Meili Ancient Town was located in Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It was known as the "Ancient Capital of Gouwu·Meili New Town". Its history could be traced back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, Tai Bo, the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou, gave up the throne three times to fulfill his father's wish to pass the throne to Ji Li's son, Ji Chang, and brought his younger brother Zhong Yong here. At that time, this was a barren land. Tabor brought the advanced culture and farming techniques of the Central Plains and transformed it into a land of fish and rice. He also established the capital of the Gouwu Kingdom, which also became the birthplace of the Wu culture. The current Meili Ancient Town was rebuilt and opened for business on November 20,2020, covering an area of about 300 mu and a commercial area of 150,000 square meters. With Meili culture as the soul and Taibo Temple as the support, it integrated Wu culture, the characteristics of the ancient capital and the commercial elements to build a model of cultural tourism in the new era. The ancient town was built in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There were three old streets and alleys inside, namely Meihua Street, Meihuabang Street and Sanrang Street. They were connected with silk weaving workshops, farming gardens, piano workshops, etc., showing the folk customs of Wu. Plum blossoms and weeping willows were planted along the river bank. In addition, according to legend, the Bodu River was the first man-made canal in China history that Tabor had led the locals to develop Jiangnan and build water conservancy projects. It still existed today and had endless scenery. There were many other things worth mentioning about Meili Ancient Town. For example, the Taibo Temple Fair was the first temple fair in the Jiangnan area during the new year. It was the oldest and most influential temple fair in Wuxi. In 2007, it was approved as the "first batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage". In 2009, it was listed as the "provincial intangible cultural heritage". In 2014, it was listed on the national intangible cultural heritage list.
Meicheng Ancient Town is located in the east of Jiande City, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, covering an area of 157 square kilometers.(The other data is 154.9 square kilometers), with a population of about 50,000 people (the permanent population of the seventh national population was 38969). It governs 13 administrative villages and 5 communities. It is an important economic town of Jiande City. It has been rated as one of the top 1,000 towns in the country and the first batch of central towns in Zhejiang Province. In 2023, it was selected into the list of provincial 4A and above scenic towns and 5A scenic towns in 2022, successfully establishing 5A scenic towns in Zhejiang Province. The ancient town of Meicheng had a long history. It had a history of more than 1700 years since the establishment of the county during the Three Kingdoms period. As the seat of the state capital, it had a history of more than 1,300 years since the early Tang Dynasty. There was also a saying that it had a long history of more than 1800 years. Its original name was Yanzhou. It was the seat of the government of Zhejiang Restaurant (Yanzhou Prefecture in the government, which may be inaccurate, but it should be speculated to be Yanzhou Prefecture). It was as famous as Huzhou Prefecture, Hangzhou Prefecture, Shaoxing Prefecture, Jinhua Prefecture, etc. It was once the political, cultural, commercial, and shipping center of tens of thousands of square kilometers in western Zhejiang. During the Ming Dynasty, this was the place where the country's high-end talents were produced. After the successful imperial examinations, many top scholars, scholars, and scholars were produced. After these scholars passed the imperial examinations, they became officials of the imperial court and built dozens of memorial archways for this purpose. It was named Plum City because the ancient city wall was built in the shape of plum blossoms. The ancient town was located at the confluence of the Fuchun River, Xin 'an River, and Lan River. It was close to the Wulong Mountain in the north and the mouth of the three rivers in the south. It was surrounded by mountains and rivers, with beautiful scenery, ancient fragrance, and a quiet environment.
Meili Ancient Town was located in Meicun Street, Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It was the birthplace of Wu culture. Its history could be traced back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou, Tai Bo, gave up the throne three times. He and Zhong Yong came to the Jingman land in Jiangnan and finally settled in Meili. They established Gouwu here and brought the advanced culture and farming techniques of the Central Plains to this place. They built water conservancy projects and excavated the Bodu River. This was the first man-made canal in China history, and it was still there today. Meili Ancient Town had a profound cultural heritage, relying on the Taibo Temple to continue the ancient architectural style. There were ancient temples built since the Eastern Han Dynasty, complete royal genealogy, ancient water systems, and other resources. Most of the buildings in the ancient town were built in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The bluestone roads were winding, and the ancient houses were scattered and full of traces of time. Today's Meili Ancient Town was rebuilt and opened on November 20,2020. It covers an area of about 300 mu and has a commercial area of 150,000 square meters. With Meili culture as the soul and Taibo Temple as the support, it combines Wu culture, the characteristics of the ancient capital and the commercial elements, and constructs a new model of cultural tourism that conforms to the development of the new era. Here, visitors can experience the history of Wu culture through AR technology. This place was also known as the " First Ancient Town in Jiangnan ". Although it was relatively low-key, it had a unique Jiangnan style. It was a place that combined delicious food, beautiful scenery, and cultural experience. However, there were also tourists who thought that it was still being perfected, like a construction site that demolished old antiques. In terms of transportation, it was about 9 kilometers away from Wuxi East Station. It could be reached by bus 777 and 727. It took about one hour to reach it. It was more convenient and time-saving to take a taxi.
Meili Ancient Town was located in Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It was the birthplace of Wu culture and had many scenic spots worth visiting. The first was the Temple of Taibo. This was the landmark of the ancient town. It was simple and elegant, and the courtyard was charming. Taibo Temple had a deep historical and cultural meaning. In order to spread the culture of the Central Plains, Taibo went south and finally settled in Meili and established Gou Wu Kingdom. Taibo Temple was built in memory of him and was a key cultural relic protected by the country. Bodu River was also a major scenic spot in Meili Ancient Town. Legend had it that Tabor had led the locals to develop Jiangnan and build the first artificial canal in China history. This river still flowed endlessly today, full of historical heritage and endless scenery along the coast. There were also the Yuwang Bridge and the Sanrang Bridge in the ancient town. Under the illumination of the night lights, they looked particularly beautiful, adding a lot of poetry to the night scene of the ancient town. In addition, the architectural style of the ancient town was unique. The buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were ancient. The limestone road was winding and winding, and the ancient houses along the street were well-arranged. When tourists walked among them, they could fully feel the gentleness and tranquility of the ancient town in Jiangnan. The ancient street was also a special feature. One could experience the ancient and lively atmosphere on the ancient street. At the same time, there were many places to eat.
Meili Ancient Town was located in Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. At the end of the Shang Dynasty, Taibo, the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou, wanted to fulfill his father's wish to let Ji Chang, the son of Ji Li, inherit the throne. After giving up the throne three times, he took his younger brother Zhongyong to Jiangnan at night under the pretext of picking herbs and came to Mei Village in Wuxi. Before he came here, this was the land of Jing Man, and Tai Bo had brought the advanced technology from the Central Plains to improve the living environment. He had also planted many plum blossom trees. The local residents had changed the name of this place to Plum Village to thank Tai Bo, and this place had become Meili Ancient Town. The Bodu River here gave birth to the Wu culture. Meili was the capital of the Wu Kingdom at the end of the Shang Dynasty and the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty. It was once the political, economic, and cultural center at that time. One of the Five Tyrants of the Spring and Autumn Period, King Helu of Wu, had also built his capital here.
The ancient town of Meicheng was located in Jiande City, Zhejiang Province, with a history of more than 1700 years. It could be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period (225 years). At that time, it was the seat of the county after the establishment of the county. Later, it became the seat of the government of Muzhou and Yanzhou. The ancient town of Meicheng had a superior geographical location. It was located at the confluence of Xin 'an River, Lan River, and Fuchun River. It was located in the north of Wulong Mountain and the south of Sanjiangkou. Its original name was Yan Zhou. In ancient times, it was as famous as Hangzhou Prefecture and Shaoxing Prefecture. Its economy was once second only to Hangzhou. As it was located in the middle reaches of the Fuchun River, it was the hub connecting Huizhou and Hangzhou. It was also located in the traffic throat of western Zhejiang, with convenient water and land transportation. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with the development of Huizhou merchants, the economy was prosperous and stable. The ancient town of Meicheng got its name from the city wall. Looking down from the sky, the battlements of the city wall were shaped like half plum blossoms, the same as the battlements of Beijing and Nanjing. It was known as "two and a half plum blossoms in the world, one in Beijing, one in Nanjing, and half in Meicheng". The last time the city wall was rebuilt was in the early Ming Dynasty, built by Zhu Yuanzhang's brother-in-law, Li Wenzhong. In history, many famous people had connections with the ancient town of Meicheng. Du Mu, Fan Zhongyan, Lu You, and Liu Changqing once served as officials here. Xie Lingyun, Li Bai, and Meng Haoran once traveled here and left poems. Famous China classical novels such as "Water Margins,""Scholars," and "Golden Lotus" all described the cultural landscape of Meicheng. Although the ancient town of Meicheng was no longer as glorious as it used to be, it retained many historical sites and profound cultural heritage, such as ancient archways such as Jiande Square and ancient city walls. Now, it was an important economic town in Jiande City. It had won the titles of "Top 1,000 National Towns" and "Central Town of Zhejiang Province". While developing the industrial economy, it also used the ancient city as an opportunity to develop the tourism industry.
Meili Ancient Town had a certain tourist value. From a historical and cultural point of view, its history could be traced back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. It was the birthplace of the Wu culture and had a profound cultural heritage. There was the Taibo Temple here. The Taibo Temple Fair was the first temple fair in the Jiangnan area. It was very valuable and was listed in the intangible cultural heritage list of all levels. In the ancient town, you can feel the unique folk customs and customs of Wu. You can also experience the history of Wu culture through AR immersion, and have the opportunity to travel back thousands of years to experience the past of the ancient town. From the architectural style, it had the traditional architectural features of Jiangnan. Every brick and tile was filled with Jiangnan style. There were three old streets and alleys in the ancient town, namely Meihua Street, Meihuabang Street and Sanrang Street. There were also silk weaving workshops, farming gardens, piano workshops, etc. The ancient houses were well-arranged, and the limestone roads were winding, making people feel as if they had traveled back hundreds of years. In terms of natural landscape, the Bodu River in the ancient town was said to be a water conservancy project built by Tabor when he led the locals to develop Jiangnan. It was the first man-made canal in China history. It was still beautiful and had a lot of historical heritage. Plum blossoms, weeping willows, and other plants were planted along the river bank, forming a living landscape painting of Jiangnan. In terms of leisure and entertainment, this was an ancient town with a commercial area of 150,000 square meters. There were many delicacies to taste, which could satisfy the needs of eating and drinking. However, there were also tourists who thought that this place could be finished in more than an hour, and the content of the tour was relatively limited. In general, Meili Ancient Town was more fun for tourists who loved history and culture and the customs of Jiangnan.
On November 2, 2024, the lowest temperature in Meili Ancient Town was 11 ° C, and the highest temperature was 21 ° C. The weather was cloudy, and the wind direction was northwest. The rainfall was 0.00mm, the wind speed was 10km/h, and the relative humidity was 80% rh.
The ancient town of Meicheng had a deep history. Since the establishment of the county in the fourth year of Emperor Wu of the Eastern Wu of the Three Kingdoms (AD 225), it has been a county town for nearly 1800 years. Since the first year of Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty (AD 679), the city of Muzhou has a history of more than 1200 years. It was the seat of Muzhou, Yanzhou, and Jiande County in the past. It was once the political, cultural, commercial, and shipping center of tens of thousands of square kilometers in western Zhejiang. In terms of culture, the only local poetry school in the Tang Dynasty, the Muzhou Poetry School, was born here. It was also the breeding ground of Wuju and Hui opera, an important activity area of the Xin 'an Painting School in the Qing Dynasty, and one of the important engraving places of good books in the Song Dynasty (known as the Yanzhou Book). Many famous China classical novels, such as "Water Margins,""Scholars,""Records of officialdom,""Golden Lotus," etc., all described the cultural landscape here, forming the "Yanzhou Phenomenon." In addition, many high-end talents, such as the top scholar, the Jinshi, and the Juren, were successfully produced here. Dozens of memorial archways were built for this purpose. During the Ming Dynasty, many indicators ranked second in Zhejiang for a long time. In terms of food culture, because it was located at the intersection of the three rivers, it integrated the culture of Wu and Yue and the characteristics of many places, forming its own unique local specialties.
Meili Ancient Town had a variety of performances. During the Spring Festival, there was an intangible "Iron Flower", which was exhibited at 19:30 from January 22 to January 27 (the first day to the sixth day). The best viewing spot was on the north bank of the Bodu River (opposite to the Meili Museum). The craftsman waved his arm, and the molten iron turned into flowing fire and golden lightning, splashing stars like flowers. Thousands of trees were released at night, bringing a beautiful visual feast. There was also a 360-degree full-scene cruise concert. The river bank scenery and water music were intertwined, and the elegant and lyrical tunes sang the unique charm of Jiangnan water towns. There were a few tin operas on the Wu Ge stage that could lead tourists to dream of the thousand-year-old Mei Li. There were also erhu, songs, dances, and other performances. The plays here were colorful and specially planned. A 90-minute audio and visual feast was not enough. There were four performances every month, and it would start at 14:00 every Saturday. In addition, there were New Year folk performances, New Year opera parties, ancient dance performances, fancy music festivals, clown performances, acrobatics, magic, and other programs. There were also many activities during the Temple Fair. In 2007, it was approved as the "first batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage", in 2009, it was listed as "provincial intangible cultural heritage", and in 2014, it was listed on the national intangible cultural heritage list. Sometimes, there would be Chinese intangible skills like "Lightness Skill Floating on Water" performed by Yang Liu, a girl from Zunyi, Guizhou Province. There was a water curtain show every Saturday at 19:00.
The following is a tour guide for Meili Ancient Town: Morning: After arriving at Meili Ancient Town, they first visited the iconic temple of the ancient town, Taibo Temple. This temple was simple and elegant, and the courtyard scenery was charming. Noon: Taste the special delicacies in the ancient town. The dishes here are delicious and affordable. It's a good choice to experience the delicacies of Jiangnan. Night: Enjoy the beautiful scenery of Wangyu Bridge and Sanrang Bridge under the night lights. You can experience a feast of history, culture, food and light when you visit the ancient town at night. The scenery on both sides of the ancient river town was beautiful, and there were also boats for you to ride. There were also places suitable for playing and parent-child activities on both sides of the river bank. It was an open tourist attraction that gathered food, drink, play, and fun.