Published on November 27, 2013, 00:06

Ten years ago, a frivolous trip took me to almost all the "famous" ancient towns in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Of course, I avoided Zhouzhuang. At that time, Zhouzhuang was already famous for its "commercialization". At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter that year, it was already the off-season for tourism. I stayed in the ancient town at night and danced at the sound of chickens, but I still couldn't escape the noise, and the camera couldn't escape the rolling crowd. I sympathize with the tourists who follow the tour group to march in the ancient town. What they leave behind is only "come". The ancient towns are also changed by tourists, with all kinds of modern commercial facilities, the same diet, rough cottage souvenirs, and of course, the exorbitant ticket prices. The ancient town in my heart only exists in the morning and at night. Although it is also beautiful, it seems that I have suffered from "ancient town phobia" since then. In the past ten years, I have hardly taken the initiative to visit any ancient town, because imagination is always better than reality.

Ten years later, Ninghai. It's more than 3 p.m. when we arrived at the hotel, we finally decided to visit the most famous Qiantong ancient town. Of course, it is painter and director Chen Yifei who makes the former children famous. The autobiographical film "barber" was mainly shot in Qiantong ancient town. His evaluation of this place is that "painting can be done everywhere". Unfortunately, Chen died in the process of shooting. This painter, who lived in the water town of Jiangnan since his childhood, is also the originator of Zhouzhuang's fame. I have to say that his vision is very original.

More than half an hour's taxi brings us from the modern Ninghai County to the old days of ink painting in Jiangnan. I don't know if it's late and there is not even a ticket collector at the gate of the ancient town. At this time, we three seem to be the only group of foreign tourists. Qiantong town is not a small town. The old houses on the old streets in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were surrounded by a large number of new houses. When you enter the town, the noise outside is almost instantly isolated and you cross into another world.

The mottled walls of the former children's old house make up a living black and white ink, without PS, which is original and full of vicissitudes.

Compared with these ancient buildings, life is too short.

The old street is the commercial center of the ancient town. Naturally, there are a few red lanterns hanging on it. There are some shops and tea shops on both sides. Fortunately, the former children just do business with nothing to do. They don't have any shouting or soliciting sales.

The young father teases the baby excitedly in front of Tong's ancestral hall, hoping to inherit from generation to generation.

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Ninghai County is about 70 kilometers away from Ningbo Airport, and Qiantong is about 20 kilometers away from Ninghai. Perhaps it is because of the relatively inconvenient traffic that the ancient town is protected from the impact of the tide of commercialization and is well preserved.

The ticket price is 70 yuan. Please note that the ticket office is about 800 meters in front of the entrance of the scenic spot, and you can get 2 yuan by shuttle bus. Around 4:30 p.m., all the scenic spots will be closed, so please grasp the time.

Transportation: the ancient town is about 20 kilometers away from Ninghai County. There are buses from Ninghai West passenger station every 15 minutes, and the ticket price is about 5 yuan. About 50 yuan a way by taxi.

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