The first county-level city in China with a subway, known as "the strongest county in China", with beautiful scenery.
When it comes to Jiangnan, first impression is a melodic and peaceful lively atmosphere, cities with a rich history and characteristic boats floating on river. There is a good saying, past is slow, city is slow, and life is slow too. In small towns south of Yangtze River, you can feel this slowness, this unprecedented lightness and joy.
Today I would like to introduce Kunshan, a small water town hidden in Jiangsu Province, a magical place full of surprises and simplicity.
One. Introduction to Kunshan
Kunshan is located in eastern part of Jiangsu Province and belongs to county under jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province. The terrain is flat, geographical environment is good, climatic conditions are favorable. At junction of Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, hydrology is excellent, and several rivers are hidden in urban area.
Since Kunshan has a subtropical climate, summers are hot and humid, winters are not too cold but sunny, overall temperature is stable between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius, and the average annual temperature is about 17 degrees Celsius, so Kunshan has another name is "Little Spring Town".
The four seasons are warm and fresh. There is a lot of precipitation, but they do not cause waterlogging. The continuous drizzle makes it more suitable for clarity. Because there are no layers of stepped relief on Kunshan Plain.
Most of them are flat roads and you can easily get directions in urban areas. Whether in center or in surrounding villages and towns, residential development faces south from north. Although it is built along river, there are no winding and difficult paths.
In ancient times, Kunshan was a very famous city. According to records, in BC. there were traces of habitation of primitive people who liked to live in groups and mainly lived by hunting.
Later, hydrological conditions were better here, and more and more people lived here, especially along river, geese and swans migrated, wild animals such as deer, horses, cattle often appeared, and primitive people lived here after deer hunting, it was later named Deer City.
During Qin Dynasty, it was one of several large counties, and then became State of Jin in Western Han Dynasty, until division of Three Kingdoms at end of Eastern Han Dynasty. Kunshan became one of Lu counties and gradually developed.
During Sui and Tang dynasties, Central Plains were united, and Kunshan, as part of Suzhou, was united with several other counties, and it was no longer a small country divided by a border. During Ming and Qing dynasties, infrastructure construction was perfect, and Kunshan was no longer a small county town, but gradually turned into a large independent city.
After founding of People's Republic of China, it belonged to city of Suzhou, and Jiangsu Province established Jiangsu Province to send commissioners to govern it, and Kunshan was also one of key development targets. Gross national product continues to rise in middle and economic model is ideal. Today's Kunshan combines a strong historical atmosphere with a modern living atmosphere.
The path of economic innovation was paved through continuous research, three key industrial parks were built together, and first metro line was laid, which, according to model, truly became a free city It not only has ancient taste and feeling of fullness of water, but also a modern atmosphere of technological innovation.
two. Beautiful scenery of water town
The beauty of Kunshan can be described with countless adjectives, and perhaps most worth mentioning is beauty of local customs. Small green brick and green tile houses are built on stone railings, and you can easily enter them via earth steps. There are several small shops almost on both sides of road, with a bit of a commercial vibe but not too strong.
A few meters from stone steps, a willow tree is planted on both sides of stone steps. The willow has a holding value, which adds to sad beauty of water town of Kunshan. You can sit on a small boat floating in middle of lake, go one by one over stone arched bridge and listen to a slow and touching story told by boatman. All of these boats are tent boats, ordinary boats with wooden structures, and you can smell light scent of sandalwood mixed with scent of tea and fruits while sitting on them, which makes people feel at ease and free.
Misty rain is pouring south of Yangtze River, this sentence is absolutely true for Kunshan. Here, from afar, you can feel a huge city shrouded in mist. Maybe it's fog, maybe it's smoke, in short, it will give people a vague sense of beauty. The murmuring water, trampling and stones washed away by water are covered with fine and thick moss, filled with a strong atmosphere of history.
The history of Kunshan can be described indefinitely. Kunqu opera, one of intangible cultural heritages, and unique sound of Suzhou pingtang resounds in streets and alleyways. There is also a Liangzhu culture that belongs to this place. Ancient cultural relics and books discovered in recent years represent history and customs of Kunshan. In cemetery area similar to Xi'an Terracotta Warriors and Horses, stone soldiers are gathered here, and many jade and stone tools are important collections.
Three. Modern Development
In today's Kunshan, gross domestic product exceeds that of many cities, and it belongs to upper part of southern region and even sum of some provinces in northern part of city. The population is small, but economy is developed. The development of South Korea and Japan cannot be compared with Kunshan. Combined with rapid development of science and technology, today national center is at forefront of innovation, and Kunshan, as one of key support targets, is also making progress anytime, anywhere.
It has not only become an environmentally friendly city, a national demonstration base, and a wealthy city, but has also developed rapidly in terms of tourism and life. A tertiary industry such as tourism accounts for a huge portion of many industries, and resorts and retirement centers spring up in an endless stream.
Kunshan is a city where you won't get to experience local customs, beautiful scenery, and relaxed lifestyle unless you go here. Only those who come here can relax and enjoy their unique journey.