264 无锡古运河【女声 0.9语速】

Ancient Grand Canal flowing with millenniums of culture

The Wuxi section of the Grand Canal runs 40-odd km from Changjiang River on the north to Taihu Lake on the south and across the urban areas of Wuxi city. Since the birth of the canal, local people living on and off the river created the city and gave birth to a culture of water-land on the canal. 

A bird’s eye view of Wuxi represents a harmonious coexistence of layers of modern buildings and ancient residential houses of white walls and dark blue tiles setting off each other; the gurgling ancient canal winding its way through the city, joining together all the big and small lanes and streets. Since time immemorial, this canal carrying thousands of years of tales has been entwined and connected with each nerve and vein of this city.

At dusk, the setting sun sets the sky ablaze with red. Taking off her plain dress for the day, Wuxi puts on her splendid robes for the night. Chains of lanterns hung high up on either side of Qingming Bride cast red light on the spring river as well as people’s faces. Enthusiastic people, standing on the stone bridges and docks are cheering and waiting for something. At this time, a flash of light pierces the sky, colorful and extraordinarily magnificent barges are sailing from afar, on the glorious mission of publicizing the culture of Wuxi, passing beneath bridges, leaving images now coming nearer and then going further away.

These 50 barges sailing around the ancient canal signify different themes, giving a through interpretation of the essence of ancient culture of Wuxi and the modern spirit of innovation of the city. The sight before me is really dreamy; it seems as if I had come back to ancient times.