Nan Xun

On Saturday I went with a friend to the near by canal town of Nan Xun. Nan Xun only takes about an hour and 40 minutes to get to by bus from Shanghai and offers a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the urban city.

A settlement in Nan Xun was first established in 746, but it wasn't until the Mid 13th century during the Song Dynasty when it was officially recognized. By the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty it became an important trading and commercial town because of its development in the silk industry. It continued to develop its silk products throughout the years and by the 20th century the silk produced there was known around the world.

Nan Xun has a number of canals and in this regard it is very similar to another near by town I have visited, Suzhou (which I have an entry on). In many ways, it is a kind of Chinese Venice (or Venice is a kind of Italian Nan Xun to be politically correct!) with its canals, boats, and bridges (about 30 throughout the town). By today's standards Nan Xun is a small town, though back then I imagine it was quite a bustling city.

Nan Xun is quite a charming town. I have to admit that it was nice to get out of Shanghai for a day and just be in a small, historical town. Another pleasant thing was that there were no tourist crowds, so it was very relaxing. It was also interesting to see small town people. In Shanghai you get used to seeing Westernized, more affluent Chinese people. In this town the people were much more humble in dress and had darker skin. Their faces are more worn and they looked like they lived a much less pampered lifestyle. Amazingly, the entire time we were there we did not see a single foreigner (something you are not used to in Shanghai). All of the tourists we saw were Chinese (if not by nationality, then by ethnicity) who were probably also visiting from Shanghai or the near by city of Hangzhou. There were many couples there on double dates, as well as photo enthusiasts with professional cameras.

Nan Xun used to be a very affluent city so there are a number of beautiful historical homes there. We went to at least 4 or 5 different ones that were beautifully designed in the old 15th and 16th century style, complete with court yards and gardens. It is interesting to imagine how life was back then. Of course if you lived in one of those beautiful houses it meant you were rich, so I imagine life was pretty good with the many servants and concubines tending to your every need. There were also a number of interesting shops specializing in things like pens (old style pens which are more like a brush), tea, and traditional rice wine.

Interesting doorway in an old home

On our way back we had to wait about 40 minutes for the bus, so we decided to walk down the road of the bus station to kill some time. While walking we encountered 3 monks who had shaved heads and wore monastery robes. They were very friendly and one of the guys took my hand and started reading my palm. He told my friend (who then translated to me) that my wife would be beautiful and that my life that would not be too stressful. He also said that to avoid walking along the road if I could and to live in the Southeast or Southwest if I wanted to be prosperous. The monks were interesting because aside from having shaved heads and robes on, they did not strike me as looking very much like a monk judging by their facial expressions and the way that they walked. I actually kind of thought they looked kind of comical.

Going to Nan Xun reminded me a lot of my trip to Suzhou. Like Suzhou, it was kind of like being transported back in time for a day. It was also nice to get out of the modern metropolis of Shanghai and enjoy the ancient splendors of the past.

Nan Xun street

The peaceful sleepiness of Nan Xun

Street with produce shops

Charming courtyard

Local woman cutting a turtle

Buddhist Temple

Western inspired architecture in rich man's residence

Typical back alley in Nan Xun