Jiangsu's Zhenjiang Xijin Ferry, a place of Tang and Song charm

Zhenjiang is a city with a long history, rich culture, and prosperous commerce. It has long been known as a land of fish and rice in Jiangnan. However, many people may not know that Zhenjiang was once the capital of Jiangsu Province. Compared to other famous cities in Jiangnan, Zhenjiang is relatively low-key. Although it is one of China's historical and cultural cities and an excellent tourist city, it is an underrated tourist destination. Zhenjiang's long history has given it a deep cultural heritage, and the city is full of historical sites. Among them, a thousand-year-old ancient street is especially worth visiting: Xijin Ferry. It is a microcosm of Zhenjiang's thousand-year history and culture, and an irreplaceable part of the city's cultural heritage. Xijin Ferry was built during the Six Dynasties period, along the Panshan Plank Road. After construction during the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, this ancient street, about 1,000 meters long, is the area with the most, most concentrated, and best-preserved cultural relics in Zhenjiang. Traces of history from the Six Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty can be found everywhere. Xijin Ferry is home to historical sites from various dynasties. The bluestone streets of the Tang and Song dynasties, the stone pagodas of the Yuan and Ming dynasties, and the pavilions of the late Qing dynasty are all powerful witnesses to Zhenjiang's long history. The stone gates built along the slope, with their ancient door lintels inscribed with the calligraphy of famous people from past dynasties, and the small wharf street still exude the charm of the Tang and Song dynasties. Chinese-style pavilions, towers, pagodas, and temples, small and simple, line both sides of Xijin Ferry. Walking along the stone-paved ancient road, one can almost see the bustling scene of Zhenjiang's ancient city, once a hub of commerce and travel. The ancient street is home to more than 150 shops, including restaurants, cultural shops, and carpentry and rope shops serving boatmen, like a small society. Over the centuries, countless historical figures have visited Xijin Ferry, including Li Bai, Meng Haoran, Zhang Hu, Wang Anshi, Su Shi, Mi Fu, Lu You, and Marco Polo, who left their footprints and poems here. Wang Anshi's famous Song Dynasty poem "Mooring at Guazhou" describes this place. Chinese writer Han Suyin once exclaimed, "Walking along this ancient and elegant street is like strolling through a natural history museum. This is the true treasure of Zhenjiang tourism." Today, with social development and environmental changes, Xijin Ferry has lost its original function, but its nearly thousand-year history and culture have made the area around Xijin Ferry a living sample for studying that period of history. When visiting, it is recommended to climb Yuntai Mountain. Standing on the stone cliff of Suanshan halfway up the mountain, Xijin Ancient Street looks like a plank road attached to the foot of Yuntai Mountain, with the pavilions and towers with carved eaves and corners like "pearls" embedded in the beautiful "necklace" on the foot of Yuntai Mountain. After thousands of years of wind and rain, it is still exquisite and charming.