Wuxi’s old canal like time-travel machine
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, September 11, 2013
The Qingming Bridge and ancient canal area in Wuxi is like a time-travel tunnel. The moment I boarded a waterbus for a night excursion along the canal, I was enveloped by a sense of romance and out-of-the-world tranquility.
Typical Jiangnan-style (southern Yangtze River region) houses, with white walls and black tiles roof, lined the banks. Red lanterns, seemingly inspired by Zhang Yimou’s 1991 film, “Raise the Red Lantern,” hung high under the eaves, their reflections swaying as our boat slowly passed through the stone bridges that dot the river.
Ashore, I was transported back to the glitzy modern night life. The 1.6-kilometer Nanchang Street on the south bank has been made into an entertainment destination with restaurants, bars, cafes, snack stores and bookstores. Street hawkers sell local delicacies, such as tofu pudding, and handicrafts such as figurines and paintings made with brown sugar. The China Silk Industry Museum’s exhibits from the acclaimed Wuxi silk industry are worth a visit.
The whole scenic area is shaped like the letter “Y,” with the ancient canal as its primary course and Bodu River as a branch. Built more than 3,000 years ago, the river was China’s first man-made canal. Along the river are ruins of a number of ancient kilns, as well as the former residence of Zhu Dachun (1856-1926), a renowned local businessman dubbed the “King of Electric Appliances.”
Qingming Bridge, the oldest and largest single-opening stone arch bridge over the Grand Canal in the city, connects Nanchang Street with Nanxiatang area.
The houses overlooking the canal in Nanxiatang are being renovated, as are the road, the sewage treatment system, plumbing and electrical infrastructure, said Du Jun, general manager of the Wuxi Grand Canal Tour Company. Residents were relocated.
At the end of this year, a snack street will open on the first section between Kuatang and Jintang bridges, while the rest of the area will see 80 guest houses and boutique hotels open for business.
The canal area is a favorite place for Wuxi residents to unwind when the lights blink on every night after 7:30pm. Take a stroll along the water alley with us to find gems of local food, folk art, wisdom and skills.China Silk Industry Museum
Located on Nanchang Street, right under the Dagong Bridge, the China Silk Industry Museum has been built on the site of the old Yongtai Silk Factory, owned by Xue Nanmin (1862-1918), a local business tycoon. Wuxi, home to silk production since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has the largest number of silk factories in China, and is famed for producing the most and best quality silk. The “Jinshuanglu” (Gold Double Deer) raw silk produced by Yongtai was given a gold medal at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and it became popular on the global market. Today, the glory of the former “port of silk” is on record at the museum. The silk theme is used everywhere from the huge metal depiction of a cocoon installed at front of the museum to the cocoon-shaped pendant lamps inside. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a complete set of silk reeling machines — the only such set remaining in the city. As the most advanced machine in China at that time, the set is comprised of different small parts used to select and cook cocoons, then reel and process silk.
Opening hours: 9am-8:30pmAdmission: 20 yuanAddress: 364 Nanchang StMomi Cafe
The bookstore/cafe chain Momi Cafe has opened three branches in Wuxi, among which the one on Nanchang Street is the most popular. Located in an aged, two-story house, it is a cozy place to escape the bustle-and-hustle of nearby bars and restaurants. The tiny bookstore, decorated with rows of bookshelves with collections of Chinese and foreign classics and popular hits, also sells a range of homemade post cards and souvenirs comprised of small decorative items, pottery and porcelain cups, photo frames, portable mirrors and smartphone cases. It’s a good place to buy gifts for friends and family. Soft drinks, Italian coffees and desserts also are available. Teabags and coffee beans are sold at the counter. The seats near the second-floor windows, with a view of the canal, make an ideal spot for an enjoyable afternoon reading, with a hot or cold drink at hand and one of the owner’s two cats cuddling up at your feet.
Opening hours: 10am-11pmAddress: 339 Nanchang StWuxi Ancient Kiln Relics Museum
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