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Cruising along the Grand Canal
By Xu Wenwen |
May 17, 2010, Monday
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AS World Expo 2010 visitors flock to Shanghai, the nearby city of Hangzhou also beckons, not only with its legendary West Lake but also with its renovated section of the imperial Grand Canal of China that leads to Beijing.
The Grand Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou is the longest artificial river in the world, stretching 1,776 kilometers.
The 20-kilometer Hangzhou section features beautiful scenery, historic architecture, places to bike and stroll as well as tea houses and restaurants.
In many places the banks are planted with willows that sway in the warm summer breezes.
Since 2007, a major face-lift project has renovated buildings, parks, promenades, temples, 12 bridges and other structures. At night the canal and bridges are festooned with twinkling lights.
Ancient piers, abutments and retaining walls are inscribed with history and tales of historic figures, so walking along the canal is like strolling through an outdoor riverside museum.
Marco Polo and other ancient travelers, such as Odorico Mattiussi and Arab Ibn Battuta, all praised the canal and views from its bridges.
Every evening, 10 kilometer along the canal are illuminated in the heart of the city and many people go for strolls.
Created by lighting designer Roger Narboni, founder of the Bagneux, the France?based Concept Studio, the lighting master plan illuminates the canal landscape of promenades, historic buildings, pavilions and bridges.
Aqua-hued LEDs run along both banks of the entire canal. At night, green and blue LED projectors illuminate the mist that rises from the water. Early in the evening the light moves like waves through the mist, then becomes still before it is turned off at midnight.
Caofang boats offer a charming way to enjoy the night scene, savor a meal and refreshments and take in some entertainment. The steel boats covered in timber are replicas of ancient boats used for trade along the canal. The bows are decorated with carvings of auspicious birds to bless the crew, while the stern is adorned with totems to frighten away evil spirits. Glass windows replace old wooden grilles and sails are replaced by engines.
The boats also cruise along Xixi Creek and the Qiantang River, covering more than 60 kilometers.
The largest sightseeing boat seats 60 passengers, with a canopy in the fore, a restaurant in the middle and meeting room in the stern.
Small rowboats can accommodate 20 visitors and travel all along the river and its tributaries.
The Hangzhou municipal government plans to make the Caofang boat, named after the old vessels, just as famous as the gondolas of Venice.
Water buses are also available, so tour boats only accept charters.
For price and information, visit http://hzssbus.com/jiage.asp, or call (0571) 8802-4368, 8519-0851.
Qiaoxi Historic and Cultural Block
Qiaoxi Historic and Cultural Block, adjacent to Xiaohe Street, lies west of Gongchen Bridge across the canal.
The zone covers nearly 8 hectares and features the best-preserved ancient residences along the Grand Canal. It's a unique center of old workshops and new exhibition spaces, craft shops, museums, creative parks and fashion lofts.
In the late 19th century, the business and industry flourished in Qiaoxi District as Gongchen Bridge and the canal made transport convenient.
Light industry developed and many national factories opened in the area after New China was founded.
The area was renovated in 2007 and the part along the Grand Canal is similar to Xiaohezhi Street.
Near Gongchen Bridge and along the river are three museums, all converted factories and workshops with old exteriors. They feature fans, umbrellas and swords/knives/scissors. Fans are northwest of the bridge, the others are in a complex to the southwest.
The three museums display around 1,400 items, some produced more than 2,000 years ago. A 40-centimeter fan is inscribed with more than 7,000 characters. A lacquer scabbard from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) is perfectly preserved.
Xiaohezhi Street
Located in northern Hangzhou east of the Grand Canal, the street's history goes back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), with many traces of Grand Canal culture.
Also renovated in 2007, it reflects styles of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and is the only spot in old Hangzhou that truly reflects the ancient city.
It is filled with folk customs and traditional shops, while it is also a residential area.
Before 2007, the area was dilapidated, crowded and dirty, but the renewal has improved living conditions and added amenities while retaining the historic ambience.
The street reopened last September, and 285 households with about 1,420 inhabitants have been gradually moving back to their two-story houses with black roofs and white-washed walls.
They live on the second floor and rent the first floor to traders, or open their own small shops.
The street features tea houses, wine makers, sellers of traditional Chinese condiments, cotton goods, food products, creative book stores, restaurants, cafes and other businesses.
The Grand Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou is the longest artificial river in the world, stretching 1,776 kilometers.
The 20-kilometer Hangzhou section features beautiful scenery, historic architecture, places to bike and stroll as well as tea houses and restaurants.
In many places the banks are planted with willows that sway in the warm summer breezes.
Since 2007, a major face-lift project has renovated buildings, parks, promenades, temples, 12 bridges and other structures. At night the canal and bridges are festooned with twinkling lights.
Ancient piers, abutments and retaining walls are inscribed with history and tales of historic figures, so walking along the canal is like strolling through an outdoor riverside museum.
Marco Polo and other ancient travelers, such as Odorico Mattiussi and Arab Ibn Battuta, all praised the canal and views from its bridges.
Every evening, 10 kilometer along the canal are illuminated in the heart of the city and many people go for strolls.
Created by lighting designer Roger Narboni, founder of the Bagneux, the France?based Concept Studio, the lighting master plan illuminates the canal landscape of promenades, historic buildings, pavilions and bridges.
Aqua-hued LEDs run along both banks of the entire canal. At night, green and blue LED projectors illuminate the mist that rises from the water. Early in the evening the light moves like waves through the mist, then becomes still before it is turned off at midnight.
Caofang boats offer a charming way to enjoy the night scene, savor a meal and refreshments and take in some entertainment. The steel boats covered in timber are replicas of ancient boats used for trade along the canal. The bows are decorated with carvings of auspicious birds to bless the crew, while the stern is adorned with totems to frighten away evil spirits. Glass windows replace old wooden grilles and sails are replaced by engines.
The boats also cruise along Xixi Creek and the Qiantang River, covering more than 60 kilometers.
The largest sightseeing boat seats 60 passengers, with a canopy in the fore, a restaurant in the middle and meeting room in the stern.
Small rowboats can accommodate 20 visitors and travel all along the river and its tributaries.
The Hangzhou municipal government plans to make the Caofang boat, named after the old vessels, just as famous as the gondolas of Venice.
Water buses are also available, so tour boats only accept charters.
For price and information, visit http://hzssbus.com/jiage.asp, or call (0571) 8802-4368, 8519-0851.
Qiaoxi Historic and Cultural Block
Qiaoxi Historic and Cultural Block, adjacent to Xiaohe Street, lies west of Gongchen Bridge across the canal.
The zone covers nearly 8 hectares and features the best-preserved ancient residences along the Grand Canal. It's a unique center of old workshops and new exhibition spaces, craft shops, museums, creative parks and fashion lofts.
In the late 19th century, the business and industry flourished in Qiaoxi District as Gongchen Bridge and the canal made transport convenient.
Light industry developed and many national factories opened in the area after New China was founded.
The area was renovated in 2007 and the part along the Grand Canal is similar to Xiaohezhi Street.
Near Gongchen Bridge and along the river are three museums, all converted factories and workshops with old exteriors. They feature fans, umbrellas and swords/knives/scissors. Fans are northwest of the bridge, the others are in a complex to the southwest.
The three museums display around 1,400 items, some produced more than 2,000 years ago. A 40-centimeter fan is inscribed with more than 7,000 characters. A lacquer scabbard from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) is perfectly preserved.
Xiaohezhi Street
Located in northern Hangzhou east of the Grand Canal, the street's history goes back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), with many traces of Grand Canal culture.
Also renovated in 2007, it reflects styles of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and is the only spot in old Hangzhou that truly reflects the ancient city.
It is filled with folk customs and traditional shops, while it is also a residential area.
Before 2007, the area was dilapidated, crowded and dirty, but the renewal has improved living conditions and added amenities while retaining the historic ambience.
The street reopened last September, and 285 households with about 1,420 inhabitants have been gradually moving back to their two-story houses with black roofs and white-washed walls.
They live on the second floor and rent the first floor to traders, or open their own small shops.
The street features tea houses, wine makers, sellers of traditional Chinese condiments, cotton goods, food products, creative book stores, restaurants, cafes and other businesses.
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