Exploring Jinze: history and tranquility
Print Edition
Jinze Ancient Town in Qingpu has been certified as a 4A-level national tourist attraction.
Nestling along the Dianshan Lake, the town is dotted with lakes and ponds, and crisscrossed by rivers and tributaries, making it a typical yumizhixiang (land of fish and rice) of Jiangnan (regions in the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River).
With a history of more than 1,300 years, it thrived in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and flourished in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
The ancient town began welcoming tourists in February 2002. It is crowned as a “museum of ancient bridges” and the “No.1 bridge town in Jiangnan.”
There is a variety of old stone bridges with different styles that span four dynasties: the Song, Yuan, Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. At its peak during the Song Dynasty, the town had a total of 42 bridges.
In addition to its ancient bridges, other major attractions in Jinze include Yihao Temple, The Scholar’s Pavilion (Qingxi Study Room), and the Jinze Art Center.
The bridges are the treasure of history and represent the essence of Jiangnan’s watertown culture.
There are ginkgo trees dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, while the grand Buddhist temple, Yihao, was once the former residence of Lu Yihao, a poet from the Southern Song Dynasty, which is how it got its name.
The Wan’an Bridge, the oldest and largest in the area, was constructed around 1260. “Wan’an” translates to “all people live a good life.” The tradition of worshipping the Buddha has endured, with niches placed near the bridge for this purpose.
All these elements bear silent witness to Jinze’s history and contribute to the town’s laid-back atmosphere. Visitors may encounter a stray cat darting away from their feet or seniors peacefully napping in the sun.
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