The ancient canal is the last attraction on this trip to Yangzhou.
Coming out of Dongguan Street, passing through several alleys in residential areas, you will arrive at the bank of the ancient canal. Walk along the river bank for a few minutes to reach the cruise ship dock, where you can board a cruise ship. Tour the ancient canal.
As early as 486 BC, the "Hangou" excavated during the Spring and Autumn Period was the prototype of the Yangzhou Ancient Canal. It can be said that the Yangzhou Ancient Canal is the oldest section of the Grand Canal in my country and the root of Yangzhou. .
In this ancient canal, historical blockbusters have been staged. " The boat sailed back after thousands of miles and sailed to the old town of Yangzhou. May I ask where Yangzhou is? The west end of the Huainan River and the North Sea..." This poem "Dragon Boat" was written by him when he went to Yangzhou for the first time.
There are many folk legends about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty’s three visits to Yangzhou.
The most interesting thing in the legend is that the emperor personally selected 1,000 beautiful women from the south of the Yangtze River who were fifteen or sixteen years old, called "palace foot girls". He asked these beauties to wear palace makeup. Wearing a white dress, she was stretching on the shore. She was sitting on the boat admiring her. If there was anyone she liked, she would immediately accept her as a concubine. In this way, farce scenes of "brother, you sit on the bow, and sister walk on the shore" were staged.
Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty liked Yangzhou too much and was very good at playing. As a result, he went too far and lost not only the country but also his own life in Yangzhou.
There is also the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, who was even better than Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty in playing, "Let us live in the world of mortals with ease, galloping horses and enjoying the prosperity of the world..." , a TV series "Huanzhugege", really made Qianlong's visit to the south of the Yangtze River popular, but he was not a private visit incognito, but extremely luxurious and luxurious, eating, drinking and having fun. Emperor Qianlong visited the south of the Yangtze River six times in his life, and Yangzhou was his "station" In order to please him, the local salt merchants spent money and money to build gardens and pavilions everywhere, known as "all the way to the mountains". They also spent huge sums of money to raise theater troupes. Setting up a stage and acting in dramas made Yangzhou prosperous for a while. At the same time, Emperor Qianlong also left many romantic stories, which are still talked about among the people today.
The ancient canal today is basically consistent with the time when Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty visited Yangzhou. This ancient canal carries the prosperity and vicissitudes of Yangzhou for thousands of years.
On the rafting boat, the scenery on both sides of the river slowly passed by. The ancient buildings, modern sculptures, and high-rise residential buildings on the shore were all reflected in the quiet river water, so calm and calm, and there were also those across the river. Whether ancient or modern bridges, they all look so peaceful and tranquil, just like this ancient city, which has experienced prosperity and vicissitudes without being surprised by favors and disgrace.
I heard that the night view of the ancient canal is more beautiful. Due to time constraints, I couldn’t see the dazzling beauty of the ancient canal under the fluorescent lights, so I had to regret it!
I heard that the authentic Yangzhou people are very good at enjoying themselves. In the morning, they eat "water wrapped in water" and in the evening, they eat soup dumplings. In fact, they eat soup dumplings in the morning and take a bath in the evening. When you arrive, let’s have some “skin bag water”.
On the last day of leaving Yangzhou, I got up early, caught the first bus, got off the bus and followed the navigation through the streets, and found the most famous Fuchun Teahouse in the area.
It was only around 6 o'clock in the morning, but the place was already bustling with people. We followed the example of others and ordered a set of steamed buns, paired with a cup of Houkui tea. The steamed buns were delicious, and the tea was fragrant. When they complement each other, it’s a treat. Is steamed buns paired with tea an original creation of Yangzhou people?
To eat "skin-wrapped water", you have to use a straw to suck out the water first, and then eat the skin. I sucked it too fast and it burned my tongue. It seems that the good taste should be savored slowly. ah!
After enduring the aching tongue, I tasted the "skin bag water", and my trip to Yangzhou came to an end. I left the fragrance on my lips and teeth with a little pain, and enjoyed the trip with a little regret. Isn't it beautiful? ! This kind of imperfect beauty makes people even more reluctant to part with it.
Yangzhou, ancient Guangling, goodbye!
Your beauty, your show, your spirit, your tranquility, your softness, your elegance, your thickness, your nobility, your glory...
All the tastes need to be savored slowly. It must be an endless aftertaste, thick and long!
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Postscript: These articles “Fireworks in Yangzhou in March” The article is based on a review of the content I posted in WeChat Moments when I visited Yangzhou in April 2019.