Shaoxing | The Poetic Charm of Jiangnan with Small Bridges and Flowing Water

Shaoxing, an ancient Jiangnan city praised by Ma Weidu as "a museum without walls," is outlined by intersecting waterways, mottled stone bridges, and residences with black tiles and white walls, creating a flowing ink painting. To capture the most authentic Jiangnan style, it’s best to avoid the crowds and follow the bluestone paths and murmuring streams, using your camera to record these poetic moments of small bridges and flowing water. Shaoxing’s small bridges and flowing water feature the rustic charm of Xixiaolu, the elegance of the hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy, as well as the lively scenes of Anchang and the spirit on the creek. When shooting, slow down your pace and wait for a wisp of morning mist, a ray of sunset, or the moment a black-awning boat glides across the water, letting your lens become the eye that travels through a thousand years. Water alleys and black-awning boats, each row and stroke, are the old dreams and new sorrows of Jiangnan.