Jiangnan Watertowns
In Chinese, Jiangnan refers to the region south of Yangtze river. In this region, there are nested small rivers flowing through. The soil is fertile, and the weather is gentle. In ancient times, rivers are great means of transportation, and Jiangnan regions is thus developed very early and enjoyed prosperity for a long period of time. Many canals are built to facilitate transportation between places. In recent history of China, wars, the cultural revolution as well as the rapid economic development around Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang province contributed to the 'destruction' of countless number of these ancient towns and cultural relics. However, the Watertown culture is not completely destroyed. Today, there are six famous and well preserved Watertown remaining in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Province. They are remarkably rich in culture, and great amounts of effort and money is spent on preserving these cultural relics by the local governments. In these Watertowns, one can see Chinese architectures dated more than 1000 years ago; countless number of unique bridges on rivers and small Chinese boats going through them; a culture and a living style that is absent in modern busy Chinese cities.
Key Words: Jiangnan, Watertowns
Dmoz Category: Regional > Asia > China > Travel and Tourism
Please click on the pictures below for a detailed description of each Watertown.
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