Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province
General situation of city
The gateway of northern Jiangsu, a garden city. Yangzhou, known as "the richest city in the world" in history, is located in the middle of Jiangsu Province, bordering Taizhou and Yancheng in the east. It borders Liuhe County in Nanjing and Tianchang City in Anhui in the west. It faces the Yangtze River in the south and Zhenjiang across the river. North of Huai 'an City; The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Wanli Yangtze River, which run through the north and south, meet here. It has always been a land and water transportation hub, with a total throat area of 6,634 square kilometers, including a total urban area of 988,438+0 square kilometers. At the end of 2004, the total population was 4,542,900. The Municipal People's Government is located in Guangling District with the postal code of 225002.
The origin of the name
Yangzhou was written as Yangzhou in ancient times (according to the fact that the word "Yang" in Hanshu was changed by "Mu" and "Hand" by later generations, and Wang Niansun has a detailed textual research). The name of Yangzhou was first seen in Shangshu Gong Yu: "Huaihai is just Yangzhou". This is a broad geographical concept in the minds of the ancients, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and other provinces in the vast areas of Huaishui, Yellow Sea and Yangtze River. According to Du You's Tong Dian in Tang Dynasty, there are 39 county capitals in Guyang Prefecture, 196 counties. Although this Yangzhou includes today's Yangzhou, it cannot be confused with today's Yangzhou.
During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there were thirteen secretariat departments in China, including Yangzhou secretariat department. The jurisdiction of this secretariat is equivalent to Huaishui in Anhui today, Jiangsu and Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces south of the Yangtze River. Huangmei and Guangji in Yingshan, Hubei; Gushi, Henan, far away from cities and other places. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, he lived in Liyang (now Hexian County, Anhui Province) and moved to Shouchun (now Shouxian County, Anhui Province) and Hefei (now northwest of Hefei City, Anhui Province) at the end of the year. In the Three Kingdoms, Wei and Wu established Yangzhou, Wei Zhi Shou Chun and Wu Zhi Jian Ye (now Nanjing, Jiangsu). After the Western Jin Dynasty destroyed Wu, it was still under construction (later renamed Jianye, later renamed Jiankang).
Today's Yangzhou is called Han in the Spring and Autumn Period, Guangling in the Qin and Han Dynasties, Jiangdu in the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties and Wu Zhou in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Yangzhou in Han Dynasty includes Jiangnan in Jiangsu, south of Huaihe River in Anhui and Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. In the Three Kingdoms, Wei and Wu each had Yangzhou, Wu Yangzhou ruled Jianye, and Wei Yangzhou ruled Shouchun. In the ninth year of Emperor Kai of Sui Dynasty, Wu Zhou was changed to Yangzhou, but the headquarters was still located in Danyang (now Nanjing). In the eighth year of Tang Gaozu Wude (625), Yangzhou Academy was moved from Danyang to Jiangbei, and Guangling enjoyed the proper name of Yangzhou from then on.
General situation of city
Yangzhou now governs Guangling, Weiyang, Hanjiang and Baoying, Gaoyou, Jiangdu and Yizheng counties (cities). The city has a total area of 6,638 square kilometers and a population of 4.67 million. The urban area is 973 square kilometers, the built-up area is 53 square kilometers, and the urban population is 6.5438+0.28 million. Yangzhou is one of the first 24 historical and cultural cities in China. It is also the first batch of excellent tourist cities in China, the national ecological construction demonstration city, the national urban informatization pilot city, the national advanced city to create a civilized city, the national health city and the national environmental protection model city.
Fireworks go down to Yangzhou in March. Every year from the middle and late April to the middle of May in the Gregorian calendar, Yangzhou holds the "Fireworks March Tourism Festival". At this time in Yangzhou, it is misty and rainy, Qionghua is in full bloom, and the flowers are overflowing, which is the golden season for tourism. The "Erming Moon Culture Festival" held in Yangzhou from September 8th to1October 8th every year is the best place for you to enjoy the moon. The main activities are to enjoy the moon in the garden, the upstream of Qianlong Emperor's Water, the night tour of the canal and the food festival.
Yangzhou is an ancient cultural city with a history of more than 2,480 years. Since Yang Di dug the Grand Canal, Yangzhou has prospered several times in ancient times. It is a land and water transportation hub and salt transportation center in China, the largest metropolis in southeast China and a famous scenic tourist city. Known as "the richest man in the world." There are many places of interest here, such as Hangou in the Spring and Autumn Period (the oldest canal section in China), Guangling King's Tomb in the Han Dynasty, Yangling Mausoleum in the Sui Dynasty, daming temple Ancient Temple in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Tang Jianzhen Memorial Hall, Puhading Tomb in the Song Dynasty, Xianhe Temple, private gardens in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (famous for its four seasons) and Heyuan (famous for its architectural style of combining Chinese and Western styles). 1982, the State Council announced Yangzhou as a national historical and cultural city.
Yangzhou is also a famous tourist attraction at home and abroad. It has always been a gathering place for people, and it is a prosperous city with many places of interest and elegant gardens. Yangzhou's "Slender West Lake" has a long history and is favored by landscape experts in past dynasties. On both sides of Shili Lake District, a holy land of "two dikes, flowers and willows all depend on the water and mountains all the way" has been created. There are many temples on Guanyin Mountain, which is known as "the first Lingshan in the south of the Yangtze River". "Moonlit Bridge 24, where can jade people teach to play the flute?" It has been a good place to enjoy the moon since ancient times. Yangzhou also has the ancient temple daming temple with a long history, Heyuan with the reputation of "urban mountain forest", gardens famous for rockeries in four seasons, palaces left by emperors such as Yang Di, Kangxi and Qianlong, and so on. There are countless beautiful scenery, which is really a must in Jiangnan.
Yangzhou is the hometown of China's traditional drama in history. Famous local operas, such as Yangju Opera, Yangzhou Pinghua and Yangzhou Yin Qing, are still loved by people today. Yangzhou's traditional crafts, lacquerware, jade carving, embroidery and velvet flowers with local characteristics can be traced back to the Warring States period more than 2,000 years ago and flourished in the recent Qing Dynasty. Known for its exquisite art and exquisite production, some products are exported to more than 50 countries and regions in the world.
Yangzhou is a famous historical city. Yangzhou has a history of nearly 2500 years, and it has experienced vicissitudes, ups and downs and glory for a while. The prosperity of Han, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties made this ancient city make a positive contribution to the prosperity of the motherland. The Western Han Dynasty was the first development peak in Yangzhou history. Yang Di dug the Grand Canal and established Yangzhou's position as a transportation hub. During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Yangzhou was the richest in the world, sometimes called "Yang Yi Yi Er". In the middle of Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou became the water transport hub of China and the largest salt distribution center, and became one of the largest cities in the world with over 500,000 residents in/kloc-0. After years of historical accumulation, the ancient city of Yangzhou, with an area of 5.09 square kilometers, has become one of the ancient cities with relatively well-preserved historical features in China. There are many historical sites, sites and cultural relics. There are cultural relics protection units 148 in the urban area alone, including 4 at the national level (Geyuan, Heyuan, Puhading Tomb, Yangzhou City Site in Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties) and 6 at the provincial level 16. Wenchang Road in the urban area is known as "Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, through the ages".
Yangzhou is a famous cultural city with rich humanities. In the long process of development, Yangzhou has accumulated a thick and splendid Yangzhou culture and experienced several economic booms. Literary creation, artistic achievements, academic research, cultural relics accumulation and craft production are the pride of Yangzhou people and an important window of Chinese culture. A large number of politicians, writers and artists worked as officials and traveled in Yangzhou, leaving a lot of excellent works. Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Meng Haoran and Du Mu all lived in Yangzhou in the Tang Dynasty. During the Kanggan period, the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" school, represented by Zheng Xie, Jinnong, Li and Li, was unique in China painting circle. Yangzhou opera, storytelling, academy, block printing, local chronicles compilation and book collection, which were formed in the Qing Dynasty, flourished for a while and became symbols of Yangzhou culture. Today, Yangzhou has developed science, education and culture, and has been rated as an advanced city in China for many times.
Yangzhou is a beautiful tourist city. Yangzhou is rich in tourism resources, which combines the beauty of the north and the beauty of the south. Known as "the first scene in Huaidong", Zhuxi is the best place to go. Yangzhou gardens began in the Han Dynasty, and in the Tang Dynasty, "gardens are mostly residential". Geyuan, one of the four famous gardens in China, has four distinct seasons, rockeries and peaks, and is full of weather. Heyuan, a national key cultural relic protection unit, is picturesque, integrating China classical gardens with western architectural styles. Shugang-Slender West Lake Scenic Area is one of the top ten civilized scenic spots in China, which is famous for its beautiful scenery. Especially the Slender West Lake Scenic Area, which is the representative of China Lake Garden, is unique among the lakes in the world with its exquisite and beautiful charm. Lacquerware, jade and other traditional handicrafts are important contents of Yangzhou tourism resources. Lacquerware has both form and spirit, simple and elegant; Jade articles are carefully selected, designed according to materials and beautifully carved. Yangzhou embroidery is famous for its fine division and meticulous stitch. Yangzhou paper-cut is famous for its clearness, simplicity, novelty and beauty. The famous Yangzhou bonsai cultivation art is unique, with the saying of "one inch and three bends", which is one of the five schools of bonsai art in China. Yangzhou has been officially recognized as "the hometown of Huaiyang cuisine" by China Cuisine Association, and is known as "eating in Yangzhou".
Yangzhou is an open and emerging modern city. Yangzhou is a famous open city in history. In Tang Dynasty, Yangzhou was the largest city in the southeast of China and one of the four ports for foreign economic and cultural exchanges. At that time, there were more than 65,438+00,000 foreign businessmen in Yangzhou. Master Jian Zhen, a monk, visited Japan six times. Cui Zhiyuan in Korea, Puhadin in Arabia and Kelpolo in Italy all left footprints. From 65438 to 0988, Yangzhou was approved to open to the outside world, and now it has established sister cities or friendly cooperative cities with 9 cities in 7 countries. Yangzhou's foreign economic cooperation has been continuously strengthened, with joint ventures and cooperation with a number of large companies including German Mercedes-Benz, American Colgate, Italian Pirelli, American Texas Instruments, Dutch Philips and other Fortune 500 companies, forming six pillar industries, namely automobiles, ships, cables, fine chemicals, chemical fiber textile fabrics and food, and three emerging industries, namely electronic information, new materials and bioengineering.
Yangzhou culture
Yangzhou culture, like other regional cultures, is not an antique displayed in a museum cabinet, but a torch that illuminates the future in the mountains at night. In the strong mountain wind, sometimes it is radiant and sometimes it is dim. Many torches were blown out by the mountain wind, but the torch of Yangzhou culture did not go out, still shining. It has passed through the historical tunnel of more than two thousand years and has come to modern times and today.
The most resounding eulogy of Yangzhou culture is "Guangling Dui" written by Wang Zhong in Qing Dynasty. He recounted the heroic deeds of Yangzhou in the past two thousand years, the talent of literature and art, the behavior of filial sons and virgins, and the writings of celebrities and scholars. Generally speaking, it means "when a stranger comes out, the country will be bright." In the long history, he described Yangzhou's great contribution to the country in agriculture, salt and iron industry, transportation and other aspects, and also described Yangzhou's great sacrifice at the turning point in history. It is a famous historical city worthy of the world. Wang Zhong said this in the fifty-second year of Qianlong, that is, when the prosperity of Kanggan was coming to an end. Unlike Cao Xueqin, who wrote A Dream of Red Mansions, he could not foresee that the feudal building was about to collapse and Yangzhou was about to weaken.
Today's people praise Yangzhou culture and should push Song Zhenting. He said: "Yangzhou culture is the comprehensive culture of China. No matter what you like, you can find what you love. " He listed Yangzhou's contributions to historical sites, poetry, painting, religion, ancestral graves, food and gardens. His central meaning is: "Yangzhou is a good place to inspire the pride of the Chinese nation." He is full of praise for the advantages of Yangzhou culture. He also wrote about the future of Yangzhou, but the language was vague, because in the 1980s, the author had not yet felt the arrival of the wave of economic globalization.
Some people criticize Yangzhou culture, such as Zhu Ziqing, saying that Yangzhou people are "stingy and vain". Small eyes like beans, empty is a bluff. After Kanggan, the salt industry declined, and Yangzhou City was marginalized and closed for a long time, which was the root of eyes like beans. It has declined but remained rich, which is the root of bravado. Zhu Ziqing loves his hometown deeply, so he is very painful. He didn't hit the nail on the head about the decline of Yangzhou culture, but hit the nail on the head. Another mr. yi mocked Yangzhou people for being "lazy, romantic, decadent and depressed". Mr. yi finally lost the lawsuit, but mr. yi didn't. Who can say that those elements in Yangzhou's cultural genes today, such as meanness, talkativeness, fear of hardship, isolation and arrogance, have all disappeared?
A city has gradually acquired a cultural spirit since the day it was established. In the process of urban development, this cultural spirit has gradually changed, from conservative ignorance to high-spirited openness, or from striving for strength to negative decadence, and it will not remain unchanged. This is especially true in Yangzhou, which has experienced more than two thousand years of ups and downs. Ideology acts on the economy, but it is determined by the economic foundation, namely productivity and mode of production. The ancestors who waved the first shovel to dig ditches on our land and the people who use keyboards to direct the South-to-North Water Transfer Project at computer desks today will not have a unified value concept and way of thinking.
The most vigorous and powerful era of Yangzhou culture was in the Tang Dynasty. "The streets are full of willows, and the clouds reflect two cities", "The city bridge is brightly lit, and Guo Fanshui is nearly half a cow". Yangzhou's material civilization was created by Yangzhou people themselves. As you can imagine, people in Yangzhou walked on the Moon Bridge that day, with their heads held high and heroic. Yangzhou people wrote "Moonlit Night on the Spring River", in which they saw the vast rivers, bright moon and starlight, flying geese and diving ichthyosaurs. While seeing Wan Li, they thought of the universe of life. Later generations read the majestic, magnificent, magnificent and magnificent breath from the songs of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, from the harmony between people and nature in Yangzhou in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and from wisdom and spirituality. Yangzhou is not only Yangzhou for Yangzhou people, but also Yangzhou for everyone. When the scholar arrived in Yangzhou, he reflected that "he is willing to learn Confucianism, and the book window will miss his life", so he was in high spirits and had other plans; When the frustrated man arrived in Yangzhou, he sang "Qian Fan by the shipwreck, Wan Muchun by the diseased tree", which made him see the light and hope. At that time, the flames of hope were shining everywhere in Yangzhou, and the drums of life were beating everywhere. Later generations imitate Tang poetry, and writing and not writing are always different. There is no other secret, because that era lacked the breath of the prosperous Tang Dynasty and the city lacked the cultural spirit of Yangzhou in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. All imitation efforts are in vain.
The cultural spirit of Yangzhou tends to be "stingy and empty" in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The north-south traffic line was moved and the city was marginalized. Unfortunately, Xianfeng years became a tug-of-war field, and Lushe was in ruins. Yangzhou not only lost the central position of the Yangtze River Delta, but also lost the central position of the Central Jiangsu region and became a small town in the north of the Yangtze River. Pedicure and haircut have become the main industry, and fighting for ducks and chickens has become the main content of literary expression. What Yangzhou people see in their eyes is caged birds fighting insects, playing cards and mahjong, and it is no longer the boundless mountains. Yangzhou gradually sat in the well and watched the sky, so it became "stingy"; Yangzhou often mourns the glory of the past, so it has "virtual qi" With the unity of meanness and vanity, the germs of laziness and decadence infiltrate and wreak havoc. It is not unreasonable to say that Yangzhou culture in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China is close to the culture of "settled prodigal son".
Yangzhou culture is a long story. Say it is brilliant, say it is declining, say it is high-spirited, say it is decadent and depressed, say it is extensive and profound, say it is declining, there is a certain basis, depending on the angle of intervention, depending on which stage of history is evaluated. Culture is dynamic, so is the fire of Yangzhou culture. Fortunately, in recent decades, the trend of Yangzhou culture is to be reborn, refreshed and rise, which is an indisputable fact.
Stone and petrochemical book
Qionghua is a rare famous flower in history. Every year in March and April of the lunar calendar, Qionghua is in full bloom. Each flower is as big as a jade plate, surrounded by eight small jade petals. When the breeze blows, it gives off a faint fragrance. Many literati in history wrote touching poems for it, and the story of "Yang Di went down to Yangzhou to see Qionghua" made this flower even more mysterious. These poems emphasize that Qionghua is a unique product of Yangzhou. The stone carving of Qionghua Zhenmu inscribed by Ruan Yuan in Qing Dynasty in Yangzhou Museum depicts the pattern of Qionghua, which is no different from the gathering of the Eight Immortals we see today. It can be inferred that the Qionghua sung by the ancients is today's Eight Immortals Party. In view of the close relationship between Yangzhou and Qionghua, the 16th National Committee of the First People's Congress of Yangzhou decided to designate Qionghua as the city flower of Yangzhou in July 1985.
Paeonia lactiflora has been regarded as a flower of luck and love since ancient times. Peony cultivation in Yangzhou began in Sui and Tang Dynasties and flourished in Song and Qing Dynasties. According to the records of past dynasties, Paeonia lactiflora is "everywhere, and Yangzhou is the best", and "the species of Paeonia lactiflora has pushed Yangzhou since ancient times". Today, there are hundreds of varieties of Paeonia lactiflora in Yangzhou, which reproduces the elegance of that year. In 2005, according to public opinion, Yangzhou decided to designate Paeonia lactiflora as the flower of Yangzhou.
Ginkgo biloba is known as the "national tree" of China. Jiangsu is the largest hometown of ancient ginkgo in China, and Yangzhou ranks in the forefront of Jiangsu Province. There are 93 ginkgo biloba plants in Yangzhou for more than 100 years, which is the oldest ginkgo biloba in Yangzhou. When retreating from Shita Road, the height of the tree is more than 20 meters, and the crown diameter is 18 meters. This tree faces the Tang Stone Pagoda and has become one of the landmark scenic spots in Yangzhou. Ai Xuan, a famous writer, was full of praise for Ginkgo biloba. "It is the carrier of Yangzhou city history, the soul of Yangzhou culture and the symbol of living Yangzhou city." 1985, the Municipal People's Congress decided to call it Yangzhou Tree.
Yangzhou is known as "Qingyang Castle", and willow is one of the symbols of Yangzhou. Yang Di dug a canal under Yangzhou, planted willows on both sides of the canal and named them after their surnames, hence the name "Liu Yang". Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, willow trees have had a direct relationship with the scenery of Yangzhou.
administrative division
Yangzhou city has a history of more than 2400 years. It governs Guangling, Weiyang and Hanjiang districts, and Jiangdu, Gaoyou, Yizheng and Baoying counties. There are 97 townships and 9 sub-district offices in the city. The city has a total area of 6,638 square kilometers, urban planning area of 1 134 square kilometers, and built-up area of 72 square kilometers. The total population of the city is 4.563 million, of which the urban population is1.2800. Besides Mandarin, Yangzhou dialect is mainly Jianghuai Mandarin in the northern dialect area.
Now the area under its jurisdiction is between east longitude 1 19 degrees 0/min (Yizheng moved to Qingshan Line) and1/9 degrees 54 minutes, and the north shore is between 3 1 degrees 56 minutes and 33 degrees 25 minutes (Xi 'an, Baoying County) It borders the Yangtze River in the south, Huaiyin and Yancheng in the north, Yancheng and Taizhou in the east and Tianchang (Anhui Province), Nanjing and Huaiyin in in the west. The coastline along the Yangtze River is 80.5 kilometers, along the coasts of Yizheng, Hanjiang and Jiangdu. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the hinterland, with a total length of 143.3 km. It connects Baima Lake, baoying lake, gaoyou lake and Shaobo Lake from north to south, and joins the Yangtze River. Yangzhou is located at the intersection of the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, east longitude 1 19 degrees 26 minutes, north latitude 32 degrees 24 minutes.
topoclimate
Yangzhou, located at the southern end of Jianghuai Plain, belongs to subtropical humid climate zone, which is obviously influenced by monsoon ring, with distinct seasons, mild climate and superior natural conditions. The annual average temperature is 65438 04.8℃. Compared with latitude areas, Leng Xia fever in winter is more prominent. The hottest month in Leng Yue is 65438+ 10, and the average monthly temperature is1.8℃. The hottest month is July, with an average monthly temperature of 27.5℃. The annual average frost-free period is 220 days: the annual average sunshine is 2 140 hours; The annual average precipitation is1020mm. The northern part of the urban area is hilly, and the landforms to the east of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal and along the river are flood plains and alluvial plains in the Yangtze River Delta, with flat terrain. More than 90% of the territory is plain, with dense rivers and lakes. The coastline of the Yangtze River is more than 80 kilometers, with wide water depth and stable coastline.
natural resource
Yangzhou is rich in resources and is a famous "land of plenty". The territory is rich in resources, rich in grain, cotton, oil and aquatic products, and rich in mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, coal, underground hot springs and ores.
According to the unified investigation and statistics of1end of October1999 10, the city's land area is 9,987,200 mu, the garden 179.600 mu, the woodland 125.200 mu, the grassland is 0.58 million mu, and the urban villages and industrial and mining land/.
Yangzhou jadeware
Yangzhou is one of the important jade producing areas in China, and the ancient book "The Book of Songs Gong Yu" has a description of "Yangzhou Gongyaokun". 1977 There are more than 60 clan tombs in the late Neolithic period in Shugang, Yangzhou, with stone axes, Shi Mao, jade jade, jade cong and other artifacts, which shows that our ancestors produced and lived here more than 4,000 years ago and had jade carving activities. After liberation, hundreds of jade articles with dozens of varieties were unearthed from more than 100 Han tombs discovered and cleaned in Yangzhou. In the Tang Dynasty, Yangzhou carved jade articles, which made a new development in the prosperity of handicraft industry. Noble giants decorate pavilions with jade pieces, so-called "jade carving households" In Tang Xizong, Gao Pian, who has a history of salt and iron, built a "royal building" in Yangzhou and decorated it with hundreds of thousands of dragons and phoenixes made of golden jade. Gao Pian also presented tens of thousands of pieces of Yangzhou jade jewelry that he had been looking for for for many years to the imperial court. In the Tang Dynasty, jade articles were worn by the people, and ornaments gradually became popular. By the Song Dynasty, Yangzhou jade articles had developed into furnishings, with increasingly rich varieties of flowers and birds, stoves and bottles, and the artistic level of modeling and pondering was greatly improved. During the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou jade carving entered its heyday. Most of the large-scale Jade Mountain near the Qing Palace 10 kg and 10,000 kg were carved by Yangzhou, among which the Jade Mountain, which is more than 10,000 kg and is known as the "king of jade", has become a rare treasure and is famous far and wide.
With the changes of economy and politics, the technology of Yangzhou jade carving in Han Dynasty has further developed. After 1949, many cultural relics of the Han Dynasty were unearthed in Yangzhou. From the unearthed jade articles, we can know that Yangzhou jade articles in Han Dynasty developed from small pieces to medium pieces, from ordinary decorative jade bracelets and jade rings to ornamental jade butterflies, jade bi and evil spirits. 1980, three pieces of cultural relics were unearthed from No.1 Han Tomb in Tianshan Mountain, west of gaoyou lake, northwest of Yangzhou, namely Yu Yuan and Wang Biji, with different volumes. The large straight warp is 2 1.8 cm, and both sides are engraved with spiral patterns. It is a shallow jade carving with exquisite carving and elegant pattern. The diameter of the jade carving is 13.4 cm, and the carving pattern is also spiral. Its carving style is very local. This tomb is the tomb of Liu Xu, the son of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. Liu Xu was once named King Guang and reigned for 64 years. The excavation of these jade articles fully provided the carving level and development of Yangzhou jade articles in Han Dynasty.
In the Tang Dynasty, Yangzhou, located at the intersection of the Thousand-Li Canal and the Yangtze River, became the throat artery of domestic north-south traffic, and naturally became one of the main foreign trade ports of China at that time. Its economy is prosperous and all walks of life are thriving. There is a record in history that "between the Yangtze River and Tuihe River, Guangling Town is rich in the world". Jade carving in Yangzhou in Tang Dynasty had a new development under the prosperity of handicraft industry at that time. On the one hand, aristocratic giants use it to decorate pavilions and show off their family background, so-called "carving jade households". On the other hand, the use of small pieces of jade as accessories has gradually become popular among the people, and Yangzhou jade and jade cutting skills have also been exchanged with other countries. In the 12th year of Tianbao (753), daming temple hated Jian Zhen's mission to Japan from Yangzhou, with as many as 185 people, including jade carvers, painters, sandalwood carvers and embroiderers. This shows that Yangzhou carved jade in Tang Dynasty.
By the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Yangzhou jade articles had developed into exhibits, and the varieties of flowers, birds, stoves and bottles were becoming more and more abundant. Techniques such as hollowing out and round carving in jade cutting also began in the Song Dynasty. According to people, he once lived in Kangshan Jiang's house and saw the exquisite jade pagoda made in Yangzhou in the Song Dynasty. He described in the book "Spring Grass Hall Collection": "The exquisite jade pagoda made in the Song Dynasty is white, and the rice is absolutely flawless. Seven inches tall. As a seven-story building, it consists of six faces, each with a fence ... There are small chains tied to the six corners of the tower. It is by no means chaotic, and what you said is also fantastic. " From this vivid description, we can see that Yangzhou jade carving skills and chain-making skills have made great progress. By the Yuan Dynasty, Yangzhou jade was becoming more and more famous in addition to displaying objects. Artists at that time began to make "mountain carvings" with natural stones as materials.
At present, there is a mountain sculpture in Yangzhou Museum, which is said to be from the end of Yuan Dynasty. Taking white jade as the material, the theme of the story of "Seven Sages of Bamboo Forest" is expressed, and the description of characters and mountains and rivers is concise, but there are complexities in simplicity. It can be said that it is the pioneering work of Yangzhou Zi Shan sculpture. In the Ming Dynasty, Yangzhou jade began to form an elegant and beautiful style. The products of the middle Ming Dynasty collected by Yangzhou Museum, namely "Hexagon Lotus Jade Pot" and "Pan Guo Bai Yu Cup", are praised by people for their beautiful shapes and exquisite craftsmanship. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the "Purple Mountain Carving" variety of Yangzhou jade had a new style, and the technological level was greatly improved, which prepared for the difficult technology of making large-scale Yushan in Yangzhou later.
Yangzhou jade carving technology developed to the middle of Qing Dynasty, and it can be said that all kinds of products were complete and the artistic level was unprecedentedly improved. Especially in the heyday of Qianlong period, Yangzhou became the main distribution center of jade materials and one of the main production centers of jade products in China. In addition to not setting up a jade bureau in Jianlong Temple, the salt administration of the two Huai Dynasties also undertook a large number of large-scale jade exhibitions in the Qing court and paid a large number of jade articles to the court every year. Such as the famous white jade ruyi, made of Hotan sheep fat jade, white and flawless, condensed as fat, exquisite and elegant in shape. It is designated as one of the "Eight Tributes of Yangzhou", and it is transported to the palace in large quantities every year, displayed in the inner courtyard of the palace or given to officials as a "royal gift".
At present, most of the large jade articles in the Qing Dynasty, weighing 10 and 1000 kg, collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing, are made by Yangzhou jade carving artists. It can be seen that Yangzhou's jade carving skills and artistic level, production scale and operation ability, as well as the number of skilled craftsmen are unprecedented in the Qing Dynasty. The solemn, simple and vigorous features of these large-scale jade articles are in sharp contrast with the elegant and beautiful features of small and medium-sized jade articles in Yangzhou, which has a great influence on the artistic style of Yangzhou jade articles in the future.
In 1950s, Yangzhou jade carving industry began to revive and became the main producing area of jade in modern China. No matter from the variety category or technical strength, it is among the best in the same industry in China, and has won many national quality awards such as gold, silver, cup and treasure. At present, Yangzhou has 3 masters of arts and crafts in China, 0/5 masters and celebrities in Jiangsu, and 72 professional technicians such as senior artists. For decades, Yangzhou jade products have emerged in an endless stream, and outstanding works have emerged in an endless stream, retaining the mellow and quaint style of traditional jade products and being famous for its elegance and exquisiteness. Yangzhou is undoubtedly an outstanding representative of modern China jade products.
Today's Yangzhou jade fully inherits and develops the traditional fine skills. Artists have designed and produced a large number of jade articles with beautiful shapes and exquisite craftsmanship, and their artistic level still ranks in the forefront of the world, and their products enjoy a high reputation in the international market. Jade articles in Yangzhou can be divided into six categories: furnace bottles, figures, flowers and birds, animals, antiques and mountain carvings, with complete varieties and diverse colors. The white jade pagoda furnace made in the early 1970 s was a blockbuster in the national jade appraisal. It was exhibited at counters in Tokyo and Nagoya on 198 1, which was highly appreciated by people from all walks of life in Japan. White jade five-element tower, carved in 1986, with seven floors and eight sides, is105cm high and 32cm wide. It is a rare masterpiece among jade pagodas in past dynasties to connect four pagodas from four directions with eight jade chains and 440 circle chains. In the same year, Juzhen Tuyu Mountain, with a height of 1.20 cm and a width of 90 cm and a weight of 1 1,000 kg, is a secluded paradise with the theme of famous stone carvings, which integrates Leshan Giant Buddha, Dazu Giant Buddha, Longmen Giant Buddha and Yungang Stone Buddha. The exhibition caused a sensation, and the capital press released news in succession, giving high praise. According to Hong Kong Daily, this Jasper Mountain "is the only jade treasure seen in the past 200 years after the Great Jade Water Control Map made by China during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, which fully embodies the new level of jade carving skills in China". 1989 "Happy Birthday" sapphire made by thin tire technology and 1990 "Mountain Carving" Bai Yushan "Giant Thousand Buddhas" both won national gold cups. The above five jade articles have been approved by the state.