Guarding Wind-Luocheng Garden-Painting and Calligraphy Institute-Water System Miniature Garden, which lasted for more than 8 hours and enjoyed the beautiful lakes and mountains, unique garden buildings, famous historical relics, Poems and humanistic stories left by ancient poets.

At around 16:00, we left Slender West Lake from the North Gate. Take the Didi Express to the Halal Hongxing Hotel. After eating Yangzhou fried rice and beef wonton, take the bus to the hotel to rest.

April 16, 2024 Yangzhou-Nanjing

Get up around 7:00, pack your bags, take the bus to Yangzhou Station at 8:00, and take the 10th train to Nanjing.

summary

This trip to Yangzhou lasted for 5 days. We mainly visited scenic spots such as Heyuan, Geyuan, and Cuxihu, visited Xianhe Temple and Daming Temple, and visited the relics of sages in Puhaddin Garden. I was deeply moved. I tasted Yangzhou fried rice, wonton, etc. Overall, I felt that this trip achieved the expected results and was full of happiness, but I also felt a little regretful. I always thought that "one flower in Weiyang, no one of its kind in the world" and "there should be no second flower in the world" was the abbreviation of Tianmu Qionghua. Although many photos were taken this time, no detailed observation was made on the spot. In fact, they are two different plants with different leaves. The leaves of Qionghua are neat, while the leaves of Tianmu Qionghua are toothed; The number of outer flowers is different, there are eight Qionghua flowers, but the Tianmu Qionghua flowers are not fixed; the fruit shapes are different. Yes! In this world, there are many things that look the same but are actually different, but we just don't observe it carefully! There is also the Canal Mystery in Hall 13 of the Grand Canal Museum located on the first floor. There was no appointment at that time and it was thought to be a game exhibition hall. Now it seems that it still leaves regrets.

PostScript

The tour to Yangzhou has finally been completed. In fact, it is not a travel note. It is just a brief introduction to the places I have been to, and a record of the length of time, routes, transportation, and accommodation I have visited these places, mixed with some personal thoughts and insights can only be regarded as a record of the trip. The reason why I spend a lot of time and energy writing such things is mainly to improve the quality of my tourism and improve my tourism. At the same time, enrich your knowledge and experience and deepen your impression. Let your sensory enjoyment and spiritual enjoyment combine together, and feel that this is the perfect travel and the true travel. On the other hand, it also provides some simple reference for travelers who also like to travel. Even if only one person finds it useful, I feel very pleased.