Introduction to Mudu Town, Suzhou City,

Mudu is an ancient water town of the same age as Suzhou City, with a history of more than 2,500 years. It is said that at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, King Wu Fu Chai built the Guanwa Palace on the top of Lingyan Mountain in order to please the beautiful lady Xi Shi, and added the Gusu Terrace. "It took three years to gather materials, and it took five years to complete." The river Gangdu is called "Building Block Du", hence the name Mudu.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Mudu was already an important town in the Three Kingdoms. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Sikong Luwan was a descendant of Lu Xun. He once built a residence on the former site of Guanwa Palace in Lingyan Mountain. The rear residence was turned into a temple, and Mudu became a Buddhist resort. In the Song Dynasty, according to the Records of Yuanfeng Nine Regions: "Mudu Town was established in the Northern Song Dynasty, belonging to Wu County, and the town was named after Du." At that time, Mudu was already the center of the towns in the west of Suzhou. By the Ming Dynasty, Mudu was one of the six towns in Wu County. In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, Mudu was already a famous commercial port in Wuzhong. Xu Yang, a native of the Qing Dynasty, painted a realistic picture of Gusu's prosperous scene during the Qianlong period, "Picture of Growth in a Prosperous Age", in which the Mudu section actually accounts for one-half of the entire volume. During Kangxi's three tours to the south and Qianlong's six tours to the south of the Yangtze River, he always visited Mudu and was fascinated by the scenery here. During the Republic of China, it was the residence of Mudu District Office.

Today, Mudu has convenient transportation and rapid urban development. It is the leading tourist town in Jiangnan and is known as the back garden of Shanghai. Mudu is also an important education town in Jiangnan. Mudu Senior High School is a national model high school, and Mudu Central Primary School has a history of a hundred years. Mudu Ancient Town is located at the foothills of Lingyan Mountain in the western suburbs of Suzhou. It is built on the mountain and lives by the water. Its unique layout is rare among many ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Mudu is the only ancient garden town in the south of the Yangtze River. There were more than 30 private gardens in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Yan Family Garden, Hongyin Shanfang, Lingyan Mountain Pavilion, Ancient Pine Garden, Bangyan Mansion, etc. have been restored. Its profound cultural heritage , the elegant garden environment and popular historical legends provide modern urbanites with a good place for tourism and leisure to relax their body and mind and cultivate their sentiments. Let us walk into Mudu, into a private home hundreds of years ago, and taste the lost classics and leisure

In the words of the literary master Shen Congwen: I have walked on bridges in many places , I have seen clouds many times and drank many kinds of wine, but I have only loved one of the most poetic places in the world - Jiangnan. In the south of the Yangtze River, there is a place outside the city of Suzhou that is "the most beautiful in the south of the Yangtze River", and that is Mudu, known as the "first ancient garden town in the south of the Yangtze River".

There are deep alleys, quaint stone bridges, exquisite pavilions, and that fascinating tranquility and comfort. This is Mudu.

Mudu is located in the west of Suzhou City, on the shore of Taihu Lake. It is a famous ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River. The territory has beautiful scenery and abundant products. It is also surrounded by famous mountains in Wuzhong such as Tianping, Lingyan, Shishan and Qizi, so it is called the "treasure basin". Mudu is an ancient water town of the same age as Suzhou City. As a transportation hub connecting Suzhou City and the vast Taihu Lake, Mudu is truly the gateway to Taihu Lake. Therefore, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Mudu was the most prosperous commercial port in the west of Suzhou City. Xu Yang, the court painter of Qianlong, painted a long and realistic scroll called "The Picture of Prosperity in the Prosperous Age", which reflects the prosperity of Gusu at that time. It is also known as "The Picture of Prosperity of Gusu". It is 1,225 centimeters in length, and half of it depicts Mudu. Mudu was prosperous at that time. It can be seen. During the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong visited the south of the Yangtze River six times and came to Mudu six times. Among them was the Royal Pier inscribed by Qianlong himself. Qianlong recited poems and sang harmony with his teacher Shen Deqian, and played tea and chess with his friend Xu Shiyuan, leaving behind each and every one of them. A popular legend. As a famous ancient garden town, Mudu also has many unforgettable scenic spots.

First of all, let us learn about Yanjia Garden: Yanjia Garden is the former residence of Mr. Yan Jiagan in Taiwan, covering an area of ??16 acres. An ancient magnolia with a broad crown and dense shade blocks out the sun. According to legend, it was planted by Emperor Qianlong when he stayed in a sunken house in the south of the Yangtze River. The Nanmu Hall Shangxian Hall was built in the Ming Dynasty. It is spacious and majestic, rare in the south of the Yangtze River. What is more distinctive is the layout of the Four Seasons Garden, which is dense and convoluted, with appropriate heights, exquisite and elegant local treatments, deep and graceful, showing the creator's unique gardening art. It is called "Jiangnan Garden Classic" by Professor Liu Dunzhen, a famous modern architect. work".

Historically, Qianlong visited the south of the Yangtze River six times and came to Mudu six times, and Hongyin Shanfang was the place he must go to every time: Hongyin Shanfang was a famous private garden in the south of the Yangtze River during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. "The beauty of the wind and moon in the mountains and rivers, and the beauty of the flowers and trees in the ponds and pavilions" are far superior to other gardens. During the six times Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River, he would go to the Hongyin Mountain House in Mudu, where he abandoned his boat and landed, where he visited the park and watched a play. Liu Yong and other officials stayed here for the second time, leaving behind legendary and touching stories. Hongyin Shanfang is composed of two Ming Dynasty gardens, Xiuye ??Garden and Xiaoyin Garden. In the late Qing Dynasty, Xiaoyin Garden was the former residence of Shen Shou, the "Embroidery Queen" of a generation. Xiuye ??Garden is now the Mudu Imperial Edict Collection Hall. Shantang Street is the economic center of Mudu, and there is also a famous garden there, the Ancient Pine Garden: The Ancient Pine Garden is located on Shantang Street and is named after a Ming Dynasty Podocarpus tree in the garden that is more than 500 years old. Gusongyuan is the former residence of Cai Shaoyu, a rich man in Mudu in the late Qing Dynasty. It has a compact layout and is well preserved. The brick-carved gatehouse is deeply carved and decorated with unique shapes and spirits; eight pipas are carved on the square rafters of the ancient pine hall to symbolize the "eight-note celebration". Such a shape is unique in Jiangnan garden architecture; the Phoenix Tower is the model of the Dongshan Carved Building The early works, architecture and sculpture art are exactly the same. The back garden is small, elegant and charming. Stopping at the double-story promenade, you can take in the green emerald green of the ancient pines and see the Lingyan Mountains in the distance, which makes you feel like you are outside the world. On the west side of the back garden is the Yao Jianping Embroidery Art Museum, a master of Chinese arts and crafts and a descendant of Shen Shou.

Bangyan Mansion, the former residence of Feng Guifen, a disciple of Lin Zexu, is also very famous: Bangyan Mansion is located on Xiatang Street and is the former residence of Feng Guifen, a disciple of Lin Zexu and a modern political commentator. Feng Guifen was one of the first or second Jinshi in the 20th year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1840), so people in the city called his house "the second place in the ranking". The No. 2 mansion is a front house and a back garden structure, covering an area of ??nearly ten acres. It is a typical garden architectural style of the Qing Dynasty. The "Three Carvings of Jiangnan" (brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings) are its main features. The garden is centered on the pool, with pavilions, pavilions, corridors, pavilions, bridges and yellow stone rockeries scattered throughout. They are scattered at various heights, shaded by green trees, and are full of poetic and picturesque charm. There is another scenic spot in Mudu, which is Lingyan Mountain: Lingyan Mountain Scenic Area is located at the foot of Lingyan Mountain, which is "the most beautiful in the south of the Yangtze River". In the scenic area, there are places of interest such as the Gusu Terrace of King Wu, the Lingyan Mountain Pavilion of Bi Yuan, the number one scholar of the Qing Dynasty, and the Memorial Hall of Zhang Yongfu, the great poet of the Qing Dynasty. The pavilions and pavilions are built according to the mountain topography, the nine-curved corridor follows the terrain, and the clear ponds trickle. Anqu Shuihui has been a famous tourist attraction in Wuzhong since ancient times. Going up the mountain, you can visit Guanwa Palace, Xishi Cave, Qintai and other Spring and Autumn relics, and pay a visit to Lingyanshan Temple, the most famous Buddhist temple in the southeast.

In addition, in the northwest of Mudu Ancient Town, Tianping Mountain, which is famous for its "three wonders" of strange rocks, clear springs, and ancient maples, and Mingyue Temple on Shantang Street are also good places to visit.

To truly understand Mudu, you must know its long history: According to legend, at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, when Wu and Yue were in dispute and the country of Yue was defeated, the beauty Xi Shi and the King of Wu were sacrificed. In order to please Xi Shi, King Wu Fucha built the Guanwa Palace on the elegant top of Lingyan Mountain and the Gusu Terrace on Zishi Mountain. "Three years of gathering materials will take five years to complete." The steady flow of wood blocked the river at the foot of the mountain. Gangdu, "Building Block Du", hence the name Mudu. It is located 15 kilometers west of Suzhou City, with an altitude of 201 meters. Because the great ancestor of the famous Fan Zhongyan was buried at the east foot of the mountain, it is also called Fanfen Mountain. The Northern Song Dynasty once granted Tianping Mountain to Fan Zhongyan, also known as "Giving Mountain". It is characterized by maple, spring and stone, and is also known as the "three wonders". This is also a good place to view Taihu Lake. There are vast maple forests at the foot of the mountain. The oldest ones are over 400 years old. In autumn, after frost, all the layers of the forest are stained. It is called the "Ten Thousand Zhang Red Area". There is Baiyun Spring in the middle of the mountain, which is known as "the first water in Wuzhong". There are two cliffs to the west, facing each other like gates, commonly known as Longmen, also known as a line of sky. There are many strange peaks and rocks in the mountain. Behind Bijia Peak on the mountainside, the rocks are surrounded by tall and tall rocks. It is called "Never face the sky". There is Fan Zhongyan's ancestral tomb in Dongwu, commonly known as "Fan Tomb".

Strange rocks, clear springs, and red maples are the three wonders of the balance. The strange rocks on the mountain are scattered vertically and horizontally, all towering upward, resembling the Chao Hut held by ancient ministers when meeting the emperor, so this landscape is called "Wan Hut facing the sky". The clear spring comes from the rock-named "Baiyun [1] Spring". The spring water is introduced into the bowl under the stone wall of Yunquan Jingshe through a bamboo tube. It is also known as Bowl Spring. It tastes extremely sweet. Lu Yu, the tea saint of the Tang Dynasty, rated it as "the best water in Wuzhong". The red maple was moved from Fujian by Fan Yunlin, the 17th generation grandson of Fan Zhongyan. There are still 176 trees left. It has a history of more than 400 years. In late autumn, the blue clouds and red leaves are as brilliant as the clouds, magnificent and dazzling.

Mudu has a long history and a large number of talents. Therefore, it is necessary to mention Mudu’s humanities: Mudu was proud of Dazhong Xiangfu for eight years (1015). By the end of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 20 Jinshi and 27 Jinshi in the country. Famous figures include Fan Zhongyan, Zhu Bishan, Lu Zigang, Yang Ji, Wu Kuan, Xu Fang, Wang Wan, Shen Deqian, Feng Guifen, as well as modern Shen Shou, Yan Jiagan, Wang Wei First of all, they are either born and raised here or have lived there for a long time, adding a strong humanistic flavor to the ancient Mudu. Mudu Food

The Taihu Lake Basin where Mudu[2] is located is fertile and rich in products. The fruits and vegetables with strong local flavor are famous all over the world. Mudu is also the hometown of handicrafts. Historically, there are famous masters such as Yuan Yuchang in sculpture and painting, Zhu Bishan in silverware, Lu Zigang in jade carving, and Shen Shou in embroidery. Their works are all national collections. Today, the handicrafts in the Mudu area are still strong and are rich in silk, embroidery, mahogany carvings, mud inkstones, calligraphy and painting, stone carvings, etc. They are famous all over the world and are popular among Chinese and foreign tourists.

Located at No. 18 Zhongshi Street, it was founded in the 55th year of Qianlong's reign (1790). After a hundred years of hard work, it has gradually formed a unique cuisine system based on the top ten famous dishes. It is known as stone dish in the world and is one of the representatives of Subang cuisine. Among them, Bafei Decoction is famous all over Jiangnan. Celebrities such as Li Genyuan, Yu Youren, Li Zongren, Zhang Daqian, Fei Xiaotong, Gai Jiaotian, Jin Shengbo and others have come here to taste it.

You can go to Shijia Restaurant, a century-old restaurant, to taste barbel lung soup and Taihu river shrimp. In addition, the pine nut and jujube paste sesame cake produced in Qianshengyuan, Mudu Town is very famous. Mudu Leisure and Entertainment

How to play:

Experience antiques, customs and shopping.

Festival activities:

A. Mudu Festival activities section, Mudu launches four major festival activities every year

1. "Mudu Happy Mudu Year" "January to February every year, highlights one: Emperor Qianlong's imperial edict, highlight two: DIY rice cakes, highlight three: folk weddings to bring joy, highlight four: rainbow drinking and throwing hydrangeas, highlight five : Appreciate peonies for good fortune and good fortune. Highlight 6: Watch a big show on the imperial stage. Highlight 7: Distribute couplets during the New Year. Highlight 8: Tie a red "plum" tip to pray for good luck.

2. The "Mudu Outing Cultural Festival" is held from March to May every year. Highlight 1: "The Twelve Sisters of Gusu Accompany You to Visit Mudu" Lucky Draw, Highlight 2: "I Go to Mudu to take the No. 1 Scholar's Student Essay PK Competition, Highlight Three: The Second Lingyan "Peony Flower Fair", Highlight Four: "Visit Mudu during the Qingming Festival" Folk Custom Gala.

3. "Mudu Parent-Child Children's Play Festival" is held from June to August every year. Highlight 1: 2008 Mudu Parent-Child Children's Play Festival Launching Ceremony and "Little Zongzi King" PK Competition, Highlight 2 : Dragon Boat Festival Folk Culture Tour, Highlight 3: Yangtze River Delta City Children’s Play Invitational Competition, Highlight 4: Making Clay Figures in the Clay Pottery Workshop, Highlight 5: Special Children’s Play Performance by the Children’s Acrobatic Troupe, Highlight 6: “Happy Children’s Play Festival” Photography contest.

4. The "Mudu Tourism Festival in the Ancient Garden Town" is held from September to November every year. Highlights 1: Mudu Climbing Festival on the Double Ninth Festival, Highlights 2: Picking delicious food and visiting Mudu, Highlights 3 : Appreciating the red maples on Tianping, visiting the ancient town of Mudu, Highlight 4: I accompanied my parents on a filial trip to Mudu, Highlight 5: Qianlong series of performances.

Instructions for booking Mudu tickets

①Business hours: 7.30-16.30

②Children under 1 meter in height are free of charge, and those between 1 meter and 1.4 meters buy half the ticket

③No tickets for senior citizens; free of charge for active-duty military officers’ cards, disability cards, and retired cadres’ cards

④Tickets include: Yanjia Garden, Hongyin Shanfang, Ancient Pine Garden, Bangyan Mansion