Autumn Vibes in Jiangnan: A 3-Day Romantic Trip to Xinghua

Continuous sunshine made us forget summer had passed; a single rain reveals the depth of autumn.

The recent spell of autumn rains and sudden drop in temperature are quite trying.

Not wanting to be affected by the gloomy weather, I packed my bags and headed to a new place in search of redemption.

In nearly three hours, I drove an RV from Nanjing to Xinghua, from the ancient capital of six dynasties to the land of Chu waters, where every shift in scenery brims with myriad charms.

By the time I arrived in Xinghua, night had fallen. Perhaps there is no other road like this, blending natural scenery, cultural features, and historical stories. The straight, flat road is lined with red and blue pedestrian paths. At regular intervals, statues stand, and there are rest stops.

At the end of the road lie vast fields of raised fields (duotian). Taking a small boat, I shuttled between the fields. With continuous rain and misty fog, the atmosphere was rich in artistic conception. It is not hard to imagine what a magnificent view it must be in March when rapeseed flowers bloom in full splendor.

Every road offers its own scenery; every place is a slice of Jiangnan.

The next day, after breakfast at the hotel, I drove to Wujin Marsh Wetland Park.

"In the past, people sought the Peach Blossom Spring; today we come to the reed marshes. Blue sky and white clouds reflect in green waves; among green trees is our homeland."

The heroic dreams of my childhood found real scenes and prototypes here. This is Wujin Marsh, and this is also Mount Liang. Yue Fei led elite troops to resist the Jin dynasty, shooting down Jin Wuzhu's black headscarf here; the 108 heroes of "Water Margin" rose in revolt here against unjust fate.

Autumn waters merge with the sky, shrouded in thin mist, exuding a unique charm. The marsh is thickly covered with reeds. On a fine day, the scenery would surely be even more captivating.

Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, the beautiful Wujin Marsh in this Jiangnan water town was hosting the lively "Water Nourishes Xinghua, Meet Crabs in Golden Autumn" 2020 Crab Tasting Festival. As the saying goes, on the 15th of the eighth lunar month, oranges are golden and crabs are plump. Xinghua is abundant in crabs, making this event perfectly fitting. The opening ceremony featured spectacular performances, including a song by Xinghua's tourism ambassador Tan Zhuqing, instantly livening up the atmosphere.

At the specially created Little Crab Market, there were handsome young men and women in Hanfu costumes parading. If you're a Hanfu enthusiast, it was a feast for the eyes.

In addition, I participated in cultural and creative experiences like paper-cutting and sugar figurine making, watched the "Crab Way" performance, and learned the most refined way to eat crabs, so I won't be so messy eating them in the future.

A small space embodies a city's historical rise and fall and its humanistic sentiments—this is the Xinghua City Museum.

Unlike other city museums that are rigid, this museum feels more like a courtyard, with architectural style consistent with Jiangnan gardens. Surrounded by water on the outside, connected by corridors inside, it exudes antique elegance.

Zheng Banqiao's mastery of poetry, calligraphy, and painting, and Shi Nai'an's literary cultivation are all fully displayed here.

Jiangnan produces scholars; Xinghua produces successful candidates in the imperial examinations. Confucianism Street, representing Xinghua's cultural heritage, is named after Fan Zhongyan's "Confucianism Stele Inscription" from the Northern Song dynasty. Over 700 years from Song to Qing, it produced 34 jinshi (successful candidates).

Black bricks and gray tiles exude a solemn atmosphere. The street is not long but reveals a strong Ming and Qing architectural style: ancient residences, temples, ancestral halls, archways, gardens, and alleys all showcase Confucian elegance.

Grand and majestic, the East Golden Gate Old Street, symbolizing wealth, has been revitalized in Xinghua. The streets and alleys preserve intact Ming and Qing ancient building complexes and a fishbone-shaped street system, offering a glimpse of past prosperity. Various trinkets and ornaments, frequented by local residents, reveal a blend of tradition and modernity.

Wandering through this street with a strong Ming and Qing architectural atmosphere, my thoughts traveled back a hundred years, as if returning to an era filled with the fragrance of books.

At night, Wujin Marsh radiates a beauty different from daytime. Perhaps you have never seen a real aurora, but here, the dreamy "Aurora Light Show" makes you mistake it for the real aurora over the North Pole. As lights shuttle and change, it is pure and romantic to the extreme.

After the aurora light show ended, I drove to the pre-booked Zemu Yunju Homestay to rest.

Perhaps everyone has seen various types of primeval forests, but the water forest truly amazed me. There is water in the forest, and the forest surrounds the water. Rafts glide over the green waves, leaving ripples and silhouettes.

Who would have thought that this magnificent scenery was a barren beach decades ago? The hardworking people of Xinghua, with their own hands, using handfuls of soil and loads of mud, transformed the barren beach into what it is today.

I had lunch at the Bishui Dongluo Farmers' Canteen, leisurely enjoying the mountains and waters, tasting farmhouse cuisine, and experiencing rural life, which made the food even more delicious.

Dongluo Village, built around the lake, is a four-star rural tourism area in Jiangsu Province and was selected as one of the first pilot villages for the construction of distinctive rural villages in Jiangsu in 2017.

Surrounded by green waters and set off by beautiful scenery, time here becomes gentle. Every frame is a stunning pastoral landscape.

My three-day meeting with Xinghua was very successful.

Life is short, worth acting on impulse. Enjoying the present is the best choice. So, I keep rushing to one place after another that I yearn for, striving to bloom brilliant flowers in my youthful years.