Prose is like a brocade.

I have an ancient town complex in Jiangnan, which can be said to be inexhaustible. Perhaps it is the gracefulness and simplicity of glistening tiles, the poetry and leisure of small bridges and flowing water that make my temperament fit some tranquility, nostalgia and romance.

I thought about Jinxi for a long time. That long covered bridge, with its unique shape and the flavor of water town, moved me very much.

Jinxi is like brocade. Jinxi, named after Xixi, is a small town in the corner of the south of the Yangtze River. A small stream passes through the town, and peaches and plums on both sides are full of branches and fall into England one after another. In the morning and evening, the sunshine reflects warmth, and the stream is full of gold, hence the name "Jinxi", which has been more than 800 years.

Perhaps Zhouzhuang, Xitang and Wuzhen are bustling Jiangnan, and Jinxi is more like a girl on earth, half bright and half quiet, leaving only earthly fireworks. The beauty of Jinxi can only be discovered if you stop and enjoy it slowly.

Gulianqiao is my sweetheart, and I have missed it for a long time. As soon as you set foot on Jinxi, you can see her from a distance. She is independent of the center of Wubao Lake, separating the lotus pond from Chen Feishui's tomb. On the mirror-like lake, the ancient lotus bridge stands between Tianshui, and the long cloister extends to both sides. Like a hollowed-out paper-cut ancient lotus bridge, under the sunshine, like a phoenix dragging a beautiful tail, elegant and smart.

Although this classical covered bridge with cornices is a newly-built landscape bridge, it has become the most iconic landscape of Jinxi. Lotus leaf fields are in full bloom in the water, weeping willows are planted all over the lake shore, and the branches are swaying in the wind.

The bridge deck polished by the years is seamlessly connected with the stone road entering the ancient town. Accompanied by the fragrant breeze of lotus leaves, I walked on the flat and stable bridge deck, but I didn't feel like walking on the bridge. Across the lake from the exquisite Gulian Bridge, the reflection on the lake flickers gently with the breeze, moving and quiet, suitable for every two people.

The sky is like water, with layers of lotus leaves on one side. The vermilion colonnade, the classical cornices, the quiet and beautiful railings, the hung red lanterns and the weeping willows on the shore are all reflected in the water, which is the artistic conception only found in Song Ci and the scenery only described by the old man Baishi.

Facing Gulian Long Beach, it is the famous tomb of Chen Feishui. The mention of this water mound will lead to a lingering past. According to records, in the first year of Song Longxing, Jin Bing invaded, and Xiao Zong's family moved south to Lin 'an, passing through Jinxi Town, and Chen Fei died for some reason. Sad-hearted, Xiao Zong buried him in a water mound and built a Lianchi Temple by the lake to pray for his beloved princess. Yu Bi approved changing the name of the town to "Chen Tomb" to show that he will never forget it. This change is more than 800 years. It was not until 1992 that the old name "Jinxi" was changed back.

The existing Longbai and Gu Song in the temple are said to have been planted by Xiaozong himself. On the east side of the temple, a lotus pond was built and white lotus was planted to express grief for Chen Fei. So Lianchi Temple also has a royal status. For thousands of years, it has been respected by people and enjoyed a strong incense. Many scholars stayed here, leaving Mo Bao behind.

Located in the Chen Fei water of Wubao Lake, it is surrounded by reeds. Surprisingly, no matter whether the water rises or falls, the water mound is always exposed on the lake, swaying a piece of green, as if floating on the lake. There are many legends among the people, some say that there is a turtle squatting at the bottom of the water burial, and some say that there is a big hole at the bottom of the lake leading to the sea.

Ten-eye Bridge, commonly known as Little baodai bridge, spans the lake and divides Wubao Lake into two parts. Outside the bridge is a lotus pond, and inside the bridge is a Wu Peng boat. The setting sun reflects the lake, the weather is not very clear, the glow is tepid, and the water surface is stained with a very light rouge color. In this rouge color, there are dark shadows of wupeng boats and the shadows of red lanterns. The evening breeze is blowing, and the scenery is rippling, which is particularly blurred.

The layout of the ancient town is also based on the river, the streets are built by the water, the houses are built by the water, and the water, roads, bridges, houses and cities are ingeniously and naturally integrated. As the saying goes, "You can see the river when you sleep at night."

Jinxi Street is winding, with vertical and horizontal rivers, and has a very strong water town style. The traditional architecture of the ancient town is dominated by Ming, Qing and early Republic of China, with typical architectural style of Jiangnan.

There are eaves galleries along the river and lake, which are very spacious. The eaves gallery stretches for miles and connects with each other. In the eaves gallery, you can see the old man shaking his cattail leaf fan to chat and the children playing around. They are all indigenous people, eating Taihu Lake and speaking soft Wu Nong language, which makes the ancient town exude the smell of fireworks, vitality and soul.

Of course, there are many Zeguo Bridges in the water town, and there are 36 ancient bridges in Jinxi. Gulian Bridge, Shiyan Bridge, Taiping Bridge, Nantang Bridge and so on. They have different shapes, including covered bridges, arch bridges and peace bridges. Most of the materials used are granite, which is simple and beautiful.

Most of the existing ancient bridges in Jinxi Ancient Town were built in Ming and Qing Dynasties. The inscriptions, couplets and flower carvings on the bridges were exquisite, forming a unique "bridge culture" in the water town.

Standing on the stone arch bridge, humming the poems of the ancients and looking at the scenery under the bridge, I really feel as drunk as a fiddler. The density of Jinxi Bridge is rare in China, far exceeding Suzhou, a water city. The history of the bridge, from Mu Hong Bridge in the Tang Dynasty to Lihe Bridge and Taiping Bridge in the Song Dynasty, and Tianshui Bridge, Puqing Bridge and Shiyan Bridge in the Ming and Qing Dynasties ... From the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties to the present, the inscriptions, column couplets and patterns on the bridge are beautifully carved and lifelike.

This couplet is engraved on Puqing Bridge in Guzhen District: "Xue Dian Jinboyuan in the east and Huchengyu Langping in the west", which describes the unique natural environment and rural scenery of the ancient town, as well as the prosperity of commerce and the development of shipping trade at that time.

Culture is the soul of a small town. Since ancient times, Jin Xi has worshipped Shang Mo. Scholars of all ages have been lingering in Jinxi. Shen Zhou, Wen Zhiming, Gui Youguang and other famous people in Wuzhong have sung about Shanxi from generation to generation. "Spring breeze blows in Liu Yiyi, and countless warblers sing Yan language. Red apricots and peach blossoms are brilliant, and the long embankment is flowing. " This is the beautiful Jinxi described by Gao Qi in Ming Dynasty.

There is a folk song circulating in Jinxi: "May heaven always produce good people and people always do good things". Gentle and graceful ancient style, blowing on the face, only the still water in the south of the Yangtze River can cultivate the pure heart. No matter whether you go to Qiu Lai in summer or not, Jinxi has a kind heart and deep still water.

Another aspect of Jinxi that is different from the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River is the museum. Jinxi has seal cutting museum, antique museum, coin collection museum and ancient brick museum.

Jinxi in the south of the Yangtze River belongs to Kunshan as well as Zhouzhuang. Its water lane market, its arch stone bridge and its waterside people all belong to Zhouzhuang, so it is called "the second Zhouzhuang". However, its numerous museums are another achievement of my trip to Jinxi.

Beautiful and elegant Jinxi, with a history of more than 2,000 years, has gathered the unique charm of Jiangnan water town. Yuan Ruo is a fascinating and wonderful picture. No wonder Shen Congwen called her a "sleeping girl" and Feng called her "light makeup is always appropriate" ...