The water town in the south of the Yangtze River is as picturesque as a poem. In the hazy mist and rain, the beautiful scenery and secrets complement each other like a dream.
Deep in this hazy waters, there is a low-key and mysterious ancient town – Huishan Ancient Town.
It is like a bright pearl in the long river of history, lying quietly in the depths of time, waiting for the search and discovery of destined people.
The streets and alleys of the ancient town are winding, and the bluestone roads have been polished as smooth as mirrors by the years. The ancient buildings on both sides are looming in the mist and rain, as if they are telling the glory and vicissitudes of the past.
The drizzle is like silk, gently falling on every corner of the ancient town, adding a bit of haziness and mystery to this ancient land.
Huishan Ancient Town carries a rich history and was built in the distant Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Next to the ancient town, the tributaries of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal flow through it like a silver ribbon, bringing endless prosperity and excitement to this land.
During the Qing Dynasty, the two emperors Kangxi and Qianlong toured the south of the Yangtze River. They once leisurely came to Huishan Ancient Town along this tributary and savored the unique charm here.
Among the ancient towns, the most eye-catching ones are the second spring in the world and the stone scripture pillars of the Tang and Song Dynasties.
The spring water was dug during the Dali period of the Tang Dynasty, flowing quietly like an ancient wise man.
The spring water is sweet and refreshing, making it an excellent choice for making tea. The tea sage Lu Yu once fell in love with it and praised it as “the second best in the world”, hence the name.
For thousands of years, although the title of the first spring in the world has been controversial, its status as the second spring in the world has always been stable and no one can shake it.
The spring water is just like the character of Wuxi people, gentle and elegant, not noisy, but has its own sound.
It flows quietly, witnessing the vicissitudes of the ancient town, and nourishing the people on this land.
Huishan Temple, this thousand-year-old temple, stands in the water town of Jiangnan. Its history can be traced back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
It is like a long and thick historical scroll, quietly telling the glory and vicissitudes of the past. Stepping into Huishan Temple is like traveling through time and space and returning to that ancient era.
In the Tang Dynasty, the pine stone bed still lay quietly, as if you could still hear the bursts of pine waves, telling the long years; in the Tang and Song Dynasties, the scripture building stood tall and was still solemn and solemn after being baptized by wind and rain; the Xianghua Bridge and the Golden Lotus Bridge spanned the stream and witnessed the sacrifices of countless believers. Devotion and prayer.
In addition, the ancient ginkgo branches of the Ming Dynasty were lush and leafy, adding a bit of vitality and vitality to the ancient temple; the imperial stele of the Qing Dynasty witnessed the emperor’s admiration and respect for Buddhist culture.
The Main Hall and Huishan Temple Bell, which have been restored and constructed in recent years, fully demonstrate the unique charm of Buddhist culture.
Jichang Garden, this fairyland on earth, is located at the eastern foot of Huishan Mountain on the east side of the western suburbs of Wuxi City, adjacent to the solemn Huishan Temple.
In the 19th year of Wanli, Qin Yao had a unique insight and drew inspiration from Wang Xizhi’s poem “Reply to the Rafters”. He named the garden after the word “Ji Chang”, which means to find spiritual sustenance and happiness among the mountains and rivers. .
In 1952, Qin Lianggong, a descendant of the Qin family, dedicated Jichang Garden to the country with his deep attachment to this land.
Today, Jichang Garden is unique among Jiangnan gardens, showing a unique style with its ingenious borrowed scenery, superb stacked stones, exquisite water management, and refined architecture.
Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty also had a special liking for this garden. They visited it many times and wrote poems as a souvenir.
What is even more amazing is that the Garden of Harmony in the Summer Palace in Beijing and the Duke Kuoran in the Old Summer Palace were both modeled after the Jichang Garden in Huishan, Wuxi, which shows its important and far-reaching role in garden art. Influence.
Although Huishan Ancient Town covers an area of only one square kilometer, it is like a treasure house of history and culture, gathering many bright treasures.
More than a hundred ancestral halls are dotted like stars, shining brightly; temples, gardens, book gardens and other historical monuments are even more picturesque and picturesque, making people forget to leave.
In June 2006, the Huishan Ancient Town Ancestral Hall Group was approved by the State Council and became a key cultural relics protection unit in China.
These ancestral halls are not only witnesses of history, but also cultural inheritance. They quietly tell the past and glory of the ancient town.
The China Clay Figurine Museum, a shining pearl in the clay figurine industry, not only has lofty standards, but also has an extremely rich collection.
Among them, Huishan clay figures, as one of the three famous specialties of Wuxi, are the shining stars of the museum.
The building of the museum cleverly stands on the site of the original Huishan Clay Figure Factory, as if the threads of history are intertwined here.
The museum’s ingenious design perfectly combines clay figurine culture with modern art, allowing people to appreciate the clay figurine art while also feeling the charm of modern design.
Walking into the museum, you feel like you are in a world of clay figurines. The various clay figurine works of different shapes are lifelike and dazzling.
The museum provides a detailed introduction to China’s clay figurine culture and various clay sculpture schools, with pictures and texts that make it clear at a glance.
Here, people can have an in-depth understanding of the clay figurine production process, historical origins and cultural value, and feel the unique charm of clay figurine art.
In particular, the development history and exquisite skills of Huishan clay figures have increasingly revealed their incomparable charming style after in-depth exploration.
There is a dazzling array of clay sculptures on display in the museum, spanning various periods and covering different genres.
Some of them are simple and solemn, while others are lively and lively. Each of them makes people stop to admire and linger on.
What’s even more surprising is that the China Clay Figure Museum also performed live demonstrations of the creation and production techniques of clay figures.
Visitors can witness with their own eyes how ordinary lumps of clay gradually transform into lifelike clay figures in the skillful hands of craftsmen.
This process is not only a visual feast, but also a spiritual touch, making people deeply immersed in the infinite charm of clay figurine art.
The food in the ancient town is equally intoxicating.
The smooth and delicate Huishan tofu pudding is as delicate and charming as the white peony in full bloom. Every bite exudes a rich bean aroma and has an endless aftertaste.
And the Yi Qin Yuan Xiao Long Bao, which was featured on “A Bite of China”, is even smaller and exquisite, with thin skin and enough filling.
With a gentle bite, the soup overflows, and the delicious taste instantly spreads in the mouth, making people intoxicated and unforgettable for a long time.
There is also the bowl of scallion noodles. The green scallions and noodles are intertwined, like a vivid pastoral picture.
Its attractive aroma often attracts diners to queue up to taste it, just for that rich taste.
The ancient town not only has tempting food, but also brings together the essence of humanities and shows the beauty of the mountains and rivers.
For thousands of years, it has been the spiritual sustenance and tourist attraction of the local people.
Wandering through the streets and alleys of the ancient town, you feel as if you can travel through time and space, feeling the simplicity and tranquility. Every brick and tile tells the long history of the ancient town, and every mountain and water reflects the beautiful scenery of the ancient town.
Every scenery is like a beautiful picture scroll, which makes people forget to leave.
The residents of the ancient town live a leisurely life, and their smiles and enthusiasm add a bit of warmth and vitality to the land.
This is an ideal place for people to seek spiritual sustenance, and it is also a tourist attraction where tourists linger.
Huishan Ancient Town, this low-key and mysterious ancient town, lies quietly in the embrace of the Jiangnan water town, waiting for every traveler to explore and discover.