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 Nanxun Water Town
Nanxun, situated in Huzhou City, is a famous historical and cultural town in Zhejiang Province. Facing Taihu Lake to the north, and only a half-hour drive from Suzhou, Nanxun enjoys splendid natural resources. With a history of over 700 years, Nanxun is also a place full of historical interests.
On the list of Records of Gardens South of the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River is Nanxun, the only town containing a total of five large gardens. Nanxun boasts numerous historic sites and enchanting natural landscapes, and has both a rich cultural heritage as well as the poetic, waterside charm seen in areas along the Yangtze. Enjoying revered cultural and natural resources, Nanxun is known as the birthplace of many talented historical figures. During the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, 41 successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations came out of Nanxun.
With a history of 1400 years, Nanxun has a long story to tell about its splendid days of yore. Nanxun was a blooming town in the Southern Song Dynasty and by the reign of Emperor Jiajin of the Ming Dynasty, about a half century ago, it became one of Zhejiang Province"s important commercial towns because of the development of the silk industry. Ancient poems refer to the town beautifully descriptive verse: "thousands of households gather here on this water town market, and fishing boats and merchant vessels call at it side by side." and "At the night market, you can buy water bamboo shoots and lotus roots, and in spring ships carry silks and brocades..."
Small, exquisite gardens are another special attraction of Nanxun, and Xiaolian Zhuang, or Liu¡¯s Garden, is one that certainly should not be missed by visitors. It was once the private garden of Liu Yong, a senior Qing Dynasty official. The garden is over 17,000 square meters, highlighted by a 5,000 square meter lotus pond within the building¡¯s centre. Tourists visiting the garden in summer are astonished by the pleasing green and red thickly dotted lotuses. Also noteworthy are several Chinese archways which had a role in ancient rituals to worship ancestors. Nanxun is known as a once-prosperous commercial town and silk manufacturing centre in the modern history.
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