Zhouzhuang is one of the most picturesque and famous Chinese water towns located in Kunshan county, an hour and a half from Shanghai. It is renowned for its romantic atmosphere, enchanting views, ancient bridges and rich cultural heritage.
Chinese Venice - that's what they call this unusual town Zhouzhuang.
Village entrance:
Right at the entrance, you are greeted by souvenir shops:
Having gone a little deeper, we finally got to the heart of the historical part, where houses are located on old narrow canals:
Only in the historic center of the town, on an area of just 0.4 square kilometers, there are about 100 ancient Chinese courtyards, more than 60 brick arches with skillful carvings and 14 ancient bridges.
The streets of the "Venice of China" are canals, on the banks of which are built houses with white walls and curved tiled roofs. Centuries ago, residents moved along these streets by boats.
Zhouzhuang is more like a museum under the sky than a settlement, although many Chinese people continue to live in their old houses.
This clever device serves to collect water from the river into a special reservoir:
Long bridge leading from the historical part of the village to the modern districts:
Boat parking:
Time-worn historical signs:
The history of the "Chinese Venice" - the city of Zhouzhuang began with Quanfu Buddhist Temple"General Prosperity", the construction of which was completed in 1806. And the first inhabitants of the city were Buddhist monks:
Unlike many temples, this monastery is not fenced in by a wall, but outlined by water and an amazing garden. The garden was built by the poet of that time Zhang Jiying in the 3-5th century:
The winding bridge is considered protection from evil spirits:
There are many stone bridges in the village that have preserved the style of the Yuan, Ming and Qing eras:
Another of the attractions of Zhouzhuang are artists who came from different parts of China. Here they can be found everywhere:
Local artists sell their works here:
And here they make liquor. It is stored in such bottles:
Empty container:
By lunchtime, a lot of tourists came in large numbers and traffic on the canals became very busy:
Shrimps are being dried on a net near one of the houses:
Residents of the town wash dishes or wash clothes in the water of the canals:
Still, the best time to visit the city is in the evening, when dusk is gathering over the canals and red lanterns suspended from the roofs of houses are reflected in the water.
In December 1997, Zhouzhuang was included in the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites with the light hand of the UNESCO Secretary General, who visited this city and christened it "Venice of China".
It doesn't matter if you first set foot on Chinese soil or lived in this country for several years, traveling to China is a great way to learn more about the culture, history and life of our Chinese contemporaries. With the help of our project, you can not only expand the geography of tourist places in the country, but also learn local life hacks. Go?
Suzhou (苏州)
urban district in Jiangsu province (江苏)
the historical part of the city is located on the water
population: 2.05 million
keywords: East Venice, silk, gardens, Great Canal of China, bridges, wedding fashion center, kunqu opera, tea house
Why Suzhou?
Suzhou has a history of 2,500 years. This city has always embodied the notion of sophistication and grace of the traditional culture of China. Today it is a modern city that has managed to organically combine history and modernity, skyscrapers and cozy, high technology and provincial pace of life.
The main attractions of the city are gardens, old streets, parks and canals. If you have long dreamed of seeing a traditional Chinese city, then you should definitely come to Suzhou. Here you will feel the unity with nature and history against the backdrop of dynamically developing modernity.
How to get there?
The best and fastest way to get to Suzhou from Shanghai is by high-speed train, but you can also take a regular train. The ticket price will start at 12.5 yuan for the slowest train, which takes up to 1 hour and 20 minutes. The train station is located north of the city center.
The second most popular way is the bus. There are four bus stations in the city that connect Suzhou with, Wuxi, Zhouzhuang and Tongli.
Where to live?
One daylight hours are enough to visit Suzhou. That is, you can leave Shanghai in the morning, spend the day in Suzhou, and return back in the evening. But if you are a big fan of bridges and canals, then here are some recommendations for choosing a hotel in Suzhou.
It is better to choose a hotel in the old town, as almost all sights are located there. The famous gardens are located in the historic center of the city and relatively close to each other. Therefore, we advise you to settle on Guanqian Street (观 前街) or Pingjiang Road (平江路). It will also be convenient to have the hotel located on Shiquan Street (十全 街) or near Suzhou University (苏州 大学). Booking sites offer a ton of options, the choice depends only on your preferences. When booking a hotel on Chinese resources, be sure to clarify whether the hotel has the right to accommodate foreigners.
How to get around?
The city has a well-developed public transport system. You will be able to use the subway (the price of the trip is from 2 to 6 yuan), buses (the ticket price is 2 yuan) and taxis (landing is 10 yuan, and the trip will cost from 15 to 60 yuan). The Suzhou subway continues to be built, so it is better to download an online map, as paper ones quickly lose their relevance. If you want to try something unusual, we recommend using rickshaw services (starting price 2 yuan, price for long-distance travel by agreement). The original design of the strollers will not leave you indifferent.
If you like an active way of getting around, you can rent a bike. But for this you have to download one of the many mobile applications. The most popular services are Mobike and Ofo.
What to do?
It is worth going to Suzhou to see the gardens and canals. The first private gardens in Suzhou were built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), but private gardening, like the city itself, flourished in the 16-18 centuries. At this time, it was one of the richest cities in the country. Situated on the banks of the Great Canal, which connects the empire's granary with the capital, and close to the Yangtze, the main shipping route from west to east of the country, Suzhou was a center of trade of all Chinese importance. The decline of the city in the second half of the 19th century was provoked by the Taiping Uprising, and by the end of the 1940s, little remained of the former garden and park splendor. The restoration of gardens in the past decade and their transformation from private estates to public museums reflects their significant role in Chinese culture.
All traditional parks and gardens in China can be divided into three categories: monastic (at Buddhist temples and monasteries), imperial (including summer residences and hunting grounds) and private gardens. The latter were common in the richest cities of the empire, located near the mouth of the Yangtze: in Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, Yangzhou. They, in turn, are divided into two types: "static" and "dynamic". The first were planned in such a way that they had to be admired while sitting or standing. Therefore, when visiting such "static" gardens, it is important to know from what angle and where to look. The second, "dynamic", assumed that they would be admired while walking - their beauty is precisely in the dynamics of the changing landscape. Thus, the "Lion Grove" is referred to the first type, and the spacious Garden of a modest official is referred to the second.
The humble official's garden (拙政园)
The ticket price is 50 - 70 RMB depending on the season.
The garden was built in 1509. On an area of 5 hectares, there are ponds, a museum, a tea house and many pavilions. Here you can visit the Sound of Rain pavilion or walk through the “gallery of perspectives”. This is the largest garden in Suzhou. You will surely fall in love with its bridges, bamboo groves and fragrant lotus ponds. The only downside to this overpopular destination is the crowds of tourists, which can be inconvenient.
Lion Grove Garden (狮子林 园)
Ticket price 20 - 30 RMB depending on the season
The garden was built in 1342 by the Chan Buddhist monk Tianzhu in memory of his mentor. Throughout the history of its existence, the garden has been rebuilt and restored several times. The last reconstruction took place in 1926.
A special feature of the park are artificial stone slides. If you look closely and show your imagination, you can see proud lions in the stone weaves.
Garden of Matrimonial Seclusion (耦 园)
The ticket price is 15-20 RMB depending on the season.
This secluded place is located far from popular routes, and therefore there are not as many tourists here as in the rest of the gardens. The garden is an example of Chinese park art with obligatory bodies of water, bridges and canals, surrounded by traditional buildings. Here you can calmly reflect and discuss plans for the future.
Tiger Hill (虎丘)
The hill, 36 m high, is located in the northern part of the city. The area of the hill is 14 100 sq. m. According to legend, the emperor He Lu (6th century BC) was buried in the depths of the hill. After burial, a white tiger came to his grave, which guards the emperor's peace to this day. In fairness, it must be said that the emperor's grave was never found. But the beautiful legend and fabulous nature attracts more and more tourists.
The outer shape of the hill resembles a tiger preparing to jump. Not far from the hill is the Sword Lake, and at the top of the hill is the Chinese "Leaning Tower of Pisa" - Yunyan Pagoda (云岩寺 塔). The height of the pagoda is 47 m, and the angle of inclination is 3 degrees.
Canal Grand (大 運河)
It is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of Suzhou. You cannot leave the city on the water without taking a cruise boat ride on the Grand Canal. The canal was built for almost 2,000 years and is still the most important waterway in China. The length of the canal is 1782 km, and with branches - 2470 km.
During the cruise, you will be able to watch a short performance pintang(评弹). This performance of ballads accompanied by traditional instruments is one of the hallmarks of Suzhou. All ballads are performed in the local dialect at.
Silk Museum (苏州 丝绸 博物馆)
The ticket price is 15 yuan.
Suzhou is famous for its silk and silk products. For 4,000 years now, great masters have been creating unique pieces. It was here that the technology for the production of silk thread from cocoons was developed. In the museum, you will not only learn the history of silk production, but also see the entire production process: from caterpillars to finished products. And on the ground floor in the shopping pavilion you can buy a silk dress, bathrobe, bed linen and much more.
Photo of Alina Kochetova was used for the title illustration.
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On the western outskirts of Shanghai, there is a town called Zhujiajiao, which has a history of 1,700 years. It is one of four well-preserved ancient cities in Shanghai. However, this is not the reason tourists come here. Zhujiajiao is often called the "Venice of the East". It really looks like an Italian city on the water. Streets here replace canals, through which stone bridges are thrown. Boats with tourists scurry back and forth along the canals. There are as many tourists here as in real Venice.
Zhujiajiao was once a separate town. But Shanghai, rapidly expanding in all directions, swallowed it up and today Zhujiajiao is considered a suburb of the largest city in China. You can get here from the city center by bus. However, finding this very bus is not so easy. And the road, taking into account the traffic jams, will take almost two hours. You can take a taxi, but you have to pay more than 100 yuan one way. But eat in comfort.
Walking along the canals and admiring the views in Zhujiajiao is absolutely free. If you want to see more local attractions, then you need to buy a special ticket for 60 yuan. It gives the right to visit various museums, temples, gardens.
But before exploring local museums and temples, I recommend just wandering the streets of this amazing city for a start. Moreover, there is something to see here. And at the same time and spend money.
The old part of the city is a continuous line of shops, antique and art salons, cafes and restaurants.
There are many pearl shops. I cannot judge how high-quality it is. I still don’t understand anything about this. And the prices here are clearly overpriced for everything, as is always the case in popular tourist places.
Zhujiajiao is also a gastronomic paradise. True, very specific. On the surface, you can't immediately understand what is sold here and what it is made of. And in general, is it possible to eat it? Okay, we had a Russian speaking guide with us. which educated us in gastronomic matters. But all the same, I did not dare to try some exotic dish.
For those who disdain to buy food on the street, there are dozens, if not hundreds of cafes and restaurants of both Chinese and European cuisine. You can buy freshly caught crabs or fish, which will be prepared for you at the nearest restaurant. In general, you will definitely not stay hungry in Zhujiajiao.
But, of course, people go to Zhujiajiao not for souvenirs and shopping, and not in restaurants or cafes to sit. Although the town of Zhujiajiao is small, there is something to see here. There are several old gardens. The largest among them is the Ke Zhi Garden. The garden is also called the "Ma Family Garden" after its former owner, Ma Wenqin. In general, this is such a family estate. It is nice to walk along the winding paths among the trees, wander in the stone labyrinths, sit in the pavilions and pavilions and enjoy the peace and quiet. You can feed the fish in the pond. All in all, a very cute and photogenic place.
On one of the hills of the garden there is a five-storey building, the top of which is crowned with a diametrical "Lunar Pavilion". This building is considered the tallest in the city.
I also looked into the old post office, built 300 years ago! This is the oldest post office in Shanghai. Now it houses a small historical museum. In general, in the old part of Zhujiajiao, many historical buildings have been preserved, built in the era of the Ming and Qing dynasties. And this is the period from the 14th to the 17th century! You won't find such ancient architectural monuments in Shanghai itself.
The town of Zhujiajiao is also famous for its bridges. In total, there are 36 of them in the old city - each of them is made in a different architectural style using different materials: wood, stone and marble. The most famous, longest, highest and probably the oldest is the Fangsheng stone bridge (Fangsheng qiao), built in the Ming era (1571). The Fancy Bridge is always as crowded as in real Italian Venice on the Rialto Bridge. By the way, the name Fanshen can be translated as "the bridge of liberation". The name comes from the old tradition of releasing all living creatures from the bridge into the water - crabs, crayfish, fish, etc.
The most beautiful is the only wooden Lang bridge (Lang qiao), which means "veranda". It really looks like a veranda with a carved roof and timber sides.
And of course, in Chinese Venice, you should definitely ride along the canals on a local gondola. This pleasure costs from 60 to 120 yuan, depending on the length of the route. This is a fee for the whole boat, not for each passenger. So if you are traveling alone or as a couple, look for fellow travelers. Then you can save a lot.
For my subjective taste, walking along the canals is not so-so pleasure. Personally, I liked walking along the canals, periodically turning into various gateways or looking into one of the many cafes. And sitting by the window at a small table with a cup of fragrant Chinese tea admire the views and enjoy the atmosphere of tranquility and tranquility.
If you are traveling to Shanghai, I highly recommend going to Zhujiajiao. At least in order to escape for a day from the noisy and seething metropolis.
I had a free minute, and I decided to visit the glorious city of Suzhou. Have you heard about this beautiful city? Well ... This is Chinese Venice and Pisa at the same time. There are actually a lot of "Chinese Venice". I am already entangled in them. Four years ago I went to the city of Zhouzhuang, which is also not far from Shanghai and is also considered the Chinese Venice. To be honest, I'm still not sure if these are different places. From the photographs - the same thing. In general, the Chinese have a very peculiar attitude to their attractions. If somewhere there is some kind of historical monument, then it is not a sin to demolish it, but to build the same one in its place, only better. If a monument is popular with tourists, then it can be replicated throughout the country. There are many people in China, there is not enough beauty for everyone.
So, Suzhou is famous for the fact that there are bridges and canals along which boats sail. There is also the Yunyang Pagoda, which falls like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the classic Chinese gardens. But most importantly, Suzhou has a huge industrial park and a university campus, where I was invited to look at a local laboratory.
01. Let's start with the university. A giant industrial park has been built on the territory of Suzhou. It began to be created back in 1994 by joint efforts of the authorities of China and Singapore. The industrial park is the size of an entire city (288 sq. Km), and about a tenth of it is occupied by a university town named after Lake Dusu. 
The University of Oxford, the University of California, the French business school SKEMA opened their branches here, and the main result of the cooperation of the Chinese with Europeans and Americans was the opening in 2006 of the independent university Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool.
As for the University of Suzhou itself, it is the key one for Jiangsu province. It includes several higher schools at once - in fact, independent universities (the most authoritative of them are Light Industry, Chemical Technology and Materials, Humanities and Medicine). Now here you can get a master's degree in 244 specialties.
02. University building. 
Suzhou University, which is consistently among the six hundred in the world ranking of universities by the Times, is part of Project 211, which brings together the best universities in China. Project 211 is the 116 best universities in the country (this is only 6% of the total number of higher educational institutions), which are responsible for the training of scientists and scientific developments in key areas. They account for 80% of all doctoral students and half of foreign students. In addition, Project 211 universities consume 70% of research funding in the PRC.
The university territory consists of 6 campuses with a total area of 135 hectares. The total number of students is 39,000. The total population of the entire university city this year was supposed to reach 400 thousand people.
03. Library 
04. Apparently, the university project was stolen from another region. In Suzhou, the weather is not good enough to open galleries in the building. As a result, everything gets a little wet and falls apart. 
05. And the building is new! 
06. This is Vsevolod. He graduated from the Chemistry Department of Moscow State University and is now engaged in organic chemistry research at the University of Suzhou. 
07. It's cold in the laboratory, and students wear down jackets under their robes. 
08. Funny 
09.
10. If I knew anything about chemistry, I would tell you what is happening in this picture. 
11. As I understand it, some kind of fluorescent powders are being made here. 
12. Is everything clear? 
13. The weather is good today! No, the Chinese are not looking at the thermometer, but at the level of air pollution. On other days, it is better not to go outside without a mask. 
14. There is a subway in Suzhou. In general, there are now about 25 operating metro systems in China, seven more will open during 2016, three systems will appear in 2017 and 2018. Add to this a dozen projected systems and 15 pieces that are currently under discussion. In addition, there are still all sorts of light rail lines, but that's another story. 
It should be noted here that it is not enough for the Chinese to build two stations and a section between them to report on the opening of a metro in a city. If a subway appears somewhere, then this is a full-fledged system of two or three lines and 30-40 stations. By 2020, the metro will already be in every Chinese village in the province, fortunately, there are 60 millionaire cities in the country.
15. Station design 
16. Basically, all Chinese subways are the same. 
17. The paths are either completely closed with glass, or there is simply a fence. 
18. The ceilings are almost always low, the stations are cramped, there is no Russian scale. 
19.
20. But at each station there is a toilet. 
21. There are either elevators or escalators everywhere. 
22. Wagon 
23. It rained all day. 
24. Honestly, I was not ready for this. 
25.
26. As a result, the walk through the Chinese Venice was limited to short dashes under the canopies of buildings. 
27. Market 
28.
29.
30. Walking street for tourists 
31. Beauty 
32. Bridge 
33. In such a rain, there were almost no tourists, and so crowds of Chinese walk around here. Suzhou is considered one of the main centers of domestic tourism in China. They come here mainly for history: already in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. the city "rose" to the capital. Of course, on this territory since then the darkness of states and dynasties has been replaced, but nevertheless. Suzhou has been known as a major center for the production of natural silk for a couple of thousand years. 
34. Boats.
The Great Canal of China, on which Suzhou stands, is a landmark in itself. This is a gigantic hydraulic structure, which was built for two thousand years and finished in the XIII century. The narrow canals that run through the city center were needed (as, indeed, everywhere else) to regulate the water level.
35. Quite a nice place, actually. 
36. You can come here for half a day from Shanghai, only in good weather.
37. Walk along the canals.
38. Take a boat ride. 
39. Mostly people go to Suzhou to wander through its gardens. The gardens here are very different, here are the landscape and architectural styles of a number of dynasties. There is even a place called the Garden of the Humble Official) It was designed by the famous Chinese artist and calligrapher Wen Zhengming. Most of the gardens, by the way, were once built as bureaucratic dachas. It is a pity that many of the gardens are a "new building": the original ones were destroyed during the Japanese occupation of the city. This time I did not reach the gardens because of the downpour. 
40.
41.
42. Tourists
43. The most convenient way to get to Suzhou is by train! From Shanghai Central Station to Suzhou, take the high-speed train for 30 minutes. In the morning and in the evening, trains run every 15 minutes, in the afternoon - every 30-40 minutes. The ticket costs 400 rubles. 
44. At the entrance, everyone is inspected, the entrance to the station building is only for tickets, all things are passed through a scanner. 
45. Navigation 
46. No smoking!
47. Don't litter! 
48. An ordinary provincial Chinese railway station.
49. Exit to the platform 
50.
51. Train 
52. Suzhou is good, but Shanghai is better! 
Continue tomorrow.
ZHOUZHUANG - CHINESE VENICE
Zhuzhuang is the best place on earth
Zhuzhuang - you are the pearl of the Celestial Empire
The bridges have been reflected for nine hundred years.
In the mirror of your channels ...
The song flies over the surface of the canal, and is performed by a young boatwoman, at the same time deftly maneuvering between pleasure boats scurrying in all directions.
This town, located in the very center of China, is known for the fact that it has hardly changed over the past centuries.
In China, as elsewhere in the world, authentic antiquity is highly valued, especially in cities. Zhouzhuang is a kind of unique reserve of this antiquity, miraculously preserved, almost untouched by time.
Unlike the 12 millionth ultra-modern metropolis located just 60 kilometers away, Shanghai, which is called “the most non-Chinese of all Chinese cities,” Zhouzhuang is a typical Chinese town. Canal streets and houses lined up along the embankments. In Zhouzhuang you will not see a bicycle - an invariable attribute of the Celestial Empire. The boat is the main mode of transport for all occasions in this Chinese Venice.
For many centuries, wars and revolutions were committed in the Celestial Empire, generations followed each other, but Zhouzhuang did not pay any attention to this. He retained his way of life, architecture of dwellings and bridges, his cuisine and even his special dialect of Chinese.
It is said that this fragile world, lost among rivers and lakes, which in former times could only be reached by water, could not be reached by enemies-destroyers, or friends-creators, thirsting for great changes. The Japanese army, which occupied neighboring Shanghai at one time, did not enter the city, the Red Guards did not reach it during the "Cultural Revolution". But not only this, but also the beauty and originality of this town on the water, saved Zhouzhuang from all the vicissitudes of fate. Or maybe it's the ancient temples that were designed to protect the city from enemies.
The history of the city began with the Quanfu Buddhist Temple "General Prosperity", the construction of which was completed in 1806. The first inhabitants of the city were Buddhist monks.
Buddhism came to China from India at the beginning of the 3rd century. Some Chinese emperors were also adherents of Buddhism; there are Buddhist temples in almost every Chinese city. But the Buddhist temple in Zhouzhuang is special. This structure covers an area of 13 hectares, completely resting on water. Followers of the primordial Chinese religion of Taoism built their own Taoist temple nearby, where the figure of a Taoist deity - the Jade Emperor and other gods of the Taoist pantheon - stands in the altar.
There is also a Confucius temple in this small town. So, the three main religions in China have taken strong roots in the water and land of these places.
Once a wealthy merchant from the southern province of Zhejiang named Shen was sailing through the town on his business affairs. He was so impressed by the beauty of the temple on the water that he decided to permanently settle in the city and built his carved towers on the banks of one of the canals. These structures have survived to this day and bear the name of their owner - "Shen's House". The local museum is located here. Other wealthy merchants and officials began to build their houses, coming here for beauty.
Over the past centuries, neither water, nor the bright sun, nor humid winds have destroyed the masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture. Architects from faraway parts of the country still come here not only to admire the creation of their predecessors, but also to puzzle over the secrets of these structures, which have been standing without major repairs for hundreds of years.
In Shen's house there are more than a hundred rooms: for the owner, his wives, concubines, guests, servants. In addition to the galleries connecting all these rooms on both sides of the house, another secret gallery has been built, through which one can quietly leave any of the rooms. What for? As you can see, Shen's house is fraught with not only architectural and construction secrets.
This is the realm of harmony and delicate taste. Every detail of the interior: mahogany furniture, delicate wood carvings, each hieroglyph, carved in stone or inscribed on a silk scroll, contains a deep philosophical meaning. In one of the rooms on the wall there are scrolls with paired inscriptions of the sage Confucius:
“Studying without any thoughts is a waste of time. Thinking but not learning is also useless. "
Everything here suggests that the heir of a famous family was preparing for the exams in this room. Scrolls with sayings of Chinese sages, fine porcelain vases, musical instruments, landscapes on rice paper, brushes, ink, ink bowls ...
The arduous and multi-stage examination for obtaining a rank at the local governor, and perhaps at the court of the emperor himself, required very serious preparation. The applicant had to know Chinese classical literature, be able to write poetry and draw, understand music and rituals, and, of course, deeply master Confucian texts. Sometimes it took most of my life to master all these wisdoms.
And another architectural masterpiece is Zhang's house. It was built even earlier - in the 15th century. You can get into the house without leaving the boat: the canal leads to the inner chambers ... So to speak, "from the ship to the ball." The owner sang this feature of his home in verse:
“May the good wind of hope
Will fill your sails
And will bring your ship
Into the chamber of my house ... "
When you walk through the rooms of this rich and comfortable dwelling, it seems that some other miracle is about to happen: the silk curtain will open and one of the heroines of the medieval classic novel "A Dream in the Red Chamber", the beautiful Van, will enter the room. According to the ancient custom, she will be in red wedding clothes, her face will be covered from prying eyes with a red veil, which she will only throw off after the wedding ceremony, and her fiancé Bao Yu will see this beautiful face for the first time ...
In the meantime, he is waiting for the bride in the boat at the entrance to the house, and muscular boatmen in smart clothes are ready to rush the young people to the groom's house to the sound of gongs and drums ... Outside the window, indeed, gongs and drums rang out, shooting of a serial TV movie was going on.
Zhouzhuang is a favorite place for Chinese filmmakers who shoot historical films here. In recent years, more than 60 feature films have been shot in the city. Zhang Yinmou, a classic of Chinese cinema, also created his masterpieces here. His famous "Triads", "Raise the Red Lanterns" were born in Zhouzhuang. There is no need to erect decorations or come up with interiors here. The city - its houses, alleys, canals and embankments - are the best scenery.
Over the past 500 years, little has changed, not only in the appearance of the city, but also in the rhythm of life of the townspeople. Exactly at 12 noon, life in the city stops. It is the time for lunch, which is sacred in China. Both the townspeople themselves and the numerous tourists, of whom more than a million come here every year, flock to restaurants and eateries. The local tourist is unpretentious. These are mainly Chinese citizens who come here from all over the country to touch the true history of their homeland. For a while, not only catering places, but also canal embankments, boats, bridges turn into impromptu eateries.
The local cuisine is quite traditional for this region of fish and rice. But there is a dish that can only be tasted here. This is the famous "zhuzhuang pork" - "wansanqi", baked in a whole piece according to an old recipe. Few people leave the town without having tasted this dish, or even taking it with them in a box with a dish to treat friends.
His dishes have an interesting history. Once upon a time, the emperor passed through these places. Times were troubled, the emperor was afraid of assassination attempts, and knives were forbidden on the table. The cunning owner found a way out. Tender meat had to be cut with a sharp bone extracted from it. The emperor was delighted with both the taste of the dish and the resourcefulness of the owner ...
Still, the main attraction of Zhouzhuang is the artists who came from different parts of China.
There are so many of them that they have to occupy the most advantageous places for creativity from early morning. Local artists are in a better position. They can create without leaving home. The artist Dai Chaoshi lives in one of these houses, the steps of which lead directly to the water. He is already over 80. The venerable Dai is an artist by vocation. But he worked as an accountant all his life. It was only when he retired that he discovered the talent of a painter. For 20 years of creativity, the fame of his paintings crossed the boundaries of the town. He is known in Shanghai, Beijing, his work - in art galleries in many cities in China. He works in the style of Chinese classical painting "guohua". She has strict canons. Every brushstroke is regulated here, every detail has a deep meaning. But these conventions do not constrain the artist's imagination; rather, they give him scope for creativity. This is how magnificent landscapes, flowers, birds, fish appear in his paintings. They are filled with light and warmth.
“Look what grace is around,” the old artist tells me, gesturing to the view of the town that opens before us. “It's hard not to become an artist or a poet here ...”
We are sitting on the terrace of his house, the water of the canal splashing right at our feet. Fishermen with cormorants sitting on the bow of the boat go to the lake to fish. The birds sit motionless in anticipation of the hunt.
Exactly the same cormorants and in his paintings, hung on the walls of a small workshop. The artist talks about his life:
“My teacher was local artist Xiong Aihu. He helped me find my way in art. This is the patriarch of our local gohua artists. He passed away at 94. Now I am the oldest ... Artists working in the style of "gohua" live happily ever after. After all, our predecessor, the greatest artist of China, Qi Baishi, lived for almost a hundred years. Creativity itself prolongs life ... That's what they say here. "
But, even leaving this life, the artists of Zhouzhuang continue to "live" in this town. There is a custom here - to hang the paintings of a deceased artist on the wall of the house. Not for sale, for memory.
Young artists of Zhuzhuang are looking for their own paths in art, but falling under the influence of one or another school of painting, for example, impressionism or abstract art, they remain Chinese artists: the city and traditions hold them tightly in their arms.
Artist Wu Junjun is a representative of a new generation. He studied in Shanghai and is well acquainted with Chinese national and classical European art. Favorite motive of his work is the Zhouzhuang bridges. It is a symbol of the city, its visiting card. Wu Junjun believes that the main secret of the city's attractiveness is its bridges - 14 famous and many nameless. If architecture is frozen music, then local bridges are a symphony dedicated to the unity of three elements: water, earth, sky. He can draw them from memory without missing the slightest detail.
The artist has published several albums with his engravings, describing the history of bridges. The city has a permanent exhibition of his work, which, of course, depicts the famous bridges of Zhuzhuang ...
“I want,” he continues, “that our bridges are known all over the world, including in Russia.”
Writing hieroglyphs in China is a high art. By itself, a hieroglyph is just a word, sign, concept. But under the artist's brush, the hieroglyph comes to life. As if returning to his past, when he portrayed now a man, now a horse, now a snake. China regularly hosts exhibitions of works by masters of hieroglyphics, and they are invariably successful.
There is a Dragon Lake Park in Beijing. Here, several hundred hieroglyphs for "moons" (dragon) are carved on stone steles, as it was written from ancient times to the present day. And not a single hieroglyph is repeated. He is distinctive, like this mythical creature - now rapidly rushing into the sky, then calmly floating in the sea element, then the watchful keeper of the Heavenly Palace ...
Yuan Yizhen is the most famous calligrapher in the city. He is famous not only for his work, but also for the technique with which he creates calligraphic canvases. He draws hieroglyphic lines to music, without lifting his brush from the paper, with a single stroke creates whole hieroglyphic pictures on the verses of famous poets, sayings of sages, moralizing texts.
Writing hieroglyphs, says Yuan, can be compared to the struggle between masculine and feminine principles in Chinese philosophy: yang and yin. When hard - the hand of an artist and soft - rice paper, interacting give birth to a work of art.
Ancient Chinese music sounds, and under Yuan's brush, as if carried by the wind, hieroglyphs line up:
Deception in words
About the joys of spring:
Everything tears in madness,
Blowing off the petals
Chasing them down the stream,
He knocked over the fisherman's boat.
This is Du Fu, the famous poet of the 8th century, the artist's favorite poet.
But not only poets and artists inhabit this amazing city. Local artisans make up a good half of the townspeople. They do not have such complex philosophical approaches to work as, say, the calligrapher Yuan, they just do their everyday work. That's the whole philosophy!
In the local teahouse with the home name "Apo" (Auntie), I noticed a group of neatly, tastefully dressed elderly women. They whiled away the time over a cup of tea, leisurely conversation and handicrafts. Nearby, right on the street, is a young woman at an old spinning wheel, a little further away is a workshop for shoemakers who weave comfortable shoes from bamboo. They work not only for earnings, but also for history, preserving the traditions of ancient masters.
The ancient traditions are also kept by girls - embroiderers on silk. The art of embroidery originated in China in ancient times. And when the Chinese learned how to get silk thread from a silkworm cocoon and color it with all the colors of the rainbow, the golden age of this skill began, which continues to this day.
Zhouzhuang is also famous for its painted glass products. A drawing is applied to the inside of a bottle or a hollow glass sphere using the finest brush. Wonderful landscapes appear, characters of old Chinese novels come to life: brave heroes and dazzling beauties.
And one more ancient tradition associated with boats. From generation to generation, the ability to steer a boat was passed on here. The boat is steered by a single paddle attached to the stern. The boatmen are usually women. And if you install a monument to the "Girl with an Oar" somewhere, then there is no better place in the world than Zhouzhuang.
The population of the city is 23 thousand people. A new Zhuzhuang with modern quarters is emerging outside the old city. Construction is progressing well. Tourism money helps to do this. But not a single new building, not a single modern advertisement penetrates the old city. Even vehicles are not allowed here. Rickshaws - as in the days when Zhouzhuang was still an island - is the main mode of transportation.
Keeping the beauty of the ancient city intact is the main concern of the local authorities. And the mayor of the city, Mr. Zhou, understands this better than anyone else. He is a renowned expert in ancient Chinese architecture, a romantic by nature, a man in love with Zhuzhuang.
“There is no place like this in all of China,” he says. - In December 1997, Zhouzhuang was included in the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites with the light hand of the UNESCO Secretary General, who visited our city. It was christened "Venice of China". So be it. I recently visited Venice by invitation. Honestly, I like Zhouzhuang better. "
A Chinese newspaper told about our family and of all the photographs it considered this the best.
"Don't miss anything!" - there is no other correspondent from Russia here today.
On a Chinese street on an ordinary weekday, or everyone wants to see the "Chinese Venice" - Zhouzhuang
The session of the Chinese parliament is in progress
At the press conference, Chinese union leaders were asked the most questions about economic policy.
A TV group from Russia is filming Gao Man, a famous Chinese writer and translator of Russian writers.
Chinese cuisine is a shock for foreigners or how this chef makes "Peking duck"
On Beijing TV. There is a program about Russia
The painting by Gao Man, painted in accordance with national traditions, during the celebrations in China of the 200th anniversary of the birth of A.S. Pushkin
The symbol and pride of the Celestial Empire is the Great Wall of China.
Nice to see your picture in a Chinese newspaper
Interview in the main square of Beijing
Journalists from Russia at a meeting with Jiang Zemin
Xinhua News Agency claims: "Vladimir Kulikov is a champion of Russian-Chinese friendship"
Beijing Mayor Presenting Government Award for Broadcast "Russian Nights" on Beijing Television
"I can see everything from above" - on the Great Wall of China
With Russian cameraman Efim Yakovlev
In a special economic zone
At the famous Weifang kite workshop
With Wushu school instructor
Rickshaw is still a means of transportation, but only for tourists and exotic lovers
Famous calligrapher shares his experience
In Tibet, even the roof of an ordinary temple is a work of art.
The world's most unique park gallery with painted paintings in Yiheyuan (Beijing)
Buddha of the future - people come to him with their plans
In the temple of Confucius, trees are like people - for example, this tree is like a wise old man
Each reportage should be interesting in its own way.
Chinese architecture is the brainchild of many millennia
Amateur dancers in beijing street
As a rule, everyone who wants to participate in children's drawing contests in China. This is how young talents are sought and found here
Loyal friend - bike - rescue during rush hours
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