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July 2000 Issue 80 |
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July 2000 Issue 80 |
CONTENTS
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THE WATER MARGIN HOW A MAN MADE HIS STAND AT ZHOUZHUANG
Zhouzhuang is accruing tourism interest
faster than China breakneck economic progress through its
reputation as an unspoilt, ancient water town. Actually, Zhouzhuang is one of the best
known success stories in Chinese tourism of recent years. But few know the secret of it success stems from the peculiar devotion of one stubborn scholar. Ruan Yisan was dean of the city planning department of Tongji University at the beginning of the 1980s, when China began its headlong modernization rush. Drastic changes were then taking place in the countryside of South
China. Factories were erected in villages, and millennia-old neighborhoods were being
razed in days. Ruan grew upset by what he perceived as unchecked vandalism going on all
around him. i used to spend most of my spare time running across
the ancient towns of China for my research work on Chinese architecture and city
planning,* says Ruan, 65, in a telephone interview with Beijing This Month.
he Ruan cites the example of a Li Li, a town where he was chased out by the local chief. ?ou intellectuals only talk!* the chief shouted at him. ?ow annoying you are! Don? interfere with our work!* So angry was the town chief with Ruan he told the dining hall not to give his guest anything to eat. Ruan was forced to buy snacks outside the building for his lunch (restaurants were very scarce back then). Ruan today has lost count of the lost battles, lost towns and lost heritage erased by town developers. In those days, you just got used to it,* says Ruan. Then some artist friends told Ruan that 60 kilometers from Shanghai was a beautiful town that had so far survived untouched. Ruan set out for Zhouzhuang immediately. He caught the only bus, a two-hour ride from Shanghai north station 7a.m. to a town called Luxu. He had to stay in Luxu overnight. The next noontime he took a six-hour boat to Zhouzhuang. After disembarking at a small inn outside of Zhouzhuang, he finally caught a boat heading the water village the next morning. To Ruan, Zhouzhuang back then resembled ? paradise on earth*. He found that all was not well in paradise * the ancient Palace of Shen was acting as mechanism processing factory and the Palace of Zhang was occupied by 17 families. Ancient bridges stood on the verge of total collapse. Ruan grew more anxious when he found the evidence of systematic pollution of which nobody seemed aware. Words: Jenny Li Photos: Jiang Jun Zhouzhuang major sites: Shen Ting Zhang Ting Mi Lou Chess Museum Quan Fu Si Daoist Temple Yechucang Former Residence Zhouzhuang Museum Fu'an Bridge Shuang Qiao
Transport: There are 45 flights from Beijing to Shanghai between 8a.m. and 8:40p.m. Overnight trains to Shanghai: 461, leaving 4:04p.m. hard sleeper 190 yuan. K21, leaving 6p.m. 327 yuan. K13, leaving 8p.m. 327 yuan.
From Shanghai by tourism bus: Shanghai Stadium: 7a.m., 9a.m., 12a.m., 2p.m. Hongkou Park: 2p.m.
Admission: Entrance ticket: 35 yuan/person (for entrance to Shuangqiao, Fun Qiao, Zhang Ting, Shen Ting, Quanfu Si, Mi Lou, Qi Yuan, Cheng Xu Dao Yuan, Ye Chu Cang Gu Ju, Zhouzhuang Museum) Boating tour in Zhouzhuang: 60 yuan/boat (8 persons/boat)
Hotels: Shenjiang Hotel , 220 yuan/night Zhengutang , 280 yuan/night Zhongfang Hotel, 220 yuan/night Yunhai Du Jia Cun 220 yuan/night Fengdan Holiday Resort 220 yuan/ nights
Travel Tips: 1. Take an umbrella as rain might come any time. 2. Rainy days always offer better views of Zhouzhuang. 3. Photography lovers might bring a tripod, as there is little light at night. 4. Best time to visit: April-November |
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Capital Talk
economy was just about to take off, and I could already see the immediate
cost to the cultural heritage, reflected in the vanishing architecture.* i
started talking to local governments in Jiangsu Province, where most of the best ancient
southern Chinese style architecture was located. Few would listen,* Ruan said, unable to
hide a hint of melancholy in his voice.