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Living in Shanghai •
Shanghai life
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Shanghai!
- Chinese Customs -
Traditional Festivals -
Surrounding Landscape
◦ Surrounding Landscape
Shanghai
is surrounded by two provinces, Zhejiang and Jiangsu - the total area is
called "Jiang Nan", means south of Yangtze River, it's the most
peaceful, beautiful, and rich area in long history of China. Water region is the
main character of this area, you will find many beautiful cities or small
towns around Shanghai. "There is paradise above, here is Su Hang
on the earth" (refer to Suzhou and Hangzhou), ever heard of that?
Suzhou
is in Jiangsu province by Yangtze River and Taihu Lake, about 100km west
from Shanghai. It's a beautiful small city with a history about 3,000
years.
Suzhou
is a a famous historical and cultural city in south China. Suzhou gardens
are well known for their elegance and simplicity, delicacy and
exquisiteness. "Gardens in Jiang Nan are the tops in the world,
but Suzhou gardens are the tops of Jiang Nan". During the Ming and
Qing Dynasty there were 200 private gardens in Suzhou.
A
typical waterside city, "little bridge, flowing steams and
families".
Hangzhou
is the capital of Zhejiang Province. I t has a total area of 6,596 sq.km.
(683 sq.km in the urban area) and a population of 6 million (1.64 m in the
city). Hangzhou is one of
Chian's ancient capitals. It was capital of Wu Yue State, late Song
Dynasty moved here and made it as capital, while its one of the leading
commercial ports in the country. Historical great litterateurs, Baijuyi of
the Tang Dynasty and Sudongbo of Song Dynasty, had been senior officials
in Hangzhou and contributed much effort in dredging the West Lake. 13th
century, famous Italian tourist Marco Polo visited Hangzhou several times
and praised it as "a heaven city".
The
West Lake is the pearl of this city, and famous over the world. The Grand
Canal ends its south in this city.
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Small ancient towns There
are some nice ancient towns around Shanghai, they are all called towns in
waters, peaceful and charming.
Zhujiajiao
is the nearest one, actually it's in the suburb area of Shanghai, with a
history of more than 1700 years. It has another elegant name - "Pearl
Stream".
Zhouzhuang
is in Jiangsu Province about 70 km from Shanghai, older than 900 years.
It was the fief of King Wu's younger
son Yao and also named Yao City. When Song Dynasty (1086), the residence
of Zhou Digong was made a temple, this place was then named Zhouzhuang
(means Zhou's village). Zhouzhuang was an important town for
collecting and distributing grain, silk, porcelain and handicraft in south
of Yangtze River in the history - It's called "No1 Water Region in
China".
This
thousand-year-old town, Tongli sits by the grand Canal, also about 70 km
from Shanghai. It's has 49 stone bridges, 29 of them are built from Song
Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. Tongli abounds with cultural atmosphere and
gathering of literary men. Thus many mansions and private gardens mainly
built during the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Tongli Town is also known as
"a gallery of ancient architecture".
Xitang
probably is the best one of these ancient towns, it's in Zhejiang province
about 100 km to Shanghai - yes this is the most original one, local
residents are still living in a peaceful life, it's a town with a real
deep culture inside - of course always beautiful bridges and water.
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