Shaoxing Ancient City

After the first period, the scenery is radiant with clear yang, and the gentle breeze is harmonious and inclusive. Climbing up the western slope of Jiashan Mountain in Shaoxing city area, the first thing that catches the eye is the four big characters 'Origin of Zhejiang Learning'. Jiashan Academy is simple and elegant, serene and tranquil, nestled among layers of greenery, with the words 'Sincerity' and 'Caution in Solitude' engraved on the academy's gate wall. The history of Jiashan Academy can be traced back to the Qiandao period of the Southern Song Dynasty, when Han Qi, the sixth-generation descendant of the famous minister Han Qi, retired here to run a school. It was Liu Zongzhou, a famous scholar of the Ming Dynasty, who truly broadened the cultural context of Jiashan Academy. He lectured at Jiashan, establishing the 'Jiashan School of Thought'. In the Qing Dynasty, the founder of historical studies Huang Zongxi, the painting master Chen Hongshou, the thinker Chen Que, the literary figure Zhang Lüxiang and others followed in their footsteps, adding luster to the cultural development of Jiashan. In the 27th year of the Guangxu reign, Jiashan Academy was once converted into Shanyin County School. During this period, Xu Xilin taught here, and Fan Wenlan, Chen Jiangong, Xu Qinwen and others studied here. The long history and grand scenery, the profound culture and uniqueness. The poetry of Jiashan has been continuous for a thousand years, and the 'Jiashan School of Thought' has been passed down from generation to generation here.

The Wenbi Pagoda is located on Jishan Mountain in the urban area of Shaoxing. It is a Feng Shui pagoda that has been newly constructed in contemporary times. Historical records indicate that there was originally a pagoda on Jishan Mountain, which was also known as Wangjia Mountain, hence the pagoda was named Wangjia Pagoda. The exact time of the pagoda's construction is unclear, but according to the Jiajing 'Kuaji Annals' of the Ming Dynasty, there was no record of this pagoda, while the map in the Qing 'Qianlong Prefecture Annals' already depicted it, leading experts to speculate that the Wangjia Pagoda was likely built in the early Qing Dynasty. In 1942, after the fall of Shaoxing, the ancient pagoda was plundered. The Japanese invaders built bunkers on Jishan Mountain, forcibly demolished the ancient pagoda, and since then, the Wangjia Pagoda ceased to exist. The current pagoda was newly constructed in 2003. Some knowledgeable people believe that there was originally the Jishan Academy on Jishan Mountain, which had a strong literary atmosphere, making it one of the places with the richest cultural essence in Shaoxing. Therefore, the new pagoda was named Wenbi Pagoda. The Wenbi Pagoda is an octagonal brick and wood structure in the style of a pavilion tower, with an exterior of five stories but actually seven stories inside. There are stairs inside the pagoda to climb to the top. From the top of the Wenbi Pagoda, one can have a panoramic view of Shaoxing's urban area. After descending the mountain, one can also visit Jishan Pavilion, Zhuangyuan Corridor, and other attractions.

Tashan Park, located within the territory of Shaoxing city, is a place where natural and cultural landscapes blend together. The mountain has many names, as it is also known as 'Guai Shan' due to the record in 'The Spring and Autumn of Wu and Yue' that states 'the mountain in the eastern sea of Langya came overnight.' It is also called 'Gui Shan' because the shape of the mountain resembles a turtle. During the Southern Dynasties, the monk Hui Ji built a temple called Baolin Temple on this mountain, hence it was also known as Baolin Mountain. There is also a pagoda on the mountain that was built during the Jin Dynasty called Ying Tian Pagoda, and Tashan is famous because of this pagoda. Together with Fu Mountain and Ji Mountain, it forms the 'Three Small Mountains of Shaoxing'. Tashan has many names and many attractions. During the Wu-Yue period, King Goujian of Yue built a 'Guai You Tai' on the mountain, which was used to observe the weather and unidentified phenomena in the sky. It can be said to be the earliest 'observatory' built in China, but this structure has disappeared. Other historical relics that have vanished include the Giant's Trace, Tin Staff Mark, Baolin Temple, Holy Mother Pavilion, and Wangyun Tower. However, the pagoda on the mountain has been well preserved. The Ying Tian Pagoda was originally built during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Despite being destroyed and rebuilt several times, it still stands today. The pagoda is a hexagonal seven-story brick and wood mixed structure, with a solemn shape and harmonious colors, and is a crystallization of ancient architectural art. The Ying Tian Pagoda was originally a seven-level stupa of Baolin Zen Temple, built during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It was renamed Ying Tian Pagoda during the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda was destroyed and rebuilt twice in history, once in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty's Qiande period (AD 963-968), and once in the third year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (AD 1524). The existing Ying Tian Pagoda is the relic of the reconstruction in the third year of the Jiajing period, with ten arches and flying eaves, and the building is majestic, with exquisitely carved Buddha statues and steles. In 1910, it was burned into a hollow pagoda by incense fire. The current pagoda was restored in 1984, and the only remaining component of the pagoda's top, cast in the thirteenth year of the Ming Jiajing period - the iron cast cover bowl, provides ample firsthand material for the restoration design of the pagoda's spire. The Ying Tian Pagoda is 30 meters high, hexagonal in shape, and has seven stories, standing tall and magnificent. As one of the oldest buildings in the ancient city of Shaoxing, the Ying Tian Pagoda is actually a benchmark and ruler, marking and measuring the historical and cultural elevation and thickness of the land of Shaoxing. It was announced as a city-level cultural relics protection unit in September 1961.

Ti Shan Bridge is located on Cheng Jiashan Street in Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. It is named after Wang Xizhi wrote on a fan for an old lady selling fans. The current bridge was rebuilt on the original site in the eighth year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1828). Ti Shan Bridge already existed during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. According to the 'Kaiji Annals' from the Jiatai period, the bridge was originally built before the Jiatai era of the Song Dynasty. In May 2013, Ti Shan Bridge was listed as one of the seventh batch of key national cultural relics protection units. Ti Shan Bridge is said to be related to Wang Xizhi, the Right General and the Interior Minister of Kuaiji during the Jin Dynasty. One evening, Wang Xizhi was walking on a stone bridge in Shaoxing city. When he reached the end of the bridge, he saw an old lady with a worried expression carrying a basket of bamboo fans, leaning on a cane, standing at the end of the bridge selling them. Wang Xizhi, seeing that no one was buying the old lady's fans, felt sympathy and approached to ask what was wrong. The old lady said: 'It's getting cold, and the fans are not selling. I've spent all my capital on these banana-leaf fans, and now even eating is a problem.' Wang Xizhi thought for a moment and then said: 'Old lady, I will write a few words on your fans, and then you can try to sell them again, okay?' The old lady did not recognize Wang Xizhi, but felt that he was very kind-hearted, so she handed over the fans to him. Wang Xizhi asked his attendant to bring ink and brush and wrote a few bold characters on the old lady's fans. The old lady saw that her clean and beautiful banana-leaf fans were scribbled all over by Wang Xizhi and feared that they might not sell, so she started crying and asked Wang Xizhi to compensate her with new fans. Wang Xizhi comforted her, saying: 'Old lady, you need not worry or be angry. Let me ask you, how much do you sell these fans for?' The old lady replied: 'Three coins each.' Wang Xizhi laughed and said: 'That's good, you sell them for three hundred coins each. You hurry and take the fans to the city and tell people: 'These fans were written on by Wang Yishao,' and surely someone will be willing to pay for them.' The old lady was incredulous and kept pestering Wang Xizhi. There were many people coming and going on the road, and seeing the old lady pulling on Wang Xizhi and arguing, they all gathered around to watch the excitement. Some who recognized Wang Xizhi and saw that the fans were personally inscribed by him immediately took out three hundred coins to buy the fans from the old lady. Word spread quickly, and everyone rushed to buy fans from the old lady. In no time, the hundred or so fans were all sold out, and the old lady suddenly made more than forty strings of coins, so happy that she couldn't close her mouth. The old lady was very grateful to Wang Xizhi. After tasting this sweetness, she often waited by the roadside with a hundred or so fans, hoping for Wang Xizhi to inscribe them. Wang Xizhi realized this was not a solution, and every time he went out and saw the old lady, he would hide behind a rock. There is also a 'Hiding from the Old Lady Alley' in the hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy, which is said to be the place where Wang Xizhi hid from the old lady.

The 2024 'Wishing Shaoxing Ancient City a Prosperous New Year' series of events brought a traditional and festive atmosphere to the Spring Festival for visitors to Shaoxing, ensuring a lively and prosperous celebration! On February 3rd, the New Year's kick-off ceremony was witnessed in Shaoxing Ancient City, with simultaneous lighting of the Ying'en Gate Lantern Festival, City Square Lantern Festival, Yellow Wine Town Lantern Festival, and the Didang Light Show! The drone performance in the skies above Shaoxing, which amazed and thrilled all the tourists, showcased brilliant images such as 'Great Luck for the Year of the Dragon', 'Blessings for the Ancient City in the New Year', 'The Famous City of Shaoxing Getting Better and Better', and 'Dragon Dancing in the Sky'. On Ying'en Gate Water Street, there was a flower boat parade, ancient-style singing on the water, a folk culture extravaganza with fire dragon, luminous lions, wind fire wheels, canal poetry gatherings, and canal markets featuring intangible cultural heritage, local culture, food and drinks, creative handicrafts, a water market with fresh flowers and delicious food on awning boats, and lantern riddles among other rich and colorful festive activities. The dragon boat parade around the city's moat, from Chengbei Bridge to Ying'en Gate to Youyi Village, formed a long procession of awning boats that was dazzling and stunning in the night, attracting crowds on both banks to stop, watch, and take photos amidst continuous laughter and joy. At the city square, one could see the dazzling New Year lantern exhibition, featuring legendary images from the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas', with long dragons, dragon horses, qilins, phoenixes, jade rabbits, and more, so beautiful that it was hard to leave. Of course, don't miss the Shaoxing Grand Gathering (2.3～2.17)! Unlike ordinary markets, it features New Year goods and traditional items from local Shaoxing brands, all of high quality. There will also be intangible cultural heritage experiences on-site, as well as exotic agricultural products from the Mabian region of Sichuan's Daliang Mountains and special Yi ethnic group performances, making it a fun and delicious destination for the Spring Festival. During this period, there will also be Hanfu ancient-style lantern parades, New Year fireworks shows, and a variety of other rich and diverse traditional activities, truly a scene of peace, prosperity, and flourishing success! So come to Shaoxing this Spring Festival for a fun and festive experience

Zhe is Shaoxing | Celebrating the New Year in Shaoxing ancient city It's a pity you don't come to Shaoxing, you don't know how rich the New Year's flavor is in Shaoxing. Let's celebrate the New Year in Shaoxing ancient city~

Lu Mansion, located at No. 169 Xinhe Alley, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, was the residence of Lu Ben, the Crown Prince's Grand Protector and Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion during the 33rd year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1554). Lu Mansion faces south with its back to the north, covering an area of about 20,000 square meters. It stretches from Wan'an Bridge in the east to Xie Gong Bridge in the west, from Xinhe Alley in the south to Dayou Warehouse in the north. The layout is developed through the intersection of three longitudinal axes and five transverse axes, comprising a total of 13 courtyards, known as the 'Thirteen Halls of Lu Mansion'. Lu Mansion is the largest residential complex of the mid-Ming Dynasty in the Jiangnan region and is also one of the most culturally valuable Ming Dynasty architectural complexes in Zhejiang Province. On June 25, 2001, Lu Mansion was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Currently, the 'Yong'en Hall' building is utilized to arrange the exhibition 'Wang Yangming in Shaoxing'.

Shaoxing, the ancient city, is like a book that never ends. Every corner hides an unexpected surprise. This ancient city, after a thousand years, has not lost its elegance. With the polishing of time, it becomes even more dazzling. Entering this living ancient city, You can feel its romance and tenderness, Admire its resilience and character. Only by coming to Shaoxing can you understand That in the south of the Yangtze, there is such a city.

Fan Wenlan (November 15, 1893 - July 29, 1969), styled Yuntai, later changed his style to Zhongyun (some say Zhongtan), pen names Wubo and Wubei, was from Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. A Chinese historian, he was one of the pioneers of Marxist historiography and was hailed as the 'Master of New Historiography'. He was born at Fanjia Tai Gate, Jinlin Bridge, Shanyin County, Shaoxing, and spent his childhood and adolescence there. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), he was admitted to the preparatory course for literature at the National Peking University. He graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Peking University in the sixth year of the Republic of China (1917). In the following 20 years, he served as a professor at Peking University, Beijing Normal University, Henan University, and other institutions. In the twenty-eighth year of the Republic of China (1939), he joined the Chinese Communist Party. The following year, he went to Yan'an, served as the director of the History Research Office of the CPC Central Committee's Marx-Lenin Institute, and wrote 'A Brief Compilation of Chinese General History' and 'Modern Chinese History'. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Fan Wenlan held various positions including the director of the Institute of Modern Chinese History at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, vice president of the Chinese Historical Society, standing committee member of the Philosophy and Social Sciences Division of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, standing committee member of the CPPCC, and member of the 9th Central Committee of the CPC. Fan Wenlan was the chief editor of 'A Brief Compilation of Chinese General History', and was engaged in the revision of this book for a long time. He also authored 'Modern Chinese History' (Volume I), 'Annotations on Wenxin Diaolong', 'Fan Wenlan's Collection of Historical Essays', and others. 'A Brief Compilation of Chinese General History' and 'Modern Chinese History' are the first works to systematically narrate the general history of China from a Marxist perspective. Fan Wenlan not only understood Marxism but was also well-versed in China's traditional culture, and he managed to combine Marxism with the national characteristics of China, forming the unique style of his works.

Xie Gong Bridge was originally built before the Jiatai period of the Southern Song Dynasty and was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty. It is situated at the western end of Xinhe Alley on the Xi Xiao River, within the Xi Xiao River historical district. The Southern Song Dynasty 'Jiatai Kuaiji Annals' Volume 11 'Bridges·Prefecture City' records: 'Xie Gong Bridge is in Xinhe Fang, named after the prefecture's governor Xie Gong.' The Qing 'Qianlong Shaoxing Prefecture Annals' quotes 'Shanyin County Annals': '(The bridge) is three li north of the county, and was rebuilt in the 24th year of Kangxi (1685).' Xie Gong Bridge runs east-west, with a total length of 30.6 meters, a bridge width of 2.95 meters, a clear span of the arch of 7.4 meters, and a rise of 4.65 meters. Steps are set up on both the east and west sides of the bridge, with the eastern steps being 15.25 meters long and the western steps 11.5 meters long. The Xi Xiao River, known as the Cao River in the Song Dynasty, flows beneath the bridge. Xie Gong Bridge is a single-arch seven-fold side stone arch bridge. The arch structure is built in parallel sections longitudinally, and the bridge foundation is constructed with double-layered stone. Inscriptions such as 'Official Chen *** is happy to donate ten taels of silver,' 'Gentleman *** is happy to donate,' 'Gentleman Qian Hongning, Wang Yuru is happy to donate,' 'Graduate *** donates ten taels of silver,' and lotus patterns are carved on the arch stones. The bridge deck is lined with plain solid stone balustrades, interspersed with lotus petal patterned balusters, and the ends of the lock stones are carved with dragon shapes. Xie Gong Bridge is one of the ancient bridges with a long history within Shaoxing city. Its seven-fold side arch construction method has high research value and was announced as a Shaoxing city cultural relics protection unit in 2002.

✨ As night falls, Shaoxing puts on another face. I seem to have broken into the world of Spirited Away, everything is full of mystery and charm. ✨ 🍜 In the streets and alleys, I smelled the familiar scent of snacks. The salty and delicious stinky tofu, the delicious taste of rice wine pudding🍮, made me linger. The night in Shaoxing is really a paradise for foodies! 🍜 🏮 Walking on the stone road, the ancient buildings on both sides are even more charming in the night. Red lanterns are hung high, reflecting the charm of the ancient town. The night in Shaoxing is like a flowing scroll. 🏮 🍃 The breeze is blowing, and the willow trees by the river sway gently. Sitting by the river, listening to the gurgling water, it seems that time has slowed down. The night in Shaoxing has a unique tranquility and beauty. 🍃

On the weekend, come here, sit down, look at the old city of Shaoxing, peaceful and peaceful, make life simpler, and the soul is released. Walk into an antique teahouse at will, sit by the window, order a pot of Shaoxing green tea, the tea is misty, and the mood is relaxed. Here I spent a quiet time, quietly tasting the taste of tea, admiring the small bridge and flowing water outside the window. Strolling along the ancient streets and lanes of the old city, occasionally encountering some traditional handicraft workshops, watching craftsmen making exquisite handicrafts, and sighing at the inheritance and development of Shaoxing's traditional culture. The ancient bridges and Jiangnan-style buildings, feel the history and culture of this city. The river is clear and bottomless, and occasionally small fish jump out of the water. As the night deepens, the sound of Shaoxing's unique small bridge and flowing water comes from a distance, like a quiet music, and I arrive in Shaoxing in my dream again. 🍽Food recommendation: Food recommendation: Shao Sanxian, Meigancai stewed meat, fried stinky tofu, Shaoxing drunk chicken, Shaoxing braised duck ❤Recommended reason: ✅Must experience: Shao Sanxian Shao Sanxian is named after the ingredients are taken from the essence of Shaoxing Jishan, Jian water and fertile fields, and was named "Shao Sanxian" by Song Gaozong, which has been passed down for more than 800 years. Because of its diverse flavors and fresh and smooth, it is respected by Shaoxing people as "Shaoxing's signature dish ❤Recommended reason: ✅Must experience: Fried stinky tofu Shaoxing's special food, with a long history, has the reputation of "smelling stinky, eating fragrant", and the proverb says: After tasting Shaoxing stinky tofu, I don't know the taste of worry for three days