Shaxi, Jiangsu
|
Shaxi 沙溪镇 古镇沙溪 |
|
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Province | Jiangsu |
| Prefecture-level city | Suzhou |
| County-level city | Taicang |
| Government | |
| • Town mayor | 陈顺葆 |
| • Deputy mayor | 陈玉碧，梁华祥，梁冬晓，黄振球 |
| • Party Secretary | 胡永康 |
| • Chairman of People's Congress | 胡永康 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 132.41 km2 (51.12 sq mi) |
| Website | http://www.shaxi.gov.cn/zhengwu/leader_list.aspx |
Shaxi (Chinese: ; pinyin: Shāxī; literally: "sand creek") is a town of 91,000 in southeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the middle of Taicang City's jurisdiction. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) away from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. An ancient town with traditional architecture, Shaxi has a long history and a distinctive culture.
The history of Shaxi can be dated back to the Yuan Dynasty. According to historical records, around the time of the Dang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, the town existed under a different name. After the time of the Yuan Dynasty, it started to be called Shaxi. It was also called Qipu due to its proximity to the lake.
Starting in the Koji years of the Ming Dynasty, the town became more and more prosperous. Many high ranking court ministers chose Shaxi as the site to build their mansions. Thank to this, the streets and allies boomed and became busy day and night.
At the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, foreign culture and technology started to influence traditional life in Shaxi. With the development of business and commerce, numerous businesses sprung up in the streets, and they badly needed a designated place to carry on their various activities. Many constructions were built next to Qipu Lake and a stone bridge was built which crossed the lake. Since then, these unique constructions have become an essential part of the city.
Shaxi is also one of the important birthplaces of Chinese national industry and today it is the key industrial town in the region of Taicang. In Guang Xu, thirty-two years after the start of the Qing Dynasty, the first industrial textile plant of Jiangsu province was established in Shaxi.
Shaxi, nicknamed "the second Zhouzhuang", has many feature unique to the town.
The old residences, considered cultural heritages, date back to the Qing Dynasty. They sit at both sides of Qipu Lake, the whole length being approximately 1.5 kilometers. The window of these houses are interesting. Each pane has unique patterns, the only similarity being that they are all very delicate. There are stone steps leading from the houses to the river. To conclude, the water mansions, which present the simple and elegant posture, are treasured cultural heritages.
In the old street, from east to west, there are three parallel old bridges built in Ming or Qing Dynasty across Qipu Lake. From the distance, we can see that the arch bridge combines with its shadow so that a circle is formed. In the river, several boats decorating by red lanterns are always casually floating with the wind. All the objects make the town seem more peaceful and harmonious.
...
Wikipedia