Follow General Secretary to Study History | Pingjiang Ancient Alley Meets Jiangnan, Looking Back at the Past to Understand Culture | History | Pingjiang

The Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District is known as a microcosm of the ancient city of Suzhou, where you can find a trace of the Jiangnan charm that has been flowing for thousands of years.

Most Jiangnan: A Pingjiang Road, Half of Suzhou History

Small bridges and flowing water, pink walls and black tiles, narrow alleys and blue stones, Wu Nong speaks softly.

Across from the busiest Guanqian Street in Suzhou is the tranquil and ancient Pingjiang Road. Walking through it, one can still clearly touch the millennia old pulse of Jiangnan.

During the Spring and Autumn period, Wu Zixu built the capital city of Wu, Helu Dacheng, which is now the ancient city of Suzhou. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Suzhou was also known as "Pingjiang". Pingjiang was named after this route and is adjacent to it is the Pingjiang River.

The Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District, where Pingjiang Road is located, has a history of over 2500 years. It gathers the most densely packed waterways, bridges, and waterways in the city, making it the most typical and complete historical and cultural protection area preserved in the ancient city to date.

The existing overall layout of Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District is basically consistent with the Song Dynasty's "Pingjiang Map".

At the entrance of Pingjiang Road, a monument titled "Pingjiang Map" depicts in detail the plan outline and street layout of Pingjiang City in the Song Dynasty. Today, the old urban area of Suzhou roughly retains a similar pattern as shown in the picture, with the area centered on Pingjiang Road having the smallest changes. It not only continues the dual chessboard pattern of "water and land parallel, river and street adjacent", but also preserves numerous cultural relics and historical relics.

The world cultural heritage "Couple Garden", the former residences of Gu Jiegang, Hong Jun, Ye Shengtao and other celebrities, and the intangible cultural heritage of embroidery, Paper Cuttings, Kesi, Kunqu Opera, etc. are like pearls scattered in the long river of history, shining brightly.

Overlooking Pingjiang Road.

Over thousands of years, the charm of Jiangnan has become increasingly rich and elegant.

Here, shake a Su fan, listen to a piece of Pingtan, go boating on the river, or stroll through the streets and alleys, and feel the "most southern part of the Yangtze River".

Remembering Jiangnan: Repairing the old as before, preserving its authenticity

"Protecting traditional neighborhoods, protecting ancient buildings, and protecting cultural relics is to preserve the history and context of the city." In the historical and cultural district of Sanfang Qixiang in Fuzhou, General Secretary Xi Jinping once emphasized that "ancient buildings, old houses, and old neighborhoods must be cherished and respected."

In 2002, around the protection of Pingjiang Road's appearance and environmental improvement, the Suzhou government invited Ruan Yisan, an expert in ancient city protection and a professor of architecture at Tongji University, as the overall planner. He proposed a plan to "restore the old to its original state and preserve its authenticity.".

Repair cultural relics and historical sites, renovate residential courtyards, dredge and regulate rivers, and maximize the restoration of the ancient street style. Received the Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Protection Honorary Award from UNESCO for outstanding protection work. The UNESCO evaluation stated that "this project is an example of urban revitalization" and "proves that historical neighborhoods can move towards sustainable development".

Develop while protecting, protect while developing.

No. 29 Zhongzhangjia Lane on the side of Pingjiang Road was the former residence of Wu Guting, a Suzhou gentry during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. In 2021, the renovated old house was introduced to the financial headquarters through investment promotion, achieving a tax revenue of over 100 million yuan in the first year, becoming a sample and demonstration for attracting investment and revitalizing utilization based on the advantages of the ancient city.

29 Zhongzhangjia Lane, which has undergone renovation.

In recent years, a number of ancient buildings and old houses have been revitalized. Through organic renewal, the combination of new and old has been achieved, preserving the memories of old houses and completing the improvement of living conditions.

Pinjiangnan: Amidst the misty smoke and fire, the ancient alleys have a new look

"Shake, shake, shake to Grandmother's Bridge." This Suzhou nursery rhyme sings out many people's childhood memories.

Pingjiang Road is the place where Ruan Yisan grew up. In his view, holding onto the "grandmother bridge" in people's hearts is the only way to retain homesickness. What needs to be protected is not only the buildings, but also the people and culture inside.

"Let the city retain memory and let people remember homesickness" is also the deep concern of General Secretary Xi Jinping.

On Pingjiang Road, many residents have found that the trees uprooted at their doorstep have been replanted, the filled river has been restored, and the messy street has become tidy. Through protection and rectification, the original way of life of nearly 8000 residents has been preserved, and their quality of life has also been improved.

Pingjiang Road, with parallel water and land and adjacent rivers and streets.

The urban area is a scenic area, and tourism is life. The slow life in Jiangnan and the bustling atmosphere of the old street residents are the scenery in the eyes of tourists.

The Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District is ancient, but it also constantly showcases the vitality of youth.

Open the "Cloud Tour Suzhou" client, and the "Metaverse" youth will take you through Pingjiang Road; The newly launched "Pingjiang Jiuxiang" project will update and transform 9 streets and alleys west of Pingjiang River, becoming a cultural and creative gathering place connecting Guanqian Street and Pingjiang Historical and Cultural Block.

Little tourists on Pingjiang Road.

The Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District provides a Suzhou practice for the global challenge of protecting ancient city sites.

Defending an old street and an ancient city, the water and land, rivers and streets depicted in the Song Dynasty's "Pingjiang Tu" flow with the charm and poetry of Jiangnan from ancient times to the present day.

Producer | Shen Yong, Zhao Xuehua, Gong Xuehui

Editor in Chief | Hou Yan

Reporter | Pan Yi

Broadcast | Li Chun

Audio Production | Liu Yifei

Visual | Chen Kuo