Nanhao Street

Nanhao Street

Nanhao street is located between changmen and xumen outside Suzhou city. The annual Suzhou City folk custom activity "rolling God" is held near changmen in the north section of Nanhao street.

geographical position

Nanhao street is located between changmen and xumen outside Suzhou city. It starts from nianyudun of changmen suspension bridge in the north, passes through Jinmen road in the South and ends at Nanhao bridge (formerly known as xiajiaqiao).

Place name allusion

Originally named Nanhao street, it got its name from the moat to the south of changmen, and later mistakenly named "Hao" as "Hao". In the Republic of China, the annals of Wu County was called Nanhao street, and the pictures of Suzhou City, Wu County and Suzhou were all labeled Nanhao street. Suzhou Ming Dynasty writers Du Mu and Yang Xunji once lived in Nanhao street. Lantern Festival, changmen area is very popular, Nanhao street is also "decorated".

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was a prosperous commercial city with many guilds and offices. Inside and outside changmen, North and South haos, shangxiatang, Shantang and Fengqiao are all prosperous business districts. "All the boats and carts from north and South and foreign merchants gather here. The residents are dense and the streets are narrow. When the passengers and goods arrive, the pedestrians can hardly drop their arms. All the merchants stop here." Nanhao street was destroyed in the 10th year of Xianfeng. During the period of Tongzhi and Guangxu, the business market recovered slightly.

Reconstruction history

After the 1950s, the shops were gradually changed into warehouses, and the markets were deserted. It used to be elastic stone pavement. After 1980s, it has been transformed into asphalt pavement, cement pavement and square stone pavement. The street is 1800 meters long and 2.5-4.9 meters wide. In 1998, the north section of Nanhao Street (from the southwest of changmen suspension bridge to Jinmen Road) was comprehensively reconstructed and completed in April 1999. The 600 meter road surface of this section is paved with granite. On both sides of the street, there are antique commercial facade houses. On the west side of the street, there are 11 residential buildings in Nanhao garden. In addition, the cultural attractions of "18 scenes of Nanhao" are set up for citizens to enjoy.

Folk activities

The activity of "rolling immortals" in Suzhou has a history of more than 800 years, which originated from the worship and sacrifice of Taoist gods, one of the eight immortals, LV Dongbin. It is said that the fourteenth day of the fourth lunar month is Lu Dongbin's birthday. On this day, he will incarnate as a mortal and come to the world to enlighten the world. Therefore, on this day, everyone will go to the temple of immortals to offer incense and jostle among the crowd, hoping to run over the immortals and bring good luck to himself. The word "Ba" in Suzhou dialect means to join in the fun. Every year, the activity of "rolling over immortals" is held near changmen area in Suzhou, where the immortals temple is the core.

After the Shenxian temple was moved to Nanhao street in 1999, the annual "bashing Shenxian" temple fair was held in Nanhao Street instead of Zhongjie road.

New branch road

In the reconstruction project of the north section of Nanhao street, three new East-West passageways are built, which are celebrity street, Hulu street and Shenxian street from south to north.

Celebrity Street

Located in the north of Jinmen Road, it starts from Nanhao street in the East and ends at Changxu road in the West. It is 130 meters long and 3-8 meters wide with granite pavement. Because there is a "Gusu Hall of fame" on the east side of the street, it is named. It was opened in December 1999.

Hulu Street

Located in the middle of the north section of Nanhao street, it starts from Nanhao street in the East and ends at Changxu road in the West. It is 140 meters long and 8.5 meters wide with granite pavement. The new Nanhao garden residence is located in the north of the west end of the street. The famous Chinese classic novel a dream of Red Mansions says that changmen in Suzhou is "the most prosperous and romantic place in the world of mortals". In 1998, when Nanhao street was rebuilt, the scenic spot of "Hulu temple ruins" was set up, and the newly built street was named "Hulu Street", imitating the plot that Zhen Shi lived in seclusion in Hulu temple outside changmenwai in the first chapter of the novel. It was opened in April 1999.

Shenxian Street

Located in the east of the north section of Changxu Road, it starts from Wanren Wharf in Nanhao street in the East and ends at Changxu road in the West. Facing stone road, it has granite pavement, 130 meters long and 12 meters wide. The Shenxian Temple (also known as Fuji Temple), which has a history of nearly one thousand years, was moved to the east end of this street because the original site of Xiatang in changmen had been destroyed, so it was named Shenxian street. It was opened in April 1999.

Address: near Nanhao garden, Jinmen Road

Longitude: 120.604084

Latitude: 31.312012

Chinese PinYin : Nan Hao Jie