Unfolding the Magical Scroll of Nanxun

Wu Sheng

River is the soul of here. Over the rippling river span stone arched bridges in various designs， and by the babbling river stand lines of time-honored houses， all built in wooden or stone structure in white or brown. The sinuous river， along with the slabstone-paved alleys between the houses， stretches all through the town and joins the horizon in the far distance. The houses set the river off， and the river reciprocally reflects the houses in water — such an enchanting image is presented right in here. There is every reason to believe that the splendor of culture and natural scenery can impress even the most indifferent persons. This is the ancient town of Nanxun.

Nanxun： A land of great charm

Located on the Hangjiahu Plain of the Yangtze River Delta， to the east of Huzhou in northern Zhejiang Province and adjacent to Suzhou of Jiangsu Province， Nanxun ancient town boasts a rich and splendid culture with a history of more than 760 years. It was founded in 1252， towards the end of Emperor Chunyous reign during the Southern Song Dynasty （1127-1279）. Despite the long span of time， many ancient residential houses， workshops， stores and other buildings are well preserved. These well-kept historical and cultural heritages have fascinated a large quantity of domestic and international visitors， and Nanxun ancient town was rated as an AAAAA national tourist attraction in 2015.

Nanxun was firstly called “Xunxi” on account of its proximity to Xunxi River； later， as a multitude of merchants， with the burgeoning economy and culture， gathered at the south of Xunxi River and residences rose in great numbers like forests， it was thereupon known as “Nanlin” （South Forest）. By the time of its formal establishment in 1251， the town got the present name by combining the initial characters of “Nanlin” and “Xunxi” into “Nanxun”. Thanks to its advantageous riverside location that provided convenient land and water access， Nanxun had been a “land and water transportation hub of strategic importance” since the Southern Song Dynasty. Now it is listed as one of the six ancient towns in southern Yangtze River， together with Zhouzhuang， Tongli， Luzhi， Xitang and Wuzhen.

Crowned as the Home of Silk in southern Yangtze River region， Nanxun had been celebrated for its flourishing silk industry， which represented the major driver of its social and cultural development. Reeled with the clear river water passing by， the Jili silk， produced in Jili Village in the suburb of Nanxu， was smooth and soft， thus recognized as the top grade among Huzhou silk. By the Ming （1368-1644） and Qing （1644-1912） Dynasties when silk industry and commodity economy had undergone a booming growth， Nanxun turned into a national silk trade center as well as the top town with unprecedented prosperity in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces， as could be reflected in a local saying “The whole Huzhou City cannot rival even half of Nanxun Town.” The Jili silk had always been the imperial material for making emperors yellow robes as a sign of nobility and authority in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It also won the gold and silver prizes at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London and was presented as a gift to Queen Victoria.

With perfect harmony between places of historic interests and scenic beauty， Nanxun has a profound historical and cultural atmosphere on one side and is full of the charm of a distinctive Chinese ancient town in southern Yangtze River on the other. Moreover， the surprising coexistence of Chinese antiquity and western architecture makes the town even more alluring. The excellently protected sites of heritage， amid the vigorous economic development and urban construction， still form an atmosphere of its original antiquity as what was decades ago.

Nanxun in spring

Nanxun is at its best in spring， a season of rejuvenation that invigorates the dreary world after months of winter.

Spring can be felt wherever you rest from your walks， even if you are the most mindless person. Revival of all living things injects vitality to this decade-old town. Creek gets warm and starts gurgling again； various kinds of flowers in full blossom， whether in cluster or in solitude， form colorful decorations to the town in everywhere within your sight. Whats more attractive is that ubiquitous “greenness” throughout the town. “The slender tree is dressed in emerald all about， a thousand branches droop like fringes made of jade.” With gusts of breeze， the myriad silk braids of green of the willows lining on both sides of the river bank are performing a group dance along the creek， extending their warmest greeting to appreciators. Boston ivy can also be seen spreading upon almost every stone bridge， or crawling up the walls of old buildings to the rooftop and covering a vast area up there， which provides a greening effect to sunlight. “The plant （Boston ivy） was like a small， gentle elf that hopped around and shimmered with dots of puzzling lights on the wall，” as described by Xiao Fuxing， a Chinese essayist.

A good rain knows its proper time； it waits until the spring to fall. On rainy days when the world is shrouded in a thin mist， it would be an amazing experience in the town — strolling with an umbrella along the old lanes past the age-old houses， or appreciating the delightful town from the water on a traditional wood boat and seeing raindrops drip off the tiled eaves， arched bridges and waterside willows and produce ripples on the river surface. Peaceful and quiet， the place， while offering a scene of idyllic beauty， serves as a retreat for anyone hoping for an escape from the turmoil of the world and a moment of relaxation and pleasure.

The Nanxun town， along with every piece of brick， tile， slabstone and wood， having gone through decades of ups and downs and witnessed the transition of history in ancient China， still stays exactly what it originally was， neither humble nor lofty. It is a living museum for an ancient civilizations history， culture and traditions， telling stories of the past glory.