Will Huishan Ancient Town be open in 2020?
It was officially opened to the public on February 26th, 2020, with business hours of 8: 00- 16: 00.
There is an ancient town in Wuxi, which is so unique among many ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River. It is not famous for its beautiful and delicate scenery, but for its thick and long ancestral halls. It's Huishan ancient town.
To understand Wuxi, you must read Huishan; To understand Huishan, we must understand Huishan ancient town. Before coming, my friend told me that this ancient town might be included in the world cultural heritage. I couldn't help feeling happy and expecting more.
Entering the ancient town from the northeast gate, you are greeted by a huge wall. The four characters of "Huishan Ancient Town" are dazzling in gold, which is said to be formed by Zhu He. This ancient town has a long history. On both sides of Qingshiban Street, there are Huizhou architecture in Danqing, Zhu Mo. The horse head wall is tilted and the house is mottled. Years have eroded the walls and left yellow marks.
People in China like to offer sacrifices to ancient times. In order to worship ancestors, Confucian culture specially built ancestral halls, and the most distinctive feature of Huishan ancient town is the scattered ancestral halls. These ancestral temples were built by Wuxi natives, and some foreigners donated money to commemorate their ancestors when they came to Wuxi.
According to statistics, there are 1 18 ancestral halls in the ancient town, which have collected 80 surnames from the Tang Dynasty to the Republic of China and 180 historical celebrities. Rows of ancient buildings, one next to the other, are spectacular, and such a large-scale ancestral hall group is extremely rare in the country.
Among these celebrities, there are high-ranking officials and dignitaries, loyal ministers and righteous men, Confucian sages, and war gods, involving prime ministers, ministers, censors, generals, governors and other positions, including many celebrities we are familiar with. I think it is not so much a ancestral temple community as an exhibition of ancient celebrities.
Most ancestral temples are free and open, introducing the life experience of ancestor worship. The ancestral temple in the south of the Yangtze River has a special feature, not only offering sacrifices to ancestors, but also holding important ceremonies, thus creating a luxurious atmosphere. There are pavilions, rockeries, ponds and small bridges in the park, and the doors are one after another, which is clearly an exquisite garden.
I walked around and found Zhang Zhongcheng's temple. Zhang Zhongcheng was originally from Shanxi, and his achievements occurred in Henan, which has nothing to do with Jiangnan. Presumably, the Zhang family raised money for his sacrifice and repair. The ancestral hall is small, simple and elegant. There is a theater behind the temple, and there is a plaque: "Wu Yun local accent".
I have always respected Zhang Zhongcheng, so I made a special trip to Suiyang (now the ancient city of Shangqiu). Among the celebrities in the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Xun should be the first. Among the ancient generals guarding the city, he should also rank first.
During the Anshi Rebellion, Zhang Xun created a miracle of guarding the city, with 6,800 troops against130,000 military forces. How strong and fierce it is. The tragedy at that time was unimaginable for later generations. The enemy patrolled with ladders, iron hooks, chariots and horses, and stones. I defended Suiyang 10 for more than 400 times and finally died. It hurts every time I think about it.
When I walked out of Zhangzhongcheng Temple, I saw a small temple of the God of Wealth. The god of wealth looked at me with a smile on his face, and there were couplets written on both sides: take advantage without virtue, take advantage without profit, and make money properly. Jiangnan businessmen value honesty. Now there are many chambers of commerce in the town. They must have built this god of wealth.
There is a must-see gadget in Huishan ancient town, that is Huishan clay figurine. It is said that Wuxi people are smart, and a clay figurine is vividly reflected. A mass of mud, after several times of stirring, turned into vivid graphics and spread all over the country. Can't help but admire. The reason why such a good clay sculpture can be made is because the black mud at the foot of Huishan Mountain is delicate and soft, rubbing without lines, constantly bending and highly plastic.
"Ah Fu" is the most classic image among clay figurines. He is a lovely child deified by people, with a big face, a fat figure and full of happiness. Clay figurines have the meaning of killing evil and blessing, and the slightly exaggerated colors and shapes have entrusted Wuxi people with their yearning for a better life.
Walk along the old street of Guzhen until you reach Huishan Temple, an ancient temple with a history of 1500 years. It was built in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and is the first of the top ten jungles in Wuxi.
Many people don't know that Huishan flourished because of Buddhism. Formerly known as Shen Xi, it was named "Huishan" because Zhao Hui, a monk from the Western Regions, came here to preach. Huishan Temple in the dark also inherited the mantle of Zhao Hui monk and became a famous Zen Dojo in the south of the Yangtze River. Originally named "Lishan Caotang", the temple was changed to "Huishan Temple" in the third year of Datong in the Liang Dynasty (537). At its peak, there were more than 1000 monasteries.
Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan six times and Huishan six times. In the evening, he rested in the "bamboo stove mountain house" in the temple. In addition to being happy, I also wrote the "Huishan Temple" plaque. Stepping into the mountain gate, the temple is quiet and deserted, with few tourists. This is just what I want. I can enjoy the privacy of my family alone.
The temple is built on the mountain, with scattered halls and winding roads. Before arriving at the Hall of the Great Hero, it happened that the monks got together to do things and sing obscure scriptures. Although I can't understand what I am singing, I can't bear to leave for a long time because of this long and tactful voice.
There are many historical sites in the temple, including Shijinglou in Tang and Song Dynasties, Tingsongshi Bed in Tang Dynasty, Jinlian Bridge in Song Dynasty, Ginkgo biloba in Ming Hongwu Period, and Imperial Monument in Qing Dynasty. The Golden Lotus Bridge in Song Dynasty is especially precious. A small and exquisite stone bridge spans the stone pond like a rainbow and is still in use today. I dare not tread hard, for fear of accidentally stepping on this Millennium cultural relic.
In the Tang Dynasty, there was an ancient ginkgo tree over 600 years old beside the turquoise bed. Its crown is as dense as a canopy, and its body leans to the northeast, seemingly falling but not falling. This ginkgo tree is one of the most beautiful ginkgo trees in Wuxi. In late autumn, the golden leaves are full of trees, the sun shines golden and dazzling, and the autumn wind blows and falls all over the ground, full of artistic conception.
There is a famous spring in the ancient town, "the second spring in the world", and many people come to Huishan for it. The spring water comes from Shan Ye and absorbs the essence of heaven and earth in Shan Ye. It is sweet and delicious, and was named the first spring in the world by Lu Yu of Cha Sheng in Tang Dynasty. There was a prime minister in the Tang Dynasty, Li Deyu, who loved to drink this kind of spring water, and made a special trip for local officials to mail it to the capital, showing his obsession.
Scholars of past dynasties also preferred "Er Quan" and endowed it with the most beautiful poems. The poet Huang Furan wrote: "It's too late to forget the old days. This heart is only a spiritual spring "; Su Dongpo admired the famous spring and wrote a famous sentence, "Take the abortion in the sky and taste the best Er Quan in the world".
Later, A Bing, a blind musician, created "Two Springs Reflecting the Moon" here. The piano sound is melodious, long, deep and intense, and it became a famous erhu music. Still because of this, there are several erhu shops in the town. The boss will personally play the erhu at the door, not for making money, but for his own hobby.
There are so many scenic spots in Huishan ancient town that there is not a day that you can't turn around. Because they don't accept tickets, the local old people often come, invite some old friends to climb Huishan, drink a pot of tea by the stream, chat with the old people (Wuxi dialect: chat), and then eat a bowl of noodles in the old street, which is a satisfied day.
In the ancient town, there are not many small jasper styles in the south of the Yangtze River, but there is a temple pond, commonly known as Longtou River, where streams flow all the year round. This stream originates from Huishan and is 800 meters long. There are many teahouses along the river. When you are free, you can come to have a tea chat and feel the unique charm of Huishan ancient town.
pastry cook
Address: Changshouli, Liangxi District, Wuxi. Tickets are not accepted, but some scenic spots are charged separately.
Transportation: Take bus No.43, No.56, No.71,get off at Yuan Yin Park and walk 300 meters to the north.