Nanxun

Nanxun is located in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. Situated in the plains surrounding Hangjia Lake, Nanxun is a historically and culturally well-known town in the province. Its history goes back some 750 years.

There are numerous scenic spots and historical sites in Nanxun.

The original flavor of the town has been well kept with old stone bridges, streets between rivers, houses along rivers, mansions with a combination of Chinese and western architecture, and old pine and cypress trees in courtyards. Gardens with both Chinese and western architecture are scattered all over the town. Together, they present a beautiful poetic scene.

Jiaye Stack Building

Jiaye Stack Building, built in 1924, is one of the four stack buildings with the largest collection of books in the region south of the Yangtze River. At one time, it housed over 600,000 books. Now the Stack Room of Zhejiang Provincial Library, the Jiaye Stack Building has 52 rooms with a spacious courtyard and with a two-storey western-styled winding corridor.

2. Old stone bridges

Guanghui Bridge, also known as Imperial Temple Bridge, is a single-curvature arch bridge. It is not known when this bridge was built. It was renovated during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Two vivid stone lions sit on one end of the bridge.

Tongjin Bridge, a single-curvature arch bridge, was built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was repaired several times during the Qing Dynasty. Its original name was Nanxun Brook Bridge, also commonly called Big Bridge.

Hongji Bridge, a single-curvature arch bridge, has records in the local archive from as early as the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is more commonly known as New Bridge.

3. Small Lotus Garden

Like many of the other gardens in the region, the Small Lotus Garden has pavilions, stone gateways, rockeries, and bamboo forests. Old camphor trees line the paths on the west of the garden, adding a unique touch to this garden.

The garden is made up of the Outer Garden and Inner Garden. A 10-mu (1.65 acre) lotus pond is the main feature of the Outer Garden with a long corridor with engraved tablets along the pond. A spired architecture beside the pond provides an air of exoticness. The Inner Garden boasts a rockery made with stones from Taihu Lake.

4. Ying Garden

Ying Garden is known for its exquisite carvings, compactness and grace. There are ancient trees, and rockeries in picturesque disorder, all blending in well with the brick, stone and woodcarvings.

5. Former residence of Zhang Shiming

Known as the number one mansion in the southern region of the Yangtze River, the former residence of Zhang Shiming occupies over 4,000 square meters, with five courtyards, four entrances within the mansion, and 150 rooms. The style is unique, structure magnificent, and craftsmanship exquisite. The carvings – in wood, brick, stone and glass – were imported from France and are highly regarded as folk architecture relics.

6. One Hundred Room Building

The One Hundred Room Building is a cluster of buildings rarely seen elsewhere. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a collection of 100 buildings, hence the name. Careful renovation work has maintained the classical features of Ming Dynasty architecture, with a hint of Qing Dynasty charm.