Lingyan Mountain was originally the former site of Tingwa Palace in Fu Cha, the King of Wu in the Spring and Autumn Period, and it was also the place where Xi Stone was enshrined in the State of Yue. Emperor Kangxi, the holy ancestor of the Qing Dynasty, and Emperor Qianlong, the emperor of the Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty, built a palace on the top of the mountain, which was burned for ten years in Xianfeng, Qing Dynasty.
(Overlooking the ancient town of Mudu on Lingyan Mountain) Fu Cha, the king of Wu, loved her very much after she got it. In order to build the first royal garden on the top of the mountain in China history, Guanwa Palace was located on the beautiful Lingyan Mountain. Therefore, the landscape of the town has also become the object of sightseeing, chanting and description by literati and scholars in past dynasties. From nearly two thousand years ago to now, the wind has never weakened.
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, at the foot of Lingyan Mountain and by the Xiangxi River, it was a thousand-year-old town surrounded by mountains and rivers. In the spring of the sixteenth year of Qianlong (A.D. 175 1), Qianlong made a southern tour, sailed across the canal, turned to Xujiang and folded into Xiangxi. Along the way, business travel is woven along the way. When the ship of Ganlongshe docked, he could not help feeling happy when he saw a peaceful scene. At the foot of an ancient mountain pond road, secluded and unique, Qianlong could not help but be full of poetry, and immediately occupied a seven-law. On that day, Gan Long abandoned the ship and landed at the Royal Pier of Shantang Street on the Xiangxi River in Mudu.
Mudu is not well-known, but Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the south of the Yangtze River six times, and every time he went to Suzhou, he abandoned his ship and landed in Mudu ancient town. Let's follow the clues of time, walk into the depths of history, trace back to the emperors and visit the ancient houses, gardens and street scenes there.
Xiangxi Bridge over Xiangxi River. Xiangxi River flows quietly under your feet. According to legend, Fu Cha, the king of Wu, once built a "Pavilion Baby Palace" for beauties on Lingyan Mountain, where he bathed with spices every day and water flowed down from the mountain. Over time, the river is full of fragrance, hence the name "Xiangxi".
Yong 'an Bridge has a history of more than 500 years. The bridge is a single-hole granite arch bridge. Bridge opening is spacious and suitable for boating, and the bridge is full of fun. Local newlyweds and children have the custom of "walking in Yong 'an and praying for peace" at the full moon.
Yan Jia Garden is the most famous garden with the highest gardening art in the ancient town. It used to be the former residence of Shen Deqian, the oldest poet in China and the teacher of Qianlong. 1902, Yan, the richest man in Mudu, bought this garden and renamed it "Fairy Garden", commonly known as "Garden", which was rebuilt by Yao, a master architect of Xiangshan School. Modern architects Liu Dunzhen, Liang Sicheng, Tong Jun and others visited this garden many times and spoke highly of it, calling it the "leader" of Suzhou local gardens.
Yuan Xian Street Square in the ancient town.
Out of Yan Jia Garden, Shantang Street, not far to the east, you can see that among many white walls and tiles, there is an eye-catching apricot door wall, which adds a bit of solemn religious interest to the street. This is Yueming Temple. Yue Ming Temple was founded in the first year of Tianzuo in Wu Yang in the Five Dynasties (AD 935), and was wisely founded by monks. Ming Hongwu merged into Fujian base in the early years. In the 16th year of Guangxu (AD 1890), the Taoist roots were rebuilt.
Yiquange, Yihequan contain the names of two protagonists, a legend without speculation. This pavilion is all made of granite without much decoration.
Yin Hong Mountain Residence is the private garden of Mudu scholar Xu Shiyuan in the early Qing Dynasty. After Qianlong, every time he visited Mudu in the south of the Yangtze River, he abandoned his boat and went ashore to visit the park. Therefore, the local people used to call Yin Hong Mountain House a folk palace in Qianlong. Ji Xiaolan, Shenyang, Liu Yong and other ministers have stayed here many times, leaving many well-known stories.
Gan Long likes to travel, dance and write. Wherever he goes, he writes poems and inscriptions. When he saw this ancient road in Shantang Street, he couldn't help being excited by poetry and immediately occupied one of the seven laws. Later, the seven tones were carved on the tablet by local officials and placed in the pavilion, which set each other off with the Yiquan Pavilion in the Ming Dynasty opposite, and became a major landscape of the ancient town.
Shen Shou, an embroiderer in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, became a famous embroiderer in Suzhou at the age of 16 or 17. In the 30th year of Guangxu, her embroidery was presented as a gift to Cixi for her seventieth birthday, which was greatly appreciated by Cixi. She wrote the words "Fu" and "Shou" and gave them to Shen Xuezhi, so she changed her name to "Shen Shou".
Xishi Bridge, named after Yue Nv Xishi, is located in Shantang Street, like a beautiful woman lying in Xiangxi. The bridge is graceful and has a pavilion at the top. bridge opening is two symmetrical arches, like a pair of beautiful women's eyes, quietly watching the eternal human vicissitudes on both sides of Xiangxi.
Gusong Garden (Cai's former residence) was built by Cai, a rich man in Mudu in the late Qing Dynasty. Cai's ancestral home is Dongting Xishan. He used to do foreign goods business in Shanghai, but later he developed and returned to his hometown to build a house and farm, and the land was fertile. Cai, Yan (his grandfather), Zheng Lingjiu and Xu Fenglou are collectively called the "four richest men" in Mudu, and they are extremely rich. Its architectural layout is front house and back garden, which is typical of the garden style of Qing dynasty mansion. The building in the house is simple and elegant, with fine carving, which has certain artistic and cultural value and is a cultural relic protection unit in Suzhou. In the back garden, there is Luo Hansong of Amin Dynasty, which is lush and graceful, hence the name Gusong Garden.
Hand-made ginger candy has been produced and sold now.
Stop-and-go all the way, there are many Suzhou specialties, such as maltose, ginger sugar, sesame cakes, jujube paste cakes and so on. And all kinds of snacks are dazzling and full of childhood memories.
Traditional barber shop
Gloria Teahouse is located in Fenghua Shantang Street, Mudu Ancient Town. Its name is Gloria, and it is a well-known teahouse that survived in the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty. After the transformation, it opened, providing a good place for tea drinkers and folk art lovers in Mudu to enjoy tea and listen to songs.
It happened that there was a performance by pingtan actors in the teahouse. I used to watch it on TV, but now I listen to actors singing live, but I don't have a taste.
There are two bridges here, one is called "Zhuanxiang Bridge" and the other is called "Inclined Bridge". The two bridges are horizontal and vertical and interdependent, so they are also called "double bridges". Xujiang River from Taihu Lake and Xiangxi River from Guangfu Tongkeng meet under the oblique bridge, forming an obvious watershed, which is one of the ten scenic spots of the famous Mudu ancient town of "oblique bridge water diversion".
Located at the eastern end of West Street, the skew bridge was built in Song Dynasty (1052). 1965, Wuxian people's government allocated funds for overhaul, the original stone steps were transformed into flat slopes, and the height of the bridge was reduced accordingly.
This promenade by the river is called shed, with a total length of 175 meters. At the same time, the shed is integrated with the residential area, which provides convenience for vegetable farmers, boat people and passers-by selling vegetables on the street. It is very popular because it is not exposed to the sun in summer and does not get wet in rainy days.
The second is Xiatang Street, the former residence of Feng Guifen, a disciple of Lin Zexu and a modern political commentator. Feng Guifen was one of the two scholars in the 20th year of Daoguang reign (1840), so the townspeople called his residence "Erfu". The second place is the garden structure of the front house and the back garden, which covers an area of nearly ten acres and is a typical garden architectural style of the Qing Dynasty.
There are two "double bridges" in Mudu Town, namely Xi 'an Bridge and Xiaorihui Bridge, which are known as "small double bridges". Xiaorihui Bridge on the left side of Xi 'an Bridge is located at the eastern end of Jiang Yao Road and the northernmost end of South Street. It is at right angles to Xi 'an Bridge, and it is called Xiaoshuang Bridge.
According to the tour guide of the ancient town, I'm going to look for the only ancient wooden covered bridge preserved in the ancient town so far, which is hidden in South Street. From Xi 'an Bridge, crossing the Xujiang River into South Street is a completely different scene. The alley is deep and quiet. In the process of walking, be calm and calm.
In fact, Mudu covered bridge is not easy to find, and you will miss it inadvertently. Just when I was about to miss it, an old woman pointed to the door, which turned out to be hidden in the depths of this humble alley.
Mudu South Street Covered Bridge was built in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. Locals call it "Nanjie Covered Bridge", but its real name is "He Qiao". The "Harmony Bridge" is very scenic, with a total length of only 5 or 6 meters. The corridor is tiled and has stakes on both sides. A big tree beside the bridge covered the top of the covered bridge, as if cherishing the small bridge under the bridge and sheltering it from the wind and rain. People on the covered bridge can enjoy the scenery by leaning against the railing. Appreciating the Qing Dynasty dwellings scattered along the river and the neat and solid stone revetment and river pier can make people intoxicated with the charm of Wu!
Suddenly I heard a gong and looked up. A group of people came in front of me. A man in yellow was walking at the front of the team. Looking carefully, it turned out to be Ye, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, striding towards the spring with a smile. There are ministers and eunuchs escorting drivers in the motorcade, and ladies-in-waiting hold signs to avoid and see drivers off. The dry dragon in yellow robe and coat, holding a folding fan and occasionally fanning it, is even more handsome. It turns out that all this is a tourism activity based on the scene performance of "Ganlong Youmudu" launched by Mudu Ancient Town Scenic Area. It reproduces the dragon boat trip of Emperor Qianlong to Xiangxi, the official reception of civil and military officials, the grand welcome of the arrival, and the appreciation of Yin Hongfu's national opera. The scene reproduces the grand occasion of Emperor Qianlong's visit to Mudu.
I hope that under my lens, I can show you a different mudu. I hope that one day, like me, you can follow the footsteps of Qianlong and see its beautiful scenery.