It was an early morning in July 1996, I was on the overnight train from Beijing heading towards Shanghai. As dawn started to lighten the sky, breaking up the mists of night, we were in Jiangsu, approaching Suzhou. I looked out over scenes so different to what I had left behind the previous day. Clusters of white-walled houses with dark tiled roofs rising close to a maze of narrow canals. Wooden boats were tied up alongside steps leading down to the water. Other craft, laden with vegetables and agricultural produce were being rowed gently past fields seemingly abundant with yellow stalks of maturing rice. In scenes reminiscent of Chinese classical scroll paintings, arched bridges spanned canals. It somehow felt surreal, so atmospheric, indeed so beautiful.
The railway was crossing a landscape, part of China referred to as Jiangnan, literally 'South of the River' (Yangtze) that includes much of Jiangsu. At that moment I wished I could jump off the train, to film with my camera such tranquility, to capture images of that man-land-water relationships.
Ten days later I travelled back from Shanghai to Suzhou. Although experiencing much in and around that historic city I sadly was not been able to visit any of the area's renowned water towns. Recently that ambition was fulfilled as I finally immersed myself within the beauty and history of such priceless, indeed uniquely attractive settlements.
However, that journey, to the Suzhou area, now 25 years ago, did allow time to appreciate some of the area's geography. One day I travelled out by bus to Tai Lake's Xishan Island via a long causeway, the Taihu Bridge. Sitting atop Xishan's highest point I gazed across a vast expanse of shimmering water towards more islands of varying size. Beyond, a few scattered hills rose from a mostly level plain stretching towards the horizon. The lake itself appeared relatively shallow although boats, some still using sails, were operating between seemingly tiny local ports. As a geographer, I was intrigued by this landscape and its formation.
Much of Jiangsu incorporates wide, fertile, alluvial plains. However almost one fifth of the province is also composed of lakes, rivers and a maze of waterways. Water is in abundance! Jiangsu is actually the lowest, flattest of all China's provinces with some parts sitting only between three to five metres above sea level. Yet, hills as I could see, were also prominent features in this landscape. Why? A clue lies with islands such as Xishan where I came upon limestone deposits. A rock geologically much older than what makes up most of the region's surface terrain.
The Jiangnan area incorporates the Yangtze River Delta. There, one of the world's greatest and longest rivers discharges into the East China Sea. Throughout time, indeed probably since before human life existed in the area, the Yangtze has annually been depositing massive quantities of sediment, gradually building up land on which Suzhou and other cities sit today. During prehistoric eras, the river mouth was much farther back than that presently near Shanghai. The hills, providing areas of beauty and parkland within an ever expanding urban scene were once islands. Some still appear in Hangzhou Bay and of course, Lake Tai.
The lakes were themselves once part of shallow bays and sea inlets that gradually, over time, became enclosed by the constant sedimentation aiding the Yangtze Delta's seaward growth and expansion. Cut off from the oceans, their salinity levels gradually dropped, thus creating vast reserves of fresh water. Water is abundant in Jiangsu, the area consequently rich in aquatic produce.
Travelling across lowlands around Suzhou I noticed a greater number of villages along with more intensive cultivation of the land than what I would see in more northerly parts of China. This area is blessed climatically with generally warm temperatures and abundant rainfall, sometimes monsoonal, in late spring and early summer. With cultivation possible all year, harvests are bountiful, historically producing surpluses exceeding local needs. This was one of the factors in the Jiangnan region being one of the most economically successful parts of China. During those early days, rice farming and fishing initially were prime activities. Simple homes were erected on stilts over the waters and marshes. Gradually, more permanent settlement, villages, started to appear, the area growing economically.
Regional prosperity along with stability were factors in attracting migration increasingly from northern parts of China during the first millennium AD. This, the Yongjia Southern Migration, started from the Western Jin Dynasty (266-316). Han people, in particular, were moving south away from persistent threats of invasion and attack from warriors and nomadic groups.
The Jiangnan area was regarded as peaceful, stable and thus an attractive environment in which to live. This population influx, along with prosperity from agriculture and freshwater fishing, were factors in the eventual emergence and growth of highly sophisticated cities such as Suzhou. Indeed by the 2nd century AD, during the early years of the Han Dynasty, Jiangnan had already become one of the more economically significant parts of China. Production and trade in porcelain, tea and silk were boosting the influence nationwide of its merchants. Local prosperity and stability were also factors in seeing the growth of a well-educated literati who in turn promoted a sense of strong local culture still seen today.
Much of the terrain is crisscrossed by a maze of waterways, some small and local, others were major commercial routes. The area having the largest stream density in China. Villages and towns initially depended greatly on water transport, then a more practical means of moving goods. Road and bridge construction was both costly and difficult with so many water crossings.
The Grand Canal, the world's longest, runs through a vast area connecting Hangzhou in the south with Beijing in the north, passing just west of Suzhou's historic centre. Agricultural produce, particularly rice grains were shipped north from Jiangnan as tributes to the Imperial Court in Beijing, particularly during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Southern sections are still heavily used by commercial traffic. Other canals such as Wusong River (Suzhou Creek) connected the Jiangnan area with Shanghai, allowing movement between Lake Tai, the Huangpu River and lower sections of the Yangtze Delta.
Suzhou, a major city whose history closely mirrors Jiangnan's growth, was often regarded as the 'Venice of the Orient' due to its extensive network of canals. However close to that major urban centre, Kunshan (under Suzhou's administration) is internationally renowned today for its significant heritage of water towns or more precisely, 'canal towns'. Much smaller than the regional cities, they are admired for landscapes, arched bridges and a close relationship between man and water. Their intrinsic cultural and historic representations of this part of China, portrayed frequently on traditional paintings, attract many tourists. Yet, despite the obvious commercial growth and input, many have managed to retained much of their original feel and indeed canal-related activities. Walking through some recently I could appreciate a sense of long established harmonic relationships while sensing successful integration combining modern with traditional.
Some towns are particularly attractive and photogenic. One such as Jinxi felt almost enclosed by lakes. An historic consequence of this was the necessity of travel by boat, even between places sometimes only a few metres apart! Close to the entrance of its old town the view simply beautiful across the waters towards historic, arched Lotus Bridge stretching towards Lianchi Temple. Covering much of the bridge runs a long corridor complete with tiled roofs and raked eaves.
Many wooden vessels were gathered close to a walkway I followed, passing a range of small, open-fronted shops selling a range of aquatic products such as freshwater hairy crabs, ducks, fish and much more. Fascinating to spend time simply watching and appreciating everyday scenes.
I was completely taken by the feel, the atmosphere along its narrow lanes where passages connected with steps leading down to boat landing stages that were once important for transport of people and goods. Such was my enthusiasm that I cut short on lunch to explore more, capturing those precious moments with my camera, of exploring a water town.
Tourism has seen the opening of some quite beautiful, indeed tranquil teahouses and cafes whose terraces overlook the waters where boats carrying visitors were gently being pushed along. Locations I could easily sit watching the activities and of people heading over a nearby arched stone bridge again as a boat drifted underneath. Many of the bridges date from the Ming and Qing Dynasty, with little alteration over the years. It was interesting also seeing how locals in such towns still retain their traditional waterside lifestyles, including fishing from the stone canal side steps. Such places are perfect for writers, poets or I my case, photographers! Indeed the famed painter, Liu Haisu described Jinxi as the "most beautiful town in Jiangnan!' From what I saw that afternoon, I could agree.
I would also visit equally appealing Qiandeng, whose name historically referred to 'one thousand lamps'.The town actually has a museum displaying 1000 lamps, spanning more than five thousand year from the Neolithic Age to modern times. Qiandeng is the birthplace of Kunqu Opera, one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera.
Arriving at an area alongside the Shanghu River, I looked across beyond a classic, stone arched bridge towards Qinfeng Pagoda. Minutes later, standing in a large square directly below the tower, I gazed with curiosity along narrow alleys lined with small shops. Soon I was diving into a 1500 metre long stone-paved narrow street dating back to Song Dynasty (420-479). With 'water parallel to land, and street adjacent to river' this was the kind of historic landscape I was looking for. An opportunity to spend time, both on that street and along the riverside studying the idea of a life living abreast with water.
On the road back to Suzhou, there was a stop at Xiemaqiao. This, a small water town with maturing rice fields on its edges. Quite different from the other towns earlier visited, it was not a major tourist destination. Instead it represented tranquility within a community where much work had obviously been undertaken to improve living conditions for the local people.
A lovely ending to an excellent, indeed unforgettable day amidst a traditional landscape of 'water, rice and fish'.
Bruce Connolly was in Suzhou on 'A Date with China' organized through China Daily.
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