The architecture of the ancient city in the south of the Yangtze River is inseparable from water, so it is born and built according to water. Lightweight and chic, unconventional. Whether it is a folk building or a building under the guidance of the government, we should pay more attention to the ingenious combination of architecture and environment, housing and nature. Water element is not only the foil of the winding water flow in the ancient city of Jiangnan, but also an important factor to be considered in architectural design.
The architecture of the ancient city of Jiangnan presents the compromise and integration of political will and natural humanities. The capital and the city are cultural centers, starting from the central axis and the center, and the rest of the People's Square is around. The architectural style is constantly evolving with the development of politics, economy, religion and humanities. In the game between political power and natural power, there are different styles in different times. The Jiangnan architecture we see today still has such a law.
On the characteristics of Jiangnan ancient city in National Day.
Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Yangzhou are the main representatives of ancient Jiangnan. During the National Day, the author visited Suzhou, Yangzhou and Nanjing with the diversified character of visiting ancient buildings in the south of the Yangtze River.
Suzhou is full of water, and eight doors are still there. Gusu district covers the old city of Suzhou and extends to the surrounding Mudu ancient town, Tiger Hill and Hanshan Temple. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the small bridges in the streets and lanes are still there, and the old residents still have the legacy of Sioux City. Wu dialect is warm and soft. Land and water transportation has been preserved to this day. Although Suzhou Park and Suzhou New Economic Zone have risen, they have not affected the old streets with traditional characteristics, and they complement each other. There is an ancient style and a new atmosphere.
Yangzhou today is not at the same level as the Sui and Tang Dynasties in history. Yangzhou has lost a lot of weight now Temple buildings can still be seen everywhere in Yangzhou, and even stone pagodas exist in the middle of the road. The water in Yangzhou is dominated by natural waterways and artificially dug Grand Canal, and the economy and architecture along the river have a strong historical trace. Slender West Lake and Dongguan Street, ancient ferries, ancient bridges, new bridges and pavilions are elegant and precise. Influenced by economic and political factors, Yangzhou's architectural style reflects people's willpower more than its integration with the natural environment. On the contrary, what people feel in Yangzhou is the green plant shape with buildings. The accumulation of art and humanities makes Yangzhou more famous, but the scenery is average. Due to the shift of economic and traffic center of gravity, Yangzhou is gradually fading out of people's sight.
The pulse in Nanjing is thick and steady. Entering Nanjing is first attracted by the wide Yangtze River, the beautiful Zhongshan and the rolling distant mountains. On the terrain and momentum, Nanjing gives people the initial impression that it is large and heavy. This is due to the right time and the right place. Xuanwu District and Qinhuai District can make people feel the breath of architecture and humanity in past dynasties, while Gulou District brings modern and vivid life. As for the influence of religious temples and water system on Nanjing, it is no longer the influence of the protagonist, but one of the structures of Nanjing.
Therefore, if one word is used to define the character of Jiangnan metropolis in the modern sense, I think Nanjing is heavy, Suzhou is gentle and strong, and Yangzhou is light and cloudy.