And we couldn’t forget about you;
There are crowds of tourists and illuminated nights,
and theatrical stages surrounded by water landscape in misty Jiangnan Region;
...
It is the place where the dream starts and it has a hauntingly beautiful name, that is, the Southern Song Imperial Street (nan song yu jie 南宋御街).
Eight hundred years ago, the Caotian Gate and a stretch of drywall divide the small Lin’an City into two different worlds, i.e., the so-called “the Palace in the South and City in the North” and “the Court in the Front and the Market and Fair at the Back”. The area near Phoenix Mountain in the south was dominated by the magnificent imperial palace and the area in the north was where normal people lived. The imperial street is dubbed as the “red carpet” that emperors walk on towards its officials and subjects.
Imperial Street: An Epitome of the History of the Southern Song Dynasty
According to the historical “West Lake Travel Records”, the ancient Southern Song Imperial Street is 4.2 kilometers long and was paved with over ten thousand flagstones. The then Southern Song Imperial Street was the only way that must be passed when high-ranking officials and noble lords went out of the imperial palace and was also the exclusive road for the imperial family to get to the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors.
The first section of the Southern Song Imperial Street stretches from Wansongling (万松岭) to Drum Tower, which was the then political center of Lin’an. Because the street was close to the imperial palace and core organizations of the imperial court, which were the gathering places of imperial families and officials, hence most of the shops on the street sold goldware, silverware, jewelry, and other luxury goods.
The middle section stretches from the Drum Tower (鼓楼) to Zhong’an Bridge (众安桥), which was the then business center of Lin’an. It mainly sold daily necessities. According to “Mengliang Records (梦粱录)”, the place was packed with famous shops and time-honored shops, and over 120 shops are traceable.
The last section is from Zhong’an Bridge (众安桥) to the intersection of Wulin Road (武林路) and Fengqi Road (凤起路), forming a block combining the functions of business, trade, culture and entertainment. The currently-known largest entertainment center, Bei Wa (北瓦), had all kinds of performances day and night, including acrobatics, shadow play, storytelling and etc. Every day, there were several thousand people relaxing and having fun here.
The Long Street beside Water Featuring Century-old Flavor
“Running water winds through the old street; small bridges connecting old shops and clean pools circle old residential houses.” That’s the first impression people had of the Southern Song Imperial Street. But as a street for people to learn about the social landscape of the Southern Song Dynasty, it is like a “walking museum”.
The Southern Song Imperial Street is full of quaint elements. Besides, every retro building is integrated with modern elements. There are a lot of buildings from the Republic of China era, which are eye-catching, whether at night or in the daytime.
Walking on the ancient street, you will see historical sites including lanes and streets from the Song Dynasty, time-honored shops from the Qing Dynasty, as well as banks and shops from the Republic of China era. It may not be a match for Jiangnan old streets from the Ming and Qing dynasties, but the street, featuring one after another Western-style building, is comparable to Shanghai lanes and streets form the Republic of China era.
The building complex of the Southern Song Dynasty is comprised of old houses dating back to the period from the earliest Southern Song Dynasty to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The street-side landscape, from the Western-style architecture to creative modern architecture, demonstrates the culture accumulation over the past eight hundred years.
The moment you step on the street, these historical and cultural buildings will meet your eyes. They represent the past glory and prosperity and the wisdom of the people of the Southern Song Dynasty and embodies the cultural connotations of old Hangzhou.
Elegant Life and Cultural Connotations
Walking into the old street, you will feel the touch of history. Grey walls in old lanes, coal stoves at the door, rickety old-style bicycles … all remind people of the memories of old times.
Come here to experience the daily life of old Hangzhou people which perhaps can only be experienced here in this street in Hangzhou! The Southern Song Imperial Street hides the most characteristic snacks of Hangzhou, be it dragon’s beard candy or Dingsheng Cake, all representing the most authentic Hangzhou flavors.
The famous poem by Li Qingzhao, a noted female poet and essayist during the Song dynasty and one of the greatest poets in Chinese history, is displayed in the Southern Song Imperial Street in the form of movable-type printing.
In the street, there is a wine shop that has its own on-site band with a handsome lead singer. Under the dim light, you can order a cup of fine wine and listen quietly to the beautiful music, which will add some colors to your bustling life.
Besides, the modern shops along the old street are all of distinctive style, especially those cultural and creative experience ones. The cultural and creative intangible culture studio provides experiences involving woodblock printing, cloth weaving and dying, and ceramics making. People, by personally participating in these intangible cultural heritages-related activities, let the history and culture gradually blend into their life and furthermore become an indispensable part of their life.
The ancient street is where the antiquity and the modernity of the city meet; This ancient street has outlined the life of the Southern Song Dynasty; This ancient street has long existed in Hangzhou people’s memories. While it’s this street that has provided people a new way to connect with the history and culture, and enables people to find a new highlight in their tiresome life.